Past Projects

 

2018 - 2019

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Delivering visual stimuli during MEG brain imaging	Sumitomo Heavy Industries
Ultrasound probe support system	Aaron Ross (MGH)
Optical imaging system for the middle ear to diagnose hearing loss Masters Thesis ongoing	Dennis Poe, Buzz Kenney (Children's)
Portable device to help the physically impaired stand up	Alan Ertel (Mt. Auburn)
Non-invasive sensing of breathing “work” in critically ill patients	Ryan Carroll (MGH)
Preterm vaginal breech delivery device To be published	Aliss Dangle (Tufts)
Patient aid to correct insulin syringe filling	Richard Gyory, Bo Yang Yu (Becton Dickinson)
Delivery system for visceral organ repair compound Winner 2019 Design of Med. Devices Student Showcase	Steve Mentzer (Brigham)
Distal radius fixation device	Jay Connor (Mt. Auburn)

2017 - 2018

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Calf Stretching Device for Peripheral Arterial Disease	Mazen Albaghdadi (MGH)
Lower Extremity Fracture Fixation	Mazen Albaghdadi (MGH)
Crank-Powered Otoscope	Michael Fuenfer (MGH)
In-Home Dialysis	Fraser MacDonald & Franklin Segall (Mt. Auburn)
Cardiopulmonary Assessment Device	Maulik Majmudar (MGH)
Monocyte Separation for Analysis of Immune Status	Marc Normandin, Moses Wilks (MGH)
Adjustable Phantom for Radiotherapy Validation Published ASME - 10.1115/1.4044402	Piotr Zygmanski, Yulia Lyatskaya (BWH/DFCI)
Personal Ambient Sensor	Taku Nakahara, Chiai Takeda, Hidenari Nakayama (JTI)
Center-of-Gravity Detector for Operator Fatigue Presented IEEE - 10.1109/EMBC.2018.8513526	Sumitomo Heavy Industries
Innovations in Breast Cancer Surgical Localization	Constance Lehman, Christine Edmonds, Randy Miles, (MGH)
Blue Light Therapy for Sterilization	Frank Shuler (Marshall)

2016 - 2017

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Compact proton beam energy modulator	Kyung-Wook Jee & Hsiao-Ming Lu MGH
Musical instrument for MEG music studies Presented IEEE - 10.1109/EMBC.2017.8036876	Erik Hornberger Sumitomo Heavy Industries
Optimizing tools for vaginal delivery	Sarah Lassey & Julian Robinson Brigham and Women's
Development of a protective lead garment support Published ASME - https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4042703	Nishaki Mehta Brigham and Women's
Low pressure mattress	Ryan Lee
Thumb ligament mechanics	Jay Connor Mt. Auburn
Emergency naloxone delivery	Ted Liao MGH
Dehydration detection	Maulik Majmudar MGH
Precision medication dispenser	Praveen Meka Brigham and Women's
Long distance communication tool	Shin Watanabe & Emma Tsuji

2015 - 2016

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Instrument for cells/vehicle injection under arthroscopy	Shuichi Mizuno, PhD BWH Orthopaedic Surgery
Cuffless blood pressure monitor	Quan Zhang, PhD MGH Psychiatry and Neurology
Hand surgery tools	Jay Connor, MD Mt. Auburn Hospital
SABR - surigcal acoustic biofilm removal	Franklin Shuler, MD Marshall University Orthopaedic Surgery
Device for assessment of frailty	Maulik D. Majmudar, MD MGH Cardiology
Mechano-chemical stimulation of bioengineered 3D tooth constructs	Pamela Yelick, MD Tufts University Orthodontics
Happiness Monitor	Corporate Sponsor
Swim Brace	Brandy Baker MIT
Asthma integrated management system	Christopher Fanta, MD Brigham & Women’s Asthma Center
Bioreactor System for patient derived cell & tissue culture	Christian Hirt, MD, PhD Dana Farber Radiation Oncology

