Physiological and Pathological Cardiac Motion Generation Using a Soft Robotic Approach

Background: Anatomically and physiologically accurate in vitro bench-top models of the heart are critical for rapid and effective cardiac device design. During the contraction phase of the cardiac cycle the apex of the left ventricle twists anti-clockwise while the base of the heart has a net clockwise rotation. The resultant complex motion is left ventricular (LV) twist. Cardiac wall motion in the majority of bench-top simulators is achieved through the use of pumps to passively drive flow in elastomeric cardiac models but most do not simulate LV twist. An ideal bench-top cardiac simulator would mimic the soft material properties and active contractile motion of the natural heart tissue and be capable of replicating physiological and pathological motions.