Team 26

Soft Tissue Callus Initiator

Team Members:

Tabio-Lee W. Hawkins
Satya Muppavarapu
Christopher Sanders

Team Mentors:
Mr. Jeff Skiba, CEO - Desert Valley Technologies
Dr. Scott Sheftel, MD

Dr. Jessica Weaver, PhD - Arizona State University, SBHSE

YouTube Link:
View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting

Zoom Link:
https://asu.zoom.us/j/82928815416


Abstract
The soft tissue Callus Initiator is a device that will create soft tissue callus on the pressure areas of the foot. It was observed that new recruits in the military begin at boot camp, where they are given footwear and training regimens that impose unaccustomed stress on the soft tissue of the foot. As a result, foot blisters are one of the most common causes of casualty in the Army; a casualty is defined as one soldier missing one day of duty. These blisters can get infected, resulting in further time lost. Our innovative solution is a Callus Initiator, a device that can form calluses on foot for military personnel a few weeks before they go into training. We identified that we can use mechanical forces to achieve our goal. Our device has a DC vibrating motor which will generate a constant movement, a force plate made of sandpaper for friction, an adjustable spring for pressure, a 0-12V potentiometer to measure the force applied and some velcro to attach the device to the foot. As calluses naturally form due to repeated skin friction it is therefore reasonable to assume that deliberately introducing these pressures can create calluses. Calluses formation is by accelerated keratinization and a reduced rate of desquamation which occurs as a result of pressure and friction applied on foot. Our device needs to create calluses, be mass-producible, mobile, durable, and function without a direct power connection. Due to the fact that our device could be sold in large quantities, each device should ideally cost under $100. The global military personal protective equipment market has been evaluated to grow from USD 17.85 billion in 2021 to 32.20 billion in 2028 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.84%.