====== Autonomous Wound Treatment Robot ====== {{template>:project:infobox| name=Autonomous Wound Treatment Robot| image=:3dpb-med:unnamed.jpg?400| founder=[[user:artem]]| depends=[[3d_printed_robotics_initiative]]| interested=| status=planning| }} ~~META: status = planning ~~ ===== Motivation ===== Late one evening, I arrived at an emergency department with a wound infection (7 days post-injury, clear signs: warmth, pain, redness). The waiting room was almost empty, two people total. I sat by the door, exposed the wound, and asked the nurse: **"Can you look at this for 5 seconds and tell me if it can wait until morning?"** She looked me in the eyes: "No. You're not from our district. Go to Prague 1." **She could have lowered her head for 5 seconds.** Instead, she sent me to reception for a taxi. It would have taken less time to assess the wound than to redirect me. The room was empty. Administrative boundaries mattered more than basic human compassion. **This project exists because:** * Emergency systems fail patients over bureaucracy * Consistent, accessible first-line care shouldn't depend on luck * Technology can provide the baseline care that humans sometimes refuse to give ===== What We're Building ===== An open-source 3D-printed robotic system for autonomous wound assessment and treatment. **Core Functions:** * AI vision assessment (infection detection, severity scoring) * Ultrasonic wound debridement (bacteria elimination, biofilm removal) * Automated cleaning and treatment application * Treatment recommendations **Potential Applications:** * Emergency department triage (overnight/weekend shifts) * Rural clinics with limited staff * Veterinary clinics (easier regulatory pathway for initial testing) * Field medicine (refugee camps, disaster zones) **Open Source Philosophy:** * All hardware designs (CAD files, STL files) * All software (control systems, AI models, protocols) * Full documentation for replication * MIT/Apache license ===== Technical Overview ===== ==== Hardware ==== **Robotic Arm:** * 3D-printed structure (PETG/ABS for sterilization compatibility) * 6-DOF design based on existing open-source arms * Budget servo/stepper motors * Tool changer mechanism for multiple attachments **Four Tool Attachments:** * **Air nozzle** — sterile compressed air (debris removal, drying) * **Liquid dispenser** — saline/antiseptic spray system * **Ultrasonic probe** — 20-40 kHz debridement head * **Ointment applicator** — automated dosing system **Vision System:** * USB camera + depth sensor * AI-based wound assessment * Thermal imaging (optional, for infection detection) **Control:** * Raspberry Pi 4 or Arduino-based controller * Force/distance sensors for safety * Emergency stop mechanism ==== Treatment Protocol ==== - **AI scan** → assess wound (size, depth, contamination, infection signs) - **Pre-cleaning** → saline rinse + air debris removal - **Ultrasonic debridement** → antiseptic bath + ultrasound (30-60 sec) * Critical: ultrasound requires liquid medium to work - **Final rinse** → sterile saline flush - **Air dry** → compressed air - **Apply ointment** → levomekol or equivalent - **Verification scan** → check cleaning quality, repeat if needed - **Output recommendation** → antibiotic prescription yes/no ==== Software Stack ==== **Vision & AI:** * OpenCV for image processing * TensorFlow/PyTorch for ML models * Wound segmentation (U-Net architecture) * Infection classifier (CNN) **Control System:** * Custom kinematics or MoveIt integration * Real-time force monitoring * Safety collision detection * Treatment protocol state machine **Data & Logging:** * All treatments logged for quality analysis * Continuous model improvement from field data ===== Roadmap ===== ==== Phase 1: Proof of Concept (Months 1-6) ==== * ☐ Design 3D-printable arm structure * ☐ Source and test motors, sensors, components * ☐ Build single-axis test rig * ☐ Test each tool attachment independently: * ☐ Air nozzle pressure control * ☐ Liquid dispenser accuracy * ☐ Ultrasonic probe effectiveness * ☐ Ointment application consistency * ☐ Build AI vision system (target: 70%+ accuracy on synthetic wounds) * ☐ Create synthetic wound models for testing * ☐ First complete treatment cycle demonstration **Milestone:** Working prototype treats synthetic wounds with basic automation ==== Phase 2: Integration & Testing (Months 7-12) ==== * ☐ Assemble full 6-DOF robotic arm * ☐ Implement tool changer mechanism * ☐ Integrate all subsystems (vision, control, safety) * ☐ Improve AI accuracy to 85%+ on diverse wound types * ☐ Collect 100+ test treatments on synthetic models * ☐ Document full build process for replication * ☐ Explore partnerships: * ☐ Veterinary clinics (easier regulatory environment) * ☐ NGOs working in field medicine * ☐ University research collaboration **Milestone:** System consistently treats wounds autonomously, documentation published ==== Phase 3: Real-World Validation (Months 13-24) ==== * ☐ Partner with veterinary clinic for supervised testing * ☐ Collect real-world treatment data * ☐ Refine protocols based on feedback * ☐ Publish findings (blog posts, conference papers, videos) * ☐ Build community of replicators * ☐ Research regulatory