TU/e researchers are working with partners on the Hybrid Heart: a soft robotic heart that should eventually be able to attract body-own cells to prevent rejection and complications. The researchers involved have now published the first test results with an early prototype in Nature Communications.
The prototype at the centre of this publication successfully managed to pump blood around using soft robotics. The next step is the application of a biodegradable, synthetic interior made of biocompatible material, developed by TU/e researchers. This innovative layer was not yet present in the version used for the initial tests. But the promising initial results show that the technical basis is solid enough for further development.
Soft robot heart
The Hybrid Heart, developed under the leadership of Erasmus MC, is intended for patients with heart failure. It mimics the natural heartbeat and 'soft' tissue environment of the heart via a flexible robotic 'muscle' (septum). This should help prevent complications such as blood clots, rejection reactions or infections. The technology is a possible alternative to a donor heart, of which there is a severe shortage, or serves to replace existing artificial hearts.
A robot heart that grows with you
In the next phase, the researchers will apply the special inner layer. This was developed at TU/e. The layer is designed to attract body-own cells that form new tissue, while the synthetic material is slowly degraded. Eventually, only living tissue from the patient's own body remains. This prevents blood clots and improves the immune system's acceptance of the heart. This would allow the robotic heart to function much longer.
Activation by body
“If we can create materials that trigger the body itself to repair itself, we’ll be getting very close to a regenerative artificial heart, where we implant biomaterials that attract cells within the body and are gradually converted into living tissue,” says TU/e Professor of Cell-Matrix Interactions Carlijn Bouten. “We have previously pioneered work in this field with heart valves, blood vessels and vascular stents. This has led, amongst other things, to the spin-offs Xeltis and STENTiT. Now we are moving further towards a complete heart.”
The development of the biocoating is being led by Bouten and her colleagues Patricia Dankers, Anthal Smits and other scientists from the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.
First tests promising
Initial tests published in Nature Communications showed that the prototype could pump blood under laboratory conditions with a force comparable to a real heart. It also functioned for just under an hour in a large laboratory animal. The soft robotic heart, made with flexible materials and powered by air pressure, can also be controlled without electronic signals, which is common practice until now.
Ketchup bottle
University associate professor Bas Overvelde and researcher Luuk van Laake, both affiliated with the TU/e Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, have shown in the laboratory setup that the same principles that make a ketchup bottle sputter can be used for a heartbeat in the robot heart. Bas Overvelde: "We were looking for a way to make a heart valve open and close with as little software or electronics as possible. The soft valve we use for this opens and closes automatically as soon as we send the constant air flow from a pump through it. No further electrical signals are needed for that."
Scientific milestone
The researchers call it a scientific milestone. "With this development, we are taking an important step towards an artificial heart that offers fewer complications and a better quality of life for our patients," said Professor Dr Jolanda Kluin of Erasmus MC, cardio-thoracic surgeon and project leader of the Hybrid Heart. The next step is to develop a fully implantable version of the robotic heart for long-term preclinical testing. If that goes well, the transition can be made to humans. The goal is to achieve that within 10 years.
Heart failure affects millions of patients worldwide
In the Netherlands, there are 250,000 patients with heart failure. The last resort is a heart transplant, but due to the low availability of donors, waiting lists are long. Many patients die while on the waiting list, half of them within five years. Worldwide, 23 million people suffer from heart failure.
With this development, we are taking an important step towards an artificial heart that offers fewer complications and a better quality of life for our patients."Professor Dr Jolanda Kluin of Erasmus MC, cardio-thoracic surgeon and project leader of the Hybrid Heart.
About the Holland Hybrid Heart consortium
Holland Hybrid Heart is a consortium of universities, higher vocational education, companies and patient organisations. A total of 15 partners are collaborating on the development of the robot heart. It is one of the projects that received funding under the National Science Agenda (NWA) in 2023. It amounts to 10.4 million euros. For more information, see: Holland Hybrid Heart.
Opening photo: Principal investigator Jolanda Kluin of Erasmus MC. Photo: Holland Hybrid Heart Consortium
Source: TU/e
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