2014 - 2015

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Mallet finger splint	Jay Connor, MD Mt. Auburn Hospital
Compliant dental molar implant	Gili Naveh. MD Harvard Dental Medicine
Visually guidable suction catheter and applications in ICU	George Cheng, MD Pulmonary Critical Care
Allowing two handed endoscopic ear surgery	Michael Cohen, MD Mass Eye & Ear
Wearable defibrillator for survivors of acute myocardial infarction	Maulik D. Majmudar, MD MGH Cardiology
Development of customized ankle foot orthotics	Brandy Baker MIT
Semi-automated tube thoracostomy insertion system	Tomaz Mezar, MD MGH Surgery
A Remote-Sensing Pulse Oximetry Device	Michael M. Fuenfer, MD MGH Pediatric ICU

2013 - 2014

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
A Rapid Cooling Device for Induction of Hypothermia Among Victims of Cardiac Arrest	Maulik D. Majmudar, MD MGH Cardiology
Emergency Tourniquet	Jay Connor, MD Mt. Auburn Hospital
Accurate Bone Drill	Ambrose Huang, MD MGH Radiology
Prevention of Pressure Ulcers in Spinal Cord Injury Patients via Global Positioning System Technologies	Vidya Jayawardena, MD VA Boston, Spinal Cord Injury
Simplified Dermatome	Robert Sheridan, MD Shriners
Novel Resectoscope for Increased Patient Safety, Decreased Surgeon Pain During Urologic Surgery	Joseph Ciccone, MD BWH Urology
Device and Method for Diagnosing Eustation Tube Dysfunction	George "Buzz" Kenney Dennis Poe Children's Otolaryngology
Improved Delivery System for HCG Therapy	Ravi Kacker, MD BIDMC Surgery (Urology)
Omax Design & Solar PV	Speical Projects

2012 - 2013

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
Optimization of intra-aortic balloon pump	T. Anthony Anderson, PhD, MD MGH Anesthesia
Portable infant warmer	Michael M. Fuenfer, MD MGH Pediatric ICU
Bandage for US Navy dolphins	Stephen Ferrara, MD, CDR, MC, USN Roderick C. Borgie, MD Eric Jensen US Navy
Electrosurgery energy measuring method	Kamal Itani, MD VA Boston, Surgery
Cardiac fluid status monitor	Maulik D. Majmudar, MD Brigham & Women’s Emergency
Improved single lumen endotracheal tube	Ian Makey, MD BIDMC Cardio Thoracic Surgery
Uterine manipulator	John C. Petrozza, M.D. MGH Gynecology
UltraFast ultrasound probe sheathing	J. Jordan Romano, MD MGH Hospital Medicine
Endoscopic sub-mucosal dissection knife	Corporate Sponsored Project

2011 - 2012

Project Name	Clinician/Sponsor
A Design of New Instrument for Liver Resection	Jiping Wang, MD, PhD BWH - Surgical Oncology
Patient Repositioning	Aaron R. Ross, CPE Partners  - Occupational Health
Rapid Skin Closure Device for Long Surgical Incisions	Kyle R. Eberlin, M.D. MGH – Plastic Surgery
MIS Specimen Removal - Video	Ian Makey, MD BIDMC – Cardio Thoracic Surgery
Improving Fine Needle Aspirations	Sareh Parangi, MD MGH – Cancer Center
02 Pump	John N. Kheir, M.D. Children’s – Cardiac ICU
Dental Chair Headrest	Teruaki Ito University of Tokushima
Energy Focus
Wave Energy Pump Developing the world's first wave driven desalination system that can cost-effectively provide rapid relief for people who live in coastal communities without adequate water or electrical infrastructure. The system is principally powered by pressurized seawater pumped onshore from wave energy converter. Full Description
Wood Pellet Stove Many houses in New England are heated with non-renewable oil.  However, New England still has large, managed forests, left over from the former paper industry, which have the potential to supply wood pellets which, when burned in a modern pellet stove, are an efficient renewable way to heat a house. Most pellet stoves are expensive and require electricity to operate; your task is to consider a typical New England home with a fireplace and basement, and create an efficient and autonomous wood pellet stove product. Full Description

