Doug If you haven't done so already, you might try ANSI/AAMI standard DF-39 "Automatic External Defibrillators and remote control defibrillators". I used it a long while ago when testing the surge immunity of an implanted device. I don't remember the design specifics of the standard, because I was mostly interested in the energy and typical waveshape.
Bob Martin Sr. Technical Manager ITS - Northeast (978)263-2662 [email protected] The opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of my employer. ---------- From: Douglas Mckean To: [email protected] Subject: Defibrillators List-Post: [email protected] Date: Monday, April 20, 1998 9:03PM Has anyone worked on defibrillators? My slight reading on the subject has found widely differing limits. And the milli-amp spec is from the hand only. Especially the right hand. One reason why long ago, I was taught to work on tubes with one hand - if current was to pass through you from your hand to your feet, better that it's with the right hand than the left hand. Current entering the left hand could cross the heart easier than the right. Direct contact with the heart muscle as in patient implanted defib devices require only micro-amps to work. A third condition, pulses, end up being another story altogether based on the amount of energy with I^2*t. This allows for people to survive a higher level current spike in a transient state that would otherwise kill in a static state. But, these spikes must be less time in duration than the period of a natural pulse in the heart muscle. Defibrillators work how? Certain number of pulses for a certain length of time? And there's more than one type of defibrillator then the capacitive, right? I have found very little on the subject and would be interested in sources. Thanks in advance. Doug
