MONASH
HEART HACK
ABOUT THE MONASH HEART HACK TEAM
Monash Heart Hack is a passionate and multidisciplinary student team dedicated to the research and development of next-generation artificial hearts. Formed through a shared vision of advancing cardiovascular care, we bring together students from biomedical science, engineering, and design to create innovative solutions that address the growing demand for mechanical circulatory support devices.
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Our work is part of a global initiative led by the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support (ISMCS), which hosts an annual HeartHackathon — a prestigious competition that challenges student teams from around the world to design, prototype, and present viable artificial heart technologies. This ongoing challenge provides a platform for innovation, encouraging us to push the boundaries of what's possible in artificial organ design.
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Each year, Monash Heart Hack competes in this event, using it as an opportunity to showcase our latest developments, gain feedback from international experts, and engage with a global network of researchers, clinicians, and engineers. Through multiple design iterations, testing phases, and collaborative problem-solving, we aim to produce a functional prototype that reflects our team's growth and engineering excellence.
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At our core, our mission is to merge cutting-edge engineering with clinical insight, ultimately contributing to the creation of a fully functional total artificial heart — a device that has the potential to transform lives and redefine the future of heart failure treatment.
MEET THE TEAM
The team consists of 36 dedicated university students mainly stemming from the faculties of engineering and biomedical sciences. MHH allows members to gain first-hand skills in developing innovative and life-changing medical devices and to foster the necessary leadership skills to facilitate this. These are broken down into 6 subteams: Exec subteam, Controls subteam, Power subteam, Cardiovascular Simulator subteam, Compliance subteam, Motor subteam.
Exec Subteam
The Executive Team oversees the direction, operations, and cohesion of the Monash Heart Hack team. Acting as a leadership group, the exec team coordinates across all subteams to ensure smooth collaboration and progress toward the development of a Total Artificial Heart, sets goals, organises team meetings and workshops, facilitates communication between academic advisors, and representing the team in external engagements.
Control Subteam
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The Control Systems Sub team is responsible for designing and developing a system that enables our TAH to mimic the natural rhythm of the heart. By integrating real-time biosensing, we ensure the device responds dynamically to the body’s physiological signals, supporting safe and adaptive performance.
Power Subteam
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Our innovative transcutaneous energy system is designed to safely and reliably deliver energy to Total artificial heart, reducing infection risk and improve patient comfortability with inbuilt battery operations.
Compliance Subteam
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The Clinical Compliance Subteam investigates the biomedical implantation of our novel TAH and evaluates the biocompatibility of materials used in its design. We conduct experimental assessments of hemolysis, infection risk, and inflammatory responses to ensure the safety and performance of the device. Additionally, we research TGA and FDA regulatory guidelines to ensure our TAH meets industry standards and complies with the legal framework for medical devices.
Cardiovascular Simulator Subteam
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The Cardiovascular Simulator (CVS) subteam designs and builds a mock circulatory loop (MCL) to simulate physiological circulatory conditions for testing the total artificial heart (TAH) prototype and, this year, is also developing the TAH’s outer casing and actuation mechanism to replicate the heart’s natural pulsatile function.
Motor Subteam
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Our motor systems sub-team is designing a compact, high-performance PCB motor using innovative winding patterns and magnetic layouts to drive next-gen circulatory support systems.
OUR WORK
At Monash Heart Hack, our work is intricately divided between the electrical and mechanical departments, each handling pivotal aspects of artificial heart development. The electrical department comprises the Motor Systems, Control Systems, and Power Systems teams. They focus on designing a custom motor tailored for our specific requirements, developing control systems to manage motor speed and create a user-friendly GUI, and designing power systems responsible for energising and sustaining the entire unit.
Meanwhile, the mechanical department includes the Cardiovascular Simulator, and Compliance & Fittings teams. This department is tasked with constructing the heart's casing, analysing fluid movements to optimally design impellers, and ensuring the entire assembly fits and functions within compliance standards. Together, these teams ensure a holistic approach to building a reliable and efficient artificial heart, combining their expertise to address the challenges of simulating and supporting heart functions.
COMING SOON
In 2025, our goal is to develop a fully functional prototype that incorporates the key improvements and refinements from our various design iterations. This prototype will represent the culmination of our research, testing, and collaborative engineering efforts. We plan to present and compete with this model at the prestigious HeartHackathon in Vienna, showcasing our team's innovation and progress on an international stage.
INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED
For enquiries about sponsorships, or to get involved in the team contact us at monashhearthack@mymi.org.au
