A new microtesting device is now available in the laboratories ofthe Institute of Biomaterials in Erlangen. The instrument enablesmechanical characterization of small biomaterial samples (specially hydrogels). The device offers a variety of testingsetups for parallel plate compression, microindentation (usingdifferent sizes of indenters), puncture attached tension, and bendinduced tension. The measurement can be followed and evaluated inreal-time, using a high-resolution camera system. Differentmechanical models can be chosen to quantify the mechanicalbehaviour and the instrument allows for a reproducible, fastmeasurement of soft biomaterials. Prof. Boccaccini said: “We arehappy to have this new instrument in our laboratory, which will bevery useful for the mechanical characterisation of hydrogels weare developing in the framework of our biofabrication relatedprojects, specially in SFB/TRR 225”. (In the photo, Ms SusanneHeid, Ms Emine Karakaya, PhD Students in SFB/TRR225, and Prof.Bocaccini, Head of Institute).
