ENGS 89/90 Reports

Year of Graduation

2023

Project Advisor

Douglas Van Citters

Instructor

Solomon Diamond

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

Team 9 undertook an exciting and impactful project involving the research and development of a novel end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) detector. Under the guidance of the team sponsor, an anesthesiologist and intensivist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital with a background in austere military medicine, the team worked to improve upon the current EtCO2 detectors available to medical professionals on the market. Specifically, the technical solution centered around a chemistry based approach to create a colorimetric detector responsive to pH. While colorimetric CO2 detectors are available on the market, they lack the ability to provide critical information to medical providers that is necessary for a thorough depiction of patient respiration. The final project outcome includes a research and development guide for the potential continued development of the novel EtCO2 device. In sum, this R&D guide details important technical research, methodology, and discoveries of the team to facilitate any proceeding project progress by the sponsor and future engineers. Specific research topics explored during the project and provided in the final deliverable include: developing a simulated airstream testing system, chemistry research and experimentation with pH sensitive dyes, experimentation with state of the art devices, SolidWorks modeling of a possible device form factor, relevant economic research and modeling, and stakeholder interviews. Although creating a physical prototype was not feasible within the timeline of the ENGS 89/90 courses, the guide is designed to be meaningful and beneficial towards device development continuing after course completion at the discretion of the sponsor.

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