Improved Performance of Flow rate Tracking in a Ventilator using Iterative Learning Control

This paper considers the performance improvement of an artificial ventilator machine in controlling breathing rate actively during the inspiratory cycle and passively in expiratory cycle. Respiratory issues pose a great threat to mankind and may lead to immediate death if proper intervention is not made. Artificial ventilator machine acts like a magic wand which revives a person by spontaneous breathing, reducing the work load of the respiratory muscles. For this purpose, Iterative Learning Control (ILC) can be applied to control the volumetric flow rate of a ventilator machine. As a medical device demands high performance, so ILC alone may not give desired output. Hence a feedback PID controller along with ILC is proposed to improve the control effort and track the error performance of the ventilator. Simulation results are obtained and presented for illustration.