Imagine RIT |
RIT's MASSIVE celebration of innovation and creativity |
2016
EWH@RIT participated in its second Imagine RIT festival with an exhibit called "Creating Medical Devices for the Developing World" on May 7, 2016. This year's exhibit was a huge expansion from the 2015 exhibit featuring the cake pan bilirubin lights and many new devices.
Thi exhibit has two new additions: a prototype free-standing surgical lamp and ECG simulators. The surgical lamp was a year long project for the club in the hopes of submitting it for the EWH design competition, Projects that Matter. Please see our project page for more information on the surgical lamp.
The ECG simulators are tool commonly used by our students while on their various trips. This device is a circuit board that, once attached to a patient monitor and powered, can provide a standard ECG signal to the monitor at two different heart rates. This gives the students a known input into the monitor which can greatly help with diagnosing issues with the tested equipment.
Thi exhibit has two new additions: a prototype free-standing surgical lamp and ECG simulators. The surgical lamp was a year long project for the club in the hopes of submitting it for the EWH design competition, Projects that Matter. Please see our project page for more information on the surgical lamp.
The ECG simulators are tool commonly used by our students while on their various trips. This device is a circuit board that, once attached to a patient monitor and powered, can provide a standard ECG signal to the monitor at two different heart rates. This gives the students a known input into the monitor which can greatly help with diagnosing issues with the tested equipment.
2015
On May 2, 2015, EWH@RIT participated in it's first Imagine RIT. With an exhibit called "Create a Medical Device with Christmas Lights," the EWH exhibit was listed as one of the six exhibits not to miss by the Democrat & Chronicle. The exhibit featured bilirubin lights developed on a trip to Guatemala during the EWH Winter Institute.
This year, the exhibit focused on the Bilirubin lights developed during the Winter Institute in Guatemala in January 2015. The booth was a big success with people visiting and getting interested and involved all day long.
This year, the exhibit focused on the Bilirubin lights developed during the Winter Institute in Guatemala in January 2015. The booth was a big success with people visiting and getting interested and involved all day long.
The major focus for these lights was to maintain functionality while reducing cost. Hospitals in developing countries will not have $400+ to spend on one light so getting our device as cheap as possible was important while making sure it does what it is meant to do. Also, these hospitals often do not have access to the resources to maintain devices built for first-world hospitals. Since we originally developed these lights in Guatemala, we faced this constraint as well. While the materials are very unconventional, they are items we knew the maintenance would be able to obtain in the future.
What is jaundice?
Jaundice is a condition commonly found in newborns (about 60%). It is caused by a high concentration of the Bilirubin protein in the blood which is normally broken down by the liver. The liver is often not fully functional at the time of birth so it is unable to breakdown the protein, causing the build-up of Bilirubin. Jaundice causes the skin and eyes to turn yellow in color.
Jaundice is treated with blue light. The specific wavelength of blue light alters the shape and structure of bilirubin molecules in such a way that they can be excreted in the urine and stool. In many cases, jaundice can be easily treated by placing the baby in sunlight for a few hours everyday for a few days since natural light contains blue light. However, in more severe cases, phototherapy is required. If this is the case, the infant will be put under a bilirubin light which just uses blue light.
If left untreated, jaundice can have some serious effects including:
Jaundice is treated with blue light. The specific wavelength of blue light alters the shape and structure of bilirubin molecules in such a way that they can be excreted in the urine and stool. In many cases, jaundice can be easily treated by placing the baby in sunlight for a few hours everyday for a few days since natural light contains blue light. However, in more severe cases, phototherapy is required. If this is the case, the infant will be put under a bilirubin light which just uses blue light.
If left untreated, jaundice can have some serious effects including:
- Cerebral palsy
- Deafness
- Kernicterus -- brain damage from very high bilirubin level
How do bili lights treat jaundice?
Bili lights produce blue light with a wavelength between 420 and 470 nanometers. The light passes through the skin and breaks down the bilirubin, allowing it to be removed by the body through natural means. It's important for the light to make contact with as much skin as possible so infants are often placed under the light in only a diaper and an eye mask to protect their eyes.
Cost Comparison
Costs to produce our cost-effective bili light design*
Bundt Cake pan-$12 12’’ Zip-ties 100 pack-$10 4” Zip-ties 100 Pack-$7 Blue LED Tape-$12 Timer (dial)-$13 Total Bilirubin without timer-$33 Total Bilirubin with timer-$44 *These costs are rounded up from actual cost |
Traditional bili lights
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