TU/e researchers are working with partners on the Hybrid Heart: a soft robotic heart that should eventually be able to attract the body's own cells to prevent rejection and complications. The research consortium has now published the first test results with an early prototype in Nature Communications.
The prototype featured in the publication successfully pumped blood using soft robotic components. The next step is to add a degradable, synthetic inner lining made of biocompatible material, developed by TU/e researchers. Although this innovative layer was not yet included in the version used for initial testing, the promising results confirm that the technical foundation is strong enough to move forward.
The Hybrid Heart, developed under the leadership of Erasmus MC, is intended for patients with heart failure. It mimics the heart's natural rhythm and soft tissue environment using a flexible robotic 'muscle' (septum). This approach aims to reduce complications such as blood clots, immune rejection, and infections. The device offers a promising alternative to donor hearts, which are in short supply, and may eventually replace current artificial heart technologies.
A robot heart that grows with the body
In the next phase, the researchers will add the special inner lining developed at TU/e. This layer is designed to attract the patient's own cells, gradually forming natural tissue as the synthetic material breaks down. Over time, only living tissue from the body remains. This reduces the risk of blood clots and improves acceptance by the immune system, potentially allowing the robotic heart to function for much longer.
"If we can develop materials that trigger the body's own healing response, we're getting closer to a regenerative artificial heart, one where we implant biomaterials that attract cells and gradually transform into living tissue," says Carlijn Bouten , TU/e Professor of Cell-Matrix Interactions.
"We've pioneered this approach before with heart valves, blood vessels, and vascular stents, which led to spin-offs like Xeltis and STENTiT . Now we're taking the next step toward a fully functional heart."
The biocoating is being developed by Bouten and her colleagues Patricia Dankers, Anthal Smits, and other researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering .
Promising first tests
The initial tests, described in Nature Communications, showed that the prototype was able to pump blood under lab conditions with a force similar to that of a real heart. It also continued functioning for nearly an hour in a large test animal. The soft robotic heart, made with flexible materials and powered by air pressure, can also be controlled without electronic signals, which has been the common method until now.
Associate professor Bas Overvelde and researcher Luuk van Laake , both from TU/e's Department of Mechanical Engineering, demonstrated in the lab that the same physical principles behind the sputtering of a ketchup bottle can be harnessed to create a heartbeat in the robotic heart.
Bas Overvelde: "We wanted to find a way to open and close a heart valve with minimal use of software or electronics. The soft valve we're using does exactly that. It opens and closes automatically when we send a steady stream of air through it from a pump. No additional electrical signals are needed."
The researchers describe the results as a scientific milestone. "This development brings us a step closer to an artificial heart with fewer complications and a better quality of life for our patients," says Professor Dr. Jolanda Kluin, cardio-thoracic surgeon and Hybrid Heart project leader at Erasmus MC.
The next step is to develop a fully implantable version of the robotic heart for long-term testing in preclinical models. If those trials are successful, the transition to human application can begin. The goal is to achieve this within ten years.
Heart failure affects millions worldwide
In the Netherlands, around 250,000 people live with heart failure. For many, a heart transplant is the only remaining option but donor hearts are scarce, and waiting lists are long. Many patients die while waiting, with half not surviving beyond five years. Globally, 23 million people are affected by heart failure.
Holland Hybrid Heart is a consortium of universities, universities of applied sciences, companies, and patient organizations. In total, 15 partners are working together on the development of the robotic heart. The project received 10.4 million euros in funding in 2023 as part of the Dutch National Science Agenda (NWA).
