Motorized Beating Heart

The goal of this model was to make an anatomically correct human heart that moves just like the real thing. I initially wanted to make a heart for Brickvention due to my fascination in the organ and had never seen it done using LEGO pieces. When telling others about this project, the reoccurring feedback was that it should move. They were absolutely right! After many months of trial and error, I'm finally happy with the results and so were the people at Brickvention.

The core of the model is a Technic frame that uses two slider crack linkages and a scissor mechanism to change the width and height of the heart. Connected to the edges of the dynamic frame is the external flexible surface. The flexible outer shell is made using rubber bands to connect the different segments and giving it an expanding sense of movement. The whole model is then motorized using a large motor connected to a battery pack.

A real human heart inside your body is about the size of a clenched fist.

To make this LEGO model move in a satisfactory way, it was scaled up to 3 times the size.

A real heart beats at a rate of about 60 - 100 beats per minute.

This model heart beats at a staggering rate of 55 beats per minute.

A real heart will beat continually for decades without stopping.

This model will stop when the batteries run out of charge.