The Med-O-Ware™ team comprises: Xiao Fang Zhang, Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, and Peter Sullivan, Michelle Bouse, Carmel Linehan, Bachelor of Business in Information Systems, all graduates of CIT.

The Innovact 2010 Award Winning Med-O-Ware™ project is concerned with the design and development of a novel medical Infusion System Air Bubble Extractor and is being carried out in conjunction with Cork University Hospital.

Intravenous infusion is the most common access method in both hospital and paramedic services of administering nutrition and medication. Air introduced to an infusion drip line constitutes a critical hazard of the intravenous infusion process. Air access frequently occurs when the infusion tubing becomes entangled while a patient is getting out of bed, causing coma, paralysis or death depending upon its size, duration and location.

Preventative measures, devised by both hospitals and medical device manufacturers, comprise complicated “air-in-line” detector and bubble removal processes. The current standard procedures are manual and time consuming, requiring the physical exclusion of the air and the monitoring of the infusion process.

The project aim is thus to remove all air bubbles passing through an infusion drip line system before the bubbles reach the blood stream and without stopping the infusion process.

Analysis of the physical source of the air bubbles and the effect on patient health is undertaken.
Performance and design criteria for air removal are determined and implemented. Filter, ultrasonic vibration and diverse gravity application methodologies are conceived and investigated. Vertical axis air elimination testing is undertaken and validated. Double ball and storage chamber, sink and floating ball, modified universal joint concepts are investigated and comparatively assessed. A comprehensive 360 degree orientation air bubble removal system solution, incorporating novel application of airplane fuel tank technologies, is achieved and validated. Optimised prototype production and proof of concept testing are undertaken.

Prototype miniaturisation and further medical validation is researched and planned. Commercialisation of the developing solution is investigated. A patent is filed on the developing technology. Market potential is assessed. Competitive analysis is undertaken. The brand Med-O-Ware™ is established.