Students in Alex Randhava's Grade 7 science classes have been studying the anatomy and function of the circulatory system, focusing on a disease that affects the aortic valve. Working properly, the valve should open and close to permit the flow of blood as the heart pumps, and prevent leakage as it expands. But aortic valves age, stiffen, and sometimes they fail. When they do, an artificial valve can be used, which is what students have set out to build.

Students learned about what the valves must do and then began building devices. The artificial valves must open with a specific force, permit a flow rate of 70 ml per beat, and close tightly. They must be capable of operation between 40 and 200 beats per minute, and they should be durable. When construction is over, the classes will create tests to determine how close to these goals we have come.