“We know that natural bone has some interesting mechanoelectrical properties, the piezoelectric effect - converting mechanical stress to electricity, which are optimal close to 1000Hz.

“It is also well known that bone can only remain healthy when it is actively being loaded, hence why astronauts lose bone mass when in space. So we believe that we are mimicking something that the cells experience in our bodies, however the exact details are still being untangled.”

Bone is the second most commonly transplanted tissue in the world, behind blood transplants, and is used in many common procedures.

The UK’s ageing population means demand is increasing due to conditions such as osteoporosis and hip fractures.

Currently it is possibly to encourage bone growth inside a patient using growth factors – chemicals in the body which promote cell regeneration. But they have been linked to tumours and other side effects.

Using a patient’s own stem cells to build new bone would mean there was no risk of rejection. The stem cells could be retrieved from a patient’s bone marrow or even from fat cells from liposuction.