Heart Hackathon 2025

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Role: Mechatronics Engineer (Lead Motor & PCB Designer)

Context: 2025 International Heart Hackathon | Vienna, Austria

Team: UC Biomed (University of Canterbury)

 Designed and prototyped a custom Single-Stator Dual-Rotor (SSDR) Axial Flux Motor as the primary actuator for a Total Artificial Heart (TAH). To validate the design, I developed a bespoke PCB-based testing station to monitor performance metrics in real-time, ensuring the device met the strict size and flow requirements for human implantation. 

The Compactness Constraint: Traditional radial flux motors were too bulky for a fully implantable device. I shifted to an axial flux topology to achieve high torque density in a much flatter form factor. 

• Topology: Single-stator, dual-rotor axial flux motor.
• Design: Solved analytical equations to get key values for the magnets and coils
• Manufacturing: Managed the transition from analytical theory to a physical prototype capable of driving a pulsatile pump.

• Design: Developed a custom PCB using KiCad to interface with the testing station’s sensors and the motor controller.
• Functionality: Integrated real-time monitoring for current pressure and flow rate of the pump and read motor RPM and estimated torque from the motor controller.
• Integration: Designed the board to be modular, supporting various motor topologies used by the UC Biomed team during the prototyping phase by using a commercial motor controller which could be calibrated to any new motor designed.

• Vienna Finals: Represented the University of Canterbury at the international finals, presenting the design to a panel of global cardiovascular experts.
• Validation: Successfully demonstrated that the SSDR motor could maintain the required physiological flow rates within a compact volume.
• Legacy: The testing station and motor case study now serve as a technical benchmark for future UC Biomed teams.

• Software: KiCad, SolidWorks.
• Hardware: Custom PCBs, BLDC Motor Controllers, Axial Flux Permanent Magnets.