team osa
(summer 2020)
(device and research undergoing patent so no images can be released at this time)
WHAT IS IT?:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep condition that affects thousands of people every year and is correlated to various health diseases and disorders. Current sleep apnea treatments are large, inconvenient, and uncomfortable and there is a need for a lightweight and user-friendly alternative.
This past summer, I worked with Team OSA under MIT's Therapeutic Technology Design & Development (TTDD) Lab and the MIT Catalyst program to develop novel bioadhesives which will help treat the effects from sleep apnea while addressing discomfort in current sleep apnea devices.
COVID-19 and subsequent social distancing policy means that this project was completed entirely remotely. While this can be particularly challenging, my team and I developed new prototypes by adapting and used ingenuity in the prototyping process and collaborative space.
ROLE:
I worked in Team OSA as a biomaterials developer. I was responsible for researching bioadhesive materials for development of mouth prosthesis to prevent obstructive sleep apnea.
I designed 3 different patch molds in Fusion360 for prototype development of bioadhesive materials to optimize tongue adherence to the mouth's hard palate. Using liquid PDMS, I developed patches that featured different suction geometries for proof of concept.
I also developed a bioadhesive paste with edible hydrocolloids and different ingredients, looking to use it as an avenue of tongue adhesion to the hard palate of the mouth.
During the development process, I conducted experiments and testing for adhesion strength of developed mouth bioadhesives to iterate better bioadhesives for optimized adhesion.
SKILLS:
rapid prototyping process
3D modeling (Fusion360)
experimental design and conduction
documentation & presentation
cross-functional teamwork