Recent advances in wireless power and data transfer for implantable biomedical devices: A scoping review

Wireless implantable biomedical devices (IBMDs) enable continuous physiological monitoring and therapeutic interventions through miniaturized radio-frequency (RF) front-ends. Their development is constrained by the heterogeneous electromagnetic properties of human tissues and stringent clinical safety requirements. This scoping review, conducted following the PRISMA-ScR framework, maps recent methods and performance metrics for wireless power and data transfer in IBMDs. A search of the Scopus database identified 75 peer-reviewed Q1–Q2 journal articles published between 2020 and 2024. Most systems are implanted below the skin surface, with data-focused architectures predominating over power-only and hybrid solutions. Radiative coupling in the GHz range dominates data transmission, supporting data rates up to 250 Mbps, whereas inductive coupling in the kHz–MHz bands is most effective for power transfer, with reported efficiencies up to 93%. Despite these technological advances, only a minority of the studies complied with SAR safety thresholds at 1 W transmit power, particularly under the stricter SAR 1 g criterion. This review synthesizes recent engineering approaches, anatomical trade-offs, and safety considerations, and outlines design directions for clinically viable, multifunctional wireless IBMDs.