Development of mock circulatory loop

模拟循环回路是再现人体循环系统内生理条件的液压回路。这类设备用于生物器官的研究和救生设备。重新创建**用户定义的流量条件是一个技术挑战；事实上，人体内的压力波和流量波是复杂的，只能近似地实现。除非从少数几家生产商那里购买昂贵的交钥匙系统，否则需要对几个设备进行繁琐的调试。因此，由更便宜和更简单的硬件加上灵活的控制软件组成的自动化设备是生物医学领域日益增长的需求对象。这种装置可以在几次控制迭代的时间内重现用户在计算机屏幕上指定的流波，从而改善了研究人员的工作。Neosoft是一家加拿大公司，在提供数据采集和控制系统方面拥有丰富的经验。Neosoft不具备设计循环回路原型所需的生物医学工程知识。然而，Neosoft有能力通过编码和机电执行器实现机械设备的自动化。麦吉尔大学为之前的主动脉瘤研究制造了一个工作原型。主动脉瘤是一种致命的疾病，它的一部分胸主动脉直径增加，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情况，并配备了几个换能器。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。原型机将通过Neosoft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建议和测试一个合适的硬件**设置，以减少原型成本；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，Neosoft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.