Walking in Their Shoes

Sometimes it is not about the function of the device, but how people use it. While historically, human-technology interactions may have been overlooked in medical device design; they can be one of the most important relationships to consider. The Human Factors in Medical Device Reprocessing Creative Inquiry project is mentored by Dr. Melinda Harman, Dr. Delphine Dean and graduate student Marketa Haughey in the Department of Bioengineering, along with Dr. David Neyens in the Department of Industrial Engineering. This Creative Inquiry team explores various medical devices and examines how to improve human limitations, behaviors and abilities, otherwise known as human factors, in relation to medical appliances.

The main objective of this Creative Inquiry project is to understand the issues from the perspective of the device’s user. “We’re walking in the shoes of the end user. Just trying to simulate what is that experience like and what are the safety issues that come up or the design issues that come up as a result of that simulated experience,” Harman said. The team does this by conducting personal experiments where they use the patient’s or clinician’s device. For example, patients with health conditions that affect their digestive system use ostomy bags to collect stool and urine. Students in the Creative Inquiry project simulated this experience by wearing an ostomy bag for a day and recorded their thoughts, feelings and complications, giving them a deeper insight into the daily life of their end users. These experiences guided their efforts in determining which issues to address with certain devices.

Along with ostomy care, the team is also exploring methods to improve the reusability of an electrosurgical pen with clinicians in Tanzania. This device is used during surgery to cut tissue, control bleeding and minimize scarring. The team tested if the addition of a sheath could provide an extra layer of protection against contamination while also being functional. To test their design, the Creative Inquiry team 3D-printed the pen with the ability to write instead of cut. They then conducted various dexterity tasks that involved writing with the pen in a way that simulates a surgery, allowing them to better understand the pen’s usability and functionality.

However, this team is not just focused on research, but also on outreach to explain what the field of bioengineering is and why it is important. Creative Inquiry students help elementary and middle school students with projects such as exploring the creation of dentures for elephants. The end product is a 3D-printed elephant to showcase how integral 3D printing is to bioengineering and the process of creating a model.

This team explores some topics that are often forgotten within the medical field. “This project has been really helpful in just allowing us to explore other things that no one would really think about,” Hannah Gerlach, a junior bioengineering major, said. Not everyone considers how the way you hold a surgical pen could improve the outcome of a surgery or what happens to ostomy patients once they leave the hospital. However, this team is trying to ensure that quality care reaches all patients, and no one’s issues are overlooked.