Castro Announces $110K for UTSA Smart Cardiac Pacemaker Research
Washington, D.C.–Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) today welcomed the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) $110,250 research grant to the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) for ultra-low power computing for next generation implantable smart cardiac pacemakers.
“Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in our country. On average, 225,000 artificial pacemakers are surgically implanted each year and these devices help save lives by alerting hospitals during irregularities and emergencies. But it comes at a cost to both the recipient’s health and wallet, as pacemaker need to be replaced every eight to ten years.
“So this HHS $110, 250 grant to the UTSA allows further research into low energy computing techniques that would add more advanced features to future pacemakers without sacrificing the battery life. By researching energy efficient designs, we can potentially extend pacemakers’ battery life by 10-15%, decrease the frequency of replacement surgery, and increase effectiveness of these devices. In turn, this would drive down healthcare costs for those needing a pacemaker. I’m proud that UTSA and the San Antonio community are leading the charge on solving this important problem and directly contributing to making Americans healthier and our economy stronger.”
# # #
Next Article Previous Article