Abstract: The ventricle assist device has emerged as an important therapeutic option in the treatment of both acute and chronic heart failure. The blood pumps which are the major components of ventricle assist devices have also progressed to the third generation. The magnetic and/or liquid levitation technologies have been applied into the third generation blood pumps. The impellers which drive blood are levitated in the blood pumps. The third generation blood pumps are mainly composed of the levitation system and the driving system. The development of the third generation blood pumps has three stages: the stage of foreign motor indirectly driving the impeller with the levitation and driving system separated, the stage of motor directly driving the impeller with the levitation and driving system separated, and the stage of levitation system integrated with the driving system. As the impellers do not contact with other structures, the third generation blood pumps possess the advantages of low thrombosis, less hemolysis and high energy efficiency ratio. Currently most of the third generation blood pumps are in the research stage, but a few number of them are used in clinical trials or applying stage. In this article, the history, classification, mechanism and research situation of the third generation blood pumps are reviewed.