Healthcare technology design weekends

[Victoria Gerrard]

Hello EWB HMT Group!
 
I am finally getting round to introducing myself. Some of you may remember me from the information day held at Imperial in June where I ran a session on the JustMilk Nipple Shield which prevents mother-to-child HIV transmission through breastfeeding. I have actually recently returned from the International Development Design Summit ( www.iddsummit.org ) in Colorado where I was working in a team to develop a distribution strategy for this technology. The summit is the brainchild of Amy Smith who runs D-lab at MIT. For those of you who haven't heard of it, D-lab focusses on developing technologies for use in low income economies. Students who study D-lab modules have the opportunity to design technologies and then travel abroad to implement them. For more info have a look at their website ( http://d-lab.mit.edu/ ).
 
Having seen the model of IDDS and D-lab I have a proposal for this group. What I would like to proposei s the possibility of putting together a series of weekends or saturdays/sundays to meet, discuss, design and prototype healthcare technologies for the developing world and see where we get. We could arrange appropriate speakers to learn about things we have identified we don't know about, arrange workshop space to build prototypes, give members an opportunity to present their relevant work and gather feedback from the group etc.
 
Now having thrown the idea out there I would be really keen to gauge your interest... Is this something any of you would be keen to explore further?
 
I hope you're all well!
 
Kind regards,
 
Vicky Gerrard
 
07951 837 937

[Barry Lovern]

I think this is just what the group needs and would be all for supporting it!

Barry

--
Barry Lovern

Engineers Without Borders UK

Email:  barry....@ewb-uk.org
Skype: barry.lovern
Tel:      01223 305 888

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[Beom Shin]

Dear vicky,

 

Thank you very much for reporting your recent project to us.

I love to see your development so far.

Although I am not a professional engineer in that field I would like to see and explore your project. 

Thank you again.

 

Regards,

Beom-Jin

 

 

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From: ewbu...@googlegroups.com [ewbu...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Victoria Gerrard [victori...@hotmail.com]
Sent: 16 August 2010 14:09
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Healthcare technology design weekends

[Victoria Gerrard]

Thats great Beom-Jin! Thank you for your interest in the design weekends.
 
It would be nice to know a little more about your background and interests. Would you be able to introduce yourself to the group?
 
Kind regards,
 
Vicky
 

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From: beom...@ssho.ox.ac.uk
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:25:46 +0100
Subject: RE: Healthcare technology design weekends

[Abdul Basit]

Dear Vicky
Thanks a lot for sharing your latest interesting experience. This is indeed a wonderful idea to implement for achieving individual as well as group's goals. I am keen and excited to participate.

About me:
I am a medical electronics engineer and presently working in NHS at Princess Royal Hospital, Bromely. On the other hand, I have an offer to study PhD at University of Oxford under a title 'Healthcare Innovations'. Unfortunately funding matters are still in process. Anyhow, During my study I won a robotic design competetion and my final year project was a 'telemedicine system' which was declared as best Project of the year. I published this idea in 2005.

Now I would like to hear from you and other members who fancy taking part in this extended version of D lab idea.
Thanks again for this initiative.

Best regards
Basit

[Abdul Basit]

Dear Vicky

Thanks a lot for sharing your recent interesting experience. This is indeed a wonderful idea to achieve individual as well as group aims. I am very keen and excited to participate.

About me:
I am a medical electronics engineer and working in NHS at Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley. On the other hand, I have an offer to study PhD at University of Oxford under a title 'Healthcare Innovations'. But some funding matters are in process. Any how, during my UG study I won a robotic design competition and my final year project was a 'telemedicine system' which was declared as  best project of year. I published this idea in 2005.

Now I would like to hear from you as well as other members of the group who are interested in joining this extended version of D-Lab.

Once again, thanks for taking this wonderful initiative.

Best Regards

Basit

 

[Beom Shin]

Dear Vicky,

 

My English name is Stephen. I probably used my English name for the event.

I am at St. Stephen's House, Oxford reading Christian theology. I am an ordinand of the Church of England.

I have been one of the active members of the Oxford EWB. Previously, I did my MSc in Development Studies at UCL. I am now in India doing some voluntary work which is associated with the project of the Church of North India. I have done my work and traveling around the north India. My interest is quite broad so at the moment I can say I am still exploring my interest for my future profession. I am very much interested in health and sanitation projects in developing countries which I am focusing on my future ministry.  Hope it helps you to understand me better.

