Plastic heart that uses stomata like valves instead of butterfly valves that crush red blood cells. the balloon like valves would fill and empty serving as the pump and valve simultaniously(sP). This heart would use plastic that contracted via electrical pulse. no moving (sliding, pivoting or ordinary moving parts that wear). only inflating and deflating areas that pump and valve.-- quick, Mar 13 2003 Rose-Hulman http://www.halfbake...www.rose-hulman.edutough place, good profs, some bio-med types [RayfordSteele, Oct 04 2004] Rose-Hulman http://www.halfbake...dea/www.rose-hulmantough place, good profs, some bio-med types [RayfordSteele, Oct 06 2004] This has promise. A little more on how the "stomata" would work, please. How would they keep high pressure arterial blood from rushing backwards into the heart when they relax?-- bungston, Mar 13 2003 the stomatal valves would open only when the internal pressure exceeds the external pressure.-- quick, Mar 13 2003 Can you link to a plastic that meets your criteria, or is that just wishful thinking?-- phoenix, Mar 13 2003 Me thinks its a submarine.-- Shz, Mar 14 2003 Dons useful contacts hat:
The Pres. of my college cut his teeth on heart valves and such. Probably has connections if you want to throw this at them. Contact samuel.hulbert AT rose-hulman DOT edu-- RayfordSteele, Mar 14 2003 I have been doing some work on a persistaltic proposlion system with no moving parts. The closest that I have come to a material capable of your needs is thin slices of fresh tissue that you attepmt to keep alive and use. I have also been expirementing with piezoelectric film. It doesn't seem to contract on a visible level though.-- xcpostman, May 28 2004 random, halfbakery