Researchers Create Artificial Foam Heart
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NEW YORK: A team from Cornell University has developed an artificial heart with a new lightweight and stretchable foam that has potential for use in prosthetic body parts, artificial organs and soft robotics.
The foam is unique because it can be formed and has connected pores that allow fluids to be pumped through it.
The polymer foam starts as a liquid that can be poured into a mould to create shapes, and because of the pathways for fluids, when air or liquid is pumped through it, the material moves and can change its length by 300 percent.
While applications for use inside the body require federal approval and testing, Cornell researchers are close to making prosthetic body parts with the so-called Â"elastomer foamÂ".
"We are currently pretty far along for making a prosthetic hand this way," said Rob Shepherd, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
The team demonstrated a pump they made into a heart, mimicking both shape and function.
The foam is unique because it can be formed and has connected pores that allow fluids to be pumped through it.
The polymer foam starts as a liquid that can be poured into a mould to create shapes, and because of the pathways for fluids, when air or liquid is pumped through it, the material moves and can change its length by 300 percent.
While applications for use inside the body require federal approval and testing, Cornell researchers are close to making prosthetic body parts with the so-called Â"elastomer foamÂ".
"We are currently pretty far along for making a prosthetic hand this way," said Rob Shepherd, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
The team demonstrated a pump they made into a heart, mimicking both shape and function.
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