World's First Fully Artificial, Self-Regulating Heart
Well, this is not exactly design, but I have often shared news about inspiring innovations: French doctors are celebrating the installation of a revolutionary artificial heart into a 75-year-old patient. It is produced by the French company Carmat and successfully transplanted Renowned French surgeon Alain Carpentier. The artificial heart is made from soft “biomaterials” including bovine tissue and functions with the aid of a multitude of sensors that mimic every little detail of a real beating heart. It is similar in size, but weighs three times more. It is the first to fully replicate the self-regulated contractions of a real heart.
Reuters reports that the current model, powered by external lithium batteries, is expected to keep a patient alive for up to five years. This is the culmination of a 30-year quest by its chief engineers Alain Carpentier and Philippe Pouletty.
It is amazing that, as Mr Carpentier explains, “If your loved one came through the door [and you had a Carpentier artificial heart], it would start to beat faster, just like a real one.”
Also, this heart will allow for more movement and less clotting.
"Carmat hopes to finish human trials of the heart by the end of next year and to obtain approval to market the devices in the EU by early 2015."
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