Adjustable low dynamic pumps based on hydrogels

This paper discusses the suitability of hydrogel actuators as drives of automatic pumps for long‐term drug release. We demonstrate that such actuators can execute a defined task if several functional units are connected serially. Investigated functions of this pump are the adjustability of the time‐delay from the initial operation up to the beginning of the drug release, opening the sterile drug ampoule, and the drug release at a specified timeframe. The described parameters to influence the pump behaviour are satisfying only for realization of continuous working devices. An outlook of the development of programmable pulsate pumps is given.