Controller Design for Ventricular Assist Devices

In this paper, an integrated model of the human circulatory system with a brushless DC axial flow ventricular assist device (VAD) was developed. The resulting nonlinear hybrid model is then used to design the VAD feedback control system. The VAD controller is designed to maintain a physiologically motivated perfusion; it is tested using computer simulations of dierent scenarios ranging from the normal heart to the left heart asystole.