Total Artificial Heart Freedom Driver
for SynCardia Systems
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Services
Systems Engineering & Risk Management
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Embedded Software Development
User Interface Development
The Impact
The Freedom Driver has supported more than 350 patients worldwide, accounting for more than 240 patient-years of support. Working with Sunrise brought better system performance against reliability and patient quality of life metrics for both hypertensive and hypotensive patients.
Highly Portable
Sunrise Labs partnered with SynCardia Systems to develop a more lightweight and robust next-generation driver for their temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t).
Highly Reliable
SynCardia engaged Sunrise to develop a next-generation driver for their implantable Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) used by end-stage heart failure patients waiting for a transplant. The next generation of the driver needed to be smarter, smaller, lighter, more reliable, and quieter with longer battery life and a more controllable pressure profile. This patient-worn backpack delivers a specific cyclic pressurized air profile through cannulae to drive the TAH-t and pump blood through a patient’s circulatory system.
The Concept
An improved pump driver with patient usability in mind.
The next-generation driver needed to be improved across all facets of the device. This included physical specifications for a quieter and lighter device as well as digital with touchscreen GUI and robust battery swapping mechanisms.
We architected a highly robust class-III system with a custom pneumatic pump directly driven by a DC motor with triply redundant power. Safety was a major priority and required multiple processors to control the system processes, monitoring, and alarming.
The team invented a low-friction piston seal that runs continuously for years with no oil and no maintenance.
The Product
The Driver is worn as a backpack by the patient to deliver a specific cyclic pressurized air profile through cannulae to drive the TAH-t. The TAH-t then pumps blood through a patient’s circulatory system. The power supply and pump are integrated into the Driver unit, allowing patients to leave the hospital setting and maintain a mobile lifestyle.
Let’s work Together
Let us help you solve critical challenges to change people’s lives. Partner with our team of experts passionate about applying technology to improve lives.