 

Regards,

Stephen.

 

 

 

 

m: ewbu...@googlegroups.com [ewbu...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Victoria Gerrard [victoria...@ewb-uk.org]
Sent: 18 August 2010 09:59
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com

[Victoria Gerrard]

Thank you to both Stephen and Basit for their interest in the design weekends and thank you for introducing yourselves.
 
(and thank you to Barry for his encouragement ;) )
 
I would be keen to get a decent sized group together to do this and will therefore advertise the concept to the EWB-UK community as a whole through the next PN e-newsletter. For now though I would be interested to learn a little more about Basit's upcoming research at Oxford. It sounds like a wonderfully broad topic. Have you any idea what you would like to concentrate on? Are you perhaps looking to focus on healthcare technologies for the developing world?
 
Cheers,

Vicky
 

---

From: beom...@ssho.ox.ac.uk
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com

Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:50:09 +0100

[Abdul Basit]

Dear Vicky

 

Your approach of advertisement is very practical. I wish you achieve this first milestone very soon. Thanks for enquiring about my research interests. Indeed it is a very broad topic. Actually this PhD program is a bit different from standard PhD programs here in the UK. It is a for year program where first year is allocated to do 2 small projects (one in industry and second in a hospital environment) and also study relevant courses. After the first year, we will select our main title of PhD based on these projects. This methodology is really exciting and will be productive as well.

 

Now coming to my aim of research, I am interested in Telemedicine and Diabetes management. Diabetes is one of the biggest issues emerging in developing countries and Telemedicine is the only practical solution for healthcare sector of these countries (which are covering most of the area & population of the world). Based on my undergraduate project and personal motivation, I am interested to develop a telemedicine solution for diabetes management.

 

Regarding size of the group, I would ask you to kindly describe a bit more about this idea of 'design Weekends' i.e., how much time (you think) would be required by the participant. I think this is very important issue for prospective candidates who really want to join but not sure about time commitment. As you have experience of this type of group, you can well elaborate this point based on some casestudies (if you like).

 

Best Wishes

 

Basit

[Luke David Burke - Swansea University]

Dear Basit,

I am a third year medical engineering student at Swansea University
and am about to start my undergraduate project. Your research sounds
exactly like the area I would love to work in. I too have an avid
interest in telemedicine and point of care devices - I recently
completed a thirty day placement in India where we had the opportunity
to visit the Narayana health centre's fantastic telemedicine project
and community outreach centres. Also, as a type one diabetic myself I
have a great interest in diabetes management (particularly in
developing countries). Could you please give me any details about your
undergraduate project as I have very limited time and if I could find
a way to work in or around these fields for my own project I would be
absolutely ecstatic! If not I'd certainly love to be involved with the
workshops as an extramural activity if that's possible.

Thanks and best of luck,

Luke David Burke

> victoriagerr...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Thank you to both Stephen and Basit for their interest in the design
> > weekends and thank you for introducing yourselves.
>
> > (and thank you to Barry for his encouragement ;) )
>
> > I would be keen to get a decent sized group together to do this and will
> > therefore advertise the concept to the EWB-UK community as a whole through
> > the next PN e-newsletter. For now though I would be interested to learn a
> > little more about Basit's upcoming research at Oxford. It sounds like a
> > wonderfully broad topic. Have you any idea what you would like to
> > concentrate on? Are you perhaps looking to focus on healthcare technologies
> > for the developing world?
>
> > Cheers,
>
> > Vicky
>

> > ------------------------------
> > From: beom.s...@ssho.ox.ac.uk

> > To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com
> > Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:50:09 +0100
>
> > Subject: RE: Healthcare technology design weekends
>
> > Dear Vicky,
>
> > My English name is Stephen. I probably used my English name for the event.
> > I am at St. Stephen's House, Oxford reading Christian theology. I am an
> > ordinand of the Church of England.
> > I have been one of the active members of the Oxford EWB. Previously, I did
> > my MSc in Development Studies at UCL. I am now in India doing some voluntary
> > work which is associated with the project of the Church of North India. I
> > have done my work and traveling around the north India. My interest is quite
> > broad so at the moment I can say I am still exploring my interest for my
> > future profession. I am very much interested in health and sanitation
> > projects in developing countries which I am focusing on my future
> > ministry.  Hope it helps you to understand me better.
>
> > Regards,
> > Stephen.
>

