Project background & challenge
Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Faced with this major public health issue, Expleo has been providing key technical support services since 2014 to a pioneering biotech that has developed an artificial heart to prolong the life of patients suffering from end-stage heart failure or awaiting a heart transplant.
Solution
Thanks to the experience it has acquired on complex projects in the technical-medical field, Expleo has been able to offer technical assistance and electronic development, specification and testing services, throughout the entire project and especially on the external part – an electronic box connected to the artificial heart. This communication device for patient use, which contains the power supply system for the artificial heart, has been adapted by Expleo to serve as an interface. It provides basic information on the heart’s function and can raise an alarm in the event of a potential failure. During the project, Expleo also provided technical support as part of the subcontracting of complete sub-assemblies, with subcontracting specification, including CEM expertise, specification of the particular need for a pressure sensor module and subcontracting management (PCB modifications).
This project allowed me to understand all the complexity of the heart’s hydraulic system. The artificial heart developed can prolong the life of a patient by five years or allow them to survive while waiting for a donor, this is a highly motivating principle.
François Vincent, Electronics engineer, Expleo
Client Benefits
The client expressed its satisfaction with Expleo’s operational excellence in terms of budget and deadline, and the very good quality of the deliverables. In December 2021, Expleo’s client achieved a highly significant step in the commercialisation of the artificial heart when it obtained the CE Marking in the “Bridge to Transplant” (BTT) indication.
PRODUCT & PROCESS ENGINEERING
Embedded systems
Our engineers and developers work together to strengthen your product quality and reduce your time-to-market: bringing together the best of mechanical, electrical and software engineering, they design and engineer innovative and cost-effective solutions for aeronautics, automotive, transportation or defence.