Silent Pumpers: A Comparative Topical Overview of the Peristaltic Pumping Principle in Living Nature, Engineering, and Biomimetics

Abstract

This synopsis presents the state‐of‐the‐art of peristaltic pump systems in biomimetics and living nature, and allows for a comparison by highlighting the differences in structure and function, as well as advantages and drawbacks for technical implementation. For the first time, data of selected biological examples are collected in one study to give a comprehensive overview of the performance of biological peristaltic pumps. The developed biomimetic pumping systems not only mimic the biological principle and by this inherit its advantages, but also show the usability of the principle in various pumping applications and medical research. A direct comparison of peristaltic pump systems in nature, biomimetics, and technology highlights their similarities, differences, and allows for proposing new fields of application.