articles+ search results

radial deformity, radial fractures complications, x-ray tomography, and three-dimensional printing

Distal radial fractures are very common. Vicious consolidation can occur in up to one third of these fractures, resulting in wrist pain, restricted movement, and, eventually, physical limitation or disability. The treatment of this condition consists in corrective osteotomy, which requires careful preoperative planning due to its three-dimensional complexity, especially in injuries with joint involvement. Recently, prototyping based on three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of computed tomography (CT) scans has been used for osteotomy planning in a 3D anatomical model. It allows a better understanding of the deformity in a realistic surgical approach, leading to safer, faster, and more predictable procedures. The aim of the present study is to present this technique and show its use in two clinical cases.

Frequency Selective Surface, Filter, Free-space measurement, and Measurement and prototyping

The design, prototyping, and free-space measurement of a 6-GHz Frequency Selective Surface filter is presented. The prototyping resolution of a large (A4 sheet size) Frequency Selective Surface with small loops as elements is checked, as well as the correlation with measurements performed with a 3-D full-wave solver. The test also involved the effect of cascading two different Frequency Selective Surfaces with a viewpoint towards a narrower frequency range, which provided good results.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip, Orthosis, and Rapid prototyping

Introduction Immobilization in a hip spica cast is required in surgical and nonsurgical treatments for children aged three months to four years diagnosed with developmental dysplasia of the hip. Skin complications are associated with the use of the spica cast in 30% of the cases. This research explores the use of photogrammetry and rapid prototyping for the production of a lighter, shower friendly and hygienic hip orthosis that could replace the hip spica cast. Methods Digitalized data of a plastic dool was used for design and fabrication of a customised hip orthosis following four steps: 1) Digitalization of the external anatomical structure by photogrammetry using a smartphone and open source software; 2) Idealization and 3D modeling of the hip orthosis; 3) Rapid prototyping of a low cost orthosis in polymer polylact acid; 4) Evaluation tests. Results Photogrammetry provided a good 3D reconstruction of the dool's hip and legs. The manufacture method to produce the hip orthosis was accurate in fitting the hip orthosis to the contours of the doll. The orthosis could be easily placed on the doll ensuring mechanical strength to immobilize the region of the hip. Conclusion A new approach and the feasibility of both techniques for hip orthosis fabrication were described. It represents an exciting advance for the development of hip orthosis that could be used in orthopedics. To test the effectiveness of this orthosis for developmental dysplasia of the hip treatment in newborns, material and mechanical tests, design optimization and physical tests with patients should be carried.

physical biomodelling, virtual biomodelling, and 3D printing

Rapid prototyping (RP) is an innovative technology that allows one to obtain a prototype of a mold quickly and accurately from a virtual model. This study aimed to establish the use of photogrammetry and 3D prototyping for the production of bone biomodels of the canine species for training in orthopedic techniques in veterinary medicine. Virtual bio-modelling was performed by the photogrammetry technique with commercial anatomical pieces, and physical biomodelling was performed by 3D printing. Osteotomies were performed on the biomodels that served as platforms for osteosynthesis of the femur and ileum, and the final product was not associated with a risk of biological contamination, was able to support special orthopedic materials, and was used for training and surgical planning. We concluded that the use of photogrammetry and RP for the production of bone biomodels of the canine species enabled techniques for fracture reduction to be performed with the use of special instruments, enabling training in the area of veterinary orthopedics in an economically viable manner with an alternative ­to experimental animals.

Humerus, Upper extremity congenital deformities, Bone fractures, Artroplasty, and Osteotomy

Objective: To describe the use of three-dimensional prototyping or rapid prototyping in acrylic resin to create synthetic three-dimensional models in order to promote the understanding of bone deformities of the shoulder. Methods: Five patients were analyzed between ages of 11 and 73 years old, treated between 2008 and 2013 with glenohumeral deformities that required a more thorough review of the anatomical alterations, for whom three-dimensional prototyping was performed. Results: Patient 1 was treated conservatively and is awaiting humeral head arthroplasty if symptoms get worse. Patient 2 underwent a valgus proximal humerus osteotomy secured with pediatric locked hip plate according to a prior assessment with prototyping. Patient 3 underwent a disinsertion of the rotator cuff, tubercleplasty and posterior reinsertion of the rotator cuff. Patient 4 underwent an arthroscopic step-off resection, 360-degree capsulotomy, and tenolysis of the subscapularis. Patient 5 underwent a reverse shoulder arthroplasty with an L-shaped bone graft on the posterior glenoid. Conclusions: Rapid prototyping in acrylic resin allows a better preoperative planning in treatment of bone deformities in the shoulder, minimizing the risk of intraoperative complications in an attempt to improve the results.

Printing, Three-Dimensional, Kidney Neoplasms, and Nephrectomy

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been introduced as a novel technique to produce 3D objects. We tried to evaluate the clinical usefulness of 3D-printed renal model in performing partial nephrectomy (PN) and also in the education of medical students. Materials and Methods: We prospectively produced personalized renal models using 3D-printing methods from preoperative computed tomography (CT) images in a total of 10 patients. Two different groups (urologist and student group) appraised the clinical usefulness of 3D-renal models by answering questionnaires. Results: After application of 3D renal models, the urologist group gave highly positive responses in asking clinical usefulness of 3D-model among PN (understanding personal anatomy: 8.9 / 10, preoperative surgical planning: 8.2 / 10, intraoperative tumor localization: 8.4 / 10, plan for further utilization in future: 8.3 / 10, clinical usefulness in complete endophytic mass: 9.5 / 10). The student group located each renal tumor correctly in 47.3% when they solely interpreted the CT images. After the introduction of 3D-models, the rate of correct answers was significantly elevated to 70.0% (p < 0.001). The subjective difficulty level in localizing renal tumor was also significantly low (52% versus 27%, p < 0.001) when they utilized 3D-models. Conclusion: The personalized 3D renal model was revealed to significantly enhance the understanding of correct renal anatomy in patients with renal tumors in both urologist and student groups. These models can be useful for establishing the perioperative planning and also education program for medical students.