 

2010-2011

Esophageal atresia nonoperative correction Long-gap esophageal atresia is a congenital disorder occurring in approximately 100 newborn infants every year characterized by a discontinuity in the esophagus between the mouth and stomach. This project investigated the use of internal permanent magnets to stretch the proximal and distal esophageal pouches together until anastomosis occurs. The system implements a hydraulic and magnetic mechanism, with optical gap sensing, to apply controlled, adjustable forces from inside the pouches. This could potentially lead to a novel treatment for a tragic condition. Team: Austin L. Oehlerking, James D. Meredith, Ian C. Smith, Phillip M. Nadeau, Teresa Gomez, Zachary A. Trimble, David P. Mooney (Children’s), David L. Trumper	Half of magnet assembly ASME DMD Paper
Improved nasal gastric tube tip and flushing device Nasogastric tubes are commonly used to evacuate the stomach during cases of small obstructive bowel syndrome and surgical operations, unfortunately the tube tip and bore is prone to clogging.  A redesigned tube tip featuring helical slits, rather than holes, reduces clogging by both food particles and suction against the stomach mucosa. Should a clog still occur an in-line flusher has been developed that, with a single squeeze, can disconnect the vacuum, deliver a saline purge and reconnect the vacuum. Reduced clogging and easier flushing will improve patient comfort and reduce nursing staff workload. Team: James A. Ankrum, Alison L. Olechowski, Jose A. Canseco, Elliot E. Greenblatt, Michael P. Roberts, Robert Brick, Dr. Ali Tavakkolizadeh (BWH)	Improved tip and flusher device ASME DMD Paper Patented, Available for License
Single entry tunneler [SET] for hemodialysis graft procedures Vascular tunnelers are used to create a path through subcutaneous tissue for the placement of grafts, particularly for hemodialysis access. Most current designs are rigid and require high forces and multiple incisions to complete even the most simple path geometries. This project investigated a three-stage design consisting of concentric, nested tubes: a straight stainless steel tube; a second pre-curved nitinol tube and a straight nitinol tube. By deploying the stages in this order the device is able to produce an approximately 180◦ looped path through tissue. An illuminated tip provides visual feedback of the tip trajectory under the skin. This has the potential to reduce tissue trauma and the risk of post-operative infection. Team: Madalyn S. Berns, Elizabeth Y. Tsai, Jesse Austin-Breneman, James C. Schulmeister, Edward Sung, Conor J. Walsh, Charles K. Ozaki (BWH)	Curved tunneler and dilator ASME DMD Paper
Innovative renal cooling device for use in minimally invasive surgery - Video Over 58,000 patients suffer from renal cell carcinoma annually in the US and treatment often requires surgical removal of the cancerous tissue via a partial nephrectomy. In open renal surgery, the kidney is placed on ice to increase allowable ischemia time; however there is no method for reducing kidney temperature during minimally invasive surgery. The device consists of a foldable bag that deploys through a 12 mm trocar, unfurls inside the abdomen then wraps around the kidney and is filled with ice slurry. Testing indicates that kidney core cooling to 20°C can be obtained in under 10 minutes, whereupon the water can then be suctioned out and the device removed, leaving the kidney ready for surgery with a longer working time. Team: Edward Summers, Thomas Cervantes, Rachel Batzer, Julia Stark, Raymond Lewis, Christie Simpson, Dr. Nadeem Dhanani (Mt. Auburn)	Cooling bag wrapped around model kidney Medical Eng. & Physics Paper ASME DMD Paper Patented, Available for License
