Biointegrable soft actuators alimented by metabolic energy

Introduction

State-of-the-art implantable actuating devices, such as automated prosthetics, have time-limited operational capacities because they are sustained by batteries which, ultimately, rely on external power sources to be recharged.

Proposed Solution

INTEGRATE proposes a radically new way to solve this problem: use metabolic energy from the patient to power implanted devices. To achieve this ambitious goal, INTEGRATE will develop:

1. New 3D printable soft actuating materials inspired by human muscles with high performances and low power consumption.
2. An artificial organ capable of harvesting metabolic (biochemical) energy and transforming it into electricity.

Actuating Materials

The actuating materials, referred to as Bionic Muscles, will be prepared via self-assembly of biocompatible colloidal liquid crystals and stimuli-responsive polymers. A modular design and 3D printability will offer the possibility to manufacture these materials based on the patient's anatomy and needs.

Energy-Harvesting Organ

The Energy-Harvesting Organ will be capable of converting pH differences within various body fluids (e.g., gastric juice and saliva) into electricity with high efficiency, providing the necessary power to sustain the Bionic Muscles.

Impact

This research will revolutionize the field of implantable devices and will represent a turning point in robotics, wearable technologies, materials science, energy conversion, and materials engineering.