A team of engineers at Northwestern University has developed the world’s smallest pacemaker—and it’s activated by light. Measuring just 1.8 millimeters wide, the rice-sized device can be injected with a syringe, then safely dissolves once its job is done. Designed especially for newborns and patients needing temporary pacing, it eliminates the risks of traditional devices that require wires and surgical removal.
What makes this pacemaker groundbreaking isn’t just its size. It’s powered by a battery formed from the body’s own fluids and activated by a soft, wearable patch that shines light through the chest to trigger gentle pulses. Once the patient’s heart stabilizes, the pacemaker naturally breaks down, leaving no trace behind. Researchers believe this innovation could one day lead to a new era of smart, dissolvable medical devices with applications beyond the heart.