Somnus Sleep Sensing Shirt - home sleep monitoring Over 1 million sleep studies are performed annually in the US to detect chronic sleep disorders. Currently these require a patient to spend a night in a clinic connected to up to 30 sensors, ranging from brain wave electrodes to blood oxygen trackers. Data from these studies are divided into time segments and which are manually categorized into various sleep states in a costly process. The Somnus Sleep Shirt package is comprised of a snug fitted shirt, embedded with simple capacitive displacement sensors that monitor the respiration of a sleeping patient and a novel software package and algorithm that automates sleep scoring. This combination has been shown to analyze sleep with accuracy comparable to current sleep laboratory methodology, with greatly reduced technical requirements, at low cost and while achieving a higher level of comfort and convenience for the user. Team: Thomas S. Lipoma, Pablo J. Bello, Carson J. Darling, Matthew Bianchi (MGH)	Somnus Shirt in action ASME DMD Paper Winner 2011 DMD 3 in 5 Comp. Startup Funded Nyx Devices Inc.
Pressure sensing laparoscopic grasper Most laparoscopic graspers provide minimal tactile feedback and create pinch points in the grasped region, often resulting in either excessive grasp forces or tissue slippage. Tissue trauma can occur. This research presents a proof-of-concept for a parallel motion, pressure sensing laparoscopic grasper which eliminates pinch points in the grasped region and applies a uniform pressure across the grasper jaws. A low cost pressure sensor provides feedback to the handle when a preset threshold force is applied. Testing results from a 2x scale prototype were close to analytical predictions and allowed grasper pressure to be monitored. Team: Grace S. L. Teo, Mattias S. Flander, Toomas R. Sepp, Manuel Corral, Juan D. Diaz, Alexander Slocum, Khashayar Vakili (Children’s)	Parallel gripper with force detection ASME DMD Paper
Flexural laparoscopic grasper - Video Laparoscopic surgery requires complex manipulation and movement of internal organs. While small incisions make laparoscopic surgery an attractive procedure, current laparoscopic devices hinder surgeons' capabilities with limited degrees of freedom. Specifically, needle nose end effectors pinch organs and can cause tissue perforation. To enhance surgical capacity, a three fingered laparoscopic device was designed, fabricated and tested. Flexures with tendon-like control cables are used to provide three points of articulation in each finger. To integrate with current laparoscopic procedures, the device fits through a 12mm trocar port. An ergonomic handle allows the fingers to be easily actuated and locked in position. Testing the device with organ-like objects revealed an increased ability to grasp, move and otherwise engage items. Harry O'Hanley, Matt Rosario, Yuanyu Chen, Audrey Maertens, John Walton, Mitchell T. Westwood, Jennifer Rosen (BMC)	Gripper with flexural fingers ASME DMD Paper
OneShot One Handed Glucometer Typical blood glucose monitoring systems that consist of glucometers and lancing devices do not account for the needs of diabetics whose physical or mental conditions limit their dexterity. This project proposes an integrated blood glucose monitoring system that operates with a finger press that combines lancing and blood withdrawal into a single fluid step using an electromechanical actuation system, not found in lancing devices or glucometers currently on the market. The complexity of taking a blood glucose measurement is reduced by 40%. Santiago Alfaro, Harrison Bralower, Linda Liu, Jennifer Milne, James Regan (VA Boston)	Comparison showing reduction in steps

