Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp
Innovative Blood Self-Sampling Device for Home-Based Testing
The patented Collect2Know (C2K) device is a state-of-the-art technology for the self-sampling of capillary blood, which offers a standardized, minimally invasive, and safe approach to blood collection.
"Can you design a device that gives a consistent bloosample volume for remote HIV/STI testing?"
"Decentralised and remote self-sampling is gaining importance, especially in HIV/STI testing. Some people still experience stigma or discomfort when having a physical blood test performed by their general practitioner."
- Irith De Baetselier, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp
The Challenge
Traditional capillary macro-sampling methods for blood collection (volumes ranging 500µl-1000µl), including the commonly used free-fall method, present significant challenges. These methods are often unhygienic, impractical, and prone to errors. The need for an improved blood collection device that addresses these drawbacks has prompted the search for a solution.
The Solution
The blood self-sampling device developed by Voxdale and ITM holds promising potential for a range of applications in research and clinical practice. It will reduce the burden on healthcare systems by lowering the number of visits to healthcare facilities in case frequent blood sampling is needed. The device can be used for several purposes such as screening for infectious diseases, monitoring chronic diseases, and seroprevalence studies, …. Moreover, the self-sampling device may be used in different cultural and logistical settings. Future studies will explore the device's efficacy in these scenarios.
Iterative Prototype Refinement
Through rigorous testing and valuable user feedback, prototypes are refined to surpass industry standards for medical device development. Each iteration brings us closer to an optimized solution that ensures the highest quality and performance.
The blood self-sampling device guarantees standardized and reliable sample collection. With a focus on user-friendliness and ease of use, a device is designed to simplify the blood sampling process, ensuring accuracy and minimizing discomfort for the users.
Currently, pilot testing of the prototypes is ongoing in a Belgian clinical setting with a sample size of 50 participants. Preliminary results from a study involving 10 participants demonstrated the device's high user-friendliness, and robust user confidence to use the device correctly.
Moreover, participants reported minimal discomfort while using the device. Six participants successfully collected 750 µL or more of blood, while two collected between 250-500 µL. To address the challenges faced by two participants who were unable to collect any volume of blood, additional lancets will be provided to allow for additional attempts.
Moving forward, our focus lies on creating a final prototype that is safe, reliable, cheap and user-friendly which will be able to revolutionize the world of blood self-sampling and which can be used in diverse healthcare settings.
Conclusion
Voxdale collaborated with Mahindra Racing to optimize and design the gearbox casing and construct the body for the racing simulator. These improvements enrich the overall racing experience and enable the team to better prepare for upcoming challenges.
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