Browsing by Subject "Medical devices"
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Item Designing for lived experience : a suite of tools for people with Type 1 diabetes(2014-05) Kinbarovsky, Jesse Israel; Catterall, Kate; Gorman, Carma; Stuckey, HeatherDiabetes is a chronic, patient-managed illness. Type 1 diabetics must maintain near-constant awareness of their blood sugar levels and perform frequent medical interventions in order to remain alive and healthy. Research has shown that symptoms of poor treatment adherence manifest both physically and emotionally. While a great deal has been written about, and many products designed for, treatment of physiological symptoms and outcomes, far less has been written about, and even fewer products designed to address, the emotional experience of the type 1 diabetic. Yet the emotional effects of chronic illness have been well documented, including the effects of blood glucose variation on mood (Penckofer, 2012) and increased comorbid depression among diabetics (Anderson, 2001). For my thesis project, I have created a connected system of physical and digital tools called the t1D Suite that addresses the unique emotional needs of people with diabetes, thereby bridging the gap between life-giving treatment and life-enriching experience.Item Development and evaluation of a non-invasive core temperature measurement system(2012-05) Cadic, Emily Kathleen; Diller, K. R. (Kenneth R.); Rylander, III, Henry G.Core body temperature is an important physiological parameter used to identify whether a patient displays a normal, hypothermic, or hyperthermic state. It is routinely monitored during cardiac surgeries and general anesthesia. Currently, the most effective methods for measuring core body temperature are also the most invasive. While select devices have been designed to enable surface recording of internal temperature, none have been implemented in U.S.-based hospitals. The objective of this study was to create a noninvasive core temperature sensor and evaluate its potential of becoming a widely used clinical tool. In tissue phantom and human-based experiments, the prototype performed effectively and posed no safety risk. Provided the prototype can be successfully translated into a more streamlined medical device, it stands to become a staple in operating rooms around the nation.Item Practical software testing for an FDA-regulated environment(2011-12) Vadysirisack, Pang Lithisay; Khurshid, Sarfraz; Perry, Dewayne E.Unlike hardware, software does not degrade over time or frequency use. This is good for software. Also unlike hardware, software can be easily changed. This unique characteristic gives software much of its power, but is also responsible for possible failures in software applications. When software is used within medical devices, software failures may result in bodily injury or death. As a result, regulations have been imposed on the makers of medical devices to ensure their safety, which includes the safety of the devices’ software. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires establishment of systems and control processes to ensure quality devices. A principal part of the quality assurance effort is testing. This paper explores the unique role of software testing in the design, development, and release of software used for medical devices and applications. It also provides practical, industry-driven guidance on medical device software testing techniques and strategies.Item Symmetrical public relations surgery : two-way symmetrical suggestions for physicians and the medical device industry(2012-05) Faulk, Eric Jonathan; Warner, David C.; Anderson, Ronald B.The public relations field is rapidly adopting two-way symmetrical communications as a way to achieve excellence and win-win solutions for multiple publics. This paper focuses on activism and industry public relations approaches involving a group of expert physicians in Houston and the medical devices industry. After exploring two-way symmetrical communications and the Excellence Theory of Public Relations, the paper explores these physicians’ viewpoints and provides an overview of the medical device industry. The discussion then provides public relations suggestions for the physicians to symmetrically approach the industry to create change. Next, the paper recommends how the medical device industry can respond to work with the physicians and to prevent possible public relations damage and crisis. The paper concludes by expressing the importance of applying symmetrical communications methods to solve challenges and create win-win solutions.