This is the world's smallest pacemaker. It's smaller than rice and naturally dissolves once it's no longer needed.

 This is the world's smallest pacemaker. It's smaller than rice and naturally dissolves once it's no longer needed.

Developed by engineers at Northwestern University, the device works alongside a lightweight, flexible wearable that sticks to the chest and sends pulses of light through the skin to control the heart's rhythm.

When the wearable senses an irregular heartbeat, it flashes infrared light that activates the pacemaker, delivering just enough electrical stimulation to keep the heart beating normally. The pacemaker doesn't need bulky batteries or wires because it uses a special built-in galvanic cell that creates power when it comes into contact with the body's fluids.

This innovation is especially important for newborn babies with heart defects, who usually need pacing support for only a few days after surgery. Traditional temporary pacemakers use external wires that can cause infections or heart damage when removed, but this tiny, dissolvable device avoids those risks completely. Despite its small size, it delivers the same electrical strength as a full-sized pacemaker.

Researchers are also exploring how groups of these tiny devices could work together across different parts of the heart for better, more precise treatment, or even be combined with artificial heart valves to solve recovery complications. Scientists believe this breakthrough could lead to new types of bioelectronic medicine for healing nerves, bones, and even treating chronic pain.👍