First fully artificial heart to be ready for humans in 2.5 years

Medical technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, bringing with it futuristic devices that were but dreams until only recently. One such advancement is the fully artificial heart, a fake ticker that can be placed inside the body to replace a damaged or faulty original.

We're about two and a half years away from human trials for the artificial heart according to heart transplant specialist Alain Carpentier. The fully artificial heart will be a huge step forward for heart surgeries, making up the difference between people who need heart transplants and available hearts, about 20,000 per year. The heart is made from chemically treated animal tissues, which allows the body to accept it rather than rejecting it as has been an issue with past artificial hearts. These are amazing times we live in.