Each year, biomedical engineering students partner with companies and institutions to solve real-world engineering problems through developing prototype medical devices and research instruments. We are grateful to our clinical partners, members of the community and collaborators for the opportunity to address their challenges. Their dedication to improving health care has inspired our students to apply, develop and demonstrate their creative talents and engineering expertise. Our students have shown persistence, ingenuity and empathy as they developed these proof-of-concept prototypes. We are very proud of their efforts and hope you enjoy reviewing their designs. Please see our website for more information or to request a new project.
Scott Seidman – Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Scott.seidman@rochester.edu
Project Description: Background and Problem Statement: Design Process: Part of our prototyping process included running simulations in NX to guide our roll cage design, particularly to compare and confirm if…
Ryan Dugan, Nika Kazumyan, Julia Rothschild, Anika Sagar Abstract Approximately 10% of infants born in the US require respiratory support at birth. These apparatuses cause abrasions and pressure injuries. Our…
Our goal was to develop an open-hardware assistive reach device to help individuals with mobility-limiting disabilities be more independent.
Introduction Millions of Americans wear soft contact lenses, but there is currently no method of quantifying contact lens attachment to the eye. As a result, Bausch + Lomb has requested…
There are a limited number of Peruvian physicians and clinics available to manage the burden of stroke and sustain long-term rehabilitation. As a result, stroke patients are unable to access…
Team Hannah designed a walker-mounted assistive device that uses ultrasonic sensors, LiDAR, and haptic feedback to help Hannah detect obstacles and ground hazards while while navigating more independently.
The C-Posture Patient Positioner is an ergonomic cervicothoracic device that enhances the comfort of cesarean section patients while enabling rapid airway access and positioning adjustability to reflect surgical needs that…
Introduction A patient is eligible for a prostatectomy when their prostate is in an enlarged or cancerous state. The gold-standard for prostate removal is a nerve sparing prostatectomy. Laparoscopic prostatectomies…
Group Members: Shahad Alhassani, Yiduo Liu, Riley Lopus, Mia Strassman, and Jessie Talasco Supervisor: Dr. Michael Giacomelli Customer: Dr. Ram Haddas, URMC Motion Laboratories Problem Statement: Motion analysis laboratories currently…
Making Single-Cell Proteomics More Accessible Unlike DNA and RNA, protein expression cannot be amplified. This makes single-cell proteomics research highly sensative to sample loss. The cellenONE single cell dispenser offers…
Project Background Research on the loss of support in sports bras over time is minimal, especially when compared to other workout equipment like shoes, compressive sleeves, straps, etc. The loss…
By Manuela Montes de Oca, Yididya Chane (Happy), Mark Aaronson, Yunqi Liu (Yoyo), Sophea Urbi Biswas BACKGROUND: The force plate is a critical tool in biomechanics, used to measure ground…
Wireless Multi-Modal Foot Interface Controller Improving Ergonomic Efficiency in the Operating Room Project Team Members Will DeCotiis, Jason Lin, Anastasiia Rudaeva, Wenqi DiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester Team…
Team Members What we did Accurate assessment of motor recovery in stroke patients often requires consistent and stable arm positioning during gameplay-based evaluation tasks. Current setups may lack sufficient support…
Customer: Dr. Ram Haddas, Department of Orthopedics at University of Rochester Medical Center Supervisor: Dr. Veena Ganeshan, Senior Instructor at University of Rochester Overarching Goals: Enhance fall rehabilitation through controlled…
Customer Dr. Julian P. Meeks – Chemosensation and Social Learning Laboratory Advisor Dr. Michael Giacomelli – Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Optics Project Management Dr. Scott Seidman – Professor…
An assistive cycling device to allow mobilization of bed-bound patients in the ICU.
