SYDNEY, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a soft robotic model of the human heart capable of mimicking disease, offering a new platform to study cardiac conditions and test medical devices.
The fully synthetic model reproduces the complex movements and internal structures of the human heart, opening the door to better treatments, safer medical devices and more personalized care, according to a statement from Australia's University of New South Wales released on Wednesday.
The research introduces a beating model of the left side of the heart, including artificial valves, papillary muscles and chordae tendineae -- key structures critical to healthy heart function and often affected by disease.
Using soft robotic artificial muscles and silicone membranes, the device simulates the way the heart naturally contracts and twists, according to the studies published in Nature Communications and Advanced Science.
The device is able to replicate conditions in a real heart where cardiac valves leak and blood flows backwards, which increases the risk of heart failure and other life-threatening complications, the studies showed.
Using ultrasound imaging and measurements of pressure and blood flow, the researchers showed that the artificial heart behaves in ways remarkably similar to a human heart.
The team said the soft robot could improve understanding of heart conditions, reduce animal testing, and give doctors patient-specific models for pre-procedure planning. ■