An electro-mechanical CPR device (10, 11) for applying cardiopulmonary compressions to a chest of a patient, the CPR device (10, 11) comprising: a chest compressor self-supportable upon the chest of the patient, the chest compressor including as assembly an electric motor, a mechanical transmission, a linear actuator and a plunger mounted within a housing, wherein the linear actuator converts rotational motion generated by the electric motor and the mechanical transmission into linear motion of the plunger for applying a cyclical compressive force to the chest of the patient; and at least one strap operably configured to at least partially wrap around the patient and be coupled to chest compressor, the at least one strap being adapted to counteract the downward force of the plunger during operation of the CPR device (10, 11); characterized in that the CPR device (10, 11) further comprises: a compression controller external to the chest compressor and operably configured to powering the chest compressor and controlling one or more parameters of the cyclical compressive force via control signals applied to the electric motor, the one or more parameters including a magnitude profile of the cyclical compressive force and a depth of the cyclical compressive force, the compression controller increasing a torque of the electric motor as the plunger is being compressed into the chest of the patient; and a power/control cable connecting the chest compressor to the compressor controller and being configured to provide the power and the control signals from the compression controller to the chest compressor. a chest compressor self-supportable upon the chest of the patient, the chest compressor including as assembly an electric motor, a mechanical transmission, a linear actuator and a plunger mounted within a housing, wherein the linear actuator converts rotational motion generated by the electric motor and the mechanical transmission into linear motion of the plunger for applying a cyclical compressive force to the chest of the patient; and at least one strap operably configured to at least partially wrap around the patient and be coupled to chest compressor, the at least one strap being adapted to counteract the downward force of the plunger during operation of the CPR device (10, 11); characterized in that the CPR device (10, 11) further comprises: a compression controller external to the chest compressor and operably configured to powering the chest compressor and controlling one or more parameters of the cyclical compressive force via control signals applied to the electric motor, the one or more parameters including a magnitude profile of the cyclical compressive force and a depth of the cyclical compressive force, the compression controller increasing a torque of the electric motor as the plunger is being compressed into the chest of the patient; and a power/control cable connecting the chest compressor to the compressor controller and being configured to provide the power and the control signals from the compression controller to the chest compressor. a compression controller external to the chest compressor and operably configured to powering the chest compressor and controlling one or more parameters of the cyclical compressive force via control signals applied to the electric motor, the one or more parameters including a magnitude profile of the cyclical compressive force and a depth of the cyclical compressive force, the compression controller increasing a torque of the electric motor as the plunger is being compressed into the chest of the patient; and a power/control cable connecting the chest compressor to the compressor controller and being configured to provide the power and the control signals from the compression controller to the chest compressor.