Drug Delivery System Sensor Relay and Infusion Site Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drug delivery systems face challenges in efficiently relaying data from sensors to remote controllers due to low power transmission levels, and they often fail to account for the different durations of use between sensors and drug delivery devices, leading to premature sensor replacement or inadequate infusion site management.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery system where the sensor and drug delivery device are closely positioned to enable reliable data relay, with the drug delivery device being replaceable independently of the sensor, allowing the sensor to maintain a fixed sensing site while the infusion site is rotated and changed with each new device, accommodating different usage durations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the sensor operates at low power levels to conserve resources, then energy consumption is reduced, but data transmission reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drug delivery device serves as an intermediary relay station. The sensor transmits data at low power to the drug delivery device, which then forwards the data to the remote controller at higher power levels, enabling reliable long-range communication while the sensor conserves energy
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from direct sensor-to-remote communication to a multi-hop communication architecture, adding an intermediate dimension in the data transmission path that enables energy-efficient operation at the sensor while maintaining overall system reliability
2Device complexity
If the sensor and drug delivery device are collocated, then device complexity is reduced, but infusion site management deteriorates due to different durations of use
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two independent components: a long-duration sensor and a short-duration drug delivery device. This allows the sensor to remain in place for extended periods while the drug delivery device is frequently replaced with new infusion sites, resolving the conflict between integration and site management
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static collocated design to a dynamic architecture where the drug delivery device can be independently replaced. This dynamic configuration allows the infusion site to be rotated and changed with each new device while the sensor maintains a fixed sensing site
3Reliability
If the drug delivery device is frequently replaced to rotate infusion sites, then infusion site effectiveness is improved, but device replacement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is designed as a universal base that can work with multiple different drug delivery devices. This multi-functionality allows frequent device replacement for infusion site rotation without requiring changes to the sensor or complex synchronization protocols
Data Source
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AI summary
A drug delivery system having a drug delivery device and an associated sensor is provided. The sensor can be associated with a sensing site on user. The drug delivery device can be positioned over the sensor in any rotational position and can be associated with an infusion site on the user. The close positioning of the sensor and the drug delivery device allows data from the sensor to be relayed to the drug delivery device and then on to a remote control device. Further, the drug delivery device can be replaced at the end of its duration of use, which is shorter than the duration of use of the sensor, without disturbing the sensor. Subsequent drug delivery devices can then be used with the sensor while allowing each corresponding infusion site to be changed, thereby providing more efficient operation of the drug delivery system.