Towards all optically powered miniature devices in remote locations of the body

Optical power and data transmission enable high-speed, multimodal functionality in miniaturized biomedical devices, overcoming critical limitations of traditional electronic wiring in terms of size, functionality, speed, and safety. In this work, we present a proof-of-concept for a fully optically powered, chip-on-tip micro-camera endoscope with a 3.0 mm outer-diameter catheter, designed for minimally invasive surgical guidance and in vivo diagnosis. Power is delivered through a multimode optical fiber to a custom photovoltaic cell, which supplies sufficient energy to drive a sub-millimeter CMOS image sensor at its maximum frame rate of 62 fps. This architecture improves biocompatibility by eliminating distal electrical conductors and enables a new class of optically powered miniaturized biomedical devices capable of accessing remote, confined regions of the body.