Development and application of the autonomous control for a ventricular assist device using a biologically inspired algorithm

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10743
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular surgery
• Research Institution: Toin University of Yokohama
• Principal Investigator: Ohnuma Kentaro 桐蔭横浜大学, 医用工学部, 講師 (50527992)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 住倉 博仁 東京電機大学, 理工学部, 助教 (20433998)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 人工心臓 / 駆動制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have been developing an autonomous control system for an artificial heart using a biologically inspired algorithm. In this study, we sought to investigate whether the proposed method can be applied to driving control of a ventricular assist device (VAD) such as an avoidance of inflow sucking and heartbeat synchronous drive by using a pulsatile mock circulation loop and computer simulation. As a result, the centrifugal blood pump with controller based on the proposed algorithm showed self-adaptive behavior for recovering the flow rate in response to a low flow state with inflow sucking or high circulation resistance. The quasi-heartbeat synchronous with only index of the driving current by using our method had insufficient response speed to the heartbeat, however, it was suggested that the semi-diastolic assist mode tended to obtain a higher coronary flow than a constant rotational speed mode.

Free Research Field

生体医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で構築した、装置側情報のみを入力指標とした連続流血液ポンプ制御システムは、循環抵抗の変化や脱血側の吸い付きなど機序の異なる流量低下に対して負荷側の情報や厳密な行動則によらずに自律的に駆動状態を維持できた。また、本手法による準心拍同期駆動は、正確性・高速性に課題を残す一方、冠循環維持への有効性が示唆された。これらから、本手法は人工心臓制御に臨床応用を阻む循環系の情報不足、想定外の状態変化による動作破綻といった課題解決に役立つ可能性がある。将来的に、ハードの進歩だけでなくソフトウェアの面から機械的補助循環を高機能化することで、治療戦略の拡大や患者の早期社会復帰につながることが期待される。