 

Representative Earlier Projects

Robopsy - 2004 Robopsy, a robotic device to assist radiologists performing tumor biopsies was invented by an MIT 2.75 team led by MGH's Rajiv Gupta, MD.  The team has been awarded the 2007 MIT $100K prize, the world's leading entrepreneurship competition and the first-place award at the 2008 ASME Innovation Showcase. See website for all Information ASME IDETC, ASME Biomed, IEEE EMBC, ASME J. Med. Dev.
Enhanced ACL Repair- 2004 Dr. Martha Murray of Children’s Hospital developed a cell-friendly gel containing platelets and collagen to serve as a scaffold to enable torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) healing, but needed a way to way mix, warm and inject the gel into the target location.  She turned to CIMIT and 2.75 to develop a handheld “gel gun,” employing a heater and a collapsible augur, which is capable of precisely preparing, metering and arthroscopically injecting the gel through a 1 cm incision. The third generation device and the gel is undergoing testing with results indicating significantly stronger ACL repairs. Dr. Murray is working to turn her technology into a start-up company devoted to improving the treatment of over 200K ACL repair patients per year. Read more here and be sure to watch the video.
Endoscopic Biopsy Needle w/ Flexural Members - 2005 Current endoscopic biopsy needles are relatively unreliable in operation and incapable of preserving the tissue histology. This research developed a new of coring biopsy needle with small laser cut flexural barbs along the inside.  Upon insertion into tissue they bend out of the way and then upon retraction of the needle they firmly grab the tissue sample and sever it.   The needle has been fully prototyped in stainless steel, testing indicated increased sample yield and structural robustness. ASME J. Medical Devices Paper
GRiT Chair Alarm - 2007 The Gesture Recognition Interactive Technology (GRIT) Chair Alarm aims to prevent falls for at risk patients. The alarm uses an array of proximity and pressure sensors to create a map of the patient’s sitting position and then uses gesture recognition algorithms to determine when a patient is attempting to stand up and responds with light and voice alarms and activates the integrated nurse-call function. IEEE EMBS
Endotracheal Tube Placement Sensor - 2007 Placing an endotracheal tube (ETT) at the correct location requires a high level of skill and training.  Our group has developed a hand-held ETT placement sensor which allows a doctor to “see” the tube’s position in the throat. It uses an array of Giant Magnetoresistive sensors to localize the position of a tiny magnet embedded in the ETT. The entire device is rechargeable and designed to fit comfortably into the hand. IEEE EMBS
Osmoregulation - 2007 There is a continued need for a non-invasive method to accurately measure the level of hydration in human beings. Our method uses low power RF energy from 100 kHz to 10 MHz to measure the loss tangent of the frontal is muscle (in the forehead) which is a function of tissue osmolality and hematocrit, which are strong indicators of hydration.
Smartpad - A Wireless, Stickerless EKG System - 2007 During an operation, the patient's vital signs are displayed in the operating room. The large number of wires attached to the patient inhibits the medical team's access and the electrodes may not be placed in convenient locations. We present the SmartPad: a device that displays a patient's electrocardiogram (EKG) signal without adhesives or wires. Instead, our sensors are bonded to a foam mat, on which the patient lies during the operation. IEEE EMBS
Mechanical Needle Clutch - 2009 Current methods of trocar and needle placement into hollow organs rely on a high degree of clinical skill to stop inside the organ and not over penetrate. To address this, a purely mechanical clutch was developed which comprises buckled filament inside an S-shaped tube (the trocar or needle). When pushed against firm tissue the filament buckles and locks within the tube, causing the filament and tube to advance as one. When the needle reaches the target tissue or fluid-filled cavity, the filament unlocks and slides freely into the target region while the tube remains stationary. PNAS Paper

