A Sensorless Pusher Plate Position Detection Method for a Pulsatile Left Ventricular Assist Device

The aim of this study is to investigate the sensorless detection method of the pusher plate position for a pulsatile left ventricular assist device (PF-LVAD) based on the driving current waveform. The PF-LVAD is synchronized to the trigger signal of a mock left ventricle, and the experiment is conducted in a mock circulatory system (MCS). The results show that the average error detection ratio of the sensorless detection method is less 1.54%. It is indicated that a sensorless method for detecting the end-systolic position of the pusher plate is reliable. From these results, it is suggested that a sensorless method using the driving current waveform of a PF-LVAD for detecting the end-systolic position of the pusher plate is feasible without additional implanted sensors.