There are roughly one million hip joint and quarter million knee joint replacements every year. With an increasingly aging population around the world, these numbers are only going to increase and therefore, requirements for artificial hip and knee joints will also increase. Because of this demographic change, the challenge of an absolute reduction in wear and tear of artificial joints with minimal or no revised surgery has become more critical than ever.
Currently available structural and lubricating materials are unable to reproduce low friction and wear response as observed in naturally occurring joints and lubricants. As a result, some structural biomaterials like UHMWPE or CoCrMo last for 10-12 years (average) whereas the natural joints can last for 60-70 years. There is an increasing need of novel materials to increase life span of the artificial joints. To promote such an environment there is a requirement for rapid testing (friction and wear) of biomaterials in accordance with and beyond the standards, and the BioTribometer serves this role with full compliance with ASTM and ISO standards.
