Automatic Tourniquet Project

Format

SOECS Senior Project Demonstration

Faculty Mentor Name

James Eason

Faculty Mentor Department

School of Engineering and Computer Science

Abstract/Artist Statement

Tourniquet technology has remained relatively unchanged since the beginning of its usage. Though this technology is sufficient for the tourniquet to perform its function - aiding in the drawing of blood - hazards in the application of tourniquets pervade in even the best of modern hospitals. The most dangerous of the hazards regarding these tourniquets has been nurses’ forgetting to remove the tourniquet. The automatic tourniquet is designed to aid medical personnel in safely and efficiently drawing blood from a patient, eliminating the chance of a tourniquet being left on a patient too long which could lead to serious injury. The automatic tourniquet applies sufficient pressure for blood drawing, has an adjustable size, automatically releases the pressure after a predetermined period, includes a manual release as a fail-safe, and does not harm the patient or user. The automatic tourniquet uses the two-way shape memory Nitinol wire as a means of clamping the rubber tubing in place for the duration of drawing blood. After the tubing is pulled through the device, the user pushes a set button that holds the tubing in place and starts a timer. Once the timer’s duration has run out, a signal is sent to a small battery that provides a current to alter the shape of the wire. The second shape of the wire will be to release its hold on the tubing. There is also a manual release button that releases the tubing using the same mechanism but ignoring the timer’s duration.

Location

School of Engineering & Computer Science

Start Date

30-4-2011 2:00 PM

End Date

30-4-2011 3:30 PM

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Apr 30th, 2:00 PM Apr 30th, 3:30 PM

Automatic Tourniquet Project

School of Engineering & Computer Science

Tourniquet technology has remained relatively unchanged since the beginning of its usage. Though this technology is sufficient for the tourniquet to perform its function - aiding in the drawing of blood - hazards in the application of tourniquets pervade in even the best of modern hospitals. The most dangerous of the hazards regarding these tourniquets has been nurses’ forgetting to remove the tourniquet. The automatic tourniquet is designed to aid medical personnel in safely and efficiently drawing blood from a patient, eliminating the chance of a tourniquet being left on a patient too long which could lead to serious injury. The automatic tourniquet applies sufficient pressure for blood drawing, has an adjustable size, automatically releases the pressure after a predetermined period, includes a manual release as a fail-safe, and does not harm the patient or user. The automatic tourniquet uses the two-way shape memory Nitinol wire as a means of clamping the rubber tubing in place for the duration of drawing blood. After the tubing is pulled through the device, the user pushes a set button that holds the tubing in place and starts a timer. Once the timer’s duration has run out, a signal is sent to a small battery that provides a current to alter the shape of the wire. The second shape of the wire will be to release its hold on the tubing. There is also a manual release button that releases the tubing using the same mechanism but ignoring the timer’s duration.