MIT graduate engineering students working to aid doctors determined to solve difficult medical problems presented their prototypes of proposed medical devices at the March 4 Forum at Simches Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The students were part of a CIMIT-inspired program, the 2.996/6.971 Biomedical Devices Design Course, which links engineers with medical professionals. Moderator of this Forum was Hong Ma, PhD, postdoctoral associate, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, and instructor of the 2.996/6.971 course.
 
The goal for the students is to deliver a working prototype and a journal-quality article in one semester. The course has been a great opportunity for clinicians to test novel ideas and stimulate new collaborations.

One prototype presented was the GRIT Chair Alarm. The Gesture Recognition Interactive Technology alarm was designed to improve wheelchair alarms for patients at risk of falling when they stand. This system responds with light and voice alarms that can encourage the patient to remain seated and/or make use of the system’s integrated nurse-call function. The team’s solution can be integrated into existing hospital WiFi network, sending messages to the nurse call system as well as providing the patient’s location. Team members included Lauren Kattany, RN, clinical nurse specialist at MGH, and students Heather Knight and Jae-Kyu Lee.

A second team presented the SmartPad, a device that displays a patient’s electrocardiogram (EKG) signal without adhesives or wires. Instead, sensors are bonded to a foam mat, on which the patient lies during an operation. The device displays an EKG waveform, which, while inferior to a cardiologist’s EKG, would be sufficient for the doctor to monitor the patient’s health. It is designed to obtain data without having to use multiple electrodes on the body, which can sometimes inhibit the success of clinician’s hands-on access to the patient. Team leader was Dr. Sheridan, who is chief, Burn Surgery Service, Shriners Hospital for Children; and co-director, Sumner Redstone Adult Burn Unit, MGH, and students Fred Chen, Pei-Lan Hsu, Brad Stronger, Henry Wu and Dr. Ma.

A third team produced a Hand-Held Endotracheal Tube Placement Sensor. This team has developed a hand-held ETT placement sensor, which is a portable device that allows a doctor or nurse to “see” the endotracheal tube’s position in the throat. Currently there are no convenient means of verifying the tube’s position in a patient’s throat. The device uses a two-dimensional array of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors to localize the position of a tiny magnet embedded into the ETT. As the sensor is held over the sternal notch, the sensor unit measures a magnetic strength underneath the sensing area. An onboard microprocessor displays an intuitive color-coded map on an LCD screen.  The device is designed to fit into a hand or pocket, and run off an internal rechargeable lithium-polymer battery. An integrated wireless module allows the device to be adapted for continuous monitoring and automated notification of hospital staff if a potential problem is detected. Team members included Dr. Sheridan, and students Keith Durand, Byron Hsu, Brandon Pierquet and Warit Wichakool.

Several engineering students said they are now interested in seeking opportunities in the medical-device field as a result of taking the course.

In an ambulance or in an operating room, it is necessary to monitor a patient’s vital signs.  In order to monitor a patient’s electrocardiogram (EKG), adhesives pads attached to electrodes are applied to the patient’s skin, and the electrodes are connected to wires that run to display monitors.  The adhesive pads and wires may become disconnected or interfere with the medical team’s access to the patient.

In order to eliminate the need for adhesives and wires and to improve access to the patient during transport or surgery, the Smart Pad is being developed.  The Smart Pad is a thin foam pad on which the patient lies.  An array of approximately twenty sensors is incorporated into the pad.  A computer software program scans the array of sensors, selects the best set for the patient’s size and position, and then uses information from these sensors to produce an EKG waveform.  The Smart Pad is unable to display a 12-lead EKG, but its display of the patient’s EKG waveform is adequate to monitor the patient during transport or surgery.  The Smart Pad eliminates the use of adhesive pads, which can detach and can be difficult to place in burn patients, and the use of wires that can interfere with patient access.

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