Customers Thomas Quiter, Founder and President of the Mobility Independence Foundation Matthew Lacey, Vice President of the Mobility Independence Foundation Authors Ila Benciolini, Anna Hinchcliffe, Jayden Collins, Ivy Chang, Gavin…
Noninvasive, real-time blood glucose monitoring for telehealth patients Design Team: Maryah Albahar, Lalana Appasani, Isobel Bond, Kevin Segarra Valentín, and Ashlynne Xavier Supervisor: Dr. Benjamín Castañeda, Professor of Biomedical Engineering,…
Meet The Team! Supervisor Stephen McAleavey, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Rochester Center for Biomedical Ultrasound Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering Customers…
Introduction Prostate cancer is ranked the second most commonly diagnosed cancers among men worldwide, while being named the fifth most common cancer deaths. Robot assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) exists as…
Team Members Shannon Fung, Jialu Xu, Joselyn Wei Chen, Anakin De la Cruz Supervisor Diane Dalecki, Ph.D. Kevin J. Parker Distinguished Professor in Biomedical EngineeringProfessor of Electrical and Computer EngineeringDirector,…
Our Mission SpacerScope aims to improve the everyday use of inhaler spacers by reimagining spacers to be a collapsible device with a two-way valve system. Our goal is to…
The Pluck & Dispense System (PDSys™) automates the precise transfer of cells from microbubbles to wells, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in laboratory research. This system addresses key challenges such as reducing human error and increasing throughput, making it a valuable tool for small pharmaceutical companies or academic researchers working with microbubbles.
Author Mentor Abstract
Aashee Budhwani, Mansi Kothari, Victoria Millette, Ava Saffren, Julia WallaceSupervisor: Dr. Kanika Vats Currently, patients undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) attend clinics for daily blood sampling to measure pregnancy hormone…
Authors: Aeden Angelone, Arlo Gow, Christian Voloshen, Delainey Hebble Mentor: Dr. McAleavey, Dr. Seidman Abstract: Lung bronchoscopies are integral procedures in investigating and sampling lung cancer. While such procedures offer…
Author Mentor Dr. Lalor, Dr. Marinesku Abstract Background Blood oxygen Saturation (Sp02) is regarded as the fifth vital sign. Traditionally, a pulse oximeter is used to measure Sp02. A pulse…
A cardiac phantom model has been developed as an experimental and demonstrative tool for left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion procedures. In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, blood flow stagnation in the LAA, a small protrusion extending from the left atrium, can induce clot formation and subsequent stroke. The heart phantom offers a platform to evaluate the efficacy of occlusion devices and features highly-regulated pulsatile flow, the ability to modulate the base diameter and wall thickness of the LAA, and visualization of flow dynamics within the appendage.
A device to evaluate the quality of vibration transmission from a skull plate to the skull.
In response to increasing cases of tick-borne diseases, Dr. Adrianna Troyo and Dr. Tim Dye have sought an improved method of tick collection. They have asked us to design a mobile tick-collection device to replace the inefficient and labor-intensive current manual methods, which expose researchers to risk of being parasitized.
Current internal bone plate fixation methods waste valuable time alternating between automatic and manual drivers and cause surgeon frustration when relocating the head of the screw. We have developed a combined automatic/manual device for safe, efficient screw driving through all stages of the fixation process.
Problem Statement Falls experienced in hospitals are common and dangerous. Patients are at an especially high risk of experiencing a fall during trips to the bathroom [1]. Bladder bioimpedance can…
The Endotrach team has successfully developed an articulating probe utilizing bioimpedance spectroscopy to verify endotracheal tube placement after intubation.
Team Members Advisor Michael Giacomelli Problem Statement This project is aimed at designing a device that allows for accurate and repeatable calibration of an optical probe that will be used…
A device that allows surgeons to adjust the declination angle of their loupes to improve posture during long operations.
The Light Avoidance Team developed a device that delivers customizable light stimuli to mice and analyzes their resulting behavior for use in vision research.
