I.5 Laparoscopic Cameras for Low Resource Contexts Problem Description Currently, most minimally invasive abdominal or thoracic surgery is done using laparoscopic camera equipment. That equipment uses fiber optic cables and VERY expensive light sources to generate an image in the abdomen. The equipment can be on the order of 20k. In the Low and Middle Income Country (LMIC) context, there is room for innovation using more advanced technologies to create a similar laparoscopic camera that can be...

H.19 Patient Positioning during conebeam ct Problem Description Interventional radiology (IR) and image-guided medicine (IGM) continue to impact patients throughout the world. Advanced imaging has revolutionized the ability to reach a target. It is the advanced global positioning system (GPS) that allows us to navigate to the destination and understand how we are treating a patient. Take two examples: 1) A lesion is present in the liver. Use of the embolization guidance software allows us to...

I.4 Arm circumference measurements for patients with dementia Problem Description Many patients eligible for Hospice care during their final six months of life are inappropriately discharged from Hospice or not properly screened for inclusion in Hospice, due to lack of accurate means for assessing remaining life-span.  This is especially true for dementia patients for whom physical assessments are problematic.  One acceptable method of determining Hospice eligibility is documented weight-loss...

I.3 Foot Typing Posture for Person with extremity disabilities Problem Description Experts say individuals complete work best when sitting at a desk with feet flat on the floor and maintaining a perfect “90 / 90 / 90 posture”. However, this strict instruction of how modern-day students are to complete work is an idealistic far cry from reality. For some people with significant disability in their extremities, writing in the standard posture is also impossible.  One such person is...

I.2 Scope Cleanliness Device Problem Description Endoscopes and bronchoscopes are the medical devices most frequently associated with outbreaks of nosocomial infections due to difficulty in cleaning and disinfection . A large outbreak of P. aeruginosa infections related to bronchoscopy was apparently caused by a loose biopsy-port cap in the bronchoscopes, thus retaining water residue leading to the growth of this organism. Instrument safety and surveillance methods for bronchoscopy must be...

P.3 A better Band-aid Problem Description The general public are not experts in wound care. As a result, minor cuts and scrapes can get infected requiring medical attention and antibiotics. In an ideal world, bandages, the first lineof defense in any minor wound, are changed at the correct time, fit wound edges exactly and provide negative pressure – the ideal environment for wounds to heal. Current off the shelf bandages (Band-Aid being the most famous name brand) typically comprise of...

P.1 Smart Video Switching and Recording System for Operating Room Problem Description I am a specialized gynecologic surgeon practicing in Portland, OR. I previously was faculty at Emory University and sponsored a capstone project some years ago.    The problem I am presenting is this:   the operating room has become a combination of surgical medicine and technology management.   The number of electronic devices we use throughout the operating room is legion, and these devices all...

N.6 Cleanroom Coverall Aseptic Donning Improvement Problem Description We are a Fortune 500 healthcare products and logistics company. As a part of our product portfolio, we produce sterile cleanroom products used by workers producing products in controlled environments. Within most sterile cleanroom manufacturing environments, there are many considerations taken by the workers to maintain an aseptic environment and to minimize any risk of contamination. Often, the main intention of wearing...

N.5 “Topsy Turvy” – Empowering Lives Through Bed Mobility Problem Description We believe the future of healthcare lies in innovation that bridges the gap between technology and compassionate care. The Topsy Turvy is a groundbreaking device designed to transform the lives of individuals facing neck/back injuries, strokes, advanced age, obesity, mobility issues, and osteoarthritis.   The Challenge: For those with limited mobility, moving in bed is a daily struggle, impacting their...

N.4 Amelioration of the risk for uterine perforation during entry into the uterine cavity at the time of hysteroscopy  Problem Description Title: Amelioration of the risk for uterine perforation during entry into the uterine cavity at the time of hysteroscopy   Hysteroscopy is a commonly performed minimally invasive gynecological procedure. During hysteroscopy, a camera with an operating channel is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus in order to diagnose and treat a variety of...

