Medical Design Briefs - August 2023 - 16

The Future of Health
Left: Nature has inspired the development of microfluidics
and the conceptualization and development of
ideas around drug-delivery and blood-collection
platforms. (Credit: BlackHägen)
Right: An initial application inspired by
nature's adept ability to manipulate
microfluidics, was in the design of a
combination device for epinephrine delivery.
(Credit: BlackHägen)
from which medical device designers and engineers can continue
to benefit significantly. An example of inspirational biomimicry
could be the observation that an electric fish generates
an electronic field to detect the electronic fields of nearby
prey. The process inspired the development of a catheter that
can navigate through complex blood vessel pathways to minimize
the need for fluoroscopic dyes and radiation.
Guidance-type biomimicry could be examining how light hits
the unique coloring of a butterfly or peacock with blue, green,
and purple hues. By mimicking these patterns, engineers have
created photonic crystals that can change color in response to
light, chemical changes, strain, and temperature. The crystals
can be used in medical applications, including biosensing technologies
to detect respiratory viruses and biomonitoring to improve
or enhance physical performance.
An initial application inspired by nature's adept ability to
manipulate microfluidics, was in the design of a combination
device for epinephrine delivery. At the time, current solutions
were challenged by two issues, the first of which was size. An
EpiPen can measure 6 in. in length, and the patient is required
to have two on hand. The second issue is how easily it can be
misused and injected into the user's thumb.
A tiny device was developed utilizing microfluidics
technology. While only about the size of
a key fob, the device contains safety features, a
more intuitive user interface, and a smaller size
for user convenience.
A catheter that can navigate through complex blood vessel pathways was inspired by how an
electric fish detects the electronic fields of nearby prey.
ples of inspirational biomimicry. (Credit: BlackHägen)
16
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Let's
Take a Look at Mosquitoes and Cats
A demonstration of both types of biomimicry
and how they are being applied to current innovative
medical products takes a look at the ability
of the pesky mosquito to be able to simultaneously
acquire blood and deliver its saliva, a strong
anti coagulant biochemical, through a very small
set of canulae in the proboscis. PreciHealth, a
start-up medical device manufacturer in Switzerland,
looked to this capability to inspire medical
device advancement.
The creature's ability to manage microfluidics
inspired the conceptualization and development
of ideas around drug-delivery and
blood-collection platforms, especially in wearables
and injectable devices. Most injectable
platforms deliver medication at the milliliter
scale, rather than the microliter scale like a
mosquito's transactions.
Medical Design Briefs, August 2023
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Medical Design Briefs - August 2023

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