Cerebrospinal Fluid Pump

The goal of the project is to design, test and refine a compact, low-cost, oscillatory-flow pump that will reproduce realistic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow conditions within a given range of human/animal cerebrospinal models. Flow rates mimic cardiac and respiratory frequencies and have an adjustable frequency and flow volume.

=Problem Definition=

CSF
Central nervous  system  (CNS)  diseases can be  difficult to  treat  because  many potential drugs cannot reach the brain due to the blood brain barrier. A potential new route to get drugs to the  brain is to  inject  them  into  the  cerebrospinal  fluid  (CSF). One way to  bypass  the blood brain barrier is by direct injection of drugs to the CSF. Drugs can then spread/mix in the CSF and be distributed directly to the brain and spinal cord tissue surface.

The CSF is a  clear  water-like fluid  located  around  the  entire brain and spinal cord and pulses each time the heart beats thereby making it a good medium to transport drugs to the  CNS. One problem with delivering drugs to the CNS by the CSF is that it requires extremely expensive (and ethically nebulous) animal studies to understand and optimize the delivery device and  protocol. Thus, the NIML is designing the world's first laboratory bench-top simulator of the complete CSF system for brain therapeutic development. They have an ongoing project to make a detailed in vitro model that accurately represents the CSF anatomy and flow that would accommodate testing with medical devices. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Pump project is designed to pair with the NIML's existing human spinal model to make a complete CSF system simulation.

Oscillatory Flow
By definition flow of fluid, gas, or electricity moves along or out steadily and continuously in a current or stream and oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about an equilibrium. Together, oscillatory flow is the variation of a wave frequency in time. The oscillatory waveform chosen to mimic the same frequency of a heat beat takes the form of a sinusoidal wave. Typically, a resting healthy human heat beat can range anywhere from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). The use of fluid dynamics can assist in predicting the behaviors of flow in a pump in multiple ways. With a known frequency or speed of a fluid, displacement or stroke volume, and the area of the cylinder that the fluid is passing though, then the continuity equation can be used as a way to model fluid flow. Another basic equation that can be used to predict other aspects of fluid flow such as pressure is Bernoulli’s Equation.

Syringe travel force
Time and force required for a manual injection (or time required for an injection using an autoinjector) are important and may impact the usability of the product by the end-user and thus compliance. The force required for the injection of a solution at a given injection rate via a needle of predetermined gauge and length is referred to as ‘syringeability’ [2]. The Hagen-Poiseuille equation can be utilized to estimate the travel (or glide) force (Equation 1).

Deliverables
The cerebrospinal-fluid pump must produce an oscillating flow within spinal cord models ranging from the size of a human to a small vertebrate. This flow must be adjustable in volume and frequency. Ideally the design should be low-cost and easy to operate, as it is intended to be widely distributed for laboratory testing. The design must also include a 5V, square wave-form trigger that simulates the human heartbeat in MRI testing.

Specifications


=Design Concepts= {| class="wikitable"

Belt Design

 * Features:
 * Belt driven by 2 stepper motors.
 * Dowel rod slider connected to belt and syringe to guide linear motion.
 * Dowel rod slider connected to belt and syringe to guide linear motion.


 * Pros:
 * Highly programmable.
 * Could be compact.
 * Pre built parts can be found online.


 * Cons:
 * Code the motor to produce a sinusoidal motion.




 * Trapezoidal Waveform
 * Trapezoidal Waveform

Future development: Buy a pre-built linear belt drive actuator, Write a code for stepper movement for a more accurate sinusoidal back and forth movement.



Flywheel Design



 * Features:
 * Single stepper motor drive
 * Adjustable flow volume
 * Lead screw adjustment for eccentricity offset
 * Interchangeable syringe mount
 * Light weight and Compact
 * single motor
 * Total length &asymp; 2inches more than syringe length
 * Frequency adjustable through computer Control


 * Pros
 * Frequency computer controlled
 * Robust/Repeat-ability
 * Easily convertable to non-ferrous materials
 * Simple integration for a pneumatic motor control


 * Cons
 * Manual volume control


 * Achieved Sinusoidal Wave Form
 * Tested Frequency:  2.5 Hz
 * Other Testing: Slow down frequency to get better sin wave result
 * Other Testing: Slow down frequency to get better sin wave result



Linear Actuator

 * Features:
 * Servo-motor linear actuator with relay.
 * programmable linear motion.
 * programmable linear motion.


 * Pros:
 * Simple
 * Compact


 * Cons:
 * Coding ability
 * Finding the right one that meet the specs


 * Triangular waveform
 * Triangular waveform


 * }
 * }
 * }

Linear Actuation
Linear Motion: creates motion in a straight line, often made by harnessing circular motion and transforming it into linear.

Electro-Mechanical Actuator: 1.Screw :by rotating a machine’s nut or screw, its counterpart is moved in a line.

2.Wheel & axle:a rotating wheel moves a cable or belt.

3.Cam: a sliding pin connection converts rotation to linear motion.

Piezoelectric Actuator:

Properties of its material (usually ceramic) cause it to expand when voltage is applied. Works well for precise positioning, uses little power, generates no magnetic field, and has the fastest acceleration rate. However its range of motion is limited and the material is susceptible to hysteresis. A good option for future development with MRI testing.

Hydraulic Actuator:

Made of a hollow cylinder with piston surrounded with fluid. Since liquids are incompressible (nearly), can give precise linear displacement. Useful for heavy loads. Disadvantages are noise, heat, and leakage trouble.

Pneumatic Actuator:

Like the hydraulic actuator, but uses compressed gas to generate force. Not suitable for heavy loads; typically used in applications requiring less than 100 PSI, or for high force and small displacements. A good option for future development with MRI testing.

=Team Members=