Muscle stimulator with variable duty cycle

Abstract

Apparatus and method of controlling a muscle stimulator by varying the duty cycle. The muscle stimulator is particularly adapted to a skeletal muscle powered cardiac assist system. An activity or other sensor is used to determine the requirement for cardiac output. A second electrical sensor is used to determine the cardiac rate. The outputs of these two sensors are employed to select a duty cycle for muscle stimulation of the skeletal muscle. The duty cycle is lowered for reasons of efficiency and safety during periods of very high or very low cardiac rate or body activity. The number of stimulation pulses within a burst is similarly increased when cardiac demand is high to ensure maximum contractile force of the skeletal muscle during each stimulation burst.

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