The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is in enabling the development of inexpensive miniature pumps that can be integrated with bandages in order to apply negative pressure therapy to wounds. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is the most commonly prescribed therapy for wounds that do not heal by themselves (i.e. chronic wounds), or to make wounds heal faster. However, a limitation is that the application of NPWT is constrained by the price of the pump, as a result of which, wounds fester in individuals, before therapy can be prescribed. It is noted that inexpensive and miniature pumps capable of applying therapeutic levels of negative pressure are not currently available. This project enables the development of these inexpensive pumps. The commercial potential of the project is in the possibility of widespread use of bandages that incorporate pumps capable of applying negative pressure to all wounds. These pumps, which can apply high as well as low pressure, in a small form factor, can be used in a multitude of other applications as well.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project involves the manufacture of miniature, low-weight, energy-efficient, and inexpensive pumps that are integrated onto bandages. We will test the efficacy of bandages that incorporate the current generation of pumps in generating therapeutic magnitudes of negative pressure. It is noted that electronics is the primary driver of component costs in the current generation of pumps. Therefore, we propose to micro-manufacture components of the electronics that will be used to operate the pumps. Micro-manufacturing the electronics can generate tremendous cost-savings that will enable an order of magnitude reduction in the cost of pumps, enabling them to be integrated onto all bandages. Micro-manufacturing will also enable miniaturization, and lowering of weight of the pumps. Finally, the developed pumps will enable new applications as they are able to generate significantly high pressures as well as low pressures while occupying a very small volume.