Team Customer The Goal Customer Scenario Key Design Decisions System Design Prototype Electrical Schematics Customer Feedbacks and Steps Moving Forward LSI Device Feedback: Ways LSI can further develop the product:…
Upper Extremity Instrument for Testing Shoulder Mobility Team Members Problem Statement There currently exists a clinical need for a system that evaluates upper extremity mobility and function in pre and…
Team WorkStress Customer Adam Christopher Dziorny, M.D., Ph.D., Physician Scientist, University of Rochester Medical Center Project Advisor Edmund C. Lalor, Ph.D. , Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester Project…
Team Abdalrahman Almallahi Timmarie Gallagher Maysoon Harunani Phuong Le Rosemary MacLean Ellie Richard Project Supervisor Regine Choe, Ph.D. Customer Nicole Wilson, Ph.D, M.D. Paul Kupicha Background Information Problem Statement The…
The hemiblock spacer is a novel surgical device designed to expand the knee joint during total knee replacements, allowing for easy access to the back of the knee to facilitate excess cement removal.
A device to improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from neurogenic bowel.
Our device uses accelerometers to detect unassisted bed-exit motion to prevent falls in hospitals.
Our team is focusing on creating a tamper-evident device that will protect the access port of all vascular access. Our device is also meant to reduce central line bloodstream infections (CLABSI) associated with intentional and unintentional tampering.
A device aiming to prevent peripheral nerve damage during surgery and simplify operating room procedures.
Our project aims to design an improved neonatal CPAP mask that reduces the amount of pressure exerted on the neonate’s delicate skin and detects air leakage at the mask-neonate interface.
Our project is to design an alternative device or system that removes orthopedic casts and is less scary than the current cast saw device.
The JungleCup is a small, portable, and weather-proof device that can operate in various Costa Rican environments that attracts and traps mosquitoes to determine the prevalence of dengue virus.
The Smart Hip Broaching System is a device intended to collect data on impaction force and rotational movements during the broaching process in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The system will provide live feedback of this data and guide the orthopedic surgeon toward optimal placement of the femoral stem during surgery.
Our device is designed to stabilize needle entry and advancement at set angles during CT-guided procedures.
A one or two sentence description of your project.
The Baxter Smart room team has designed a prototype to address smart infusion pump related problems that harm the patient experience in hospitals.
Our team focuses on automating the mounting process of histology and our device would work together with microtome.
A wireless Video Oculography system with two cameras to efficiently and accurately diagnose vestibular disorders
A device to detect urinary incontinence due to loss of bladder control.
A new mechanism for patient transfers that will minimize the prevalence of back injuries in nurses during lateral patient transfers, while sustaining the safety of the patients.
A creative device to protect medical professional from radiation with females physiques in mind
A surgical simulator with realistic sensory feedback for total knee replacement surgery training.
A cervical orthotic for patients experiencing head drop due to neuromuscular diseases, such as ALS. The brace will focus on support, comfort, and controlled motion.
Creating an affordable, accessible, and effective home exercise device to target chronic knee pain.
To design a cassette for a cost effective and fast HIV viral load assay to increase testing accessibility in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa where HIV rates are highly prevalent.
A benchtop inline analyzer to measure the concentration of urea in spent dialysate.
A high-resolution fluid deposition system for use with Waveguide-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy sensors.
An integrated image processing system to track a surgical catheter in occluded surgical views.
An adaptor device able to attach to a ventilation/anesthesia mask to improve gaseous medication delivery to patients with facial hair.
A new wireless controller for the Action Trackchair to allow for use by a caregiver of those unable to control the chair on their own.
The aim of this project was to design a device capable of removing impacted food boluses in pediatric patients both more efficiently and more quickly compared to current industry standards.
Cataracts, a hardness and opacifying of the lens, is the leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries where trained ophthalmologists are scarce. Our project is to develop a device to be used for a simplified cataract surgery that will insert a cylindrical intraocular lens into the cataract. By simplifying the procedure, more healthcare providers can be trained to perform the procedure, increasing the accessibility of cataract treatment in developing countries.
