Hardware-in-the-loop-simulation of the cardiovascular system, with assist device testing application.

This paper presents a technique for evaluating the performance of biomedical devices by combining physical (mechanical) testing with a numerical, computerised model of a biological system. This technique is developed for evaluation of a cardiac assist device prior to in vivo trials. This device will wrap around a failing heart and provide physical beating assistance (dynamic cardiac compression). In vitro, the device to be tested is placed around a simulator comprising a mechanical simulation of the beating ventricles. This hardware model interfaces with a computerised (software) model of the cardiovascular system. In real time the software model calculates the effect of the assistance on the cardiovascular system and controls the beating motion of the hardware heart simulator appropriately. The software model of the cardiovascular system can represent ventricles in various stages of heart failure, and/or hardened or congested blood vessels as required. The software displays physiological traces showing the cardiac output, depending on the natural function of the modelled heart together with the physical assist power provided. This system was used to evaluate the effectiveness of control techniques applied to the assist device. Experimental results are presented showing the efficacy of prototype assist on healthy and weakened hearts, and the effect of asynchronous assist.