The conclusion from the reading: (substrates and frameworks with fractal textures for controlled tissue growth) -In other words, FRACTALS can affect the human body, which we successfully apply in our programs on this site!
A team of researchers at the UPM is working on the use of fractal geometries and textures for the design and manufacture of biomimetic medical devices. Promoting the development of medical devices with special functionalities, through the use of special or “smart” geometries or materials, to improve current diagnostic or therapeutic methods, and even allow personalized approaches, is one of the main objectives of the team of researchers at the Product Development Laboratory of the School of Industrial Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM).
They are currently working on the development of design and manufacturing processes to incorporate fractal geometries and textures into numerous medical devices to overcome certain limitations typical of current computer-aided design systems, as well as to analyze alternatives for obtaining prototypes of “biomimetic” medical devices that mimic the characteristics of living organisms.
For Andrés Díaz, a researcher at the Product Development Laboratory of the UPM, “the connection of fractal models of biological objects with the capabilities provided by computer-aided design, engineering and manufacturing tools (“CAD-CAE-CAM”) can greatly enhance the development of biomimetic medical devices, capable of mimicking the surfaces of organs and tissues and promote the in vivo response of numerous prostheses and devices for in vitro diagnostics”.
Fractals are geometric objects whose basic structures, fragmented or irregular, are repeated at different scales and with a characteristic dimension typically not an integer. Many natural objects, too irregular to be described in traditional geometric terms, can be approximately represented using fractal geometries.
In the last decade, the use of fractals for modeling, design, and simulation tasks in various areas within Bioengineering has increased exponentially. Among them, are the modeling of the behavior of microorganisms or the creation of models of organisms and complex systems, for example, human anatomy and the surfaces of organs and tissues.
Fractal textures for controlled tissue growth
“This combination of technologies and the incorporation of fractal geometries makes it possible to obtain complex devices with special functionalities that are controlled from the design stage. In addition, it has clear applications for promoting R&D and teaching in multiple subjects with a project-based learning approach,” adds Andrés Díaz.
As a result of their work, the UPM researchers have developed several applications related to the fabrication of substrates and frameworks or scaffolds with fractal textures for controlled tissue growth. They have also created microsystems to study and control cell motility that have been registered as patents.
In their research, the experts have collaborated with physicians, surgeons, and scientists from institutions such as the Hospital Militar Central de Madrid (formerly Gómez Ulla), the Hospital Clínico San Carlos de Madrid, the Hospital Puerta de Hierro de Madrid, Ibex Estética Dental, the University of Piura, Peru, the Lenox Hill Heart and Cardiovascular Institute of New York, the Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Madrid, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado del CSIC, the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid del CSIC, the Technische Universität Wien or the Seconda Universtià degli Studi di Napoli, and with numerous university research groups.
0 Comments