The TheraMon® transponder
The size of the transponder measures 8 x 12 x 4 mm and the required power is supplied by an accumulator with 3.0 Volts and 5.5 mAh. To achieve a lifetime of 20 - 24 months, the transponder mainly remains in a sleeping mode and wakes up in periodical intervals. Once awake the transponder checks, if the brace is placed in the mouth or not, stores the measured parameters into the internal memory and returns back to sleep.
In case, the lifetime is not sufficient enough, the accumulator of the transponder can be charged wireless by placing the transponder into the magnetic field of the reader. Under normal circumstances for treatments with braces this should accur only very rarely as a new braces always requires a new transponder. Transponders cannot be recycled for a new brace without risking to damage the transponder and loosing valuable compliance data.
In those rarely situations, where recharging may be required, the brace has to be handed out to the dentist or lab technician for approx. 4 days, as the charging procedure requires approx. 90 hours of beeing placed into the readers magnetic field. This is a perfect moment to invest in a general service of the brace - talk to your dentist or technician about it. This is an investment definately worth doing it.
To reach such small size of the transponder, a so called ASIC (Application Specific Intergrated Circuit) had to be developed. Further a very small antenna is located onto the transponder. Once the transponder is placed parallel to the antenna of the reader the data of the transponder can be transferred to the reader as well as charging energy can be transferred to the transponder.
The transponder only transfers data to the reader, when it is placed into the magnetic field of the reader. Outside this magnetic field (already approx. 3-4 cm away from the antenna of the reader) the transponder does not transmit any data.
Generally: Outside the magnetic field the transponder does not emit any radiation at all.
The TheraMon® Transponder
comparison: human hair against TheraMon® ASIC
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