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====== 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