An adaptive H∞ control design for exercise-independent human heart rate regulation system

In this paper, we have developed an adaptive control system to regulate the human heart rate (HR) to a predefined reference profile, independent of the type of exercise. First a linear time varying (LTV) model has been proposed. The frequency of exercise activity termed as exercise rate (ER), measured using triaxial accelerometer (TA) is imposed as an input. The model parameters are estimated using a Kalman filter approach. Based on this model, an adaptive H_∞ controller is designed. The system has no information about the type of exercise and the only information available from the subject is the HR and ER. The system was tested on 3 subjects during rowing and cycling exercises. The results demonstrate that the designed system can regulate HR at a given target, indicating that the developed system can play an important role in the design of exercise protocols for individuals.