Real-time cardiovascular simulation using two microcomputers

Abstract

Cardiovascular simulations have been developed for a number of different classes of applications: systems identification, benchmarks, physiologic research and teaching. The model presented in this paper is similar in structure to the PHYSBE benchmark model. Our purpose, however, is to teach medical students about the complex interactions of the cardiovascular system. Commonly, cardiovascular simulations have been implemented on poweful research computers using high-level languages. This paper reports on the use of a microprocessor, programmed in assembler, as the simulation engine. This more limited machine was chosen to minimize the cost of developing multiple student workstations while still providing real physiologic time analog outputs. A number of different models have been developed for teaching cardiovascular physiology using mainframe, mini, micro and analog computers. Of these, only the analog simulations and the present work are capable of real-physiologic time computation and pulsatile display. The digital computer system presented here achieves this result with a more flexible student interface.