Thermal Sensor Injection Patch for Dose Completion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medication delivery devices like syringes and pens often lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies during self-injection, as users may prematurely remove the device before completing the prescribed dosage, resulting in incomplete medication delivery and poor glucose control in diabetes management.
Innovation Solution
An injection sensing device (ISD) with a thermal sensor applied to the skin near the injection site, which detects temperature changes to determine medication flow and delivery completion, and communicates this data to a processing device for real-time feedback and wireless transmission to connected devices for tracking and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users perform self-injection with medication pens or syringes, then medication delivery is achieved, but users may prematurely remove the device before complete dosage delivery, resulting in incomplete dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thermal sensors to detect temperature changes at the injection site and provides real-time feedback to the user through visual or audible signals indicating whether the medication has been fully delivered. This feedback mechanism guides users to maintain the device at the injection site until complete dosing is achieved, thereby improving delivery reliability without compromising ease of operation.
2Measurement precision
If thermal sensors are used to detect medication flow, then delivery completion can be accurately determined, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thermal sensors as intermediary devices that indirectly detect medication flow by measuring temperature changes at the injection site. Instead of directly measuring medication flow, the system detects the thermal signature of the medication being administered, providing accurate delivery completion detection while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
3Loss of information
If real-time monitoring and wireless communication are implemented, then delivery infomatics can be provided to users and healthcare providers, but energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic wireless communication where the thermal sensor device transmits delivery infomatics to external devices or healthcare providers at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic transmission approach maintains complete information about medication delivery while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring and communication.
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
Ensures complete medication delivery by providing real-time feedback to the user and healthcare providers, ensuring accurate dosing and improving glucose control by preventing premature removal of the device during injection.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal sensor configured to be applied to the skin of a patient and proximal to an injection site and to sense a change in temperature of the patient at the injection site
Data Source
AI summary
An injection sensing device (ISD) (e.g., wearable patch) is paired with an external device (e.g., a medication delivery pen and/or smart phone, iPad, computer) via wireless link or wireline connection. The ISD senses fluctuations in local skin temperature during an injection and provides to the external device captured data from the sensor relating to medicine delivery to a patient to ensure complete delivery and minimize MDD misuse or malfunction or inaccuracies in dosing. The ISD or external device can use captured data and corresponding time stamps to determine flow informatics such as flow rate, total dose delivered, and dose completion status. An LED on the ISD indicates delivery in progress and/or delivery completion.