RIKEN: Development of a compact valve with earthworm muscle: no need for external power supply
Biofunctional Science Research Center:
Tokyo Denki University:
Small valve development: using earthworm muscle tissue
The joint research team * has developed a small valve using earthworm muscle tissue.
Small valves do not rely on electrical stimulation but operate only on chemical energy.
In the future, based on this research result, we will apply it to “a valve that controls a machine embedded in the human body (hard to be supplied with power)”.
This research is published in the UK online scientific magazine “Scientific Reports” (July 8 issue: Japan July 8).
Earthworm Valve: Future Developments
Blood vessels in the human body respond to chemical substances in the blood and contract or relax without electrical stimulation.
And, the blood flow in the living body is controlled autonomously.
As such, it is very important to incorporate the superior functions of the living body into artificial machines.
The earthworm valve prototyped this time controls the movement from the outside without using electricity (both as a drive source and as a stimulus).
Device performance enhancement; application examples
Device control embedded in the body
Drug efficacy test, application to medicine
Industrial application model of water flow control device (no need for external power supply)
RIKEN