Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences

Exploring the future of artificial hearts, Maziar Arfaee’s upcoming PhD defense, “Can Soft Robots Donate Their Heart to Humans? Emerging Technologies in Total Artificial Heart Development,” reshapes the landscape of cardiac replacement therapy. His research explores how soft robotics - made from flexible, gentle materials – can help create more safe and lifelike artificial hearts for people with serious heart conditions.

A Smarter Heart Solution

“Heart failure is a growing problem, and our current devices just aren’t good enough,” says Arfaee. Traditional artificial hearts and heart pumps often cause problems like infections and damage to blood cells because they use hard parts and complicated systems. Soft robots, made from materials that can bend and stretch like real heart tissue, could solve these issues. “We want devices that do more than just pump blood—they should work like a real heart and be gentle on the body,” Arfaee explains.

Innovative Design Choices

Arfaee’s research looks closely at what went wrong with previous artificial heart designs. He developed new models using soft, balloon-like motors that move more naturally. “These materials can be shaped to behave more like the human heart, which could make artificial hearts last longer and be safer,” says Arfaee.

Smaller, Better Artificial Hearts

One exciting development is the LIMO (Less In, More Out) heart. “Our goal was to make the devices smaller and more efficient, so they’re easier to fit inside the body,” says Arfaee. The new system uses clever pouch-like actuators that need less space but do the job of pumping blood more effectively. Another promising idea is the Hybrid Heart. By adding special coatings, the Hybrid Heart becomes friendlier to blood and tissue, reducing the risk of clots and infections. “Early lab and animal tests show this design could work safely inside the body,” adds Arfaee.

A New Hope for Patients

According to Arfaee, “Joining engineering with natural biology lets us move closer to artificial hearts that truly blend in with the body.” If these innovations continue, future patients could receive artificial hearts that feel more like their own, offering new hope for people with severe heart disease.