In the Journal Lab on a chip, there has been published a unique technique this week by Joe Potkay who is a Research Assistant Professor in electrical engineering and computer science. This technique is in regard to a prototype of an artificial lung that has been made by various researchers from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

This small device is able to reach the gas exchange efficiencies easily and that too without needing extra oxygen. Yes, working in a similar way to that of the original organ, this device functions with normal air.

While developing this prototype, the scientists very well tracked the natural design of lungs. They made this device from a breathable silicone rubber which acts as blood vessels and diminishes equally to one-fourth of the width of a human hair.

This device is made to work on the same scale as the normal lung tissue does and therefore, the team was able to minimize the distances for gas diffusion. They used pig blood to test the oxygen exchange efficiency levels and found it to be three to five times better with this technique.

In a nut shell, the biggest advantage of this system is that it does not require extra oxygen whereas the present devices are attached with external oxygen tanks.