> > *m:* ewbu...@googlegroups.com [ewbu...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> > Victoria Gerrard [victoria.gerr...@ewb-uk.org]
> > *Sent:* 18 August 2010 09:59
> > *To:* ewbu...@googlegroups.com
> > *Subject:* RE: Healthcare technology design weekends

>
> > Thats great Beom-Jin! Thank you for your interest in the design weekends.
>
> > It would be nice to know a little more about your background and interests.
> > Would you be able to introduce yourself to the group?
>
> > Kind regards,
>
> > Vicky
>

> > ------------------------------
> > From: beom.s...@ssho.ox.ac.uk

> > To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com
> > Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:25:46 +0100
> > Subject: RE: Healthcare technology design weekends
>
> >  Dear vicky,
>
> > Thank you very much for reporting your recent project to us.
> > I love to see your development so far.
> > Although I am not a professional engineer in that field I would like to see
> > and explore your project.
> > Thank you again.
>
> > Regards,
> > Beom-Jin
>

> >  ------------------------------
> > *From:* ewbu...@googlegroups.com [ewbu...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> > Victoria Gerrard [victoriagerr...@hotmail.com]
> > *Sent:* 16 August 2010 14:09
> > *To:* ewbu...@googlegroups.com
> > *Subject:* Healthcare technology design weekends

>
> >  Hello EWB HMT Group!
>
> > I am finally getting round to introducing myself. Some of you may remember
> > me from the information day held at Imperial in June where I ran a session
> > on the JustMilk Nipple Shield which prevents mother-to-child HIV
> > transmission through breastfeeding. I have actually recently returned from

> > the International Development Design Summit (www.iddsummit.org) in

[Abdul Basit]

Dear Luke David

 

Thanks for showing your interest. Your experience at Narayana health centre is appealing and ofcourse it will help you a lot in your project. I am more than happy to share my telemedicine project. In order to avoid making this email 'a junk for others',  I will (very soon) email directly to your Inbox. Hope it would be fine for you and good for other members.

 

Best Regards

 

Basit

[Victoria Gerrard]

Thank you Basit. It sounds like a super programme. I am also glad that Luke might be able to use some of your dissertation as a jumping board for his own. You might be glad to know that the humanitaran centre (where EWB is based) in cambridge is planning an event around ICT and healthcare later in the year. I'll pass on the details once I have them. 
 
With regard to your questions concerning the design weekends. I see them being very flexible in format depending on what members want. I think, at least at the beginning, we could meet perhaps one day a month and depending on what is most appropriate this wouldn't necessarily need to be in person but could be on skype. For the format, at first I would like to explore the challenges of healthcare technology provisioning in the developing world. This could include inappropriate product design, dissemination models including poorly managed donations and poorly resourced managment and maintenance of equipment. I would also like to look at healthcare need in the developing world and how this differs from richer countries in the northern hemisphere. I would then like to explore how design could eleviate some of the challenges and meet some of the need. Within this I would like to discuss current solutions and then focus in on the groups particular interests and design/develop solutions identified by members during the discussions.
 
I am however very open to suggestions about what we could do as a group and what should be covered in the discussion. Also, if anyone would like to contribute to the sessions as an advisor/expert I would be very happy to hear from you.
 
Many thanks,
 
Vicky
 
         
 

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Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:32:25 +0100
Subject: Re: Healthcare technology design weekends
From: engr.a...@gmail.com
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com

[Zuleima Morgado]

Dear Vicky and all other members of the EWB HMT Group,

 

I am finally able to answer to your interesting suggestion after being struggling to make sense of my weekends for the next years. I will be very happy to get together once a month (to start with) to "discuss, design and prototype healthcare technologies for the developing world" . If there is the need or curiosity of anyone to know more about a topic in which I can be expert I will also be happy to be a speaker.

 

In order to let you know how I can contribute to this group and how could you benefit from my experience if you need it I will explain briefly who I am, what I do, what I have done and what I would be willing to do.

 

Who I am?

Woman, Mexican, Engineer (since birth) and whose passion is Mexican food (or just good food to tell the truth), music (all types of music)... art (cinema, opera and so on...), dancing... well you can ask more later.

 

What I do?