rapid prototyping, stereolithography, and maxillofacial surgery

Review of the literature from 1991 to 2002 on the use of rapid prototyping in the biomedical area emphasizes the applicability of this technique to aid diagnosis and planning in Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology. A case report in which a TMJ ankylosis relapse was treated using rapid prototyping (selective laser sintering) for surgery planning is presented. After one year, the patient's buccal opening was 45 mm. Transitory paralysis of the facial nerve disappeared totally in six months.

digital modeling, 3D printing, and traditional ceramics

Computer assisted designing (CAD) is well known for several decades and employed for ceramic manufacturing almost since the beginning, but usually employed in the first part of the projectual ideation processes, neither in the prototyping nor in the manufacturing stages. The rapid prototyping machines, also known as 3D printers, have the capacity to produce in a few hours real pieces using plastic materials of high resistance, with great precision and similarity with respect to the original, based on unprecedented digital models produced by means of modeling with specific design software or from the digitalization of existing parts using the so-called 3D scanners. The main objective of the work is to develop the methodology used in the entire process of building a part in ceramics from the interrelationship between traditional techniques and new technologies for the manufacture of prototypes. And to take advantage of the benefits that allow us this new reproduction technology. The experience was based on the generation of a complex piece, in digital format, which served as the model. A regular 15 cm icosahedron presented features complex enough not to advise the production of the model by means of the traditional techniques of ceramics (manual or mechanical). From this digital model, a plaster mold was made in the traditional way in order to slip cast clay based slurries, freely dried in air and fired and glazed in the traditional way. This experience has shown the working hypothesis and opens up the possibility of new lines of work to academic and technological levels that will be explored in the near future. This technology provides a wide range of options to address the formal aspect of a part to be performed for the field of design, architecture, industrial design, the traditional pottery, ceramic art, etc., which allow you to amplify the formal possibilities, save time and therefore costs when drafting the necessary and appropriate matrixes to each requirement.

Dental pulp cavity, X-ray microtomography, Anatomy, and Molar

Objective: To evaluate the shaping ability of Reciproc and Twisted-File Adaptive systems in rapid prototyping replicas. Material and Methods: Two mandibular molars showing S-shaped and 62-degree curvatures in the mesial root were scanned by using a microcomputed tomography (μCT) system. The data were exported in the stereolitograhic format and 20 samples of each molar were printed at 16 µm resolution. The mesial canals of 10 replicas of each specimen were prepared with each system. Transportation was measured by overlapping radiographs taken before and after preparation and resin thickness after instrumentation was measured by μCT. Results: Both systems maintained the original shape of the apical third in both anatomies (P>0.05). Overall, considering the resin thickness in the 62-degree replicas, no statistical difference was found between the systems (P>0.05). In the S-shaped curvature replica, Reciproc significantly decreased the thickness of the resin walls in comparison with TF Adaptive. Conclusions: The evaluated systems were able to maintain the original shape at the apical third of severely curved mesial canals of molar replicas.

Models, Anatomic, and Intracranial Aneurysm

PURPOSE: To fabricate a three-dimensional biomodels of intracranial aneurysms, using rapid prototyping technology, to facilitate optimal anatomical visualization of aneurysms prior to and during surgery. METHODS: Four intracranial aneurysms cases were selected for this study. Using CT angiography images, the rapid prototyping process was completed using a PolyJet technology machine. The size and morphology of the prototypes were compared to brain digital subtraction arteriography of the same patients. RESULTS: The biomodels reproduced the exact location and morphology of the intracranial aneurysms, particularly the necks, in life-size dimensions and exactly the same as measured by digital subtraction arteriography. The arterial segments adjacent to the aneurysm and arteries anatomically known by the surgeon were also shown, which could guide the surgeon to the aneurysmal segment. The models showed an average unit cost of US$ 130 and each one took an average of 20 hours to be fabricated. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to fabricate 3D physical biomodels of intracranial aneurysms from CT angiography images. These prototypes may be useful in the surgical planning for intracranial aneurysms to clarify the anatomy, define surgical techniques and facilitate the choice of suitable materials, such as clips and clip appliers.

Video Coding, H.264/AVC Decoder, Digital Television, HDTV, VLSI Architectures, and FPGA Prototping

This paper presents the architecture, design, validation, and hardware prototyping of the main architectural blocks of main profile H.264/AVC decoder, namely the blocks: inverse transforms and quantization, intra prediction, motion compensation and deblocking filter, for a main profile H.264/AVC decoder. These architectures were designed to reach high throughputs and to be easily integrated with the other H.264/AVC modules. The architectures, all fully H.264/AVC compliant, were completely described in VHDL and further validated through simulations and FPGA prototyping. They were prototyped using a Digilent XUP V2P board, containing a Virtex-II Pro XC2VP30 Xilinx FPGA. The post place-and-route synthesis results indicate that the designed architectures are able to process 114 million samples per second and, in the worst case, they are able to process 64 HDTV frames (1080x1920) per second, allowing their use in H.264/AVC decoders targeting real time HDTV applications.

