Respiratory Devices

Continous postive airways pressure (CPAP) and ventilators 

SiGenix has designed several Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices as well as a variety of ventilators.  These devices utilize senseless 3-Phase Brushless DC motor control, pressure and mass flow sensors, a variety of different triggering algorithms for the inspiratory and expiatory cycle, and custom user interfaces.  The SiGenix team members hold patents in the area of triggering algorithms as well as snore and apnea detection.  Our team also is experienced in low cost, universal input switching power supplies that are 60601 certified and low-cost control circuits for driving integrated humidifiers.

Wearable Technology

Wearable deivce that treats nasusa and motion sickness 

Reliefband is a watch-like device worn on the ventral side of the wrist, and provides non-invasive treatment of nausea.  When activated, the device emits a low-level electrical current across 2 small electrodes on its underside, stimulating the median nerve (an acupuncture point).

SiGenix worked with Reliefband on development of the Reliefband Sport, their first waterproof version.  As part of this effort, SiGenix engineers developed a patent-pending solid-state electrode drive circuit which eliminated costly magnetics in the existing design.  The new design also detects skin contact, allowing the unit to extend battery life by shutting down when it has been removed from the wrist.

SiGenix performed all hardware and software design tasks, and also developed a semi-automatic test platform which greatly decreased overall production costs.

Noninvasive Pain Relief

Drug-free nerve block device

This pain reliving device, which is the property of an innovative startup, utilizes hot/cold rapid temperature change therapy to help deaden nerves at various locations of the body.  Head gear is provided for the reduction of pain from migraines.  The device contains a pump, heat exchanger, compressor, thermistors, an advanced user interface for therapy set up, and a battery with charger for continuous operation.  An AC adaptor provides power to the unit during normal operation.  Data can be retrieved from the machine via Bluetooth and a mobile or PC app.

Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitor

Passive compliance tracking via a mobile app

SiGenix was challenged by a local health care provider to design a solution for the use of monitoring hospital staff with regard to compliance to their hand hygiene protocol.  The difficult requirement was that it needed to be a passive solution...meaning the user couldn't be required to change anything in their daily routine

We decided to use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) as a technology for our solution.  The difficulty is that BLE has not been a very good technology for accurately locating a device or a user.  To improve this, we developed custom Yagi antennas to more concentrate a beam from the BLE transmitter, allowing the mobile device to more accurately locate itself within the BLE beacons.

LVEDP Estimator

Non-invasive measurement of Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure

The handheld and companion Android App are designed to provide clinicians and the heart failure patients they treat with a simple to use handheld device for monitoring cardiac filling pressures, the earliest indicator of worsening heart failure.

A medical device and companion application with an interactive display unit, the system tests patients’ pulse response to a physiologic test called the Valsalva Maneuver.  The handheld device contains an embedded pressure transducer, an interface to a finger photoplethysmography (PPG) and communicates to a tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth.  The firmware on the device controls the behavior of the device including sampling and processing readings from the PPG and pressure sensors and transmits acquired data from Indicor firmware to the App using BLE communication.   The App collects input user data and uses key physiological data that, when combined via the algorithm, calculates an estimate of the patients LVEDP. The result is an LVEDP consisting of 3 individual measurements and an average of these measurements for the test displayed on the App.

The App provides the user with practice and test modes for performing the maneuver.  For the most part, display and other active functions on the app are designed for the patient, whereas entered inputs and output from the device, via the app, are designed for clinicians.

SiGenix designed all of the electronics and implemented all of the embedded software and Android mobile app.

Portable Ultrasound

Ultra-portable ultrasound

SiGenix worked closely with a startup group to create a versatile handheld ultrasound device.  We designed the electronics and implemented the software for the User Interface.

Camera Enabled Needle

Revolutionary alternative to a traditional MRI

SiGenix teamed up with a innovative startup to design a device that allows physicians to perform medical imaging via a 18 gauge needle.  The camera enabled needle is cleared by the FDA for use in diagnostic and operative arthroscopic and endoscopic procedures to provide illumination and visualization of an interior cavity of the body through either a natural or surgical opening.

The probe consists of an imaging device that is coupled to the end of a needle through a group of 10,000 fibers and 12 illumination fibers.  The probe transmits live video to a 7" monitor allowing the physician to perform the examination and capture images for record.  It gives physicians real time visualization on a patient's anatomy.  There is an overall reduction of time from injury to recovery.  Since the device is small and portable, it is easy to incorporate into the office environment.

SiGenix designed the electronics for the needle imaging device and the user interface tablet.  The video was passed between devices using LVDS transceivers.

The tablet is a fully functional embedded device running Android.

SiGenix developed the custom video driver to be compatible with VL42 (Video for Linux).  The User Inteface that the physician used to interact with the tablet was also developed at SiGenix.

Sonic Flashlight

Product Subtitle to be added

Sonic Flashlight is a revolutionary Ultrasound Device. The concept was created at the University of Pittsburgh and a proof of concept was developed there.  Sigenix then worked with a team of Industrial Designers from Nottingham-Spirk and designed custom display hardware to interface to an off-the-shelf ultrasound module.  SiGenix also implemented the firmware and UI software to provide controls to interact with the ultrasound.  The uniqueness of this ultrasound device is that the ultrasound image is projected on to a partially reflecting mirror on the probe, which makes it appear to the user that the image is on the patient's skin. The device is intended to be used for light procedures such as administering a nerve block.

Hemolung

Minimally-invasive solution for extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R)

The Hemolung is a safe and simple-to-use respiratory assist system that is expected to allow patients in acute respiratory failure to avoid intubation and mechanical ventilation.  The Hemolung may also be used as a supplement to mechanical ventilation to shorten the amount of time patients spend on ventilators in the ICU.

When the Hemolung console is activated, oxygen flows through a set of hollow fibers and is transferred into the blood, while carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood into the oxygen stream and carried away from the body.

SiGenix designed the electronics for the Hemolung controller.  The hardware consists of analog and digital I/O, serial interfaces, data logging, and Ethernet capabilities.  All electronics design, circuit board layout, and prototype assembly were performed by SiGenix.

The embedded controller software and the User Interface software were designed and developed at SiGenix.