I am currently about to start my second year of my PhD in Sport Sciences in Roehampton University (it is in the south east of Richmond). Even though my degree title says "Sport" I am not doing research on that! I am currently investigating how physical activity (daily physical activity such as walking, turning and walking up and down stairs) influences the risk of vertebral fractures in elderly with osteoporosis. If you do not know about osteoporosis, look at this: http://www.nos.org.uk/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=234&srcid=183

 

What I have done?

I studied an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering with specialization in Rehabilitation Engineering, then I worked for two years in a company that imported (surgical and aesthetic laser based) medical equipment as a Service Engineer (know about preventive and corrective maintenance's, clients training, customer service and so on), meanwhile I was willing to continue my studies at postgraduate level so I studied to get a Postgraduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Engineering. After realizing that being a Service Engineer was not my favourite thing I decided to pursue further postgraduate study and led my self into research or into my own business. Since the highest degree in Biomedical Engineering offered by a single university in Mexico was precisely that of the Postgraduate Diploma that I already had I decided to come to the UK to study a Master in Science in Biomedical Engineering. I finished it last year and got this opportunity for a PhD which I am loving.

Parallel to my undergraduate degree I volunteered two months in an Organization that gives rehabilitation to people with disability in one of the several poorest regions in my country and had the opportunity to put in practice the design of assistive technology with poor resources (http://www.pinapalmera.org/index_en.htm).

Also after finishing my undergraduate degree I was setting up a company which principal objective was to manufacture different types of assisstive technology at affordable prices (all assistive technology available in Mexico is expensively imported from the USA). I was about to get funds from the government to start the company but had to quit this project because my colleagues desisted and I got a job which I was also desperate to get to be able to survive! This is how I learned how to transfer an invention to product.

My fields of expertise now are in Biomechanics (Human movement analysis), instrumentation (transducers->sensors->data acquisition->signal processing->data analysis) and I still keep that passion to apply science in benefit of those specially disadvantaged (with disabilities or with low resources) in order to provide technology for health and also to improve quality of life.

 

What would I be willing to do?

Explore the possibilities of finding a project that would interest all of us, design it, prototype it and "make it real".

 

Looking forward to our first weekend meeting,

 

Dafne

[Victoria Gerrard]

Hi Dafne,
 
What super experience! Thank you for emailing. Yes, excellent - it would be great if you would be willing to present at a meeting. I am especially interested in your experiences of setting up manufacturing facilities in Mexico in order to produce lower cost and locally available products - an area I am also currently looking to explore with other medical technologies. My favourite example of this is the intraocular lens factories in Eritrea and Nepal that supplies 13% of the global market. If anyone is interested have a look at - http://www.hollows.org/Fred/IOL/ and http://www.medicinemondiale.org/projects.
 
Just so you all know, the idea of the design weekends will be going out in the next ewb-uk newsletter which should be in two weeks. Once we see the response to this I will arrange our first meeting which I suspect will be in late October some time. 
 
In the meantime, please keep introducing yourselves! Its really interesting to see what peoples experiences are and what they would like to learn and get out of the group.
 
Cheers,
 
Vicky
 

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Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 21:30:35 +0100

Subject: Re: Healthcare technology design weekends

From: zuleima...@gmail.com
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com

[Barry Lovern]

Hi all,

Just a quick suggestion. The EWB-UK national conference and AGM is in Manchester the weekend of October 22-24. You can sign up on the website I think (the website seems to be down as I'm writing this).
This would be a great opportunity for everyone to meet in person. Also I believe there has even been time set aside for each CoP to meet together, which would be ideal to get the design weekends going.

Barry

[Victoria Gerrard]

Hi all,
 
Yes, I will be giving a brief intro to the HMT CoP at the conference on the Sunday. I only have half an hour at the moment but if anyone can make it over that would be great and we can try and make some time to sit and talk through the format at some point. Let me know if you are thinking of coming along and we can arrange a time to meet.
 
Vicky
 

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Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:51:15 +0100

Subject: Re: Healthcare technology design weekends

From: barry....@ewb-uk.org
To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com

[Victoria Gerrard]

Hi Guys,
 
Some of you may have seen this already but for those who haven't I suggest you give it a read. Its a great start by WHO in formalising the need for more appropriate and better global access to healthcare technologies. I think this will provide a great focus for our design workshops. News on these will follow soon.
 
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564045_eng.pdf
 
Thanks,
 
Vicky

 

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From: victori...@hotmail.com

To: ewbu...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: Healthcare technology design weekends

Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:38:46 +0000