Ideation Process
Innovation Situation Questionnaire
1. Brief description of the problem
design needle that injects and withdraws simultaneously
2. Information about the system
2.1 System name
intravenous needle
2.2 System structure
needle with 2 main lumen and 2 auxilliary lumen for sensor insertion
2.3 Functioning of the system
needle will allow withdrawing of undiluted blood sample with continuous injection of IV
fluid
2.4 System environment
vein interior
3. Information about the problem situation
3.1 Problem that should be resolved
prevent multiple needle sticks for blood withdraw
reduce waste of excessive needle usage
3.2 Mechanism causing the problem
necessity of repeated blood sampling during IV injection
3.3 Undesired consequences of unresolved problem
health risk to workers
being pricked by infected needle
3.4 History of the problem
Appendix 1
Doctors need to make continuous injection of IV fluid to patients, while also making
frequent blood measurements. This requires the use of a IV needle and the use of a
separate needle(s) to make blood withdraw
3.5 Other systems in which a similar problem exists
fluid tanks
3.6 Other problems to be solved
allow optical sensors to be embedded in the needle body
4. Ideal vision of solution
single needle with special head that allows selective control of pressure in one of two
primary lumen. This needle will have side-embedded optical sensors for these
measurements
5. Available resources
computational flow dynamics software - Dr. Roselli
physical test system - Dr. Giorgio
6. Allowable changes to the system
distance from tip of needle to opening of secondary lumen
length of needle
materials for needle design
stoppable IV injection
7. Criteria for selecting solution concepts
cost of design
comfort
ease of use
8. Company business environment
financial: limited funds ($300)
human: three undergraduate engineers, 3 professional engineers
9. Project data
Appendix 2
NAME: MedTG Needle Design
OBJECTIVES: design needle capable of fluid injection and blood withdraw, as well as
making optical measurements
TIMELINE:
December: Computational modeling, select initial design parameters
Literature review, incorporate into model
January: Continue computational modeling with chosen parameters
Begin construction and validation of physical test system
Create preliminary needle design, evaluate
Adjust necessary test parameters and needle parameters
February - March: Computational adjustment
Physical design incorporation of computational information
Continue testing
April: Finish design
Prepare presentation
Problem Formulation
1. Build the Diagram
Appendix 3
2. Directions for Innovation
12/4/2003 5:26:42 PM Diagram1
1. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (People dislike being stuck with
needle) in order to avoid [the] (People are uncooperative with multiple sticks), under the
conditions of [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample).
2. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (People are uncooperative with
multiple sticks) in order to avoid [the] (Physician fails his job), under the conditions of [the]
(People dislike being stuck with needle).
3. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (Physician fails his job) under the
conditions of [the] (People are uncooperative with multiple sticks) and (Health hazard due
to excessive use and waste).
4. Find an alternative way to obtain [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples) that
offers the following: does not cause [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample), does not
require [the] (Physician must monitor blood during IV injection).
5. Try to resolve the following contradiction: The useful factor [the] (Physician needs
multiple blood samples) should be in place in order to fulfill useful purpose and should not
exist in order to avoid [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample).
6. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample) in
order to avoid [the] (People dislike being stuck with needle) and (Multiple needles used),
under the conditions of [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples).
7. Find an alternative way to obtain [the] (Physician must monitor blood during IV
injection) that provides or enhances [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples).
8. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (Multiple needles used) in order to
avoid [the] (Health hazard due to excessive use and waste), under the conditions of [the]
(Must stick patient to obtain sample).
9. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (Health hazard due to excessive use
and waste) in order to avoid [the] (Physician fails his job), under the conditions of [the]
(Multiple needles used).
Prioritize Directions
1. Directions selected for further consideration
4. Find an alternative way to obtain [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples) that
offers the following: does not cause [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample), does not
require [the] (Physician must monitor blood during IV injection).
6. Find a way to eliminate, reduce, or prevent [the] (Must stick patient to obtain sample) in
order to avoid [the] (People dislike being stuck with needle) and (Multiple needles used),
under the conditions of [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples).
Appendix 4
7. Find an alternative way to obtain [the] (Physician must monitor blood during IV
injection) that provides or enhances [the] (Physician needs multiple blood samples).
2. List and categorize all preliminary ideas
instead of combined needle, design IV complementary system for obtaining blood sample
without needle stick
· Develop Concepts
1. Combine ideas into Concepts
IDEAS:
Obtain blood sample using catheter that is already injected for IV administration by
turning off IV administration temporarily
Keep separate blood draw catheter in site upstream or isolated from site of IV
administration catheter
COMPARISON:
Both allow a limited number of initial needle sticks to solve the same problem
Using just one catheter is physically superior but non-ideal because IV should not be shut
off ideally
Separate cathers is functionally superior but non-ideal because two catheters must be
used
COMBINATION:
Recipient: one catheter system, derive functional improvement from source idea
Source: two catheter system
Recipient needs to incorporate element of separate lumen to improve functionality,
design one catheter with multiple lumen
Can design bilumen catheter without increasing overall size of catheter by adjusting
shape of secondary lumen to "wrap" around the primary lumen
RECIPIENT DESIGN: will be of similar size to original single catheter but be
manufactured to have two lumen of optimized size and geometry
2. Apply Lines of Evolution to further improve Concepts
must find way to manufacture a catheter with varying sizes and orientations
must decide on suitable material
Appendix 5
must decide on a distance to separate lumen exits
Evaluate Results
1. Meet criteria for evaluating Concepts
The criteria have been met thus far. We've been able to define several x-distances
between a variety of lumen sizes as well as the parameters within which these xdistances function.
2. Reveal and prevent potential failures
The main concept is a double lumen needle that is able to continously deliver IV fluid
while drawing blood. The idea scenario for this concept is to develop a needle with two
lumens spaced as close together yet still able to draw uncontaminated blood samples
from the more distal lumen. If the distal lumen was unable to draw uncontaminated blood
the concept would be a failure. It should be possible to eliminate the failure of a
contaminated blood draw by developing a rigorous design that functions at a variety of
parameters.
3. Plan the implementation
The implementation phase consisted of doing both computational and physical models in
order to figure out which x-distances would work under what parameters. Both sets of
models tested a variety of blood draw rates, x-distances, and lumen sizes to determine
which were effective combinations.
Appendix 6