An Implantable Extracardiac Soft Robotic Device for the Failing Heart: Mechanical Coupling and Synchronization

Abstract

Soft robotic devices have significant potential for medical device applications that warrant safe synergistic interaction with humans. This article describes the optimization of an implantable soft robotic system for heart failure whereby soft actuators wrapped around the ventricles are programmed to contract and relax in synchrony with the beating heart. Elastic elements integrated into the soft actuators provide recoiling function so as to aid refilling during the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle. Improved synchronization with the biological system is achieved by incorporating the native ventricular pressure into the control system to trigger assistance and synchronize the device with the heart. A three-state electro-pneumatic valve configuration allows the actuators to contract at different rates to vary contraction patterns. An in vivo study was performed to test three hypotheses relating to mechanical coupling and temporal synchronization of the actuators and heart. First, that adhesion of the actuators to the ventricles improves cardiac output. Second, that there is a contraction-relaxation ratio of the actuators which generates optimal cardiac output. Third, that the rate of actuator contraction is a factor in cardiac output.

Wearable and Implantable Devices for Cardiovascular Healthcare: from Monitoring to Therapy Based on Flexible and Stretchable Electronics

“…Recently, the integration of soft robotics pioneered a new field of more active and multifunctional treatment devices called soft robotic sleeves (Figure c, bottom right) . A soft robotic sleeve is wrapped around both ventricles to augment heart function .…”

Physical Human–Robot Collaboration: Robotic Systems, Learning Methods, Collaborative Strategies, Sensors, and Actuators

“…1) Pneumatic Technologies: Pneumatic technology has been applied to create artificial muscle in robot hands [85], [86] and to generate motion in soft-robotics [87], [88]. This kind of actuator is desirable in safety-conscious robotic design especially those intended to interact with human and delicate contact surfaces [87]. One of its drawbacks is that it is difficult to control due to the non-linearity of the actuator.…”

Flexible Actuators for Soft Robotics

“…Artificial organs supporting natural organs have the similar requirements of warranting safe synergistic interactions with humans. In addition, their materials are required to be mechanically coupled and synchronized because they are implanted . Flexible actuators have the ability to mimic the physiological functions of natural organs and maintain the aforementioned characteristics.…”

“…The heart has been the center of organ research due to its key role in human health. For example, Payne et al . presented an implantable robotic system for heart dysfunction.…”