A course on the principles of open source design, prototyping and biomedical standards was held by Arti Ahluwalia, Daniele Mazzei and Carmelo De Maria from University of Pisa's Center for Bioengineering and Robotics (Centro Piaggio), Fablab Pisa (Engs. Mazzei and De Maria). The one week introductory course, sponsored by UNECA, was designed specifically for Biomedical Engineering and took place during the Innovator's Summer School at Kenyatta University, Nairobi. The aim of the course was to integrate the concept of open source design of biomedical devices with that of biomedical device regulation and standardization and thus develop and nurture resource sharing and technological self-competency in Africa. The rationale behind the activity is that open source design of medical instruments is a powerful tool for fostering economic growth and improved healthcare, thus close attention was paid to safety and ergonomic aspects such that the devices meet with regulatory and performance standards.
The course involved setting up a 3D printing system from scratch, and design of a neonatal monitoring device from first principles using open source design and open source electronics based on the Arduino platform. Dr. Molyneux a paediatrician from University of Malawi helped in focusing the application of the baby monitor to a specific problem in paediatric healthcare
It was crucial for participants to play an active role in the identification of the problem, selection of components, design, assembling and testing of the device and in the discussion of regulatory issues in the development of the device. Thanks to a substantial donation of components from Arduino, participants were able to gain a hands-on introduction to electronic system design and programming. All teaching materials, including course documentation, the baby monitor design blueprints are available online for the community to take on and develop further. The 3D printer and all components are now hosted at Kenyatta University's Faculty of Engineering.
The course was overwhelmingly successful. Most students and staff were unaware of the existence of tools such as Arduino, FreeCad, Slic3r, Media Wiki etc, let alone the power and implications of open source design and prototyping. This experience was instrumental in bringing this knowledge to the participants, and their keen interest throughout, particularly on 3D printing and rapid prototyping was apparent. Several students and lecturers purchased Arduino kits and saw the power of the system both as a teaching tool and as an electronic device development platform.
Although there are several resource sharing platforms available as well as several courses on rapid prototyping, digital design and embedded electronics, none of these is dedicated to biomedical devices. This is because biomedical devices must be designed with safety and efficacy in mind, and they must adhere to regulatory standards. The intensive course held in Nairobi addressed safety, ergonomics, biomedical device design and rapid prototyping in an integrated manner, and is the first of its kind.
Altogether, the course was an extraordinary professional and personal experience for all concerned.