Blood Flow Simulator Using Pressure Waveform Files
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring blood flow and substance levels in medical devices face challenges due to uncontrollable variables, making it difficult to develop and calibrate devices effectively.
Innovation Solution
A blood flow simulator system that includes a controller with pressure waveform files and a generator to produce realistic blood flow and pressure waveforms, mimicking heart rate, respiration, and tissue responses, allowing for controlled testing of sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If in vitro blood flow monitoring is performed, then substance levels and vitals can be measured, but uncontrollable variables make testing conditions difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simulated blood flow system that copies the essential characteristics of real blood flow (pressure waveforms, flow patterns, optical properties) in a controlled environment. This allows testing of medical devices without using actual biological systems, thereby maintaining measurement precision while gaining full control over testing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a simulated blood flow system as an intermediary between the medical device under test and the testing environment. This intermediary provides a controllable medium that mimics real blood flow properties, enabling precise control of testing variables while maintaining realistic measurement conditions.
2Reliability
If real blood flow testing is performed, then physiological accuracy is maintained, but uncontrollable variables interfere with device calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The simulated blood flow system creates accurate copies of physiological conditions including pressure waveforms, flow rates, and optical properties of blood. This allows device calibration with physiologically accurate conditions while eliminating the uncontrollable variables present in real biological systems, making calibration straightforward and repeatable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables independent control and adjustment of key physiological parameters such as pressure waveform characteristics, flow rate, and optical properties in the simulated system. This allows optimization of testing conditions for specific device calibration requirements while maintaining physiological accuracy, greatly simplifying the calibration process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple substances and physiological mechanisms are present, then realistic blood flow conditions are achieved, but variable control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The simulated blood flow system copies the essential optical and mechanical properties of real blood flow containing multiple substances and physiological mechanisms, but in a simplified controllable format. This maintains realistic testing conditions while reducing the complexity of variable control by eliminating the need to manage actual biological variability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise simulation of blood flow and pressure conditions, facilitating the development and calibration of medical devices like pulse oximeters and PPG sensors by providing a controlled environment for testing various heart conditions and substance levels.
Implementation Method 1
generating a pressure waveform in test fluid flowing through a test site in response to the selected one of the plurality of pressure waveform files
Implementation Method 2
the optical bladder is configured to induce a pressure waveform in fluid in the optical window test bed
Data Source
AI summary
A blood flow simulator generates a compression and expansion in a test fluid that emulates the pressure waveform created by a heartbeat in blood flow. The blood flow simulator stores a plurality of pressure waveform files that include actual data recorded from a heartbeat, arterial pressure waveform, or venous pressure waveform. One or more of the pressure waveform files may be selected and the pressure waveform file is used by the blood flow simulator 100 to generate a pressure waveform in pressurized fluid. The pressurized fluid flows through a test site, such as a surrogate body part or an optical window or other component with material having similar properties to human tissue. Various target substances may also be added to the fluid in known concentrations for testing and configuration of medical devices at the test site.