Blood is a fluid that contains nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones and blood cells, and transports them to the cells in the body. This means that blood, and consequently the circulatory system, is in charge of providing nutrients, fighting diseases and maintaining homeostasis and temperature in all the cells in the body.

There are many variables to consider when analyzing blood, e.g. red blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, bilirubin concentration, etc. However, there are two especially important variables: the blood flow (studied by hemodynamics), which helps in the diagnosis of circulatory problems such as atherosclerosis or clotting, and the viscosity, whose differences may signal anemia or hypothermia.

The Computer Controlled Biomedical Circulatory System Teaching Unit, "BICSC", allows the students to learn how to interpret the resultsobtained by the viscometer and pressure sensors, and apply them for the diagnosis of circulatory problems.

The unit has two tanks: one for water and the other for a fluid of viscosity similar to blood.

A computer controlled heating element varied the temperature of the fluid (PID Control).

A computer controlled pump simulates the function of the heart, impelling fuid selected fromthe tank, through a pipe that simulates the vena cava and another pipe of greater diameterthat represents the aorta towards a network of tubes (arteries).

There is a pressure sensor in this pipe (aorta) that provides a representative measurement ofboth the diastolic and systolic slood pressure.

The aorta artery ends in a network of pipes that simulate the arteries that communicate theblood with the different parts of the human body. In this point there are two pressure sensors,used to take measures before and after the arteries and study the pressure drop in them.

Finally, the fluid leaving the circuit of arteries discharges again in the storage tanks.

In addition, a digital blood pressure monitor connected to a pressure sensor, is included to take blood pressure measurements and collectpressure changes.

This Computer Controlled Unit is supplied with the EDIBON Computer Control System (SCADA), and includes: The unit itself + aControl Interface Box + a Data Acquisition Board + Computer Control, Data Acquisition and Data Management Software Packages, forcontrolling the process and all parameters involved in the process.