Artificial Heart Control With Sensor-Driven Variable Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial hearts lack the ability to dynamically adjust flowrate to match a patient's bodily functions and activities, leading to limited functionality and rapid mechanical wear.
Innovation Solution
An external controller, such as a mobile user computing entity, processes signals from body sensors using machine-learning models to adjust the artificial heart's operational parameters in real-time, mimicking natural heart function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If artificial heart operates at constant flowrate, then mechanical components experience fast wear and tear, but the artificial heart cannot dynamically adjust to match patient's bodily functions and activities
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial heart system transitions from constant speed operation to variable speed operation, where the rotational speed of the artificial heart chambers can be dynamically adjusted based on real-time sensor feedback about patient's bodily functions and activity level. This allows the flowrate to adapt to changing physiological demands while avoiding excessive mechanical stress that would occur with sudden or extreme adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor patient's bodily functions and activity level, and this information is fed back to the control mechanism that adjusts the artificial heart's rotational speed. This closed-loop feedback system enables the artificial heart to automatically adapt its flowrate to match the patient's physiological needs without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining reliable operation through controlled adjustments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If artificial heart provides constant functionality, then it ensures limited lifespan due to fast wear and tear, but it cannot match patient's bodily functions during normal activities
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial heart operates with variable rotational speed rather than constant speed, allowing the system to adjust its functionality dynamically. During periods of high patient activity, the artificial heart increases its flowrate to match physiological demands, and during rest periods, it reduces flowrate accordingly. This dynamic operation pattern reduces cumulative mechanical wear compared to constant high-speed operation, thereby extending the lifespan while maintaining appropriate functionality throughout the patient's daily activities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If artificial heart is controlled with external controller and sensor signals, then it can match patient's bodily functions, but the system complexity increases with multiple sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The external controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it processes signals from various sensors, determines patient's activity level, calculates appropriate flowrate adjustments, and controls the artificial heart's rotational speed. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control unit, the system achieves dynamic adaptability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity. The controller serves as a universal interface that coordinates all adaptive functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller for an artificial heart enables activity-specific adjustments to the operation of an artificial heart by obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors monitoring characteristics of a patient's body, and using the sensor data as input to one or more control parameter models for identifying control parameters to be provided to the artificial heart to adjust the operational parameters of the artificial heart. The controller is in wireless communication with the artificial heart via an application program interface (API)-based communication channel that facilitates communication between the controller and the artificial heart. Moreover, a cloud-based management computing entity may be utilized to train and/or execute one or more models to enable real-time updates to the operational characteristics of the artificial heart to enable the artificial heart to appropriately accommodate activities of the patient.