Browsing by Autor "Fabio Richard Diaz Palacios"

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A Product Life Cycle Approach to Medical Device Development for Low-Resource Settings—A Systematic Literature Review Validated in Bolivia
(American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2026) Milena Overhoff; Fabio Richard Diaz Palacios; Thomas S. Lumpe; Kristina Shea
Abstract Rural areas in most of the world lack functional medical devices for essential care. Even though devices exist on the global market, they are often designed for high-income countries with efficient healthcare systems and abundant resources. When these devices are operated in low- and middle-income countries with fewer resources, an estimated 70–90% of donated devices are not operational due to numerous challenges throughout the entire product life cycle. This article aims to synthesize the existing knowledge from the literature about these challenges, to validate them through a field study in Bolivia, and to identify the product life cycle stages that have the greatest need for further research. Through a systematic keyword search using the PRISMA method, 26 relevant articles are identified and analyzed according to the product life cycle stages they cover. The results of the literature review are validated through a 1-month field study in Bolivia with hospital visits, interviews, and focus groups with 30 participants. The results of the literature study reveal a lack of knowledge, especially about the final life cycle stages, i.e., recycling and disposal, and a wide range of challenges for the use, consumption, and maintenance stages, as well as the marketing and sales of devices. The significant overlap of the identified gaps in generalized knowledge and the practical experience in Bolivia provide a call to action for researchers and medical device developers to investigate and determine critical areas to make high-quality medical devices more accessible and sustainable in low-resource settings.
Flocking Model for Self-Organized Swarms
(2019) Kevin Marlon Soza Mamani; Fabio Richard Diaz Palacios
The algorithms of self-organized swarm control refer first to two basic behaviors, these are aggregation and flocking. The present work focuses its research on coordinated movement behavior that is defined as the ability of a group of individuals (usually composed of hundreds or thousands) to move and maneuver in a coordinated manner as if they were a single structure. Such behavior refers us to studies carried out in the field of trajectory control and aggregation behavior, both being keys for the development of a coordinated movement control algorithm. Therefore, control of the system starts from the combination of these studies. The control is a leading robot model which can be designated for any unit according to the assigned task. On the other hand, all robots except the leader keep the group attached and keeping a safe distance. The simulations of the system were developed for three units and later for twelve, observing the cohesion and uniformity of the swarm in movement.
MAMBU: A Bolivian Case of Response to Artificial Ventilators Shortage
(2022) Fabio Richard Diaz Palacios; Jhon Ordoñez; Gabriel Antonio Rojas Silva; Miguel Angel Clavijo Quispe; Guillermo Sahonero-Alvarez; Rodrigo Ruben Botelho Oblitas; Juan Manuel Valverde Velasquez; Guillermo Enrique Manning Soria Galvarro; Renan Andres Espinar Saavedra; Anna Montevilla
COVID-19 pathology is characterized by a variety of symptoms, from respiratory to cardiac and even neuronal affections. However, from all of these manifestations, lungs’ affection remains a focus of attention due to being considered as the main cause of death. Respiratory failure is treated using different strategies, but a very common practice is to provide respiratory support through artificial ventilation to patients. Unfortunately, due to the shortage of devices capable to offer such functionality, many patients are left unattended given that public healthcare systems’ resources are not enough - the Bolivian healthcare system was not the exception. This paper reports the approach followed to develop MAMBU which stands for Mechatronic Ambulatory Medical Breathing Unit, an automation system for AMBU-based ventilation designed to face the shortage of ventilation devices in Bolivia. A MAMBU device can be manufactured and assembled in a short amount of time, with a low cost and easy transportation. Furthermore, it includes control schemes to manage the respiratory frequency, I:E ratio, PEEP, and FiO2. The device was validated through instrumental testing and in-vivo procedures following Bolivian current regulations. The results obtained show that the device is safe for human usage as well as relatively reliable (around 7% of error).