Development of a new blood pump using a shape memory alloy actuator

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Mechanical circulatory support systems are crucial for patients with heart failure.
• Shape memory alloys (SMAs) offer unique actuation properties for medical devices.
• Developing reliable and efficient actuators is essential for improving device performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a helical spring shape memory alloy actuator for mechanical circulatory support.
• To establish a design procedure for SMA and passive bias spring specifications.
• To verify the feasibility and design procedure through a prototype device.

Main Methods:

• A helical spring SMA actuator was designed and modeled.
• Specifications for SMA and passive bias springs were determined.
• A prototype device was fabricated and tested in vitro.

Main Results:

• The model device was designed for a 2 cm stroke against a 200 mm Hg pressure load.
• Prototype development confirmed the feasibility of the SMA actuator.
• In vitro water bath tests validated the actuator's performance.

Conclusions:

• The helical spring SMA actuator is feasible for mechanical circulatory support systems.
• The established design procedure is effective for actuator development.
• This technology holds potential for advancing cardiac assist devices.