Design
Dream Team Engineering’s design branch is made up of a multitude of teams that focus on using 3D-modeling skills to fulfill healthcare needs.
Cardiothoracic
The Cardiothoracic team creates models of heart and lung-related issues to further patient and student education. The models are primarily 3D-printed and can range from toys in pediatric waiting rooms to disease condition models in physician offices. The team is currently working on a model for supraventricular tachycardia, which will be used by a physician at Shands as a visual representation of the defect during patient consultations as well as a Lung Balloon Model and functional EKG for Dr. David Julian’s Cellular Systems and Physiology class.
Caudal Block
DTE’s Caudal Block project is a collaboration with CSSALT (Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies) to design, build, and code a mixed reality simulator for surgeons and residents to practice performing a caudal epidural block on a 6 month old child. A caudal block is a procedure used to administer surgical anesthesia to children by inserting a needle through the sacral hiatus. A very delicate procedure like this requires a large amount of practice, which DTE’s simulator hopes to provide.
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Infantile IV
The Infantile IV team works alongside CSSALT (Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies) to design a mixed reality trainer for students, physicians, and nurses to practice administering a leg IV to an infant. The physical aspect of the trainer consists of a life-sized leg, modeled from scans of a real infant and cast with silicone rubber. Users can insert a needle into this model as if they were performing the procedure on a real infant.
STEM Special Events
STEM Special Events is focused on outreach style events to educate children at Shands Children's Hospital, as well as the greater Gainesville area. Our team is special in that we design curriculums and combine them with design projects, offering children the unique experience of hands-on learning. We've done it all... from CSI forensics to erupting volcanoes!
Liver Transplant
The liver transplant training model project is designed to provide surgical residents with hands-on experience to master complex surgical procedures. Utilizing anatomically accurate liver models, surgical residents will be able to practice various transplant techniques with synthetic and genuine organs. The team is developing a comprehensive liver transplant simulation model that is anatomically accurate using advanced 3D modeling and printing pictures.
Gainesville Fire Rescue
The Gainesville Fire Rescue Design Team is dedicated to revamping the city’s remote-activated fire hydrants to enhance their reliability and functionality during emergencies. This initiative focuses on replacing outdated valves and actuation systems for faster and more dependable operation, upgrading signal interception and processing to ensure seamless remote activation, and implementing efficient, long-lasting battery solutions to maintain continuous functionality.
Cardiac Data Device
The Cardiac Data Device team is working on creating a wearable device (like a bracelet) that can continuously track blood pressure non-invasively. The team's goal is to utilize blood flow, pressure, and temperature (along with individual vitals like height, age, and weight) to create an accurate estimate of blood pressure without any constriction. To do this, we are utilizing photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensors, pressure sensors, and thermistors, and we are passing the data onto a machine learning model that can accurately create a continuous reading of blood pressure.
Suture Pads
The Suture Pads team is focused on developing a tool to measure performance and evaluate potential biases in suture training. Using external sensors and data collection methods, our project analyzes how medical professionals interact with suture pads of varying skin tones. By identifying discrepancies in performance, this tool aims to promote awareness, inclusivity, and equity in surgical education and training.
