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Soft Robotics Applied to the Development of a Diaphragm Assist System
Severe diaphragm dysfunction can lead to respiratory failure, requiring permanent mechanical ventilation. Permanent tethering to a mechanical ventilator via a patient’s mouth or tracheostomy can interfere with a patient’s autonomy by hindering activities like speech and swallowing. This thesis works towards a soft robotic alternative that aims to intervene internally at the diaphragm as opposed to the mouth. For mechanical medical problems, soft robotics offer a promising solution by coupling advanced robotic control with soft elements that can interact nondestructively with biological systems. In this work, we present the findings from the development a soft robotic diaphragm assist system, from exploration to proof-of-concept.
To understand how soft robotics interact with the respiratory system, simulators of respiratory motion and biomechanics were built with different soft actuator mechanisms. We find that pneumatic artificial muscles are capable of driving the diaphragm in a respiratory simulator and replicating the work of breathing. Taking inspiration from this biomimetic system, pneumatic artificial muscles are designed and optimized for use in the diaphragm assist system. By implanting these contractile actuators above the diaphragm to push down on the diaphragm during inspiration, this system functions as an implantable ventilator. We demonstrate the proof-of-concept feasibility of this system to augment physiological metrics of ventilation in an in vivo porcine model of respiratory insufficiency. This system synchronizes with native respiratory effort to augment respiratory function. This diaphragm assist system lays the foundational work for a new therapeutic ventilation option that aims to restore respiratory performance without sacrificing quality of life.
Thesis Supervisor:
Ellen Roche, PhD
Associate Professor, Institute for Medical Engineering & Sciences (IMES), Mechanical Engineering, MIT
Thesis Committee Chair:
Thomas Heldt, PhD
Associate Professor, Institute for Medical Engineering & Sciences (IMES), Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, MIT
Thesis Readers:
James Butler, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS; Sr. Lecturer in Physiology, HSPH
Benjamin Stump, MD, MPH
Instructor in Medicine, HMS; Attending Physician, Pulmonary/Critical Care, MAH
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Zoom invitation –
Lucy Hu (she/her/hers) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Lucy Hu PhD Thesis Defense
Time: Wednesday, October 13, 2021 1:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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