Soft Materials
We investigate the development and use of soft robotic pumps for heart transplantation. Our goal is to develop a soft Total Artificial Heart (sTAH) which imitates the heart in its geometry and pumping mechanism. Through this, we hope to address the critical shortcomings associated with the long-term performance of current mechanical circulatory support devices.
Contact: Damir Temiraliuly
Current widely implanted artificial blood pumps are made of rigid materials and produce continuous blood flow. However, the human heart is soft and gives a pulsatile blood flow. Thus, we propose that an ideal artificial heart would be made of soft materials only and mimic the human heart as closely as possible to give the most physiological blood flow possible.
At the moment, we try to increase the sTAH pump performance, lifetime, and design. These next development goals should give a true alternative to current continuously pumping support devices.
Publications in this area:
- Adv. Funct. Mater., 2015 external pageLink
- SoRo., 2015 external pageLink
- RSC Adv., 2014 external pageLink
- Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2014 external pageLink
- CardioVasc. Thorac. Surg., 2013 external pageLink
- Adv. Funct. Mater., 2013 external pageLink
Contact: Damir Temiraliuly
We are developing novel actuation systems to power our soft Total Artificial Heart. In its current design, the central volume displacement of the sTAH is driven by an external hydraulic drive. This solution is not suitable for clinical applications. We are therefore exploring solutions for an implantable pulsatile volume displacement actuator that can be contained completely within the patient’s body.