A novel soft cardiac assist device based on a dielectric elastomer augmented aorta: An in vivo study
Engineers at EPFL’s Center for Artificial Muscles have developed a silicone aorta that can reduce how hard patients’ hearts have to pump. We demonstrate that the right activation leads to an optimal assistance of the heart with a maximum energy provided by the DEA. The end-diastolic and left ventricular pressures were lowered by up to 5% and 1%, respectively, compared to baseline. The early diastolic pressure was augmented in average by up to 2%. This research was carried out under a joint initiative by ETH Zurich, the University of Bern and EPFL.
2023
Journal Articles
Dielectric Elastomer Actuator-Based Valveless Impedance-Driven Pumping for Meso- and Macroscale Applications
Soft Robotics. 2023-09-20. DOI : 10.1089/soro.2022.0244.Hemodynamic effects of a dielectric elastomer augmented aorta on aortic wave intensity: An in-vivo study
Journal of Biomechanics. 2023-08-25. Vol. 159. DOI : 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111777.Real-time actuation of a dielectric elastomer actuator neuroprosthesis for facial paralysis
Smart Materials in Medicine. 2023-06-21. Vol. 5, num. (2024), p. 15-23. DOI : 10.1016/j.smaim.2023.06.003.2022
Journal Articles
A novel soft cardiac assist device based on a dielectric elastomer augmented aorta: An in vivo study
Bioengineering & Translational Medicine. 2022-08-22. Vol. 8, num. Issue 2, p. 1-15, e10396. DOI : 10.1002/btm2.10396.Adaptation of a solid-state-Marx modulator for electroactive polymer
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. 2022-06-16. Vol. 37, num. 11, p. 13014-13021. DOI : 10.1109/TPEL.2022.3183437.Control-oriented modeling and analysis of tubular dielectric elastomer actuators dedicated to cardiac assist devices
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. 2022-04-01. Vol. 7, num. 2, p. 4361-4367. DOI : 10.1109/LRA.2022.3148981.Conference Papers
Characterization of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators: A Design of Experiments Approach
2022-12-21. 2022 25th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Chiang Mai, Thailand, November 29-December 2, 2022. DOI : 10.1109/ICEMS56177.2022.9983027.Study of the use of silver trace and improved flexibility in rolled Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
2022-12-21. 2022 25th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Chiang Mai, Thailand, November 29-December 2, 2022. DOI : 10.1109/ICEMS56177.2022.9983288.Influence of Axial Pre-stretch on Tubular Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
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.Theses
Ultra-high voltage, low power and energy recovering electronics for dielectric elastomer actuators
Lausanne, EPFL, 2022.2021
Journal Articles
Evaluation of dielectric elastomers to develop materials suitable for actuation
Soft Matter, 2021. 2021-11-15. Vol. 17, p. 10786 – 10805. DOI : 10.1039/d1sm00621e.Design and modelling of a tubular dielectric elastomer actuator with constrained radial displacement as a cardiac assist device
Smart Materials And Structures. 2021-10-01. Vol. 30, num. 10, p. 105024. DOI : 10.1088/1361-665X/ac1fa8.Ultra-High-Voltage (7-kV) Bidirectional Flyback Converter Used to Drive Capacitive Actuators
Ieee Transactions On Industry Applications. 2021-09-01. Vol. 57, num. 5, p. 5145-5156. DOI : 10.1109/TIA.2021.3094460.Feasibility of a Dielectric Elastomer Augmented Aorta
Advanced Science. 2021-01-25. Vol. 8, num. 6, p. 2001974. DOI : 10.1002/advs.202001974.Conference Papers
DEA Self-discharge Characterization for Low Duty Cycle Applications
2021-12-17. 24th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (hybrid), October 31 – November 3, 2021. p. 781-784. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS52562.2021.9634539.Schmitt trigger-based control strategy for the discharge phase of an ultra-high-voltage bidirectional flyback
2021-12-17. 24th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS 2021)), Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (hybrid), October 31 – November 3, 2021. p. 232-235. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS52562.2021.9634195.Improved Electrical Behavior of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
2021-12-17. 2021 24th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (hybrid), October 31 – November 3, 2021. p. 95-98. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS52562.2021.9634203.A Cockcroft-Walton generator driven by wireless power transfer for implanted high-voltage generation
2021-12-17. 2021 24th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS), Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (hybrid), October 31 – November 3, 2021. p. 243-246. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS52562.2021.9634392.An Analytical Model for the Prediction of the Maximum Output Voltage Reachable with an Ultra-high Voltage Flyback Converter Driving Capacitive Actuators
2021-10-25. 23rd European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE’21 ECCE Europe), Ghent, Belgium (virtual), September 6-10, 2021. DOI : 10.23919/EPE21ECCEEurope50061.2021.9570422.Energy Analysis of a Cardiac Assist Device based on Dielectric Elastomer Actuator through an Equivalent Electrical Circuit
2021-01-01. IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), ELECTR NETWORK, Jul 12-16, 2021. p. 346-352. DOI : 10.1109/AIM46487.2021.9517705.Redefining Energy Density for an uniaxial Dielectric Elastomer Actuator
2021-01-01. IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), ELECTR NETWORK, Jul 12-16, 2021. p. 1113-1118. DOI : 10.1109/AIM46487.2021.9517512.Posters
Ultra-high voltage, compact and energy recovering electronics for dielectric elastomer actuators
10th International conference on Electromechanically Active Polymer (EAP) transducers & artificial muscles (EuroEAP 2021), Linköping, Sweden (online), June 1-3, 2021.Patents
Stretchable tubular device and use thereof as a counterpulsation device
US2023166097; EP4143896; WO2021220087; EP3903847.