French bulldog, CT scanner, and rapid prototyping

Congenital anomalies are hereditary or acquired, and their location and intensity are determining factors for the survival of animals. Some cases are rare, often unidentified, poorly reported and of unknown etiology. This paper reports a congenital malformation in a French bulldog, demonstrating the importance of accurate diagnosis for surgical decisions. The use of new technologies such as computed tomography and rapid prototyping enables the analysis of morphofunctional changes, resulting in excellent results for clinical cases in which it is difficult to identify and scale the anatomical deformities. Through this feature, it is possible to accurately recreate anatomical structures of interest, enabling greater assertiveness in deciding the treatment to be established, whether surgical or not. Castration of animals that survive this condition due to hereditary etiology is recommended.

rapid prototyping, radiology, diagnostic imaging, Norberg angle, and 3D modeling

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a highly prevalent articular pathological condition. In this sense, radiography becomes an important diagnostic method to determine the presence and severity of the disease. The objective was to create 3D models and their respective radiographs representing the CHD (3D AMCHD). The research was carried out in the Laboratory of 3D Educational Technologies of UFAC, under no. 23107.007273/2017-49 (CEUA/UFAC). A canine skeleton (hip bone, femurs and patellae) was used without anatomical deformities compatible with DCF (pelvis, femurs and patella), which were scanned in order to obtain the files of the base model. In these files the deformations representing the different degrees of CHD were performed. Subsequently, the 3D AMCHD files were printed, mounted and X-rayed. The 3D AMCHD represented the bone deformations of the different degrees of CHD. In the radiographs of the 3D AMCHD it was possible to observe and determine each of the bones that constituted the hip joints. This allowed to reproduce the correct positioning to represent the CHD diagnosis and establish the precise points to determine the Norberg angle. In this way, it was evidenced that the 3D AMCHD can be a possible tool to be used in the Teaching of Veterinary Medicine.

rapid prototyping, temporal bone, printing, three-dimensional, and biomodels

Introduction The anatomy of the temporal bone is complex due to the large number of structures and functions grouped in this small bone space, which do not exist in any other region in the human body. With the difficulty of obtaining anatomical parts and the increasing number of ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, there was a need to create alternatives as real as possible for training otologic surgeons. Objective Developing a technique to produce temporal bonemodels that allow them to maintain the external and internal anatomical features faithful to the natural bone. Methods For this study, we used a computed tomography (CT) scan of the temporal bones of a 30-year-old male patient, with no structural morphological changes or any other pathology detected in the examination, which was later sent to a 3D printer in order to produce a temporal bone biomodel. Results After dissection, the lead author evaluated the plasticity of the part and its similarity in drilling a natural bone as grade “4” on a scale of 0 to 5, in which 5 is the closest to the natural bone and 0 the farthest from the natural bone. All structures proposed in the method were found with the proposed color. Conclusion It is concluded that it is feasible to use biomodels in surgical training of specialist doctors. After dissection of the bone biomodel, it was possible to find the anatomical structures proposed, and to reproduce the surgical approaches most used in surgical practice and training implants.

Design for disability, Rapid prototyping, Design product development, Human factor in design, and Iteration process

In the Assistive Technology area and design for disability, users must be taken into account during the design process. Multidisciplinary design team is constituted and an adapted design methodology used. In this design case study, this team has to develop an electromechanical drumstick dedicated to percussion instruments. Objective is to allow Disabled Children to hit a drum using an automated drumstick. Authors proposed to used of available Rapid Prototyping (RP) Technologies all along the design process. Different RP technologies were manipulated by engineerins and engineering students to be able to validate progressively product functions and news ideas and designs. The results indicates that one RP technology can be chosen in correlation with a new iteration of the design methodology. The availability of RP technologies helps the multidisciplinary team to validate progressively the product according to requirements. This experiment contributes to the development of different prototypes over the years.

Automation, Digital reading, 3D printing, Additive manufacturing, Prototyping, Outsourcing, Virtual inventory, and Indian Aircraft Industry

Indian Aircraft Industry has emerged as one of the rapid growing industrial endeavors in the world, with automation in most of its production and manufacturing areas. Technological advancements have led to this growth and, over the years, competitiveness has made the industry to efficiently look for avenues and other strategic alliances. In this direction, 3D printing technology has opened many opportunities. This study is focused on explaining the 3D printing technology utilization for production and servicing apart from developing a methodology to outsource various automated technologies to the tier-2/tier-3 companies basing themselves on specified parameters and capabilities by using the 3D printing. 3D printing in manufacturing industry, particularly in aircraft manufacture, has brought in novel prospective along with new challenges posturing new methodologies and innovative approaches to meet the global standards. In this line, the Indian Aircraft Industry has started redistributing its sourcing by outsourcing of certain non-strategic facilities and parts that can be manufactured with the use of 3D printing/additive manufacturing, computerization and automation to outsiders, aiming at development of capabilities in the partnership industry, to provide the scope for generating high volume at the affiliated industries to pave way for a win-win ground. Already playing a good role in aircraft engine manufacture at Indian aircraft industry, 3D printing is going to play a more vital role in the total aircraft manufacture and avionics in the next few years, if the present scenario is pragmatic in line with the industrial needs. With the advantage of "low or zero" waste, less impact on environment, apart from possibility of local manufacture and just-in-time delivery, with greater specification of the final product, outsourcing of the parts and products for the entire aircraft manufacture will be a reality as per the current research, thriving on improved production volumes of similar parts for various end users. Research further suggests that outsourcing configuration is looking to invest in the new methods and "timely production" would become an assurance with 3D printing.

biomechanical test, implants, interlocking nail, prototyping, and laser sintering