There is a need to ensure that drivers are alerted of approaching emergency vehicles so that they can remove themselves from the path of the emergency vehicle. It is especially a challenge for deaf, hard of hearing, and distracted drivers to identify emergency signals, which puts them at an increased risk for collision. In this project, we developed a device for use in the car that detects emergency vehicles and notifies the driver of their presence. We used a trained convolutional neural network to detect sirens in noisy environments. On our validation set, we achieved a 95% detection accuracy with a 50% criterion. A demonstration of our real-time detector and design schematic are shown below.
A chair specifically designed to safely and comfortably sit infants and young children that are immobilized by a cast that spans from the mid abdomen to the ankle, all while allowing proper social and cognitive development. The chair incorporates extra space for the casted torso and legs, as well as multiple aspects of adjustability to fit the wide range of children sizes and to fit under tables of varying heights.
The cautery phantom senior design team will engineer and improve a system that will arrest artificial blood flow in response to electrocautery in a tissue phantom manufactured by Simulated Inanimate Models, LLC (SIM). To solve this problem, we have investigated methods of vessel constriction by lining the tissue phantom blood vessel wall with a thermoresponsive material, coagulating the artificial blood by introducing proteins and chemicals into the mixture, and by making the blood vessel with a shape memory polymer.
A surgical drain is placed within an internal wound site to prevent fluid from accumulating in the body throughout the patient’s recovery. A suture is currently used to secure the drain to the patient but has multiple shortcomings including infection risk and failure over time. We have worked alongside Dr. Sara Neimanis to create a new securement device that minimizes infection while durably securing the drain over extended periods of time.
We are designing a device that will provide a cost-effective method for characterizing whether a particle in water is a plastic or nonplastic, as well as categorizing the subtype of plastic. The device will need to be effective on a scale of approximately one to five microns, which is the size of the microplastic particles.
To create a device that is minimally invasive that will be used to measure a patient’s blood composition (hematocrit and blood plasma) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to track changes in blood volume.
After a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, some patients experience infection at the surgical site. This infection is often associated with the formation of bacterial biofilm, and in order to treat this, the surgeon must remove and replace the implant with the risk of reduced mobility and bone fraction. Our project is to develop a medical device to eradicate the biofilm without the necessity to remove the orthopedic implant.
BrainFreeze is creating a brain temperature probe noninvasive to cerebral parenchymal tissue. The purpose of this probe is to monitor selective hypothermia during stroke intervention procedures in the operating room.
Lip damage can occur during the intubation procedure with a laryngoscope. One way to mitigate this would be to create a training tool that will improve the users’ awareness of the lips during intubation. Therefore, we will design a system to alert the user of impending and imminent upper lip damage that can be used with the Macintosh laryngoscope blade.
Our team is working to design and develop a functional bladder phantom that sits in a model of the human torso. This model is to be used in the validation and testing efforts of our customer, Curbell Medical’s, bladder bioimpedance sensor device. The model must be anatomically comparable to that of the average human in terms of both structure and function.
We are tasked by Rochester Rehab to create a device that increases the efficiency of packaging an underwater camera into a foil bag, primarily by reducing friction on the camera. By doing so, more cameras will be packaged per hour and the wage of the workers who are employed in the process will increase.
Our project is to design a device that can quantitatively measure the securement of a tracheostomy, therefore, prevent postoperative complications and provide hospital staff with more information for further research. Because of the COVID-19 situation, we have changed our project from designing an actual prototype to focusing more on theoretical mechanisms so that it will be able to be manufactured in the future.
Designing an accurate abscess model for photodynamic therapy testing.
Undesired motion of the Sonavex, Inc. EchoSure probe is often imparted during the vascular ultrasound imaging process, leading to undesired artifacts within the collected scans that can render the data unusable.We have developed a device to stabilize the ultrasound probe; in doing so, it will be possible to help minimize additional movement and obtain better-quality images of AV fistulas without as many motion disturbances.