Project description
Development of next-generation vascular grafts
Cardiovascular diseases are associated with blockage of blood vessels. Currently, grafts for replacing or bypassing blocked vessels have high failure rate due to thrombosis or infection. The ideal vascular grafts would monitor their performance and transfer data to initiate actions to avoid graft failure. The EU-funded Blood2Power project aims to contribute to a paradigm shift by enabling energy harvesting from the body to power the next-generation vascular graft, the iGraft. The objective is to develop triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), converting body mechanical energy into electrical energy. A miniaturised ultra-low energy consumption power management unit has to be coupled to the vascular graft, collecting and wirelessly transmitting TENG signals to an external electronic device, such as a smartphone or watch.
Objective
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally, taking 18.6M lives/yr. Most CVD are associated with blockage ofblood vessels. grafts play a vital role, replacing/bypassing these vessels, but have failure rates up to 50% due to thrombosis or infection. Vascular grafts of the future would ideally sense and monitor its performance, and telemetrically emit data/alerts to healthcare system so that medical actions can be performed to avoid graft failure. IoMTs has taken its first steps, but is still far from full potential/development, especially in implantable systems which are limited by the use of batteries to power them.
The BLOOD2POWER project AIMS to contribute to this paradigm shift by proposing the development of a NEW WAY TO HARVEST ENERGY FROM THE BODY, and using it to create the next generation vascular grafts: the iGraft.To achieve this PIONEER technology, new triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) will be developed, converting mechanical energy from the body into electrical energy. A miniaturized ultra-low energy consumption power management unit will be developed and coupled to the vascular graft together with a wireless system, allowing to store generated energy, and collect and wirelessly transmit TENG outputs to an external electronic device (e.g. smartphone/watch). These systems will be validated in vitro and in vivo.
Driven by these challenges, this international team led by a young researcher gathers renown institutions and researchers with unique and complementary backgrounds in biomaterials, energy harvesting, electronics and medicine.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinator
4200-135 Porto
Portugal