Electronic and software redesign of a respiratory vibration therapy device
Challenges
The device manufactured and marketed by our client, a pioneer of the airway clearance medical device industry, is used to treat patients with lung conditions and breathing problems related to mucus buildup. The medical device emits high-intensity sinusoidal sound waves that produce vibrations in the walls of the rib cage. This chest physiotherapy treatment, using the power of acoustics, has the effect of draining the bronchi and clearing the airways of patients.
Used in the medical field for more than fifteen years, this device is based on a technological platform that needed to be modernized to ensure its durability. Our client entrusted this mandate to Cysca Technologies, seeking to improve the reliability of its product and its cost structure.
Solutions
This new generation of medical device had to continue to offer users the same functionalities, while giving our client greater control over its software infrastructure.
The initial project aimed to integrate the Android operating system. However, the first tests carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach exposed significant risks regarding the availability of the required electronic components. The expertise of our software development teams then made it possible to redirect the project and focus on the manufacture of a custom electronic card and dedicated software. By having the source code of its platform, our client protected itself from the risks that could affect the production and technological development of its product, both in terms of security and obsolescence.
Additionally, by adopting a simpler design that is perfectly adapted to the needs of the platform, our teams were able to use more economical electronic components. The availability of these components on the market was another important selection criterion, in order to avoid supply difficulties that would put production at risk.
Results
Thanks to the technological improvements brought by Cysca, the device has gained in stability and reliability. The new generation of our client’s product is now able to evolve over time and may even accommodate new functionalities in the future.
Project Services and Industries
Electronic design
Software engineering
Medical equipment and devices
Management of the obsolescence of electronic components