ENGS 89/90 Reports

Year of Graduation

2025

Project Advisor

Paul Meaney

Instructor

Solomon Diamond

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

When assessing long bone fractures, X-ray is the state-of-the-art solution. However, its inaccessibility due to cost and distance poses a barrier to nearly half of the global population, and this lack of access inhibits prehospital triage and assessment. Currently, there are no affordable, portable options that can not only rule out— but also detect the presence of— fracture. We are developing a device that implements the principles of sound wave attenuation that underlie other state-of-the-art alternatives to X-ray, such as the clinician administered tuning fork and stethoscope method, but with improved accuracy and objectivity. This approach uses a microcontroller to process sound signals generated at one end of the long bone’s prominences by a transducer and received on the other end by a receiver. The signal is filtered and amplified for collection and processing; the magnitude and frequency data are then displayed to the user for interpretation of signal attenuation. Our device is intended to provide a vital sign-like output that can be interpreted by the user, rather than a trained technician, to help determine a treatment plan. As the device is intended for prehospital scenarios, ease of use, stable operation, and consistent readings are important, even in adverse conditions. To simultaneously address one of the most common types of fractures and prove the concept, the current device is designed for the tibia, the larger bone of the lower leg.

Download

Restricted

Available to Dartmouth community via local IP address.

Share

COinS