Harvard researchers develop robotic sleeve for failing hearts
- 7 years ago
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS — Harvard researchers have developed a soft robotic sleeve that can replicate normal heart muscle movements in order to support failing hearts.
The human heart twists as it beats, in a motion similar to wringing and wringing of a towel. In order to mimic this rotational motion, scientists created two sets of silicone robotic sleeves. The first one expands and contracts concentrically while the second one expands and contracts helically.
The device is designed to slide over the heart like a sleeve. When inflated with pressurised air, the device can help to boost the amount of blood being pumped.
“Soft robotic devices are ideally suited to interact with soft tissue and give assistance that can help with augmentation of function, and potentially even healing and recovery,” Elle T. Roche, first author of the study told Harvard Magazine.
According to the Harvard Magazine, about 2.8 million Americans with heart failure suffer from a condition where the heart does not fully contract. However, the robotic sleeve is still at an early stage of development and longer-term animal studies need to be conducted before it could be used in humans
The human heart twists as it beats, in a motion similar to wringing and wringing of a towel. In order to mimic this rotational motion, scientists created two sets of silicone robotic sleeves. The first one expands and contracts concentrically while the second one expands and contracts helically.
The device is designed to slide over the heart like a sleeve. When inflated with pressurised air, the device can help to boost the amount of blood being pumped.
“Soft robotic devices are ideally suited to interact with soft tissue and give assistance that can help with augmentation of function, and potentially even healing and recovery,” Elle T. Roche, first author of the study told Harvard Magazine.
According to the Harvard Magazine, about 2.8 million Americans with heart failure suffer from a condition where the heart does not fully contract. However, the robotic sleeve is still at an early stage of development and longer-term animal studies need to be conducted before it could be used in humans