If you stop by the library and make your way to the 24/7 Study Area, be sure to check out the glass case near the coffee machine with 3D projects created during WCM’s Hackathon.
This spring, the Clinical Translational Science Center (CTSC), in collaboration with Tech-in-Medicine, hosted the Hackathon 3D Printing Innovation Challenge to catalyze research using 3D Printing technology. Selected teams of students and faculty worked to solve biomedical research questions during a three-day event, with 3D printing experts on hand to help teams work on their projects.
Loretta Merlo, the Library’s Circulation Services Manager and 3D printing enthusiast, offered her support to the Hackathon participants, ultimately assisting the Flow Sensing Grasper team by creating an animation of the tool and how it works for their final presentation. This surgical tool, brainchild of Dr. Kamal Turkmany, is designed to detect vascular flow during laparoscopic/open surgery. Adapting technology already in use, the grasper will attach to an arterial line used to detect blood flow in surgical patients. A balloon membrane inside the grasper will inflate with saline to sense a pulse around the tumor. The device is designed to reduce iatrogenic bleeding in abdominal surgery and neurosurgery, and post-operative complications of procedures such as coronary artery bypass surgery.
Loretta brought in her past expertise in animation to visualize how this device would work. Additionally, the library provided background information for all projects. Drew Wright, Research Services Coordinator, compiled reference information for each team about their proposed products and possible competitors which later helped to inform their presentations.
“The Library has been assisting and supporting 3D printing since it was first introduced to WCM by Graduate Student Du Cheng,” said Loretta. “The 3D printer is housed in the Library and monitored by Library staff, many of whom can provide basic instruction and trouble shooting.”
Along with Dr. Turkmany’s flow grasper, other 3D printed tools are available to view in the library. If you need assistance with 3D printing research, please contact Andrika Morant at anm2134@med.cornell.edu.
The winning Hackathon projects will be on display in the library until the end of July.
For training on how to use the 3D printer in the library, please contact Du Cheng at duc2004@med.cornell.edu.