Project Description:
Infectious diseases present a significant global health challenge, leading to millions of deaths annually. Many current diagnostic methods are labor-intensive, costly, and slow, creating barriers to timely treatment. Point of Care (PoC) Devices can solve many of these issues, but they need to be automatic and not require manual intervention from the user to be an effective alternative. This project involves the automation of the BD Elience™ PoC device. The Elience™ system consists of a patient sample loaded in a container called the consumable. The consumable is then closed with a transport cap and loaded into the tabletop Elience™ diagnostic device. After a subsequent heating step, the transport cap must be manually switched with the dispense cap and attached piston. The piston pierces through the consumable, allowing the patient sample and chemical reagents to mix, which the device can then read. The goal of this project is to develop an accessory device to automate the process of cap transfer within the Elience™ diagnostic device. Our design incorporates three linear actuators (one horizontal and two vertical) that will be used to position a stepper motor-powered claw mechanism to twist off the transport cap and twist on the dispense cap. Our mechanical prototype is cost-effective and utilizes commercially available electronic components to make the device easy to produce. The prototype is self-powered and effectively utilizes independent actuators to perform the cap transfer and create the appropriate torque. The device will be readily available in clinics and labs, enabling public access to the device and test. The automation will benefit patients and clinicians with faster diagnoses, enabling quicker treatments and reducing the spread of disease.
