Biomedical Engineering Technology Volume 1 | Page 18

Microprocessors in Infusion Pumps

Technology is around us everywhere we go. In the past, computers were very rare and filled entire rooms. Technological developments of computer engineering have come a long way. Today some computers can fit on the tip of a finger. This is not done without the development of microprocessors.

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that contains the entire central processing unit of a computer on a single chip. These have made it possible for the development and advancement of so many different devices that we find in our everyday lives, such as telephones, remote controls, gaming systems, microwave ovens, calculators, automobiles, IPods, and televisions just to name a few. The uses of microprocessors make our everyday living convenient and much more productive.

Microprocessors have also been very useful in the development of medical devices. They have made it possible for the equipment and devices used to treat and provide care for patients of all kinds to do so much more than they have ever before. One such device is the Abbott Plum A+® Infusion Pump.

The Abbott Plum A+® Infusion pump (Figure1-1) is a general purpose infusion device that provides precise, continuous, and controlled intravenous delivery of blood, fluids, and various medications to the vital organs of a patient.

This infusion pump, released in 2000, has been designed to reduce drug administration errors and help promote safe and on-time delivery of medications. The Plum A+ system is very user friendly with a large LCD screen, easy to read on screen instructions, dual channel infusion feature, and a large key pad. Microprocessor technology makes this device very efficient with little confusion for the user.

The microprocessor featured in this particular pump is the Texas Instruments AM3517/05 Sitara ARM Microprocessor (Figure 1-2). This is a high performance microprocessor with speeds up to 600MHz and the capability to support numerous peripherals. It also supports high level operating systems, such as Linux, Android™, and Window CE. The memory interfaces include up to 83MHz General Purpose Memory Interface supporting 16-bit Wide Multiplexed Address/Data bus and a 64Kbyte shared SRAM, and three removable media interfaces.

With such an extensive performance set-up in this microprocessor, the infusion pump system has everything it needs to provide the best delivery system available. The microprocessor ensures that Plum A+® is operating correctly from the time it is powered up. The block diagram shown in Figure 1-3 shows the basic layout of the Abbott Plum A+ Infusion System. The 132K On-Chip Boot ROM initializes the device and runs a systems self-test to ensure the devices is working properly.