Long bone fractures are commonly in surgery routine and several bone imobilization techniques are currently available. Technological progress has enabled to use low cost materials in surgical procedures. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of polyamide 12 rods, solid and hollow in swine femurs, comparing them through flexion strength. This study had as second aim to fix the locking errors, commom place in interlocking nails, once polyamide 12 allows perforation in any direction by orthopaedic screw. Six groups were used: G1 - eight whole swine femurs; G2 - eight whole swine femurs with drilled medullary canal; G3 - two solid polyamide 12 rods; G4 - two hollow polyamide 12 rods; G5 - eight osteotomized drilled swine femurs with a solid polyamide 12 rod implanted in the medullary canal and locked by four 316L stainless steel screws; and G6 - similar to G5 but using hollow rods instead of solid ones. No significant differences were observed for the modulus of rupture between solid and hollow rods, demonstrating that both rods had similar performances. These results led to the speculation that the addition of other polymers to the hollow rods could increase their strength and thus the bone-implant system. Furthermore, the comparison between G1, G5 and G6 could be analyzed using the finite element method in future. New polymeric materials may be developed based on the data from this study, strengthening the bone-implant system and making possible screws to be placed in any direction, nullifying the detrimental forces on the fracture site.

aluminium foam, cellular structures, rapid prototyping (RP), and tensile strength

This study presents experimental results on the behaviour of aluminium alloy metal structures and foams manufactured by lost-wax casting and using 3D printed components for internal structure definition. Results for tensile tests, metallurgical properties, surface quality and geometry tolerances were obtained and discussed. The analysis focused on development geometries, used for adjusting manufacturing parameters and prototype geometries intended for geometrical and mechanical validation. The results are indicative of the viability of the method for producing foam structures suitable for mechanical loading.

robot, HSM, rapid prototyping, and machining

The needs to comply with an increasingly competitive international market lead industries to some innovative solutions, such as the use of robotic arms as machine tools. Although these solutions present some well known drawbacks, there are some advantages and niches of application where success is possible. The present work investigates the use of such pieces of equipment to machine aluminum alloys AA2024 applying high speed machining (HSM) technique, assessing surface finishing as a function of different orientation angles between end mill and machined surface. It also tests the best condition to machine foam for prototyping applications. Results indicate that the directions close to the normal are the best compromises because of dynamic stability of the robot arm structure and roughness as low as 4 µm Ra are possible to be achieved in aluminum alloys. A complex shape such as a semi sphere can be easily machined in foam for rapid and accurate prototype machining. Surface finishing can be very smooth and well suitable for industrial applications in such materials.

spine surgery, rapid prototyping, and stereolithography

Many techniques have been proposed for surgical training as a learning process for young surgeons or for the simulation of complex procedures. Stereolithograpfy, a rapid prototyping technique, has been presented recently as an option for these purposes. We describe the case of a 12 years old boy, diagnosed with Ewing´s sarcoma in the cervical spine. After a surgical simulation accomplished in the prototype, built by stereolithography, the patient was submitted to a C4 corpectomy and to a C4 and C3 laminectomy with anterior and posterior fixation, a non intercurrence procedure. This technique is an innovative and complementary tool in diagnosis and therapy. As a result, it is easier for the surgeon to understand the complexity of the case and plan the approach before any surgical procedure.

sol-gel, dip-coating, rapid prototyping, polyamide coated with calcium phosphate, and biomaterial

A new type of material from polyamide coated with calcium phosphate was developed aiming to have potential application as biomaterial. Coating was obtained by the sol-gel method and calcium phosphate was obtained after contact with body fluid solution. The coated polyamide (before and after contact with body fluid solution) was characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermal (TGA/DTA) analyses, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). These characterizations revealed that the calcium phosphate coating has a thickness of less than 3 µm, which resulted in an increase in the melting point and improved the thermal stability of polyamide. After contact with body fluid, the interactions between the coating and the substrate remained, and there was formation of crystalline and amorphous phosphates on polyamide surface.

Time-Triggered Systems, Clock Synchronization, and Rapid Prototyping

This paper provides a runtime stability analysis of the Daisy-Chain clock synchronization algorithm running over CASCA - a time-triggered extension of CAN bus. The main objective is to show with practical results how to achieve global time base of high precision and how this precision is affected by the modification of the TDMA transmission schedule. That contributes by providing some basic guidelines for the task of designing time-triggered, TDMA-based distributed systems for embedded control applications.

Concurrent Engineering, Integrated Product Development, Prototyping, Quality Function Deployment, Design for Manufacturing, and Case histories and web-based tutorial

This paper provides a comprehensive insight into current trends and developments in Concurrent Engineering for integrated development of products and processes with the goal of completing the entire cycle in a shorter time, at lower overall cost and with fewer engineering design changes after product release. The evolution and definition of Concurrent Engineering are addressed first, followed by a concise review of the following elements of the concurrent engineering approach to product development: Concept Development: The Front-End Process, identifying Customer Needs and Quality Function Deployment, Establishing Product Specifications, Concept Selection, Product Architecture, Design for Manufacturing, Effective Rapid Prototyping, and The Economics of Product Development. An outline of a computer-based tutorial developed by the authors and other graduate students funded by NASA ( accessible via the world-wide-web ). is provided in this paper. A brief discussion of teamwork for successful concurrent engineering is included, t'ase histories of concurrent engineering implementation at North American and European companies are outlined with references to textbooks authored by Professor Menon and other writers. A comprehensive bibliography on concurrent engineering is included in the paper.

