Above: A fluid circuit with our pulsatile valve (redacted since the technology is under patent review) and a ventricular assist device (VAD).
Most of my work is conducted at 1249 SC and 2426 SC. My research projects involve:
Located at 3139 Medical Laboratories, Bhama-Ratner Artificial Heart and Mechanical circulatory Advancement (or BRAHMA) Laboratories is a collaboration between the Department of Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE), University of Iowa. Principal Investigators are Prof Albert Ratner, Associate Professor at the Dept of MIE, and Dr Jay K Bhama, Cardiothoracic Surgeon & Clinical Professor at the Dept of Surgery.
Above: A fluid circuit with our pulsatile valve (redacted since the technology is under patent review) and a ventricular assist device (VAD).
• Medical Devices Including Rotary Valve, filed Jun 28 2016, International Application Number PCT/US17/39649. Gurjap Singh, Albert Ratner, and Jay K Bhama
• Pulsatile Flow Medical Device (Working Title for PF-enhanced ECMO), filed Jul 27, 2017. Application # 62537715. Gurjap Singh, Albert Ratner, and Jay K Bhama
• Pulsatile Flow Medical Device (Working Title for PF-enhanced Hemodialysis), filed Jul 27, 2017. Application # 62537720. Gurjap Singh, Albert Ratner, and Jay K Bhama
• Injectable Battery, UIRF 18015, Gurjap Singh, Albert Ratner, and Jay K Bhama
At our facility in 3139 ML, we have succeeded in demonstrating wireless power transmission on a working prototype. We will continue working on improving the power amplification and transmission circuits, which need several upgrades involving expensive electronics components. We will also begin computer modeling of the power coupling of the transmitter and receiver antennas at various separation distances using COMSOL multiphysics, so the form factor of the antennas can be improved. Work on this project will ultimately focus on achieving high-efficiency resonant coupling between the transmitter and receiver antennas, which will allow us to transmit power at relatively long distances and with greater efficacy.
The vision behind this work is to ultimately run LVADs and other powered implanted devices on wireless energy, harvested from one or several receiver coils embedded subcutaneously in a patient. This will then make any percutaneous power driveline redundant, meaning a large source of infections and discomfort for already at-risk patients will be eliminated.
This valve, when fitted downstream of an existing continuous-flow LVAD, will generate a pulsatile flow. The valve is highly scalable and can be made hermetic, meaning it can be used in both adult and pediatric applications. This technology now has IP protection and is the centerpiece of our two DOD grants as well.
A hermetic prototype has been constructed and is undergoing trials and troubleshooting. The hermetic motor that drives the valve has undergone successful trials, but needs further refining in order to have a smoother operation. An earlier, non-hermetic embodiment of the valve was videotaped earlier in the year, producing pulsatile flow.
Once drive and control logic troubleshooting is complete, the valve will be scaled down and optimized for blood flow using computational techniques, which will require a fluids simulation software. This group has extensive experience with ANSYS Fluent, which will be used to that end. We expect that the simulation will be computationally very intensive, and would require nodes on the supercomputer. All these computational efforts will be supplemented by further prototyping and experimental testing.
My main office is 2420 Seamans Center (SC). We have a droplet combustion lab at 2426SC. Our latest location is 3139 Medical Laboratories (ML).
You can contact me at gurjap-singh@uiowa.edu
*Page made and maintained by Gurjap Singh.*