2021.Dielectric elastomer actuator
US2022393098; EP4052309; WO2021084503.
2021.2020
Journal Articles
Untethered Feel‐Through Haptics Using 18‐µm Thick Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
Advanced Functional Materials. 2020-10-07. Vol. 30, num. 41, p. 1-10, 2006639. DOI : 10.1002/adfm.202006639.Ultra High Voltage Switch for Bidirectional DC-DC Converter Driving Dielectric Elastomer Actuator
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. 2020-05-15. Vol. 35, num. 12, p. 13172-13181. DOI : 10.1109/TPEL.2020.2995047.Towards the material limit and field concentration smoothing in multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators
Smart Materials And Structures. 2020-04-01. Vol. 29, num. 4, p. 045044. DOI : 10.1088/1361-665X/ab72e7.Conference Papers
Control Strategy for the Discharge Phase of an Ultra-High Voltage (>7kV) Bi-Directional Flyback Converter Driving Capacitive Actuators
2020-12-22. ICEMS 2020 – The 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, Hamamatsu, Japan, November 24-27, 2020. p. 1326-1330. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS50442.2020.9290814.Identification of material parameters of a tubular dielectric elastomer actuator for a cardiac assist device
2020. ICEMS – 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, Hamamatsu, Japan, November 24-27, 2020. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS50442.2020.9290821.Manufacturing and Tests of a Tubular Multilayer Dielectric Elastomer Actuator for an Impedance Pump
2020. ICEMS – International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, Hamamatsu, Japan, November 24-27, 2020. p. 380-383. DOI : 10.23919/ICEMS50442.2020.9290904.2019
Journal Articles
An autonomous untethered fast soft robotic insect driven by low-voltage dielectric elastomer actuators
Science Robotics. 2019-12-18. Vol. 4, num. 37, p. eaaz6451. DOI : 10.1126/scirobotics.aaz6451.Conference Papers
Characterization of a radial cylindrical spring using an electromechanical test bench
2019. 2019 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Hong Kong, China, July 8-12, 2019. DOI : 10.1109/AIM.2019.8868897.Towards an ultra-high voltage gain, compact, and energy recovering Flyback DC/DC Converter
2019. 9th international conference on Electromechanically Active Polymer (EAP) transducers & artificial muscles, Dresden, Germany, June 4-6, 2019.Drastic breakdown field reduction in multilayer DEA
2019. 9th international conference on Electromechanically Active Polymer (EAP) transducers & artificial muscles, Dresden, Germany, June 4-6, 2019.Multi-level high-voltage power supply for dea application
2019. 9th international conference on Electromechanically Active Polymer (EAP) transducers & artificial muscles, Dresden, Germany, June 4-6, 2019.High voltage switch for compact bidirectional dc-dc converter driving dielectric electroactive polymer actuators
2019. 9th international conference on Electromechanically Active Polymer (EAP) transducers & artificial muscles, Dresden, Germany, June 4-6, 2019.Critical Parasitic Elements of Coupled Inductors for Ultra-High Voltage Flyback Converters Used to Drive Capacitive Actuators
2019. The 22nd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems – ICEMS 2019, Harbin, China, August 11-14, 2019. p. 3476-3480. DOI : 10.1109/ICEMS.2019.8921772.Development of a biologically inspired in-vitro platform for long-term assessment of commercial and innovative ureteral stents
2019. Incontinence: the Engineering Challenge XII, London, Great Britain, November 13-14, 2019.Impedance pumping as a non-invasive treatment for underactive bladder? An ex-vivo proof-of-concept-study in porcine bladders.
2019. Incontinence: The Engineering Challenge XII, London, Great Britain, November 13 – 14, 2019.Urine-Contactless Device to Empty Bladders: an Ex-Vivo Proof-of-Concept Study in Porcine Bladders
2019. The 49th Annual Congress of the International Continence Society (ICS 2019), Gothenburg, Sweden, September 3-6, 2019. p. S44-S45.Theses
Cylindrical Dielectric Elastomer Actuator for Cardiac Assist Device
Lausanne, EPFL, 2019.Posters
To-Pee or not-to-Pee? A Non-invasive, Urine-Contactless Device to Empty Bladders
Swiss Medtech Expo, Luzern, Switzerland, September 10-11, 2019.Patents
Spring with a plurality of elements, and actuator including such a spring
EP3716899; US2021361929; EP3716899; WO2019102417.
2019-05-31.