Rapid prototyping, rapid tooling, powder metallurgy, injection molding, and stereolithography

The utilization of stereolithography molds in the manufacture pre-series for injection molded plastic parts aims to reduce costs throughout the product life-time, but mainly during design and manufacturing phases. The use of this Rapid Tooling technique in powder metal injection molding is evaluated in this work. One of the greatest differences between traditional and stereolithography tools is related to the heat conductivity of the materials employed. For example, steel molds have a heat conductivity coefficient 300 times higher than molds made with the photosensitive resin used in the stereolithography process. The discrepancy regarding the cooling rate of the molded parts during the injection cycle must be compensated with adjustments in the injection molding parameters, such as temperature, pressure and speed. The optimization of these parameters made it possible to eject green parts from the mold without causing defects which would become evident in debinding and sintering stages. The dimensional analysis performed at the end of each case study showed that the shrinking factor of the component after the sintering had the same value obtained for components using traditional metallic molds. Moreover, the dimensional error remains under 2% which can be considered low for a pre-series of components (or prototype series).

Engenharia do produto, Prototipagem rápida, Tomada de decisão, and Critério multiatributos

A tecnologia de prototipagem de produtos por adição de material (Rapid Prototyping) e por remoção de material (Subtractive Rapid Prototyping) pode variar em: qualidade, tempo e custos, dependendo das características do produto. A escolha da tecnologia muitas vezes está condicionada à decisão empírica do designer/engenheiro ou operador, devido ao tipo de material, dimensão e precisão. Este artigo apresenta um método para tomada de decisão que auxilia a escolha da tecnologia de prototipagem rápida mais adequada na concepção de novos produtos. Foram utilizados os conceitos de DFM (Design for Manufacturing), CAD (Computer Aided Design), RPD (Rapid Product Development) e MAUT (Multiattribute Utility) em dois produtos de diferente estrutura e material (composto leve e simples maciço) para avaliar e validar o método proposto. Os resultados apresentam comparações entre as tecnologias de prototipagem rápida a partir de critérios para tomada de decisão, aperfeiçoando a concepção de protótipos mais eficientes.

AVA design, Antipodal Vivaldi, Full-wave simulations, and UWB Antenna

This paper presents an Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (AVA) design, focusing on its constructional aspects. The main features analysed are the connector attachment structure and the introduction of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) part that supports the antenna laminate. Issues related to dielectric penetration by milling tools are also addressed. The proposed AVA was manufactured through a low-cost prototyping process and tested, achieving an operational bandwidth from 5 to 18 GHz for a reflection coefficient less than −10 dB and an average gain of 6.23 dBi. The prototype meets all design requirements, which shows the viability of the developed radiator.

Scale, suicide, assessment, and questionnaire

Introduction Suicide is a serious public health problem that affects the whole world. This study describes development of the prototype for an mHealth application (app) intended to assist healthcare professionals to identify suicide risk in hospitalized patients and reports on testing of the app by some of these professionals, conducted to confirm its functionality. Method This is applied exploratory research into use of Information Technology within the healthcare field, based on application prototyping for mobile devices. The research was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) from 2017 to 2019. Six healthcare professionals, one data scientist, and three undergraduate students in Biomedical Informatics took part in the study. All research participants signed the free and informed consent form. Results The main findings show that the development team created a prototype named Detect-S, which became a cross-platform application (iOS and Android) offering 16 functions. Conclusion It can be concluded that Detect-S has the potential to be a positive technological instrument that can be tested in a hospital setting to assist healthcare professionals to identify and manage patients with at risk of suicide.

Data acquisition, Automation, Internet of things, and Irrigation management

The development of the Internet and the technologies associated with it has allowed disseminating and cheapening of communication equipment, prototyping services, electronic sensors, and all types of devices. Agriculture has benefited from these technological advances to boost its productivity and profitability. This study presents the development of a data acquisition and device control platform to obtain, in real-time and remotely, information from the field for decision-making and process automation. All electronic components are low-cost and “open hardware”, and the software is “open-source”. The developed platform was validated during a development cycle of two lettuce varieties (Japanese and crisp), in which the soil water matric potential was monitored at two depths (10 and 25 cm), while solar irradiation, air temperature, and soil temperature were evaluated only to monitor the cycle. The platform automatically and satisfactorily controlled the applied irrigation depths using only the data of matric potential by activating a solenoid valve and made the information from the sensors available on the ThingSpeak Internet of Things (IoT) platform.

Health Care Coordination and Monitoring, Nursing, Emergency Service, Hospital, Information Systems, and Quality of Health Care

Objective: to describe the process of developing a software for emergency bed management. Methods: a participatory research based on User-Centered Design in four stages: 1) definition of requirements and structure elaboration; 2) generation of alternatives and prototyping; 3) tests; 4) implementation. Seminars were held with health professionals between May 21, 2018 and May 31, 2019 for the preparation and assessment of software content. Results: the software CuidarTech KRONOS was developed for emergency bed management using the kanban methodology. Final considerations: this software will assist professionals' and managers' decision-making providing more reliable data to enable the improvement of work processes and the quality of patient care. Developing a bed management software is innovative in the health field, and no articles were found describing this methodology.

Vagina/abnormalities, Gynecology, Printing, Three-Dimensional, and Dilatation/instrumentation

SUMMARY Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as Rapid Prototyping, is a set of production technologies used in the synthesis of a particular physical object by adding layers to form a part based on data generated by Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems. These technologies are widely used to quickly create prototypes of products and tools for commercial purposes. Over time, it has also been integrated with other areas, such as healthcare, since these tools have allowed health professionals to assist in diagnoses, surgical planning, and synthesis of orthoses and prostheses for patient rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: To develop models for the construction of dilators for the treatment of vaginal agenesis. METHODS: Use CAD software and create a physical model using AM to analyze the viability of its production in the elaboration of customized dilators for each patient. RESULTS: The production through AM provides an advantage in the development, facilitating physical alterations just by adjusting the three-dimensional models made by the software in a quick way, thus making the customization process viable. CONCLUSION: The proposed procedure for the manufacture of dilators presented good results and technological feasibility, indicating that it can be a good solution for the production and customization of gynecological devices.

