Appliance Design - July 2008 - (Page 13)

NEwS watch SMaRt PUMP. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg, Germany, have developed a controllable peristaltic micro-pump system for medicine and other liquids that mimics the human esophagus. The researchers say the pump solves problems that traditional micro-pump systems face such as only being able to work in one direction and difficulties with bubbles in liquid or bothersome particles. The new pump solves these problems by contracting in waves, changing shape as needed and propelling the liquid along. The liquid is “ingested” from the left, propelled forward by contractions of the pump and then released on the right side of the unit. To achieve this, the researchers used lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) films that are joined with bending elements made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and a flexible tube. The PZT materials change shape when an electric field is applied to them, which makes it possible to control the pump system electronically. Special adhesives hold the various components of the pump system together and control electronics allow for tiny quantities of liquid to be accurately pumped through the system. transmit the data to experts located offsite for analysis and diagnosis. The system is especially suited for developing countries and remote areas as well as battlefields, disaster zones, and other dangerous locations. The study, which appeared in the American Chemical Society’s Analytical Chemistry, a semimonthly journal, details a prototype system that combines cell phone cameras with paper-based diagnostic tests that undergo color changes when exposed to certain disease markers. The researchers demonstrated the system by using paper test-strips to collect and characterize artificial urine samples, as urine can be easily obtained from patients and contains a wide range of disease markers. Using a cell phone camera, the scientists took pictures of the color-changing test-strips and transmitted them remotely to an off-site expert. The trained expert accurately measured glucose and protein levels — used as hallmarks to diagnose various kidney diseases — from the test-strip image. Similar tests can be conducted on other body fluids, including teardrops and saliva, the researchers say. cONtROl FROM thE ROaD. Panasonic has introduced two new HDD Car Navigation System models in Japan. The new high-end Strada F-Class(2) models enable a network link between a car and a home. These models are upgrades of the Strada, which was introduced in 2003 and has sold more than one million units in Japan. The navigation systems link cars to household electrical appliances through Bluetooth technology. The new F-Class models allow drivers to remotely operate lighting and air conditioners at home, monitor conditions at home via still images captured with a network camera, and record TV programs by controlling a Panasonic DIGA DVD recorder from the car. < Fraunhofer’s novel micro-pump works in a similar way to the human esophagus: The liquid is ingested from the left (above), propelled forward by contractions of the pump (center) and released on the right (below). DIaGNOSIS BY cEll. Researchers are studying how to use cell phones for telemedicine purposes. Researchers at Harvard University and in Brazil released a study describing a simple, inexpensive telemedicine system that uses ordinary cell phone cameras to collect medical data from patients and www.applianceDESIGN.com AD07084Messe2.indd 1 applianceDESIGN July 2008 13 AM 6/5/08 9:06:30 http://www.ifa-berlin.com http://www.ifa-berlin.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - July 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Heating Elements Gas Technology Motors & Pumps Controls & Sensors Design Marts Association Report: AHAM Advertiser's Index

Appliance Design - July 2008

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