Multimedia

Ramp Design Version 4

The final design was similar to design 2 where the joints rotate with a press of a button and lock upon release of the button. The new joints rotate at every 10 degree increment and are able to withstand 56 newton meters of torque. Those qualifications are more than enough to support the 45 Newton (10 lb weight) requirement. The initial proposal to use acrylic slats was changed to polycarbonate slats because they are less likely to fracture than acrylic. A Solidworks analysis was performed on the part to ensure that the deformation was negligible, and it proved to be so.

This video is a demonstration of the final ramp hardware.

To standardize the procedure, tick marks were drawn on the joints for angle readouts as shown below.

This allows the angle of incline and infant size and weight statistics to be recorded and analyzed. In turn, having that relationship will help future training of medical professionals because there will be a known range of what angle should the intubation procedure be performed at for a range of infant sizes. With improved training, the risk of perforating the infant's throat or failed attempts at intubation may be reduced.

Ramp Design Version 3

The second design that was considered was to incorporate current laptop stand hinges. These hinges rotate about the other leg in 15 degree increments with the press of a button. Upon release of the button, the legs would lock into place at the closest 15 degree mark. this locking mechanism provided a safety factor to our design. With these hinges, the ramp would not collapse under itself under the infant's weight even if the button were released on accident. In addition, the thin legs and simplicity of the joints allowed for a simple design that can be easily transportable. This design would also be user friendly, as not much instruction is needed to understand how the ramp function. The pros seem to outweigh the fact that the changes in the angles can only be in 15 degree increments. Though continuous incremental changes are preferred, for the purpose of this project, 15 degree increments was acceptable. The one con that remained was the fact that the laptop hinges were not able to withstand the 45 newton (10lb weight).   

A demonstration is shown below. This quick configuration was used to demonstrate the proof of concept and confirm the use of adjustable locking as a method of for raising the ramp. Observations from this configuration were used in determining the materials for the final ramp.

Ramp Design Version 2

This design is a simple design with only 3 components : the scissor lift, a base housing, and slats for the infant to rest. The cost of the scissor lift was about 25 dollars, and the lift allowed for continuous changes of the angle between the two slats. Thus, there could be precision in choosing which angle to intubate the infant. However, because of the structure of the scissor lift, the aluminum body of the ramp had a minimum height requirement depending on which scissor lift was purchased. This height would make this design bulky, heavier, and harder to assemble. In addition, the scissor lift required effort to raise the slats with no additional weight on the slats besides the pieces themselves. One turn of the lift would only provide a small displacement. The cons of this lifting mechanism outweighed the pros. 

Ramp Design Version 1

The first design proposed was using the concept of a linear slider mechanism to allow the ramp slats to slide along the ramp's body. The infant's own weight was used to instigate the jamming mechanism for the linear slider intentionally to prevent the ramp from collapsing on itself. Upon prototyping, The linear slider was able to jam correctly however, while it was smooth raising the ramp slats, there was more friction in the linear slider than expected when moving the slats back down. 

A video demonstration is shown below:

Laryngoscope Designs

There were multiple iterations of the laryngoscope design. The final design opted for a funnel-like tunnel to provide the endotracheal tube stiffness without the use of a stylet. After each design the prototype was printed in PLA plastic and the model was then brought to the sponsor who has more experience in intubating infants and thus more knowledge and feedback on the pros and cons of the model. After 17 iterations (including some prints of the same design but printed in different orientations), the final laryngoscope design was printed in ABS plastic which has more structural integrity than PLA plastic. The design was incorporated onto the laryngoscope handle pictured on the rightmost of the figure above. 

Laryngoscope Point-of-View Videos

Original Miller Blade

This is a demonstration of a team member using the original Miller blade currently used to intubate a patient. As seen below, the plastic tube does not have any way to be controlled, which can cause perforation of the trachea when this process takes place inside a patient.

First Blade Redesign

This design utilizes a basic guidance tunnel with a uniform diameter to see if the endotracheal tube were able to be controlled.

Second Blade Design

This blade design has a smaller diameter at the end that angles up for even more control of the endotracheal tube.

Third Blade Design

This blade has a uniform diameter and begins at a lower angle, then slants up.

Fourth Blade Design

This design has more adjustments made from the sponsors by lowering the entrance to the tunnel and giving curvature to the blade backboard.

Final Blade Design

This design combines all aspects of the previous designs and smooths out the connection between the guidance tunnel and blade backboard.