A novel piezoelectric curved microbeam platform with equivalent modeling for cardiomyocyte contractility assessment

Abstract With the advancement of micro-nano fabrication technology, microbeam-based biomechanical measurement platforms have become effective tools for detecting myocardial contractility due to their high sensitivity, compact size, and ease of integration. In this paper, a piezoelectric curved micro-beam model is proposed based on the extended dielectric theory and Hamilton’s principle to predict the contractile force of cardiomyocytes. The governing Eqs. and boundary conditions are derived, and the differential quadrature method (DQM) is employed for numerical solutions. The electromechanical coupling response is analyzed to indirectly measure cardiomyocyte contractility. Considering the structural complexity, adhesion patterns, and mechanical properties of cardiomyocytes, we introduce an equivalent modeling approach: ideal elastic bodies with similar physical properties are used as substitutes for real cells. Periodic thermal excitation induces thermal expansion and contraction in these bodies, thereby simulating the cyclic contraction-relaxation behavior of cardiomyocytes. This method streamlines the modeling process, improves system controllability and computational feasibility, and lays a practical foundation for subsequent experimental validation.