Week 1: Introduction

Hello everybody! In my first senior project blog post, I will give a brief introduction to my project and my personal background. 

Introduction: 

In many parts of the world, hospitals and doctors do not have access to state-of-the-art facilities or instruments to practice special procedures or surgeries. However, computer-aided design may offer a free alternative to expensive equipment. Surgical modeling and simulations can be distributed at no cost around the world, providing medical practitioners the opportunity to gain experience using various pieces of equipment. Previous research has demonstrated viability via a model for lingual tonsillectomy and other pediatric simulations.  

My research explores the use of engineering tools in computer-aided design to bring solutions to surgical modeling by modeling the laryngoscope, which is used during various surgeries to view the larynx, as well as the structures within the throat. Through this project, I hope to determine how we can utilize computer-aided design tools to produce technology that benefits the medical industry. 

Background: 

Since a young age, I have been interested in medicine and have hoped to conduct research relating to it. My interest in biomedical engineering research started at Rosetta Biomedical Institute, learning about the pathways of cancer. During the summer of eleventh grade, my experience researching microneedle technology at Cornell University motivated me to pursue my passion for biomedical research.  

This week, I will begin learning computer-aided design from Xcelerator Academy and studying the anatomy of the larynx and the throat. I will begin modeling the laryngoscope and the larynx in the following weeks. Stay tuned for more updates!