• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.30 no.6 s.249
• /
• pp.662-669
• /
• 2006

The pneumatic muscle actuator consists of an air bellows tube with two end-flanges. The air bellows tube is made from rubber layers and flexible sheathing formed from nylon 6 fibers. This structure can be stretched or compressed to convert the radial expansive forces into contractile forces. We performed the finite element analysis and the performance test of pneumatic muscle actuator. Also, the pneumatic muscle actuator was manufactured and tested by home-made tester. The results of FEA was similar with performance test below the maximum error of 42 %.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.24 no.12
• /
• pp.20-28
• /
• 2007

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.38 no.8
• /
• pp.715-720
• /
• 2014

In order to maximize the effect of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) on ventricular unloading, the therapy should be begun at appropriate level of heart failure severity. We predicted pumping efficacy of LVAD according to the severity of heart failure theoretically. We used 3 dimensional finite element model of ventricle coupled with 6 Wind-kessel compartmental model of vascular system. Using the computational model, we predicted cardiac responses such as contractile ATP consumption of ventricle, left ventricular pressure, cardiac output, ejection fraction, and stroke work according to the severity of ventricular systolic dysfunction under the treatments of continuous LVAD. Contractile ATP consumption, which indicates the ventricular energetic loading condition decreased maximally at the $5^{th}$ level heart-failure under LVAD therapy. We conclude that optimal timing for LVAD treatment is $5^{th}$ level heart-failure when considering LVAD treatment as "bridge to recovery".

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.198-203
• /
• 2015

The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of pacemaker location on cardiac pumping efficacy theoretically. We used a three-dimensional finite element cardiac electromechanical model of canine ventricles with models of the circulatory system. Electrical activation time for normal sinus rhythm and artificial pacing in apex, left ventricular free wall, and right ventricular free wall were obtained from electrophysiological model. We applied the electrical activation time maps to the mechanical contraction model and obtained cardiac mechanical responses such as myocardial contractile ATP consumption, stroke work, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and etc. Among three artificial pacing methods, left ventricle pacing showed best performance in ventricular pumping efficacy.