Project Overview

In the process of pharmaceutical development, animals are dosed with test material (TM). This is done by placing a tube (needle) down the esophagus of the animal. There are many training techniques and guidelines around this specific process and how the animal can be held/restrained during this process. Each animal is removed from their cage, scanned by a stationary scanner (animal has chip implanted in back), the computer tells the technician the amount to dose with for each particular animal. The technician has bottle of TM on a stir plate, draws up the syringe with thumb and depresses the syringe into the animal. The process is highly repetitious and can be done up to 6 hours a day. Aside from the amount of repetitions, other variables that lead to increased muscle strain/fatigue include: viscosity of TM, amount of material to draw up (weight of animal), etc. Note, best practice is to use the smallest syringe size in order to measure most accurately. Dosing 9.5 mL would be conducted in a 10 mL syringe, even though switching to a 20mL would decrease the length of draw on thumb.

Process Improvement Ideas:

- automated draw up machine (especially for large dose volume or highly viscous TM)

- syringe plunger force on tip of thumb (thumb thimbles; wider surface area to generate more force)

The client is a lab located in Madison, Wisconsin that does testing for pharmaceutical companies. The identity of the lab is to remain confidential due to sensitive subject and high competition in the area.

NOTE: With the discovery of SensiCardiac, the Smartphone Cardiac Auscultation App project was concluded.

Team Picture

Contact Information

Team Members

• KiYoon Chun - Team Leader
• Ngoc Phung - Communicator
• Alexander Eaton - BSAC
• Kevin Wreksoatmodjo - BWIG & BPAG

Advisor and Client

• Prof. Amit Nimunkar - Advisor
• Dr. Robert Radwin - Client

Related Projects

• Spring 2015: Automated System for Rat Gavage
• Fall 2014: Automated System for Rat Gavage