Computational Design Of Implantable Artificial Lung Based On An Origami Model For The Human Alveolar Structure

Abstract

Implantable artificial lung has not been developed yet, because the alveolar structure in the human lung is too fine and too complicated to be artificially made and manipulated. I proposed an Origami model of the human alveolar structure which mimics the respiratory motion by changing the folding angles. I recently have simulated the gas-exchange in the human lung using an extended 4D alveolar model with the capillary space in the alveolar wall, and revealed that the huge surface area corresponding to a tennis court is unnecessary for human beings and that the fine alveolar structure is required not for gas-exchange but for the lung elastic recoil. Therefore, it is possible to make an implantable artificial lung by combing Origami Engineering and computational simulation study for the respiratory physiology.