Simulation and Control of a Robotic Device for Cardio-Circulatory Rehabilitation

In immobilized patients, like paraplegic subjects, due to absence of leg muscle contraction, venous return to the heart is reduced and this may induce important diseases to the cardio-circulatory system. The application to legs of a mechanical stimulation operated by an Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) device, in replacing striate muscle pump on limb veins, may recover venous return to the heart, thus restoring correct cardio-circulatory performance. This paper deals with the study of an effective way to control such a device. Based on the numerical simulation of the human-machine system, the paper investigates and proposes an effective control solution.