N.3 Drug Cuffs allowing anyone to administer intramuscular (IM) medicines Problem Description Acute intramuscular (IM) shots are nearly always given by health care professionals (HCPs): nurses, physicians, pharmacists.  Acute IM injections can save lives. Examples include naloxone for opioid (e.g. fentanyl) reversal, epinephrine for acute allergy and anaphylaxis, olanzapine for acute psychoses/agitation and midazolam for acute seizures.  Current products do not solve the crisis.  For example,...

N.2 Designing a device: Shoulder pain management through stereotactic thermomechanical stimulation Problem Description Post-operative or post-injury pain management through stereotactic thermomechanical stimulation Acute inadequately treated pain after surgery continues to be a public health problem: 80% of patients hospitalized experience significant pain, and pain is the primary reason for dissatisfaction and poor mobility after orthopedic surgery.[4-6] Pain affects almost 30% of the...

N.1 AFO / KAFO Lifting Technology Problem Description As a patient with a rare adult-onset neuromuscular disease and no current treatments or therapies, my personal goal is to retain ambulation and independence as long as possible. I currently use ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) devices to assist in walking. When wearing one AFO on my left leg, I can get out of chairs and off toilets independently. I recently had to acquire an AFO for my right foot due to increased weakness and instability....

H.18 External device for securing PEG tube after placement Problem Description A PEG tube, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube, is a medical device used to provide nutrition and hydration to individuals who are unable to take food orally or have difficulty swallowing. It is a flexible tube that is inserted through the abdominal wall directly into the stomach. The PEG tube allows for the delivery of liquid nutrition, medications, and fluids directly into the stomach, bypassing the mouth...

H.17 Development of a device or application to prevent bed pressure ulcers Problem Description Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores or pressure sores, are a significant healthcare concern that affect individuals who are immobile or have limited mobility. These ulcers develop when prolonged pressure on the skin and underlying tissues restricts blood flow to specific areas of the body. If left untreated, pressure ulcers can lead to severe complications, including infection, tissue necrosis,...

H.16 Protecting Sterile Processing Technicians from Droplet Dispersal in Decontamination During Manual Cleaning of Instrumentation and Scopes Problem Description Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common and costly hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), accounting for 20% of HAIs in hospitalized patients.  One of the important aspects of the process of surgical operations and preventing infections is the reprocessing of surgical instrumentation.  With this process, there are inherent...

H.14 Design an pouch for Ostomy re-feeds. Problem Description Over the last year many of our babies in the Neonatal ICU at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have been started on Mucus Fistula re-feeds after ostomy surgery. Our current practice is to cut a hole into the neonate’s ostomy bag and feed a catheter into the mucus fistula through the hole. This practice is less than optimal and many times the NICU nurse must change the bag and the baby’s bed linens several times a shift.  The ostomy...

H.13 Pickin’ Up Polyps: Increasing Colon Polyp Retrieval Rates Problem Description Colonoscopies are currently the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and detection, and roughly 15 million colonoscopies occur annually.1 Colorectal cancer incidence has increased over the last few decades, especially among younger adults. For this reason, it is critical that polyps are successfully identified, resected, and retrieved during colonoscopy. After polyp resection, polyps must be retrieved...

H.12 Improving IBS Symptoms Through Neuromodulation Problem Description Functional gastrointestinal disorders are disorders of brain-gut interaction, with a hallmark feature of visceral hypersensitivity manifesting as abdominal discomfort or pain. Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common example of a functional GI disorder, affecting an estimated 10 to 15% of people in the United States. IBS can substantially affect a patient’s quality-of-life, and the condition can result in frequent...

H.11 Preventing hospital-acquired pressure injuries in the intensive care unit Problem Description Clinical Need Patients who are critically ill in the intensive care unit at the hospital can develop hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) over time, commonly known as bedsore wounds, that often cause significant morbidity and mortality. These wounds can affect multiple areas of the body, including the scalp, sacrum, hips, and heels, and can get worse over time, get infected, or cause...

