Research into Free Open Source Hardware (FOSH) has been extremely useful for academics and hobbyists alike. One such area includes the use of a basic linear actuator to create a rudimentary syringe pump. This has its uses in medical operations (palliative care/hospices/chemotherapy), chemical engineering (reactionware, chemical synthesis) and mechanical operation (life science, nanotechnology).
My main objective is to build a version of the Open Source Syringe Pump [1], adding several improvements from other projects that build upon it including:
- Upgraded Carriage for simpler bearing insertion and adjustable syringe holders
- Open syringe clamp for easy removal
- Limit switches for automatic position detection
- Ability to withdraw liquid automatically without removing the syringe
- Touchscreen interface using Python and PyQt 5 for basic user-friendly operation
- Android application to interact with the Syringe Pump via Bluetooth
I also plan to discuss the use of Free and Open Source hardware, the history behind medical syringe pumps and the process by which we can build and program one with a touchscreen interface and Android remote operation for £150.
Overall I hope to show the process of utilising open source hardware and software to build and manufacture a product that rivals current consumer level technology, alongside providing a deliverable that could be put together and operated by a layman.
Syringe Pumps (or Syringe Drivers) are battery powered pumps used to deliver medication into the body at a constant rate. Patients are usually given them for a number of reasons:
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing oral medicine
- To avoid staff giving injected medicines frequently
- Unable to absorb medicines through their gut effectively
They are commonly used with patients receiving end-of-life care but are useful for managing the above symptoms during any stage of care.
There exist many forms of the Open Source Syringe Pump that have been designed and released online. Having researched a number of these I decided upon 2 designs to work with and implement my modifications to. The STL files for 3D printing, BOM (Bill of Materials) and build guides are located in:
-
syringe-pump-v1
- Based on the Open Source Syringe Pump Library
- Overhauls the electronics from the original design
- Adds modifications to improve usability
-
syringe-pump-v2
- Upgrades to the Syringe Pump v1
- Incorporates design elements from Andrey Samokhins design from Thingiverse
- Larger side supports
The software to utilise each of these is still in development in the pump-ui and stepper-driver-code folders, but will be combined into one piece of software with settings for both styles of pump.