Power electronics play a pivotal role in various biomedical applications, ranging from X-ray diagnostic systems to implanted devices like artificial hearts, and innovative electromechanical creations such as prostheses, surgical robots, and exoskeletons. The fundamental electronics of biomedical devices encompass energy delivery, analog-to-digital conversion, signal processing, and communication subsystems, meticulously crafted to minimize energy consumption while achieving medical functionality.
Heart failure remains one of the most prevalent cardiovascular ailments, where delayed diagnosis can lead to dire consequences, including loss of life, reduced quality of life, and increased societal expenses. Vibration-based monitoring devices serve as a critical metric for assessing heart health. However, for conducting quality control assessments on these devices, an accurate simulation of the human heartbeat is imperative. This presents a significant opportunity to simulate a human heartbeat using power electronics and electric drives.
In this project, we aim to develop a heartbeat simulator to accurately replicate vibration signals associated with vital functions (heartbeat, respiration, etc) in diverse applications. This system consists of a programmable function generator and a permanent magnet vibration generator that include motor and power electronics converter. To emulate these vibrations, we will employ a signal generator to generate signals by importing data points from sources such as heartbeat and aspiration.
Fig. 1 An overview of an heartbeat simulator
Fig. 2: Heartbeat and aspiration signals