Multi-Zone-MPC: Clinical Inspired Control Algorithm for the Artificial Pancreas

An artificial pancreatic β-cell based on multipartite zone model predictive control (Multi-Zone-MPC) is evaluated on the UVa FDA-accepted metabolic simulator. Multi-Zone-MPC provides different tunings for the MPC weights based on four regions of glycemia: hypoglycemia, normoglycemia, elevated glycemia, and hyperglycemia. Defining these four zones provides richer control tunings that result in safe and effective control. The controller predictions are based on an average ARX-model that is developed using data collected from a meal response of ten different in silico adult subjects. A comparison of Multi-Zone-MPC and standard Zone-MPC is conducted on 100 in silico adult subjects following a one meal scenario of 75g. Multi-Zone-MPC outperform Zone-MPC with low blood glucose index (LBGI) of 0.1 versus 0.5, respectively without any significant change of high blood glucose index (HBGI). The use of four control zones in the Multi-Zone-MPC is successfully demonstrated to be a better control strategy that reduces the postprandial peaks and at the same time avoids any hypoglycemia due to efficient insulin administration, hence, providing effective and safe glucose regulation to individuals with T1DM.