3D printer, lab-made filament spooler, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

The increase in demand for both fast and inexpensive prototyping of objects, with a certain degree of resilience and durability, is the main reason why 3D printing has become part of the concept of industry 4.0 and it is omnipresent in research facilities and industries around the world. In this work, we describe step-by-step the construction process of a filament winder that can be adapted for many commercially available bench-size polymer extruders. The electronic circuit used to regulate the winding rate, and therefore the thickness of the filament, is completely based on simple open-code microcontrollers such as Arduino Uno. Finally, it is showed that using this system it is possible to obtain printable ABS filaments with a wide range of thicknesses and a margin of error of around 5%.

Switching power supply, Energy bonds, Satellite power supply, Fully regulated topology, and Bidirectional DC/DC converter

This article analyses the main candidate topologies for power supply for low earth orbit satellite applications, which are considered from the standpoint of energy continuity and power balance. The system components are dealt with as energy port elements through which energy is exchanged along the system. A comparative study and selection of the optimal topology were carried out, according to a criteria of mass/volume reduction and system efficiency improvement. The comparison was made between a three-domain controlled (fully regulated) and a two-domain controlled (also called hybrid) bus topology. After selection, a description of the design of the system control was given, considering the battery charge regulator (BCR) and battery discharge regulator (BDR) as a unified battery power conditioning equipment integrated into a single bidirectional converter. The system design was validated with a Simulink based model with the selected topology being controlled in closed loop to provide a regulated 28 V primary power bus. Finally, the article presents the current prototyping under development.

Patient safety, Health information systems, Notification, Risk management, and Quality of health care

Objective: to describe the participatory process of building a prototype to support the development of an information management system for notification, investigation and monitoring of health incidents. Method: a methodological research study on technology development, carried out in two stages: 1) documentary analysis of primary and secondary sources related to forms and legislation on incident notification systems, from September to October 2018; 2) deliberative dialog in two sessions, with 12 managers and coordinators of the Quality and Patient Safety Center of public hospitals in the Federal District, held in November 2018. In the deliberative session there was a presentation of the prototype and discussion of its applicability and functionality for the development of an information system for risk management in the health services. Results: creation and prototyping of a tool with 4 (four) screens representing the systematic flow of data. Screen 1: Simplified notification for patients and companions. Screen 2: Notification for the health professional. Screen 3: Investigation of the event and action plan. Screen 4: Intervention and monitoring by means of indicators. Conclusion: this is a tool capable of integrating actions to reduce the occurrence of incidents based on the identification and timely intervention on the risk factors. It can be used as a facilitating basis for the development or improvement of new instruments for risk management in the health services.

Applied research, National innovation system, Brazil, Network governance, Business planning, Strategic Management, and Evaluation

Paper aims This paper aims at answering the research question “How to successfully build up and strategically manage a new network of applied R&D in Brazil?” Originality The paper is based on a unique experience of a strategic partnership, transferring the experiences of managing the largest network of applied research in Europe to the Brazilian National Innovation System (NIS). Research method The research described in this paper follows an action research approach, using a participative process of rapid prototyping, pilot tests and continuous revision and adaptation. Main findings The paper presents a comprehensive and consistent set of management models, procedures and tools for the planning, implementation and evaluation of applied R&D institutes. Implications for theory and practice The paper’s findings contribute to the empirical research on methodologies to manage knowledge-based networks and innovation actors at the interface between research and industry.

Physical Examination, Mobile Applications, Smartphone, Educational Technology, Nursing Process, and Nursing Informatics

Objectives: to describe the construction and validation process for a mobile application for development of the nursing history and diagnosis. Methods: methodological study conducted in 2018 in three stages: content creation, based on the Basic Human Needs categories and nursing diagnoses; content assessment by nine nursing judges, with calculation of the content validity index; and construction of the application, which included definition of the requirements, a conceptual map, implementation and prototyping options, tests and implementation. Results: the application was organized by sections: Grouped Basic Human Needs, Cranial pair tests, Clinical assessment scales and Additional tests. Two section were adjusted according to the judges’ suggestions. Final Considerations: it is the first application produced in Brazil based on the Basic Human Need categories, which enables quick access to information, concepts and typical nomenclatures of semiology, recording of clinical data and definition of nursing diagnoses.

Accuracy, Orthodontic brackets, Direct bonding, and Indirect bonding

Introduction: Conventional direct and indirect bonding techniques fail to obtain the ideal bracket position. Objective: To compare the accuracy of virtual and conventional direct bonding of orthodontic accessories. Methods: A single virtual configuration (dental mannequin with Class I malocclusion) served as basis for generating the reference model (treated virtually) and the intervention models (10 digital models and 10 solid models, obtained by means of prototyping). A total of 560 teeth were then equally distributed between a group of orthodontists (Group I, direct bonding; and Group II, virtual bonding), working in two different time intervals. The individual positions of the accessories were measured after three-dimensional superimposition with customized software. The Student’s-t test for paired samples, and Chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis, both at the level of significance of 5%. Results: In comparison of the errors in raw values, there were significant differences only in the vertical (p< 0.001) and horizontal dimensions (p< 0.001). Considering the groups of ranges by clinical limits of the deviations, these differences were significant in the three dimensions, vertical (p< 0.001), horizontal (p= 0.044) and angular (p= 0.044). Conclusion: Virtual bonding made it possible to obtain more precise/accurate positioning of the orthodontic accessories. The potential accuracy of this method brings new perspectives to refining the indirect bonding protocols.