pathways (veterinary first, then human) * ☐ Explore grant opportunities for continued development **Milestone:** 3+ external sites testing replicated systems, peer-reviewed validation ==== Phase 4: Scale & Impact (Months 24+) ==== * ☐ Support multiple deployment sites * ☐ Develop "enterprise" features for clinical integration * ☐ Pursue medical device certification (if feasible) * ☐ Expand to humanitarian applications * ☐ Continue open-source development with growing community ===== Bill of Materials ===== **Estimated component sources (not final):** ^ Component Category ^ Examples ^ | 3D printed parts | PETG/ABS filament, printed in-house | | Motors & actuators | Standard hobby servos or NEMA steppers | | Electronics | Raspberry Pi 4, Arduino, motor drivers | | Vision | USB camera, Intel RealSense or similar depth sensor | | Ultrasonic system | Medical/dental ultrasonic scaler heads | | Pumps & dispensers | Peristaltic pumps, syringe pump mechanisms | | Sensors | Force sensors, proximity sensors, limit switches | | Pneumatics | Small air compressor, tubing, nozzles | | Consumables | Saline, antiseptic, medical ointments | **Cost target:** Keep total build under €5,000 for full system to enable widespread replication ===== Success Metrics ===== **Technical Goals:** * AI wound assessment accuracy >85% * Treatment cycle time <10 minutes * Zero safety incidents during testing * System replicable by others following documentation **Community Goals:** * 2-3 active collaborators by Month 6 * Full documentation published by Month 12 * 3+ external replications by Month 24 * Published validation study (blog/paper/conference) **Impact Goals:** * Demonstrate viability of autonomous wound care * Provide accessible healthcare option for underserved areas * Inspire similar open-source medical robotics projects ===== Team & Collaboration ===== **Current Team:** * **Project Lead:** [[user:artem]] (systems integration, project coordination) **Looking For:** * **Robotics engineer** — arm design, kinematics, motor control * **ML/AI developer** — vision system, wound classification models * **Medical advisor** — protocol validation, safety review * **Embedded systems** — microcontroller programming, sensor integration * **Documentation** — technical writing, video tutorials, build guides * **Anyone interested!** — part-time contribution welcome **How to Contribute:** * Join weekly robotics meetups at Brmlab * Check GitHub repository (to be created) * Join #robotics channel on Brmlab communication platform ===== Reference Projects ===== **Ultrasonic Wound Technology:** * SonicOne (Misonix) — clinical ultrasonic debridement * UltraMIST — portable ultrasonic wound therapy * QOUSTIC (Söring) — surgical ultrasonic systems **AI Wound Assessment:** * FDA-approved smartphone wound apps * Academic research on diabetic ulcer classification * Thermal imaging infection detection studies **Open-Source Robotic Arms:** * BCN3D Moveo — [[https://github.com/BCN3D/BCN3D-Moveo]] * Thor — [[https://github.com/AngelLM/Thor]] * SO-ARM100 — [[https://github.com/TheRobotStudio/SO-ARM100]] **Medical Robotics Inspiration:** * da Vinci Surgical System (tool changing mechanisms) * STAR robot (autonomous suturing research) ===== Safety & Ethics ===== **Safety Measures:** * Force-limited actuators to prevent injury * Patient-accessible emergency stop * Human oversight for all treatments * Automatic shutdown on error detection * Sterile single-use tips for wound contact **Ethical Principles:** * Clear communication: system is an assistant, not a replacement for physicians * Patient consent required before any treatment * Edge cases automatically referred to human medical staff * Privacy: minimal data collection, no storage without consent * Accessibility: open-source ensures anyone can build and improve **Not Intended To:** * Replace physicians or trained medical professionals * Handle complex medical cases * Provide definitive medical diagnoses * Operate without human oversight (initially) ===== Current Status & Next Steps ===== **Status:** Planning phase — recruiting initial team **Immediate Next Steps:** - [ ] Recruit 1-2 collaborators - [ ] Select base robotic arm design (BCN3D Moveo or Thor) - [ ] Source initial components (motors, camera, Raspberry Pi) - [ ] Create synthetic wound models for testing - [ ] Set up GitHub repository - [ ] Schedule first build session **First Meeting:** TBD — announce on Brmlab calendar ===== Discussion ===== **Questions? Ideas? Want to help?** * Weekly meetings: Part of [[3d_printed_robotics_initiative]] sessions * Online discussion: Brmlab Slack/Discord #robotics * GitHub: (repository link to be added) **Open Questions:** * Which robotic arm base should we use? * Anyone have experience with ultrasonic systems? * Contacts at veterinary clinics for future testing? * Tips on medical device regulations in Czech Republic/EU? ===== Links & Resources ===== * Parent project: [[3d_printed_robotics_initiative]] * GitHub repository: (to be created) * Build documentation: (to be created) * Contact: [[user:artem]] ---- **Last Updated:** 2026-01-18 **License:** Hardware designs and software will be released under MIT/Apache 2.0 open-source licenses