Robo-Rooter Plaque Remover
Level - UndergradThe walls of arteries thicken and lose their elasticity as we age. Atherosclerosis is a disease which can result in the build-up of fat and other deposits in the wall of an artery. This process is often referred to as "hardening of the arteries". The lining of the artery becomes rough and these deposits cause the artery to narrow1.
Stenosis is the narrowing of an artery that doesn't allow adequate blood flow through the vessel. The build-up itself is called a plaque. This plaque develops very slowly over many years and may lead to a total blockage in the artery that occludes, or totally impedes the flow of blood. This disease is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) if it occurs in the heart vessels, and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) if it occurs in the arteries other than the heart1.
Treatment options for this disease include lifestyle changes (i.e. diet and exercise), medications, angioplasty, bypass surgery, or plaque excision procedures. It is the “roto-rooter-like” plaque excision approach that is the focus of this design challenge.
The goal for this design problem is to fabricate a robotic device capable of performing simulated plaque excision in a peripheral artery. This action of this device should be as automated as possible. Your team is constrained to use the LEGO Mindstorm™ kit as the basic building block for your design. Only with approval from your facilitator may your design incorporate materials not included in this kit.
An occluded artery model, consisting of cooked manicotti pasta filled with Ricotta cheese to simulate a peripheral artery occluded with fatty plaque, will be used to experimentally test your design. Your team will design and build your own apparatus to physically support this model for the testing.
Lab bench space in Rm 250 will be assigned to your team for the duration of this problem. Components from the LEGO Mindstorm™ kits may not be removed from this room without permission of your facilitator. Replacement of lost or damage components will be the responsibility of your team.
1. “My Arteries and Veins: Conditions,” Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, available at http://www.lifeisnow.com/MyArteriesAndVeins/Conditions.aspx , accessed November 2, 2004.