A convertor (100) for converting the mechanical energy of the movement of the heart muscle, or of other moving organs, into electrical energy comprising two flexible blocks (7, 7), wherein a first and a second end of a plurality of extendable elements (1) are immovably connected on the first and on the second flexible blocks (7, 7). Each of the extendable elements (1) comprises a layer of triboelectric material and a hollow portion (6). Each of the plurality of the extendable elements (1) comprises a triboelectric spiral structure (3) that is mounted within the hollow portion (6), wherein the triboelectric spiral structure (3) comprises a plurality of twisted elongated elements (4) that are movable within the hollow portion (6) of the extendable elements (1). Each of the twisted elongated elements (4) has the shape of a rod and each of the twisted elongated elements (4) comprises a triboelectric material layer (2) and a conducting material layer (12).

A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

The invention relates to a stator vane device (105) for guiding the flow of a fluid flowing out of an outlet opening (110) of a heart support system (100). The stator vane device (105) has at least one stator vane (115), which can be connected to the heart support system (100) and arranged in the region of the outlet opening (110). The at least one stator vane (115) is formed such that it can be folded together to take an insertion state of the heart support system (100) and can be unfolded to take a flow guiding state. The at least one stator vane (115) is designed to project radially or obliquely from the heart support system (100) in the flow guiding state.

The invention relates to a stator vane device (105) for guiding the flow of a fluid flowing out of an outlet opening (110) of a heart support system (100). The stator vane device (105) has at least one stator vane (115), which can be connected to the heart support system (100) and arranged in the region of the outlet opening (110). The at least one stator vane (115) is formed such that it can be folded together to take an insertion state of the heart support system (100) and can be unfolded to take a flow guiding state. The at least one stator vane (115) is designed to project radially or obliquely from the heart support system (100) in the flow guiding state.

A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

A system for assisting a circulation of blood inside a body of a patient includes a pump including: a housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; an inducer positioned in the upstream portion of the housing, the inducer including one or more helically-wound inducer blades to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the pump; an impeller positioned downstream of the inducer in the housing, the impeller including one or more impeller blades to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pump; and a diffuser positioned in the downstream portion of the housing, to direct blood through at least one aperture in a circumference of the housing.

The approach presented here relates to a determination appliance (100) for determining a viscosity of a fluid. The determination appliance (100) has at least one determination device (110) and a provisioning device (115). The determination device (110) is designed to determine the viscosity of the fluid and/or a rotational speed () of a blade wheel (205) for conveying the fluid by using at least one detected volume flow of the fluid and a detected pressure difference of the fluid. The provisioning device (115) is designed to provide or send a viscosity signal (130) representing the viscosity determined by the determination device (110).