H.10 Echocardiography for patients in contact/ respiratory isolation Problem Description As a cardiologist, I was frequently asked to see patients in contact/respiratory isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons for these consultations were variable, including troponin elevation (myocardial infarction), heart failure, and arrythmia. For most of these consultations, an echocardiogram was indicated to assess cardiac contractility and valve function. However, performing an...

H.9 Designing a Novel Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Machine For The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Problem Description Patients that present with an acute heart attack are rushed to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (cardiac cath lab for short) where interventional cardiologists try to save their lives by opening up their occluded coronary artery (arteries that supply the muscle of the heart).  These patients are sick and frequently arrest on the cardiac cath lab’s table. Chest...

H.8 Direct Visual Cannulation Problem Description Direct Visual Cannulation (DVC) Sphincterotome and DVC-Doppler Sphincterotome   Background Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP) is an endoscopic procedure performed by Gastroenterologists to treat diseases of the bile duct and pancreas. Examples of bile duct diseases are bile duct diseases include bile duct stones, benign and malignant biliary strictures. ERCP is also performed to evaluate and treat pancreatic diseases...

H.7 Endosieve Problem Description ENDOSIEVE is an endoscopic device, which is passed via the biopsy/suction channel during an upper or lower endoscopy.    NEED FOR DEVELOPING THIS DEVICE Endosieve helps in separating liquids from solids protecting the biopsy channel when aspirating a poorly prepped colon. It also protects the biopsy channel during aspiration of retained liquid food or blood around a large blood clot while working in the stomach.  While separating liquids from solids,...

H.6 Endocup forceps Problem Description DESCRIPTION  ENDOCUP FORCEPS is a biopsy forceps like device which can be passed through the biopsy/suction channel of the endoscope. Main function of the device is to help with deployment of small bowel feeding tubes.    NEED FOR DEVELOPING THIS DEVICE Endoscopic placement of a small bowel feeding tube is a challenge to the gastroenterologist. Currently we use a loop tied at the end of the feeding tube and is then passed along the side of the upper...

H.5 Cordless Vital Sign Monitoring Problem Description Hospital Acquired Delirium is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in the inpatient setting. This condition is characterized by waxing and waning mental status that can occur in elderly folks after even only a few hours in the healthcare setting and persist for many months after hospitalization. The prevalence is up to 64% in some studies and is associated with a 33% mortality rate in the hospital setting.[1,2] One contributor to...

H.4 Silent Night IV pump Problem Description Hospital Acquired Delirium is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in the inpatient setting. This condition is characterized by waxing and waning mental status that can occur in elderly folks after even only a few hours in the healthcare setting and persist for many months after hospitalization. The prevalence is up to 64% in some studies and is associated with a 33% mortality rate in the hospital setting.1,2 One contributor to Hospital...

H.3 Device to assess the efficacy of inhaler medication intake Problem Description Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung condition characterized by obstructed airflow. COPD not only deteriorates the quality of life for individuals but also imposes substantial economic and resource strains on healthcare systems. COPD leads to a gradual loss of lung function, turning everyday activities into exhausting tasks for patients. This situation underscores the need for...

H.2 Blood pressure monitoring for LVAD patients Problem Description Blood pressure monitoring for LVAD patients Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are used in severe heart failure patients to help the heart’s left ventricle pump blood. Unlike a healthy heart that creates a pulsatile flow, leading to a detectable pulse, LVADs often provide a continuous flow of blood. This continuous flow results in a much weaker or even undetectable pulse, as it doesn’t cause the usual pressure...

H.1 Ultrasound Transducer for gating cardiac MRI scans Problem Description BME Capstone Project:  Ultrasound Transducer for gating cardiac MRI scans A new type of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan allows imaging of the heart during cardiac and respiratory motion.  In order to make the best quality images of the heart, the signals from the MRI scanner need to be retrospectively gated to the cardiac and respiratory cycle.  Currently this is done by using signal that are inherent in the MRI...