Deployable Telescopic Tubular Mechanisms With a Steerable Tongue Depressor Towards Self-Administered Oral Swab

Abstract

Swabbing tests have proved to be an effective method of diagnosis for a wide range of diseases. Potential occupational health hazards and reliance on healthcare workers during traditional swabbing procedures can be mitigated by self-administered swabs. Hence, we report possible methods to apply closed kinematic chain theory to develop a self-administered viral swab to collect respiratory specimens. The proposed sensorized swab models utilizing hollow polypropylene tubes possess mechanical compliance, simple construction, and inexpensive components. In detail, the adaptation of the slider-crank mechanism combined with concepts of a deployable telescopic tubular mechanical system is explored through four different oral swab designs. A closed kinematic chain on suitable material to create a developable surface allows the translation of simple two-dimensional motion into more complex multi-dimensional motion. These foldable telescopic straws with multiple kirigami cuts minimize components involved in the system as the characteristics are built directly into the material. Further, it offers a possibility to include soft stretchable sensors for realtime performance monitoring. A variety of features were constructed and tested using the concepts above, including 1) tongue depressor and cough/gag reflex deflector; 2) changing the position and orientation of the oral swab when sample collection is in the process; 3) protective cover for the swabbing bud; 4) a combination of the features mentioned above.

Stretchable and Sensitive Silver Nanowire-Hydrogel Strain Sensors for Proprioceptive Actuation

“…Fabrication methods of strain sensors include developing matrices that are intrinsically conductive or embedded with conductive fillers − and depositing/coating/transferring conductive elements onto flexible/stretchable substrates such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), − ,− Ecoflex, , polyurethane, , VHB Tape, poly­(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene), polyacrylate, textile, and hydrogel . Among these, hydrogels with high stretchability, toughness, conformable mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility serve as ideal vehicles for biomedical applications. , However, strain rearrangement of conductive fillers in hydrogel matrices decreases percolation density and conductive pathways, causing significant hysteresis, inhibiting practical use. ,− As a substrate, hydrogel acts as a stress-releasing layer and matches the mechanical properties of the skin . It allows surfactants and dispersants (to stabilize active conductive materials) to diffuse through its pores, retaining the larger active elements on the surface, making it an ideal substrate.…”

“…32 Among these, hydrogels with high stretchability, toughness, conformable mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility serve as ideal vehicles for biomedical applications. 33,34 However, strain rearrangement of conductive fillers in hydrogel matrices decreases percolation density and conductive pathways, causing significant hysteresis, inhibiting practical use. 1,16−20 As a substrate, hydrogel acts as a stressreleasing layer and matches the mechanical properties of the skin.…”