Overview
- The soft, 3D-printed replica reproduces the left atrium, ventricle, and mitral valve with a tissue-like feel and integrated pressure sensors.
- Soft robotic McKibben pneumatic actuators drive lifelike contraction and valve motion, with string-like elements emulating the heart’s chordae tendineae.
- Using a deliberately defective printed valve, researchers performed an edge-to-edge repair that raised left-ventricular pressure and eliminated regurgitation on ultrasound.
- The model, detailed in Advanced Materials Technologies, is intended for hands-on rehearsal of minimally invasive procedures as an alternative to animal, cadaver, or computer-only training.
- The team filed a provisional patent and is pursuing a full four-chamber version and clinician collaborations for patient-specific rehearsals, supported by NSF and WSU funding.