Application of Axiomatic Design in Engineering: Designing a Smart Medical Cast

Authors Tim Heijne, Mitch Kruijer, Jakub Kylar, Lennard Spauwen, Karin Thomassen, Erik Puik
Published in Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Axiomatic Design 2023
Publication date 2023
Research groups Smart Systems for Healthy Living
Type Lecture

Summary

By applying Axiomatic Design, a Smart Medical Cast was developed to provide patients, who are suffering from forearm fractures, with a personalized healing process. The device monitors the overall healing status and three complications, which are: Muscle Atrophy, Compartment Syndrome, and Deep Vein Thrombosis. In the conceptual phase, desk research has been performed to find biomarkers that correlate with the monitored processes. Per biomarker, a measuring principle has been designed and these combined formed the design of the smart medical cast. Following the design phase, two tests were performed on healthy individuals to measure the robustness in a real application. The first test focused on correctly measuring the biomarkers and further specifying the sensor specifications. For the second test, a new prototype was used to determine correlations between the measured data and the monitored process and the impact of application during the casting process. The test results show that the measuring system can measure the biomarkers within the expected range, except for bone density. No significant impact on the casting process was measured. The Smart Medical Cast has only been evaluated in situations without a fracture, the next step will be to test the measurables in an environment with a fracture

Language English
Published in Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Axiomatic Design 2023
Key words Axiomatic design, smart medical cast
Page range 234-258

Smart Systems for Healthy Living