XtraHands

Defeating SSIs one Hand at a Time

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Inspiration

The XtraHands idea stems from the movie Spider-Man 2 where Dr. Otto Octavious designed a set of highly advanced mechanical arms to assist him with his research into atomic physics. The tentacled arms were resistant to radiation and were capable of great strength and highly precise movement. They were attached to a harness that fits around his body. During an accidental radiation leak that ended in an explosion, the apparatus became fused to Octavius' body causing the robots to take control of his mind. Though this idea resulted in a tragedy, the goals of the arms were meant for good and I feel this can be used in the medical field.

What it does

The XtraHands is a set of arms on a backpack that helps doctors during surgery. This would limit the number of medical professionals in the operating room at a time which the amount of surgery site infections (SSIs). This system is using "mind-control" which is just a headset with Electroencephalography (EEG) headset.

How we built it

XtraHands can be built using an Arduino Uno, 6x 9g Micro Servos, 6x 6-12V Mini DC Motor High Torque + Drivers, EEG Headset (Mindflex), Breadboards, and Jumper Wires

Challenges we ran into

The major challenge is getting the funding for the components but also programming the brain activity threshold for certain programs. Brain activity and focus levels are continuously fluctuating so I have to use multiple threshold values. Also making this a lightweight system is tough with the number of motors and the batteries. I also want to try and make some of this out of metal but right now I have only my 3D printer which uses PETG filament. The 3D printer will make some parts but the frame needs metal.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

As of now, I have all of the 3D Printed materials created using Fusion 360 and now I just need to print them. I have also created all of the code for this project. I have also gotten information about SSIs through my school and they spread this message through our health club.

What we learned

I learned that creating a "mind-controlled" device is extremely hard to make due to the varying signals in our brain and the variability of the human focus level. I also learned the negative impacts of Surgical Site Infections and how help is needed all around the world (but especially in developing countries). According to NNIS data, SSIs are the third most frequently reported nosocomial infection and are associated with substantial morbidity that can endanger a patient’s life, increase the number of days in the hospital, and increase healthcare costs.

What's next for XtraHands

If I win the Best Design or Hardware Finals category today, I will be able to order my parts, assemble the XtraHands system, and send my product into lab testing. I want to do thorough testing before I give this product out to actual doctors. I will also do some awareness of the SSI issue in the US and talk about how my product can reduce this.

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