Elastance control of a mock circulatory system for ventricular assist device test

A state-feedback controller was designed to simulate the Starling response of the heart in a mock circulatory system (MCS). The controller drives a voice coil actuator (VCA) to follow a reference volume, and thus generate the desired chamber pressure, by using position and speed feedbacks. The reference volume was adjusted according to the maximum ventricular elastance (E_max), end-systolic ventricular pressure, and left atrial pressure to respond to load variation in the MCS. The controller was tested in computer simulation by changing the load conditions and E_max of the MCS. The MCS along with the controller was able to reproduce human heart function from healthy to sick conditions. A rotary ventricular assist device (VAD) was then introduced in the simulation to test the MCS. The MCS was able to produce a consistent cardiac function even with the presence of the VAD. These results suggest that the new MCS control system is able to simulate the cardiac function for VAD test.