Selective laser melting, Titanium, Fatigue, Gas nitriding, and Crack initiation

Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing technique which permits fabrication of three dimensional parts by selectively melting consecutive layers of metallic powder. This allows the production of parts with high geometrical complexity. Titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) is widely used in industry due to its high strength-to-mass ratio, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. SLM increases the application range of Ti64 because of its flexibility for prototyping any part and its low material waste. Nitriding is a diffusion-based thermo-chemical treatment for interstitial hardening of the surface of Ti64 alloy products. This study characterized the fatigue behaviour of SLM-produced Ti64 nitrided and annealed bars in as-built and machined surface conditions. The surface of the SLM-produced Ti64 parts after gas nitriding showed high values of micro-hardness up to 550 HV just below the surface. Fatigue testing was performed to assess the materials fatigue strength and fractographic imaging was used to examine fracture surface and nitride layer characteristics. Nitriding was found to reduce the fatigue strength of the samples to a similar level irrespective of being in the as-built or machined condition. The effect of nitriding on crack initiation and growth at various stress levels under fatigue loading was investigated.

Nursing process, Neonatal intensive care, Nursing informatics, Biomedical technology, Software, Newborn, and Nursing

Purpose: to develop and validate a nursing process application in a neonatal intensive care unit. Method: a methodological study, conducted in a university hospital in southeastern Brazil from January 2017 to February 2018, divided into four stages: definition of requirements and elaboration of the conceptual model; generation of implementation and prototyping alternatives; testing and implementation. The app was developed based on Wanda Horta's Basic Human Needs and International Classification for Nursing Practice and following the User Centered Design method and the standards of the Brazilian Association of Software Engineering Technical Standards for IOS and Android platforms. The product was evaluated and validated by nurses for functional suitability, reliability, usability, performance efficiency, compatibility and safety. Results: the CuidarTech NeoProcesso de Enfermagemapp has screens that integrate the elements for history, diagnosis and nursing interventions. According to the judges' evaluation, it has functional adequacy, reliability, usability, performance efficiency, compatibility and safety. Conclusion: the app designed and validated by nurses is a computerized instrument that contains the stages of the nursing process: history, diagnoses and interventions, organized by Basic Human Needs and following the taxonomy of the International Classification for Nursing Practices. It relates information of newborns admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units and the nursing process, being able to provide quality, effectiveness, safety and personal satisfaction to the nurse's care.

Nursing Informatics, Nursing Process, Software, Nursing Assessment, and Patient Care Planning

Objective: To describe the development of a software prototype to apply the nursing process in clinical units of a general hospital, and assess its usefulness. Method: Applied methodological research of technological production of a program based on prototyping software engineering developed in three stages: specification, development, and validation. Results: Produced under the name of INFOSAE, the system represents a set of stages (history, diagnosis, expected outcomes, and nursing intervention) providing guidance to nurses to direct and guarantee the necessary care to patients, also allowing an assessment of this care. Conclusion: The INFOSAE software prototype, an easy-to-use computerized technology, obtained a favorable assessment by the user nurses that participated in the whole development process, from the specification to the validation of the system.

Nursing, Consultation, Software, Hypertension, and Health

Objective: To report the development of a nursing consultation software for hypertensive users of the Family Health Strategy. Method: Applied methodological research based on Roger Pressman's Software Engineering, developed in three cycles: planning, composed of the definition of the database prototyping and modelling; development of the navigation interface; and development of functional expressions and programming. Result: The software consists of administrative and nursing consultation screens. In the history, there is the option of undertaking the first and next consultation; nursing diagnoses are suggested by the system after entering information and can be selected by nurses. Interventions for diagnoses are suggested and can be chosen by nurses after structuring the medical plan. Conclusion: It is believed that the introduction of computer technology for nursing consultation brings several contributions, such as standardization, integration with different information systems, and continuous update.

Craniectomy, Polymethylmethacrylate, and Prosthetics

Cranioencephalic trauma which results in extensive edema and / or bruising usually requires surgical treatment through a greater withdrawal of the bone portion. Thus, the absence of bone tissue implies the lack of protection of the brain tissue or even compromises the esthetics especially when located in the frontal or frontoparietal region. The purpose of this case report is to describe a treatment option for head trauma, through the prefabricated part by obtaining the skull model. These bone faults can be reconstructed either by the direct method using polymethylmethacrylate directly on the defects or by means of pre-made pieces such as prototyping or from the skull model. Although other techniques have many good points, some show certain drawbacks, from storage conditions below abdominal fat, preheating due to the release of heat during the high polymerization reaction or the high cost when they are prototyped. The technique described in this work reports its simple performance, eliminating the risk of local heating, allows prior sterilization in autoclave, it is biocompatible, allows perfect anatomical recovery, easy placement, low cost, also highlighs the advantage of the bucomaxillofacial surgeon's performance due to the familiarization with the relevant head and neck procedures. Clinical and tomographic examination after 24 months of treatment showed stability of the polymethylmethacrylate plate, adhesions to the bone margins, and absence of tissue alterations.

PMMA, synthesis, cytotoxicity, viability, and mesenchymal cells.

A cytotoxicity study is performed on a poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer (PMMA) to be used for the fabrication of bone tissue by Rapid Prototyping (RP). The solution polymerization is conducted in a pilot plant reactor using more appropriated reagents in consideration of the medical application. Moreover, the polymer is efficiently handled to avoid the side effect of the monomer, reducing the concentration of this specie to 287,731 µg MMA/kg PMMA. The cytotoxicity of the polymer is determined through growth monitoring, adherence and morphology of L-929 cells. Additionally, MTT and LIVE/DEAD tests are performed. The results showed continuous and progressive growth of the cells on the surface of the specimens. Moreover, the material did not influence on the viability of mesenchymal cells and inverted fluorescence microscopy images showed a polyanionic dye calcein well retained in the cells in contact with the PMMA as well as the negative control after 72 hours. Thus, the polymer was efficiently synthesized and handled for the expected demands.

