Weekly Progress Reports (see sidebar), the Gantt chart, and this Project Management page should be printed out before meetings with the sponsor and instructor.
All team members should be able to explain all items on the progress report.
Place a "*" at the beginning of the title of the active week Progress Report (see * in sidebar).
Overview of Project Context
Currently the sponsor has a device with a crude method of extending the nerves in order to repair it
The sponsor wants an actuator that will move the nerve clamping device across the gap between the living and the dead nerve
Project Objectives
Concisely list and prioritize the project objectives and constraints
High Priority Objectives
Design a device that will perform the nerve lengthening procedure more precisely and efficiently than the current method.
Create the best method to implement device to safely ensure that the device will not cause any health defects.
Second Priority Objectives
Self-containment of device.
Wireless capabilities.
Other Constraints and Issues
Device must extremely small.
Device must be able to function within a body’s internal environment without harming the body itself.
WOW Design Solution
The device would be able to successfully pull on the proximal stump of nerve and guide it towards the distal stump without damaging the nerve. The device would be able to precisely stretch the nerves by small distances in order to stimulate nerve growth. With daily use of the device, the nerve should be able to grow by approximately 20-30mm within three weeks. Optimally, the device would be self-contained, meaning all components of the device including the power source would be contained within the device itself. The device would also be wirelessly controlled, therefore allowing doctors to precisely control the procedure externally.
Risk Reduction Objectives
Looking at two different types of actuators that we believe are the best options for the job and see if they are feasible options. We’ll look at both active and passive types of actuation. Active type being motors, and passive being a constant force spring. By testing these actuators we’ll see which one meets all the requirements that we need to meet such as the force required.
Intermediate Milestones
Fall Quarter:
Week 9: Create list of possible solutions and narrow it down to 2 or 3 solutions.
Week 10: Constrain designs, Risk Reductions, and Design Analysis
Winter Quarter:
Week 1-2: Prototyping. Possibility of splitting team into two sub teams to form two prototypes of the best two ideas
Week 4-5: Test mechanism on dead rabbit.
Week 6 and up: Test mechanism on live rabbit. If successful, begin to work on secondary priorities of the mechanism