Skin Sensor Auto Injector Contact Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current auto injector devices lack continuous guidance for maintaining proper positioning during drug delivery, which can lead to erroneous treatment due to tilting or improper placement, especially in older patients with reduced dexterity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an electronic skin sensor that detects contact with the skin and provides real-time feedback to ensure proper alignment and operation of the auto injector, including visual and audible notifications, and automatic retraction of the needle if misalignment is detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If auto injector devices are used without continuous skin contact monitoring, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of drug delivery deteriorates due to tilting or improper placement
Solution Approach 1:
The skin sensor continuously monitors skin contact before, during, and after injection to detect improper placement or tilting. By detecting skin contact status in advance and in real-time, the system can alert users or stop injection before erroneous treatment occurs, ensuring reliable drug delivery without requiring complex mechanical guidance mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback through visual or audible alerts when skin contact is lost or improper positioning is detected. This feedback loop allows users to correct their positioning during the injection process, maintaining high reliability without adding complex mechanical control systems
2Reliability
If skin sensors with real-time feedback are incorporated, then reliability of drug delivery is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical guidance and positioning systems with electronic skin sensors that detect skin contact through electrical or capacitive sensing. This substitution uses simple electronic components rather than complex mechanical structures to achieve the same reliability goal
Solution Approach 2:
The skin sensor system automatically monitors and detects improper positioning without requiring user intervention or complex external monitoring equipment. The device self-regulates by providing alerts when needed, reducing the need for additional complex control mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user safety by preventing needle stick injuries and ensuring accurate drug delivery by maintaining consistent skin contact and providing positional guidance, thereby improving the reliability and usability of auto injector devices.
Implementation Method 1
electrical and electro-mechanical skin sensor systems
Implementation Method 2
The skin sensor may be configured to store a threshold value associated with skin sensing and receive one or more sensed signal values from the one or more electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
A skin sensing system for a drug delivery device includes a control unit and a skin sensor comprising one or more electrodes. The skin sensor may be configured to store a threshold value associated with skin sensing, receive one or more sensed signal values from the one or more electrodes, compare the one or more sensed signal values with the threshold value, and based on the comparison, transmit a resultant signal to the control unit. The resultant signal is used by the control unit to determine whether a skin surface of a user is substantially proximate to the skin sensor upon receiving the resultant signal. A drug delivery device for sensing contact with the skin includes the skin sensing system. When the skin sensor senses that the drug delivery device is in contact with a patient's skin surface, drug delivery from the device may be permitted.