Publications List

• Mitha, A.P., Ahmad, M.S., Cohen, S.J., Lieberman, J.S., Udengaard, M.R., Slocum, A.H., Coumans, J.C.E., 2010, A Modified Footplate for the Kerrison Rongeur, ASME Journal of Medical Devices, March, vol. 4, p. 014502-1 - 014502-4. [PDF]
• Chen, Y., Chang, J., Greenlee, A.S., Cheung, K.C., Slocum, A.H., Gupta, R., Multi-turn, Tension-stiffening Catheter Navigation System, Proc. of 2010 IEEE ICRA, May 3-8, 2010, Anchorage, Alaska. [PDF]
• Petrzelka, J.E., Chatzigeorgiou, D.M., Menon, M.C., Lustrino, M.E., Stefanov-Wagner, C.J., Slocum, A.H., and Agarwal, S.K., 2001, An Articulating Tool For Endoscopic Screw Delivery, Proc. of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, April 13-15, 2010, Minneapolis, MN, USA. [PDF]
• Slocum Jr., A.H., Duffley, S.C. Moreau, J.G., Watral, A., Spiegel, J.E., Slocum, A.H., Design of a Pressure Measuring Syringe, Proc. of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, April 13-15, 2010, Minneapolis, MN, USA. [PDF]
• Anderson, S.J., Zimmermann, J.C., Houston, E.F., Farino, K.M., Begg, N.D., 2010, Design of an Endoscopic Lens Shielding Device for use in Laparoscopic Procedures, Proc. of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, Minneapolis, MN, USA, Mar. 13-15, DMD2010-3849. [PDF]
• Al Husseini, A.M., Lee, H.J., Negrete, J., Powelson, S., Servi, A., Sloucm, A., Saukkonen, J., 2010, Design and Prototyping of a Low-cost Portable Mechanical Ventilator, Proc. of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, Minneapolis, MN, USA, Mar. 13-15, DMD2010-3845. [PDF]
• del Pozzo, D., Eggenspieler, D., Slocum, A., Deterre, M., Lobovsky, M., Pigula, F., Hydraulically Remote Adjustable Pulmonary Artery Banding, Proc. of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, Minneapolis, MN, USA, Mar. 13-15, DMD2010-3879. [PDF]
• E.K. Bassett, A.H. Slocum, P.T. Masiakos, H.I. Pryor, O.C. Farokhzadb, J.M. Karp, Design of a mechanical clutch-based needle-insertion device, Proc. of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009 [PDF1, PDF2]
• Knight, H., Lee, J., Ma, H., 2008, Chair Alarm for Patient Fall Prevention based on Gesture Recognition and Interactivity, Proc. 30th Annual International IEEE EMBS Conference, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, Dec. 20-24, p. 3698-3701, 978-1-4244-1815-2/08. [PDF]
• Chen, F., Wu, H., Hsu, P., Stronger, B., Sheridan, R., Ma, H., 2008, SmartPad: A Wireless, Adhesive-Electrode-Free, Autonomous ECG Acquisition System, Proc. 30th Annual International IEEE EMBS Conference, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, Dec. 20-24, p. 2345-2348, 978-1-4244-1815-2/08. [PDF]
• Wichakool, W., Pierquet, B., Durand, K., Hsu, B., Sheridan, R., Ma, H., 2008, Magnetic Endotracheal Tube Imaging Device, Proc. 30th Annual International IEEE EMBS Conference, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, Dec. 20-24, p. 2345-2348, 978-1-4244-1815-2/08. [PDF]

• McEuen, S., Tzeranis, D., Hemond, B., Dirckx, M., Lee, L., Slocum, A.H., 2008, Design of an Endoscopic Full-Thickness Lesion Removal Device,” ASME Journal of Medical Devices, March, vol. 2, p. 015002-1 - 015002-8. [PDF]
• Walsh, C.J., Hanumara, N.C., Slocum, A.H., Shepard, J, Gupta, R., 2008, “A Patient-Mounted, Telerobotic Tool for CT-Guided Percutaneous Interventions,” ASME Journal of Medical Devices, March, vol. 2, p. 011007-1 - 011007-10. [PDF]
• Figueredo, S.L., Brugge, W.R., Slocum, A.H., 2007, Design of an Endoscopic Biopsy Needle with Flexural Members,” ASME Journal of Medical Devices, March, vol. 1, p. 62-69.. [PDF]
• Walsh, C.J., Hanumara, N., Slocum, A., Gupta, R., Shepard, J., 2007 Evaluation of a Patient-Mounted, Remote Needle Guidance System for CT-Guided, Percutaneous Lung Biopsies, Proc. of BioMed Conference, Irvine, CA, USA, June 7-8, BioMed2007-38080. [PDF]
• Hanumara, N.C., Walsh, C.J., Slocum, A.H., Gupta, R., Shepard, J., 2007, Human Factors Design for Intuitive Operation of a Low-cost, Image-Guided, Tele-Robotic Biopsy Assistant, Proc. of the 29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBC, Lyon, France, Aug. 23-26, p. 1257-1260, ThP2D4.7. [PDF]
• Barrett, S.R.H., Hanumara, N.C., Walsh, C.J., Slocum, A.H., Gupta, R., Shepard, J.O., 2005, A Remote Needle Guidance System for Percutaneous Biopsies, Proc. IDETC/CIE Conference, Long Beach, CA, USA, Sept. 24-28, DETC2005-85387. [PDF]