CIMIT blog

Podcast: The Science of Sleep

Lynn spoke with Robert Thomas, MD, MMSC on 'The Science of Sleep.' Robert explains how modernization has produced a cultural disrespect for sleep, and how sleep may help prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders.

Perhaps sleep, just like taking a statin, can be as much a preventive measure as it is a necessity when we show symptoms of disease. Podcast in 4min30sec.

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: A Catalyst for Global Health

We spoke with Dr. Trish Coffey of Path about how to develop innovative and useful devices for the developing world. Specifically, medical devices that can become sustainable parts of a communities culture. Trish explains the process behind community collaboration, choosing the right devices, and making a better female condom, or as they call it: 'the woman's condom.'

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: Lasers Treat Traumatic Brain Injury

Podcast: Supervillains have been utilizing sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads for decades and now, finally, that technology has jumped species into humans. One laboratory here in Boston is utilizing infrared and near-infrared lasers to provide therapeutic relief to people suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). 

TBI now seems common in sports and on the battlefield, but it is an injury that is still not well understood.

Michael Hamblin explains the struggles of big pharma and big device to produce therapeutic solutions and how lasers might play a role in actually treating and reducing TBI's.

Our Podcast, in 3 minutes. 

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: The Future of Surgery

Dr. Bob Nguyen tells us about the Future of Surgery (Podcast in 3min)

Robotic surgery is one of the most exciting and promising areas in the field of minimally invasive surgery. Due to recent technological innovations, surgeons are now able to perform complex reconstructive surgeries through small incisions. Patients undergoing robotic procedures are having less pain, faster recovery and shorter hospitalization. Bob Nguyen will review the evolution of robotic surgery and highlight some novel research in the field of robotic surgery.

Dr. Nguyen will be speaking at the weekly CIMIT Forum: 23 February 2009 from 4pm - 6pm @ Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. This even is free, open to the public, and no registration is required. For more information please visit the CIMIT.org Forum

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Low-cost Ventilator: Life Changing/Life Saving Inventions @MIT

Development of a Low-Cost Mechanical Ventilator


Clinician: Jussi Saukkonen, MD, Director of the Pulmonary Clinics, West Roxbury Veterans Hospital; holds academic appointment at Boston University Medical Center; Associate Program Leader, Inhalation Technology, CIMIT

MIT Student Team: Abdul Al Husseini, Heonju Lee, Justin Negrete, Stephen Powelson and Amelia Servi

This team will discuss the design and prototyping of a low-cost portable mechanical ventilator for use in emergency transport and resource-poor environments. Breaths are delivered using automated bag-valve mask (BVM) compression. Tidal volume and number of breaths per minute are set via three user-friendly input knobs and controlled by an internal microchip. The prototype also features assist control capability and an alarm to indicate over-pressurization of the system

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Rib Fracture: Life Changing/Life Saving Inventions @MIT

Rib Fracture: Articulating Tool for Endoscopic Screw Delivery


Clinician: Suresh Agarwal, MD, Chief, Section of Critical Care Medicine, and Associate Professor of Surgery, Boston University Medical Center


MIT Student Team: Dimitris Chatzigeorgiou, Michelle Lustrino, Manas Menon, Joseph Petrzelka and Clara Stefanov-Wagner

This team will describe the development of an articulating endoscopic screw driver that can be used to place screws in osteosynthetic plates during thoracoscopic surgery. The device is small enough to be used with a 12 mm trocar sleeve and transmits sufficient torque to fully secure bone screws. An articulating joint enables correct screw alignment at obtuse angles, up to 60° from the tool axis. Students will present a novel articulating joint design, wherein a flexible shaft both transmits torque and actuates the joint; antagonist force is provided by a super-elastic spring. Screws are secured against the driver blade during insertion and with a retention mechanism that can passively release the screw when it has been securely placed in the bone. The prototype has been fitted with a blade compatible with 2.0 and 2.3 mm self-drilling screws, though a different driver blade or drill bit can easily be attached. Efficacy of the tool is demonstrated by securing an osteosynthetic plate to a rib in a mock surgical setup. This tool enables minimally invasive, thoracoscopic rib fixation.

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Wheelchair Locomotion: Life Changing/Life Saving Inventions @MIT

Wheelchair Locomotion: Hybrid Lever and Push-Rim Powered Mobility Aid


Clinician: C. Keith Ozaki, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Director, Vascular Surgery Research and Director of Resident Research, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital


MIT Student Team: Eric Gilbertson, Ben Pope, Steffen Reichert and Jon Ward

Many users of traditional wheelchairs develop overuse injuries of the shoulder joint due to repetitive identical loading. This team proposes a wheelchair design that will solve the ergonomic challenges presented, while maintaining the maneuverability of traditional push-rim wheelchairs. By activating the largest muscle groups in the upper body (i.e. pectorals and laterals) strain on the shoulder joint is reduced. The proposed design is a morphing hybrid chair; the user can travel forward over long distances with a push/pull lever-drive system, and switch to a push-rim design when indoors or needing more fine 
maneuverability. The most critical modules of the design were prototyped and tested. A full design was also explored and a feature set and 3D CAD geometry are proposed.

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Rapid Prototyping of Life Changing/Life Saving Inventions @MIT

Things you won't find coming out of MIT

ENGINEERING MEDICAL DEVICES AT MIT

With the goal of accelerating crucial clinical ideas into prototypes, teams of MIT graduate engineering students spend a semester collaborating with clinicians in CIMIT-affiliated hospitals to develop innovative medical devices. Clinicians (physicians, nurses, and scientists) present clinical problems and initial ideas. Students form teams to work with the clinicians to turn these ideas into reality. The goal is for the students to deliver a working prototype and a journal-quality article in one semester. The course has been a great opportunity for clinicians to test out new ideas and to stimulate new collaborations. 

The students have one semester, $3,500, and all the tape and bubble gum they can muster to get the devices ready for prime time.

Alex Slocum 'Boston 2009, Fashion Award Nominee' and maestro for the mission explains.

Alex Slocum, PhD, Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering and MacVicar Faculty Fellow, MIT

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Follow up to FDASM

A few weeks ago we shared our friend Zen Chu's testimony at the FDA's November 2009 conference on Social Media. Today we ran across these slides, which do a little more to frame what Social Media and the FDA really means... Kind of.

Introduction to the FDASM

View more presentations from University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries.

The Conversation Prism

Check out the Conversation Prism. This display is great in helping to provide people with the knowledge and access to small tools that exist to them. Just apply this to healthcare, physicians, nurses, patients...

The Conversation Prism by Brian Solis and Jesse Thomas