Researchers expect the artificial heart to save thousands of lives when it becomes available.
The center has been working on the heart since 1970. The new funding allows the staff to do preclinical studies so that by the year 2000 they can apply to the Food and Drug Administration to test the device in humans. Researchers expect the heart to become widely available by the year 2005. The patient would carry or keep a battery pack nearby with two identical batteries, each able to power the system for about four hours. The battery pack can also be plugged into an outside power course.