Adaptive control of arterial oxygen pressure of newborn infants under incubator oxygen treatments

The paper investigates an adaptive feedback control system for incubator oxygen treatments which can determine the optimum oxygen concentration of the mixed gas (FiO2) that should be forced into the incubator so as to maintain the arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) within normal limits for a newborn infant with respiratory problems. One of the features of the present system is that the state of respiratory distress can be estimated from the data sequence of the input FiO2 and output tcPO2 (transcutaneous oxygen pressure), and, correspondingly, the control input FiO2 can be adjusted in an adaptive manner. Validity of the control scheme is examined in simulations using the mathematical model of neonatal respiratory system and in animal experiments where we simulate hypoxia dogs by keeping them in various low-ventilation conditions.