Solar powered automated external defibrillators in remote areas: A computer simulation

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are used to restore normal heart rhythm of patients suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. Proper functioning of AEDs depends on sufficient amount of power supplied by batteries. The available capacity of AED batteries deteriorates with time. Solar radiation being available in abundance may be employed to charge batteries of AEDs in emergent situations. Design and development of solar cell based AEDs require primary focus to optimize efficiency of solar power conversion in order to maintain requisite power. In the research article, an attempt has been made to simulate Perturb and Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (INC) maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms to extract maximum power of solar cell suitable for powering AEDs using MATLAB. Simulations of P&O and INC techniques were implemented using datasheet of BP SX 150S photovoltaic module. Peak power points indicated on powervoltage plots proved that the INC technique yielded more maximum power as compared to P&O technique for each value of radiation. The simulation demonstrated capability of solar cell based power supply to charge the battery of AED. The practical implementation of solar cell powered AEDs could increase overall lifespan and may reduce cost of maintenance.