Smart implants: How robotic micro-actuators are enhancing bone healing

Smart implants that not only stabilize a fracture but also monitor the healing process from day one—and deliver targeted support when required—are currently being developed at Saarland University by a team of engineers, medical researchers and computer scientists. The engineering team led by Professor Paul Motzki is contributing shape-memory micro-actuators with integrated sensing capabilities, while Professor Bergita Ganse and her research group provide the medical expertise in fracture healing. If a fracture is not healing as it should, these novel implants can respond mechanically at the fracture gap by adapting their stiffness or by applying controlled micro-movements to mechanically stimulate tissue and promote bone regeneration.