Adjustable low dynamic pumps based on hydrogels

This paper discusses the suitability of hydrogel actuators as drives of automatic pumps for long-term drug release. We demonstrate that such actuators can execute a defined task if several functional units are connected serially. Investigated functions of this pump are the adjustability of the time-delay from the initial operation up to the beginning of the drug release, opening the sterile drug ampoule, and the drug release at a specified timeframe. The described parameters to influence the pump behaviour are satisfying only for realization of continuous working devices. An outlook of the development of programmable pulsate pumps is given.