LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, THE SMARTPHONE, AND A WIRELESS REVOLUTION

IN THE FALL OF 1958, ARNE LARSSON’S HEART WAS FAILING. AT TIMES, his heart beat once every three seconds, leaving him weak and prone to fainting spells. The Swedish engineer was only forty-three years old, but a viral infection had worsened a congenital heart condition. His doctors tried a range of treatments, including ephedrine, atropine, and caffeine. On bad days, his wife and aides had to resuscitate him up to thirty times. The weak spells could last for weeks, and doctors feared for his life. On October 8, 1958, Swedish doctors implanted the first internal pacemaker in Larsson’s body. The