Adaptive And Quasi-physiological Controller For The Total Artificial Heart
An adaptive and quasi-physiological controller for the total artificial heart (TAH) has been designed on the basis of a computer model of the cardiovascular system. In correspondence with the patient's metabolic demand under various conditions the controller uses the Starling-mechanism of the human body and the measured right atrial pressure to control the heart frequency. Several time-varying physiological parameters of the patient, as e.g. the peripheral resistance to flow, can be used to adapt the dynamic performance of the controller with the help of parameter estiniation techniques. The controller has been tested in several computer experiments, and reliable results were obtained including stability and physiological adaptation of the controller under a wide range of environmental disturbances and exercises carried out by the patient.