“HARPAL” A Haptic Palpation Device
Started working at Medical device Hackathon (MEDHA) 2017 organized by Biomedical Engineering and Technology Incubation Center (BETIC) In Telemedicine the doctor can only see and observe the patient from remote areas on a screen but cannot feel the sense of palpation which is the most important part of a local examination of any disease condition. The proposed device HARPAL (Anytime, anywhere haptic palpation feedback device) generates a real-time sense of palpation at the receiver’s end (doctor). A system comprising of two modules in which one is Universal Receiver generating a real-time sense of palpation and the second module is Data glove which sends signals depending on the pressure felt by manual palpation at user side (patient or healthcare worker). Three prototypes were developed using a different system of Actuation.
“HARPAL” is patented under College of Engineering Pune,
I worked on the prototypes used using a linear actuator and also using a pneumatic system. I developed linear servo actuators for the HARPAL, also to implement Internet of Things (IoT) in it. In the third prototype, Data transfer is achieved by RF communication. I worked on the programming to develop a closed-loop control system and also to fabricate the mechanical model.
Skills used Arduino, Electropneumatic System, Laser engraver, PDMS casting, Programming, Solidworks etc
Project Contributors: Bhushan Darekar, Dr Yashodhan Morye (MBBS last year student in BJ Medical Govt. College Pune)
Under the guidance of Dr B. B. Ahuja(Director COEP & Professor) and Dr S. S. Anasane in BETIC COEP.
Telemedicine is an emerging advancement in conventional medical practice.
In Telemedicine the doctor can only see and observe the patient from remote areas on a screen but cannot feel the sense of palpation which is the most important part of a local examination of any disease condition. The proposed device generates a real-time sense of palpation at the receiver’s end. A system comprising of two modules in which one is Universal Receiver generating a real-time sense of palpation and the second module is Data glove which sends signals depending on the pressure felt by manual palpation at the user side. The device can differentiate the consistency of masses or tumours by the data received from manual palpation data glove and efficiently generates the same amount of pressure at receiver’s end haptic palpation device.
The system can be used in real time telemedicine therapy and also the data received can be stored and regenerated the same whenever needed at the receiver’s end. Thus it can be used as stored information which aids in further investigations and treatment of the concerned disease condition.
First Prototype
Second Prototype
Third Prototype
While working on “HARPAL“, I got an Idea of HAPTOM (A Haptic Atom) !!!!!