Development of mock circulatory loop

模拟循环回路是重现人体循环系统内生理条件的液压回路。这种装置用于生物器官和救生装置的研究。重建**用户定义的流动条件是一项技术挑战；事实上，人体内的压力和流动波**是复杂的，只能大致实现。除非**昂贵的交钥匙系统是从几家生产商那里购买的，否则需要对几个设备进行繁琐的调试。因此，由更便宜、更简单的硬件和灵活的控制软件组成的自动化设备是**生物医学部门日益增长的需求的目标。这样的装置可以在很少的控制迭代时间内，在计算机屏幕上重现用户指定的流动波，改进了研究人员的工作。Neosoft是一家加拿大公司，在数据采集和控制系统供应方面拥有**丰富的经验。东软不具备设计循环系统原型所需的生物医学**工程知识。然而，东软拥有通过编码和机电执行器实现此类机械设备自动化的**能力。McGill在之前的主动脉瘤研究中建造了一个正在工作的原型，主动脉瘤是一种致命的病理，胸主动脉的一部分直径增大，直至破裂。人工控制的原型令人满意地重现了主动脉分支的状况，并配备了几个传感器。机电**设备用于调节流量，数据采集系统用于数据记录和**后处理。原型将通过东软提供的自动控制进行升级。因此，在拟议的**研究中，大学合作伙伴将i)代表Neosoft建议并测试合适的硬件**设置，以减少原型费用；ii)由Neosoft协助设计数字/模拟控制、**调谐、数据采集和后处理系统。从商业化的角度来看，东软将保留该架构的商业权利**。为了研究的优势，研究小组将保留**合作产生的原型。

Mock circulatory loops are hydraulic circuits recreating the physiologic conditions inside the human circulatory**system. Such devices are used for the research on biological organs and life-saving devices. The recreation of**user-defined flow conditions is a technical challenge; in fact, pressure and flow waves inside the human body**are complex and are achieved approximately only. The tedious tuning of several devices is required unless**expensive turn-key systems are bought from few producers. An automated apparatus constituted by cheaper**and simpler hardware coupled with a flexible control software is therefore object of increasing demand in the**biomedical sector. Such apparatus could recreate in the time of few control iterations the flow wave specified**by the user on a computer screen, improving the work of researchers. Neosoft is a Canadian company with a**large experience in the supply of data acquisition and control systems. Neosoft does not possess the biomedical**engineering knowledge necessary for the design of a circulatory loop prototype. However, Neosoft has the**capability to automate such mechanical apparatus through coding and electromechanical actuators. A working**prototype was built at McGill for the previous study of aortic aneurysm, a fatal pathology where a portion of**the thoracic aorta increases in diameter up to bursting. The manually controlled prototype recreates**satisfactorily the conditions in the aortic branch and is equipped with several transducers. Electro-mechanical**devices are used to condition flow and data acquisition systems are in use for data recording and**post-processing. The prototype will be upgraded with automated control provided by Neosoft. In the proposed**research, therefore, the University partner will i) suggest and test on behalf of Neosoft a suitable hardware**setup reducing prototyping expenses and ii) be assisted by Neosoft in the design of a digital/analog control,**tuning, data acquisition and post processing system. Neosoft will retain commercial rights on the architecture**in the perspective of commercialization. The research group will retain the prototype resulting from the**collaboration for the advantage of research.