Mechatronics and Artificial Hearts

Those who are unknowingly implementing the methodologies typical for mechatronics are likely to ask themselves what this term really refers to. At any rate, certain organizations and companies seem to have taken up this terminology in order to give a name to the designs of motion control. The reasons for this would be "To combine all the mechanical, the electronics and all the products that come into motion control from the amplifiers to the motors to the gearboxes to the bus network systems," according to John Mazurkiewicz, president of Motion Control Assn.

Mazurkiewicz also says that the word 'mechatronics’ seems to sum up and include everything that goes into motion control." He also mentions the fact that mechatronics is more used today than five years ago, for instance.

Thanks to the mechatronics’ approach, users can avoid problems. Mazurkiewicz says: "They buy a motor from one company, an encoder from another company and a control from a third company and they make up their own cabling." Problems are bound to appear afterwards, like, for instance, the fact that "Each organization was pointing their fingers to the other organization and the customer never got the problem solved."

Mazurkiewicz adds "Today, what you find is that a lot of companies are offering the entire package." Baldor’s BSM C-series is one approach to an entire package. The torque and horsepower capability is higher for the brushless servo motor systems, but the motor, the control and the cabling system can only be sold separately, because of the necessity in some special configurations. Nonetheless, even when they are bought separately, the pieces can work together just perfectly: "We run the motor and control and we come out with what we call a matched performance package" (the same Mazurkiewicz.) "We have the speed torque curves that tell you if you get this motor and this drive, this is the performance that you are going to get." The evaluation refers even to the cabling system.

At any rate, the solution meant to increase system design, belonging to Baldor, is merely one of many approaches. Another special approach is the one belonging to Danaher Motion. This company has a MechaWare 3.0 mechatronic tool kit integrating control software design and some mechanical systems to increase the speed of the design cycles and to improve the performance of the motion system.

A great innovation brought about by mechatronics might have been artificial hearts. Yet, these artificial systems have some flaws of design that can only limit their use, and make them ineffective for patients. These hearts of electromechanical nature are based on some blood pumps with positive displacement, which have the tendency to become bulky. This results in their failure to fit in chest cavities that have a smaller size. At the Heart Institute in Texas experts try to develop a new type of mechatronic heart, based on a simpler pump system and on more sophisticated algorithms of control. This is meant to solve the problems.

Experts mention that "The overarching goal is to create a robust continuous-flow ventricular assist device that is smaller and more reliable than the current pulsating pumps that mimic the natural heart. The mathematical models of the cardiovascular system also will be evaluated as a possible means to health prognostics and diagnostics. In addition, information from the controllers will be used to assess current conditions of the blood, including viscosity, which is critical to maintaining patient health."

And here are the words of some UH professors: "We are very much looking forward to a long-term collaboration with this excellent biomedical engineering team and to the potential development of an effective, reliable mechanical replacement for the failing human heart,’ says Metcalfe. ‘With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, this is crucial research that constantly needs fresh approaches and interaction across disciplines.’ Echoing his colleague, Franchek adds, ‘What we have here is a good partnership between engineers and physicians. We are harvesting knowledge from a fertile ground where many new discoveries lie, and at the end of the day our goal is to improve many people’s quality of life."

Whether this will be or not feasible, only time can tell. We’ll live and see.