Essential Engineering

When essential healthcare workers were in desperate need of face shields, Limbitless Solutions stepped up to help. The nonprofit, which manufactures 3D-printed bionic arms and was founded by three-time MAE alumnus Albert Manero, joined a national COVID-19 coalition that was created to produce and provide personal protective equipment to those in need.

The coalition was created by Stratasys, a 3D printer company that has partnered with Limbitless to further support its development of bionic arms. Limbitless participated by 3D-printing visors, a critical component of face shields. Each visor was printed with one of four messages: “Hope,” “Love,” “Compassion,” or “We Thank You.” The visors were then delivered to an offsite location where the face shields were assembled and distributed. A portion of the visors were also sent to Orlando Health to help local healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Overall, the coalition — which included organizations such as Blue Origin, Boeing, Medtronic, Andretti Autosports and the University of Minnesota — manufactured and shipped more than 275,000 face shields.

But as the crisis continued, visors weren’t the only PPE component that healthcare workers needed. In addition to visors, Limbitless also began to 3D print earsavers, devices that hook the straps of a face mask behind the head to alleviate discomfort and pressure on the ears. These were also provided to workers at Orlando Health.

Sharing Solutions

As Limbitless shifted its focus to help others during the pandemic, it learned a few lessons along the way.

The nonprofit published an article on its findings in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. One recommendation offered by Limbitless is for universities to build relationships with local hospitals so they can adequately support their 3D printing needs during future public health emergencies.

“We decided to share our analysis and recommendations in the manuscript because universities are part of their communities and uniquely positioned to be a part of solutions to global and local problems,” Manero told UCF Today. “We learned a lot from our experience and see the potential to help local hospitals be ready for next time.”

The article also discusses the challenges and benefits of 3D printing medical devices and PPE and offers recommendations for local and national collaborations during times of crisis.

Want to Learn More About Limbitless Solutions?

To read the full journal article, visit bit.ly/LimbitlessArticle.

To learn more about Limbitless Solutions, visit limbitless-solutions.org.

Could Shockwaves Be Used to Evaporate COVID-19 Droplets?

With one sneeze or cough, droplets of COVID-19 can contaminate the air and transfer to surfaces. While we can clean and disinfect those surfaces, a better method that can also purify the air is needed. Mechanical engineering student Marley Albright is trying to find that method.

Under the guidance of Associate Professor Subith Vasu, and with assistance from doctoral scholar Raghu Veera Kancherla, Albright is investigating the use of shockwaves to evaporate droplets of COVID-19. She believes that shockwaves will break up the droplets, creating a smaller surface area that can be evaporated quickly. An added benefit to the use of shockwaves is that they will not damage surfaces.

Face Mask Adaptor Could Lead to Safer Testing

Because people can’t wear face masks when they get tested for COVID-19, the medical staff who test them put themselves at risk for catching the virus. But what if there was a way for people to be tested with their face masks on?

Undergraduate mechanical engineering student Jose Zapata has been researching the effectiveness of a face mask with a snap, or adaptor, attached to the front. The adaptor would allow a nasal swab to be inserted into the nose with a face mask still on, reducing the number of airborne pathogens that medical staff could be exposed to.

Zapata is conducting his research under the guidance of Professor Jan Gou. The two plan to test the face mask adaptor on patients to determine how comfortable it is to wear. They also plan to make it transparent, flexible, biodegradable and anti-bacterial.

Zapata and Gou are collaborating with Professor Olusegun Ilegbusi as well as Professor Bari Hoffman from the College of Health Professions and Sciences, and Assistant Professor Jeffrey Lehman from the College of Medicine. The group hopes to patent the device in the

future.

Doctoral Student Develops Device that Could Diagnose Cancer Remotely

Prior to the pandemic, doctoral student Sakura Sikander was developing a novel healthcare device that would allow doctors to investigate and diagnose cancerous tumors remotely. Now, her research is more important than ever.

“In situations like this, if physicians would have the option of a remote touch feature, then patients would not need to visit hospitals for early diagnosis of cancerous tumors, and they could avoid possible exposure to such infectious diseases.”

Under the guidance of Associate Professor Sang-Eun Song, Sikander is developing a tactile display that will mimic the size and stiffness of the tumor and provide physicians with the sensation of a touch for an accurate diagnosis.

Her device would not only adhere to social distancing guidelines, but would be convenient for any individual who cannot easily access a healthcare facility in person.

For her work om this device, Sikander was named a Rising Star in Healthcare Innovations at the 2019 IEEE Healthcare Innovations and Point of Care Technologies Conference.