Physiological Control Algorithm for a Four Chamber Linear Motor Driven Mock Circulatory Model

As mechanical cardiac assist devices (CADs) require suitable evaluation prior to in vivo studies, mock circulatory loops (MCLs) are invaluable in establishing physiologically accurate test environments to analyze device performance. In this work, a four-chamber MCL system was developed by implementing a personalized numerical elastance model to control ventricular contraction. This elastance model relates ventricular pressure, ventricular volume, and time to control the movement of two linear motor-driven pistons that create systemic and pulmonary flow in the system. With this control method, the MCL recreated personalized healthy heart and left heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) models with physiologically accurate pressures, volumes, and flows. The Frank-Starling autoregulatory mechanism was also modeled in both the left and right ventricle. As such, this MCL platform allows for simulation of the interactions between specific left and right heart functions, demonstrating its potential to be an invaluable in vitro test platform for CADs.