Virtual bioinstrumentation: Integrating biomedical experimentation with systems-level modeling and analysis

Abstract

This dissertation is a treatise on the merging of biomedical experimentation with modern data acquisition and analysis as an integrated teaching and research platform. Virtual (i.e. computer-based) instrumentation forms the foundation for this platform development. Original virtual instruments (V1s) have been developed as a standardized means of acquiring, analyzing, and displaying data relevant to two significant areas of biological research, namely cardiovascular hemodynamics and pulmonary mechanics. Combination of these areas leads to investigations of interactive cardiopulmonary dynamics. The VIs depicted herein incorporate the development of advanced mathematical models as a tool for increasing our comprehension of normal and abnormal function of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. The use of parameter estimation schemes makes the results of these studies relevant to individual subjects being tested. These innovative applications create a robust, user-friendly environment that enables the models developed to be used as instructional tools or as a basis for the pursuit of other significant research objectives. Additionally, these VIs are all modular in nature, enabling them to be used in a variety of settings with only minor modifications