IP Requirement: IP will be assigned by team awarded this project to sponsor

Experience Requirement:

– Mechanical Design

– Flow Dynamics

– Rapid Prototyping

Problem Statement: Hemorrhage remains a leading cause of preventable battlefield deaths. In a 2008 study from Kelly et al., 33% of deaths resulted from extremity hemorrhage treatable with proper tourniquet application and another 20% from junctional injuries manageable with direct pressure. However, studies highlight significant gaps in effective tourniquet use among military personnel, with success rates as low as 37% prior to training (Mulet et al., 2021). These failures are often linked to stress and the complexity of treating conscious victims. Military experts underscore the importance of portable, realistic, and responsive training models, noting the scarcity of instructors and the need for self-assessment and real-time feedback. Better Bleeding Control, LLC is a women-owned company with an option license for further research & development of their biofeedback hemorrhage control trainer. This bleeding mannikin trainer provides real-time feedback using pressure sensors and integrated tactile, audio, and visual components. The system simulates active bleeding, responds to interventions like tourniquet application or direct pressure, and generates detailed reports on performance. By offering immediate feedback and enhancing user engagement, the mannikin aims to reduce reliance on high instructor to student ratios and improve overall training outcomes.

Current gap that exists in our model:

Physiologic flow dynamics: The system at current operates using two inline solenoids. A detailed report from initial engineering work describes the initial mechanics as follows;

“The fake blood is kept in a single reservoir and travels through a single tube to the pump. In line after the pump, the tube splits into two sections, one for each wound. These sections each have a solenoid attached that control the flow to each wound… The JIHPump model 304K/BT is controlled by a stepper motor which is in turn controlled by the DM556 stepper motor driver. The stepper motor driver works by receiving an input signal pulse and then translating that into many small pulses that spin the motor one “step”… By providing pulses at faster rates, the motor spins faster… To achieve the flow rate required for a three minute bleed out time, the pump needs to have an unimpeded flow rate of one liter per minute. The maximum frequency that the RPI should output to the motor is 15000 Hz in “high” bleed out scenarios, described as a 3 minute bleed-out time. The “low” setting assumes a bleed out time of five minutes, and the pump has a flowrate of three-fifths of a liter per minute. The maximum frequency that the RPI should output to the motor is 6000 Hz.”

While more work needs to be done on the pressure sensor system and the model tissue itself, the flow dynamics should also be improved to better mimic actual hemodynamic (and variable) flow/pressure/pulsatile conditions during a traumatic bleed-out event.