Brain Death, Tissue and Organ Procurement, Nursing, Hospital Information Systems, and Medical Records Systems, Computerized

Objective: to develop a prototype of a computerized scale for the active search for potential organ and tissue donors. Method: methodological study, with the analysis of 377 electronic medical records of patients who died due to encephalic death or cardiorespiratory arrest in the intensive care units of a tertiary hospital. Among the deaths due to cardiorespiratory arrest, the study aimed to identify factors indicating underreported encephalic death cases. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment severity indexes were applied in the protocols. Based on this, a scale was built and sent to five experts for assessment of the scale content, and subsequently, it was computerized by using a prototyping model. Results: 34 underreported encephalic death cases were identified in the medical records of patients with cardiorespiratory arrest. Statistically significant differences were found in the Wilcoxon test between the scores of hospital admissions in the intensive care unit and the opening of the encephalic death protocol for both severity indexes. Conclusion: the prototype was effective for identifying potential organ donors, as well as for the identification of the degree of organ dysfunction in patients with encephalic death.

Delivery of Health Care, Dentistry, and Three-dimensional printing

The use of rapid prototyping in medical and dental fields consists of three-dimensional models using Computer Aided Design systems and Computer Aided Manufacturing systems. Such systems focus specifically on enhanced 3D visualization tools that provide a precise preoperative planning opportunity through three-dimensional printing, to the professional. The objective of this study was to describe the main steps in the biomodel manufacturing using an Objet 3D printer (CONNEX 350), whose raw material is a light-curing resin. The steps are adopted by researchers from three-dimensional technologies laboratory (LT3D), of the Center for Strategic Technologies in Health (NUTES), from the State University of Paraíba (UEPB), Brazil. It begins with the acquisition of tomographic images that are processed through specific software and exported to the digital Stereo lithography (STL) format. The additive manufacturing technique is Stereo lithography, which consists in the construction of biomodel by photopolymerization of a liquid epoxy resin using ultraviolet radiation. The biomodel that comes from this process was brought to a pressurizing machine to remove the resin support, washing it with water jets. After this step, this biomodel was sent to the health professional in charge. The use of biomodels constitutes a major breakthrough in the area of Dentistry, allowing more precise diagnosis by professionals, simulation and surgical planning, previous adaptation of biomaterials and orthoses, as well as interaction between the surgeon and the patient, thus obtaining more satisfactory aesthetic results and decreased surgical time.

sol-gel, photodynamic therapy, luminescence, and europium III compounds

Over the last decades, the combination of different technologies to search for systems with new properties and features has brought various segments of biological and earth sciences together. Additive manufacturing, known as rapid prototyping, combined with the sol-gel methodology enables the production of novel systems with applications in many scientific fields. In this work, flexible polyamide membranes were obtained by additive manufacturing, functionalized by the sol-gel methodology, and incorporated with the coordination compound between Eu(III) and 1,10-phenanthroline. The presence of vibrations at 1100 cm-1 in the FTIR spectrum of the material, which is a band typical of the Si-O-Si group in the alkoxide employed during the process, confirmed the polyamide membrane functionalization. The thermogravimetric curve showed that a residue remained after heating at 700 ºC, which was attributed to SiO2. The membrane was highly luminescent, which confirmed incorporation of the Eu3+ compound into the material and pointed to the possible application of this system as a topical medication for the treatment of skin diseases.

rabbits, ocular prosthesis, and polymers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyamide implants in rabbits submitted to evisceration at the macroscopic and microstructure level and to assess clinical response and histopathological changes as well. For the experimental study implants of 12mm diameter were prepared by rapid prototyping, weighed and the outer and inner surfaces evaluated macroscopically and by electron microscopy. In addition, a compression test was performed and ultrastructural damage was then determined. After evisceration of the left eyeball, nine New Zealand rabbits received ABS implants and nine others received polyamide implants. The animals were assessed daily for 15 days after surgery and every seven days until the end of the study (90 days). Histopathological evaluation was performed at 15, 45 and 90 days after surgery. The ABS implants weighed approximately 0.44g, while the polyamide ones weighed 0.61g. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the ABS implants had regular-sized, equidistant micropores, while the polyamide ones showed micropores of various sizes. The force required to fracture the ABS implant was 14.39 ±0.60 Mpa, while for the polyamide one, it was 16.80 ±1.05 Mpa. Fifteen days after surgery, we observed centripetal tissue infiltration and scarce inflammatory infiltrate. Implants may be used in the filling of anophthalmic cavities, because they are inert, biocompatible and allow tissue integration.

intracranial aneurysm, models, anatomic, elastomers, and microsurgery

Intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture is responsible for 80% of spontaneous arachnoid hemorrhages and associated with an extremely high mortality rate. Two possible surgical interventions are endovascular embolization and microsurgical clipping. Three-dimensional (3D) prototyping models help in surgical planning minimizing perioperative risks in both methods and reducing operating time. Methods 3D biomodels were printed with flexible material (elastomer) using angiotomographic DICOM acquired images and compared to 3D digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images. Results 3D biomodels represented the aneurysm angioarchitecture exactly, especially the neck and domus features. Conclusion Elastomers 3D biomodels proved to be a trustworthy representation of the angiotomographic images and could be used to help surgical planning in IA treatment.