Amodo Design partnered with Corryn Biotechnologies to create a novel handheld high-voltage electrospinning device.
Academic groups have spent decades developing new materials and techniques for electrospinning. By applying 10s of kilovolts to a polymer solution, scientists can create a microfibre or nanofibre mesh - similar to a spider’s web, but with much finer threads. This technology is already used on industrial manufacture lines to make everything from respiratory masks to implantable medical devices, but it is yet to reach wide scale adoption in the clinic.
One bottleneck to medical applications for this technology has been the portability and usability of the electrospinning hardware, creating a handheld device that can provide 10s of kilovolts is a complex, safety-critical challenge. Working for British startup, Corryn Biotechnologies, we have created a novel handheld electrospinning device that aims to enable clinicians to use electrospinning at the bedside easily.
For this project we formed an interdisciplinary team of mechanical, electronic, firmware, and software engineers to work collaboratively on the complex, interlinking requirements of the device.
Amodo brought our device from lab-scale prototype to minimum-viable product at great pace. We’d certainly recommend Amodo to other companies looking to bring complex devices out of the laboratory and into the hands of consumers. - Dr. Luke Burke, CEO - Corryn Biotechnologies
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High-voltage safety critical design
High voltage electricity introduces complexity throughout the stack; not only are there strict user safety requirements but there are also complex EMI considerations.
At the start of the project we ran comprehensive electrical breakdown tests on all of the possible materials we might use for the device. Characterising how well they insulate from high voltages in the 10s of kilovolts range enabled the mechanical engineers to then proceed with certainty that their designs would prevent electrical breakdown. To further protect users we potted critical subsystems to both prevent electrical breakdown and prevent shorts and designed a complete grounding shield to protect the user.
Not only does high voltage present a set of complex constraints for user safety, but it also leads to electrical design requirements throughout the electronic systems, in particular it is essential to protect ICs from electrical noise that may interfere with their performance. Careful component selection, PCB layout, and rigorous testing meant that we were able to produce electronic systems that were safe from high voltage noise.
Usability
This device brings electrospinning to the bedside. A simple, usable, and compact design was essential. We quickly iterated on designs to reach a system that both met the complex electronic and mechanical requirements, and fit into a small form factor.
Rapid in-house prototyping
We developed the MVP system in just three months. To achieve this we brought much of the prototyping in-house. Our team’s ability to quickly iterate on designs is essential for rapid product development.
Full-stack development under one roof
When working on complex electromechanical systems it is essential that the product design, mechanical design, electronics, firmware, and software all perfectly interface. Small changes in one system can lead to cascading changes through the rest of the product. At Amodo we have all of these capabilities under one roof. This means that we can more quickly and more accurately develop complex products. Not only does this improve product outcomes but it also reduces the complexity of project management for our clients. Working with a single design group is faster and easier than coordinating work between a set of different suppliers.
Working with a company that houses mechanical, electronic, firmware and software expertise all under one roof allowed us to iterate on the product much more quickly. - Dr. Luke Burke, CEO - Corryn Biotechnologies
