Feasibility of Leveraging Consumer Wearable Devices with Data Platform Integration for Patient Vital Monitoring in Low-Resource Settings.

Manual monitoring of vital signs, which often fails to capture the onset of deterioration, is the main monitoring modality in most Ghanaian hospitals due to the high cost and inadequate supply of patient bedside monitors. Consumer wearable devices (CWDs) are emerging, relatively low-cost technologies for continuous monitoring of physiological status; however, their validity has not been established in low-resource clinical settings. We aimed to (1) investigate the validity of the heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) data from two widely used CWDs, the Fitbit Versa 2 and Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6, against gold standard bedside monitors in one Ghanaian hospital and (2) develop a web application to capture and display CWD data in a clinician-friendly way.

An archetypal model of a breathable air-circuit in an electro-pneumatic ventilator device.

Mechanical ventilator is a machine that is mechanically designed to deliver breathable air in and out of the lungs to provide a breathing mechanism for a patient who is physically unable to breathe, it is an indispensable life-support device in critical care medicine and medical emergencies such as scenarios during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research presents a model design of the pneumatic circuit that is electronically controlled, by using computer-aided pneumatic rig over selected 5/3, 5/2, 3/2 solenoid gating valves, the performance of these valves must be investigated to ascertain the most appropriate valve to be used for the electro-pneumatic mechanical ventilator. An elaborate parametric investigation reported for volume-controlled ventilators illustrate the influences of key parameters on the dynamics of the ventilated respiratory system.

Suitability of Hood Geometry for Design of a PCM Neonate Incubator for Resource-Limited Clinical Applications.

To reduce dependence on electric-powered incubators, a number of alternate heat sources have been proposed. Phase change materials (PCM) are one of such because of their availability and cost effectiveness in rural areas. This study intends to explore the use of phase change material (PCM) such as paraffin wax as an alternative heat source over a variety of incubator hood geometries.

Supporting Diagnosis and Management of HIV/AIDS Patients Through Point-of-Care Technology Development.

The HIV pandemic disproportionately impacts sub-Saharan Africa where in 2017, 71% of people living with HIV resided, 65% of new infections and 75% of deaths were reported. Prevention, screening and treatment strategies have led to progress in addressing this disease. HIV diagnostics have been crucial for prevention and treatment but more progress is required to reduce HIV infection.

C-THAN: A new research center for the development of point-of-care technology for HIV/AIDS.

The Center for Innovation in Point-of-Care Technologies for HIV/AIDS at Northwestern University (C-THAN) is a partner in the Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) of the National Institutes of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. POCTRN's mission is to drive the development of appropriate point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technologies through collaboration that merges scientific and technological capabilities with clinical need. C-THAN develops POC technologies for improved management of HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.