Development and Characterization of Biostable Hydrogel Robotic Actuators for Implantable Devices: Tendon Actuated Gelatin

Harris, Hannah

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114235 Copy

Description

Title

Development and Characterization of Biostable Hydrogel Robotic Actuators for Implantable Devices: Tendon Actuated Gelatin

Author(s)

Harris, Hannah

Issue Date

2022

Keyword(s)

Bioengineering

Abstract

Pictured is a protein-based biomaterial soft robotic actuator that both compliance matches to in vivo tissues and provides a favorable chemical interface for host tissues. As a base material, we used gelatin (GEL), a protein-derived biomaterial demonstrated to be a favorable substrate for tissue-engineered substrates and in implantable devices. Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) is a non-toxic crosslinking agent that chemically crosslinks GEL and tunes its stiffness across a range of physiologically relevant stiffnesses. Soft robots have previously been demonstrated as cardiac support devices, but are largely composed of synthetic polymers that are unsafe for long-term implantation in the human body. Soft robotic actuators similar to these pictured can be wrapped around the ventricles of the human heart, contracting and relaxing in synchrony with the heart to help it beat. We see the small but mighty protein-based actuator pictured here as a significant advance in the field of implantable devices and biorobotics. Building robotic actuators from proteins means that next generation medical devices may be made from patients' autologous tissue to improve integration within the body by controlling engineering at the human-robot interface.

Type of Resource

• Text
• Image

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114235

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Hannah Harris

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