A two-year durability test is now underway at Penn State's College of Medicine on the electrically powered Penn State artificial heart. Durability testing is one of the final steps before the devices reach the human clinical trials phase. The Penn State heart is totally implantable and is designed to replace the heart rather than serve as a bridge to transplant.
Electricity is supplied to the heart by an electrical coil implanted beneath the patient's skin.
It is also equipped with backup batteries. We have eight artificial hearts that will operate simultaneously. The eight systems are submerged in salt water at body temperature in a large fish tank. The systems pump water at body temperature, rather than human blood. Computers monitor the systems 24 hours a day, looking for any signs of possible breakdowns.