The frame was constructed this morning. Christina Banat, project team leader bolted 80/20’s to the aluminum frame.

This week we will be sending in the SolidWorks designs to be 3D printed. We will be working on the frame in the machine shop. We have ordered screw terminals and male headers that will be used with the Big Easy Drivers. The code for the randomization of testing sites, force levels, and time intervals is almost complete. We will be working this week to use the Arduino code that we currently have to control the motor drivers. Once this is complete, we will begin coding the algorithm for the output score.

This past weekend the Arduino code for randomization of force levels was tested using 5 LED’s; 4 LED’s representing each of the force levels and the 5th LED representing the sham application. 

We have successfully tested the Arduino code for the randomization of the testing sites using 3 LED’s representing the 3 testing sites.  Next, we will be testing the Arduino code for the randomization of force levels using 4 LED’s representing the 4 force levels.

IRB: We have completed the application for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) that we will be submitting this week in order to test the device on human subjects. The objectives of the test performed on the subjects are to test that the force applicators hit the foot and to determine if the monofilament applications are predictable by the subject. 

Project Progress: Almost all of the device’s parts are in. We now have the motor drivers, stepper motors, Arduino Mega, 7-segment display, jumper wires, monofilaments, rack and pinions, steel rods, and aluminum plate. This week we will be ordering screw terminals for the motor drivers, a push button for the user input, and a switch to turn on the device. We are also finishing the SolidWorks and will be sending the designs to the 3-D printer this week. The code for the randomization of the forces, locations, and time intervals has been completed in C++ and we are currently working on converting the code to be utilized in Arduino.

Our treasurer, Aren Moy, has made a GoFundMe for our project to raise money in order to purchase the remaining parts needed for the device such as monofilaments, 3-D printing, and additional construction materials. https://www.gofundme.com/plantarneuropathyTCNJ 

This week we will be continuing to work on the design of the frame of the device, SolidWorks, and finishing the code for the randomization of the time intervals, force levels, and testing sites.

The team  recently worked on how the electrical components will fit within the frame of the device. Within this week we will be working on finalizing the design of the adjustability in order to make CAD drawings to send to the 3D printer. The electrical components of the device have been ordered, and we are working on coding the randomization component of the device.

Plantar neuropathy is a result of damage to the peripheral nerves which often causes symptoms of numbness, pain, and muscle weakness. Damage to the peripheral nerves can be caused by traumatic injuries, infections, diseases or disorders such as metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and, in many cases, the cause is unknown. Current screening methods for peripheral neuropathy are nerve conduction velocity and EMG testing which is painful to the patient, nerve biopsy which is invasive and can cause neuropathic side effects, skin biopsy which is invasive, difficult, and expensive, vibration testing where the patient notifies when he/she can no longer perceive the vibration, and the Semmes Weinsten monofilament test where a patient indicates when the force of a wire is perceived, however, this requires training and is biased because it is performed by hand. As diabetes increases the risk of developing peripheral neuropathy and diabetes is prevalent throughout third world countries, the goal of this device is to diagnose the stages of plantar neuropathy for patients in third world countries.