Impedance Pump for Fontan Circulation Support

WSS Funding

Source : https://mediatheque.epfl.ch

Source : https://mediatheque.epfl.ch

 

Motivation and goal

Impedance pumps are simple designs that allow the generation or amplification of flow. They are fluid-filled systems based on flexible tubing connected to tubing with different impedances. A periodic off-center compression of the flexible tubing causes the fluid to move and generate flow. Wave reflection at the impedance mismatch is the primary driving mechanism of the flow.
 

Chosen approach

Here, we present an approach to bladeless, valveless soft pumping via dielectric elastomer actuators. The soft pump design is inspired by the embryonic heart mechanism, also known as an impedance pump.

 

Current state of the research

By adjusting the input signal parameters (frequency, magnitude, etc.), the flow properties can be controlled and tuned to the desired application requirements. The high performance of the proposed approach (up to 1.35 L/min) has been demonstrated theoretically and experimentally.
 

 

Future work

Our goal is to utilize this innovative approach to tackle Fontan failure, a complication that may arise following heart surgery for congenital defects. This pump seamlessly integrates into the Fontan procedure by substituting the traditional conduit without necessitating any additional modifications. The straightforward design and high performance of the proposed pumping concept give it the potential to be disruptive in many applications, especially in the biomedical field.
 

Publications

An artificial urinary sphincter based on dielectric elastomer technology

Q. P. M. De Menech; S. Zammouri; S. M. A. Konstantinidi; A. Benouhiba; Y. R. C. Civet et al. 

2024-05-09. SPIE Smart Structures + Nondestructive Evaluation 2024, Long Beach, California, USA, March 24-28, 2024. DOI : 10.1117/12.3004813.

Dielectric elastomer actuator-based valveless pump as Fontan failure assist device: introduction and preliminary study

A. Benouhiba; A. M. Walter; S. E. Jahren; T. G. Martinez; F. Clavica et al. 

Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular And Thoracic Surgery. 2024-03-29. Vol. 38, num. 4, p. ivae041. DOI : 10.1093/icvts/ivae041.

Mechanical Characterisation of Porcine Urethra: Non Linear Constitutive Models and Experimental Approach

Q. De Menech; S. Konstantinidi; T. Martinez; A. Benouhiba; Y. Civet et al. 

2023-10-31. Seventh International Conference on Advances in Biomedical Engineering (ICABME 2023), Beirut, Libanon (hybrid), October 12-13, 2023. p. 35-40. DOI : 10.1109/ICABME59496.2023.10293025.

Dielectric Elastomer Actuator-Based Valveless Impedance-Driven Pumping for Meso- and Macroscale Applications

A. Benouhiba; A. Walter; S. E. Jahren; T. Martinez; F. Clavica et al. 

Soft Robotics. 2023-09-20. DOI : 10.1089/soro.2022.0244.

Real-time actuation of a dielectric elastomer actuator neuroprosthesis for facial paralysis

S. M. A. Konstantinidi; C. Imholz; T. G. Martinez; A. Benouhiba; A. M. Walter et al. 

Smart Materials in Medicine. 2023-06-21. Vol. 5, num. (2024), p. 15-23. DOI : 10.1016/j.smaim.2023.06.003.

Influence of Axial Pre-stretch on Tubular Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

A. Benouhiba; A. M. Walter; T. G. Martinez; Y. R. C. Civet; Y. Perriard 

2022-12-21. 2022 25th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Chiang Mai, Thailand, November 29-December 2, 2022. DOI : 10.1109/ICEMS56177.2022.9982925.

Soft Actuators for Facial Reanimation

S. Konstantinidi; T. Martinez; A. Benouhiba; Y. Civet; Y. Perriard 

2022-01-01. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Kyoto, JAPAN, Oct 23-27, 2022. p. 11109-11114. DOI : 10.1109/IROS47612.2022.9982089.