Patchnosis

Patchnosis is an affordable device that allows users to conduct preemptive x-ray scanning from the comfort of their homes. 

Inaccessible healthcare is a critical issue in American society that prevents adequate treatment of individuals. The scale of this issue varies depending on socio-economic situations, however, hundreds of thousands of Americans are affected by this issue. Inaccessibility to healthcare results in multiple paramount failures for public health, one of which is, the increasing prevalence of chronic bone and muscle ailments. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately six million Americans receive fractures to their bones in a year. The current solution would result in a commute to a medical facility, in which radiography procedures and medical consultation would be provided. Regrettably, this process is highly inefficient due to the shortage of medical workers in facilities after the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, medical consultations and procedures are expensive for low-income individuals or those with minimal health insurance. In California, this situation can be observed as the mean cost for an uninsured x-ray at Kaiser Permanente hospitals is roughly $255.69 with additional costs from consultation from medical professionals. This means that the cost of a doctor’s visit with the sole intention of identifying an injury can go upwards of $300. Additional treatment, such as casts and splints, increases the cost of visits. Many families in suburban areas, such as Moss Landing in Monterrey, California, make a median household income of around $30,000. Consequently, a surplus of individuals in Bay Area communities cannot continuously afford medical consultation and treatment. Extensive costs of medical care would deplete saving funds for low or median-income individuals, which plummets their economic stature. Economic markets are combating inflation and job shortages; the introduction of additional financial concerns for citizens is a consequence worth avoiding. However, in the status quo, there is no alternative that provides a cost-effective solution for medical consultation and pre-emptive diagnosis. This exacerbates the issue of rising costs for treatment, as all solutions currently exist in a highly regulated, closed market. This prevents large-scale innovation from entering the marketplace and driving down costs. No efficient solution has been provided to solve the ailments of the average American citizen. 

Patchnosis is a compact and portable device that users can attach to an area they desire to scan. The physical product is made of two primary elements; the principal attachment is a “box”, which is constructed out of ABS plastic. Internal components of the box include electrical wiring, a fan system, and a mechanism that allows for the triboluminescence effect. The secondary attachment is an adhesive panel that contains direct-exposure film. Additionally, consumers have access to a mobile application that has the capacity to remotely manage the device and can impart suggestions to the consumer in accordance to scan results. The Patchnosis device is designed to scan an injured area of the body, such as the metacarpals, and inform the consumer of their exact condition. A user can turn the device on and overview the autonomous scanning procedures of the device while having control over critical functions via the mobile application. The scanning technology of Patchnosis involves triboluminescence; this is a phenomenon in which weak x-rays are emitted as a consequence of applying mechanical energy to certain materials in a vacuum environment. During the scanning phase, these x-ray waves have the strength to travel through the user’s chosen area and are detailed on direct-exposure film. The process in which the film images the x-ray waves is correlated with silver bromide emulsion. The silver bromide reacts with the specific wavelength that the device produces, which creates a highly detailed image. Contextually, a similar process occurs at a higher scale in a radiography procedure. Once a detailed image is produced on the direct-exposure film, a notification will alert the user. The user then has the option to use embedded features within the mobile application to further expand on the results of the scan, which can guide succeeding courses of action. 

The target population Patchnosis aims to serve includes the medically uninsured, suburban families with limited access to healthcare providers, and senior citizens. Medically uninsured individuals face rising healthcare costs from their providers. In the case of an injury, treatment will not be denied, however, preemptive care and diagnosis are very expensive, and costs can usurp hundreds of dollars. If these individuals have a family or other dependents, health-care-related costs have the potential to rise exponentially, thus putting a strain on the finances of the sedulous individuals. Suburban families with restricted access to healthcare facilities or medical consultation are vastly underserved. The necessities of healthcare are in high demand for families, and without ease of access, proper facilities for a growing family cannot be met. The senior population consists of retired citizens that are aging. Complications often arise as an individual grows older, and mobility is drastically decreased. Ailments, such as arthritis, are omnipresent within this demographic, and rapid diagnosis is not always possible. The compounding effect of these injuries escalates over time, thus mitigating potential treatments. Patchnosis directly addresses the limitations of the target market. In order to provide a viable solution to the medically uninsured, the Patchnoisis device is durable and affordable. The ABS casing of the device, combined with durable motors and an electric circuit ensure product longevity. The nature of the triboluminescence imaging system provides a cost-effective method of injury scanning; the wholesale pricing for the device would be under the threshold of fifty dollars. This reusable product can fit the budget of those under financial constraints while providing critical assistance. The durability of the product appeals to a suburban family because longevity would reduce the requirement for commutes to medical facilities. The provision of preliminary consultation allows for unrestricted care for various members of a household. A single-purchase payment would not append onto other charges, thus being a viable solution for a family. Access to medical-grade computer-tomography or radiography appliances is very restricted for the senior population. Defections in bone and tissue conditions would be undiagnosable without a proper examination. Remaining within the proximity of a medical professional would not be feasible for the majority of the population, and would be accompanied by an impressive cost. However, with a portable scanning device, the senior population would be able to afford a rapid diagnosis of an ailment. Consequently, punctual consultation from Patchnosis would set references for a consumer to receive more professional treatment. This would have the ability to positively transform the outcome of a disease.

In order to design a device such as Patchnosis, interest in the field combined with dedication and technical knowledge is paramount, which is present in both Shadab Ali and Ishaan Mandala. The issues presented by the challenge Patchnosis is resolving directly impact the future career paths of the duo. In order to make a significant change in the medical field, each member of the community must be able to access new technological revolutions. Working with current members of the industry, and gaining an understanding of the current world provides Shadab and Ishaan a great opportunity to gain experience with those we seek to serve in future years. 

Shadab Ali is a sophomore attending Silver Creek High School and has an innate interest in medical and biological studies. To pursue his interest Shadab became CPR and First Aid certified and formed personal connections with the biomedical field, especially with figures in Bangladesh and England. Shadab has gotten to learn and share experiences alongside some of the pioneers of medical care in these countries. Academic endeavors in his field of interest include courses such as AP Chemistry and Biology, alongside participation in medical immersion programs. Shadab is able to lead projects and can drive solutions to their end goal because of his experience with competitive debating. Shadab is qualified to design a product through his certification by Intuit. The Design For Delight certification by Intuit signifies Shadab’s capacity to develop and adapt a product with a user interface to better suit demands and changing markets. Furthermore, he is currently in the process of starting up a non-profit campaign designed to combat cystic fibrosis in the United States.

Ishaan, born prematurely by two months, appreciates those in the medical field enormously because of what they have done to help him live and what they do for others to save countless lives. It is also his desire to pursue a career in the medical field. When he entered middle school, any course revolving around science fascinated him, and when he got to high school, he was able to take biology. Ishaan spent much of his time reading about advanced biology concepts and discussing them with his biology teacher after school. The subject intrigued him so much that he never wanted to stop discovering new things about biology. As the school year progressed, Ishaan wanted to take a more significant step to advance in medicine. He is Red Cross Certified in the divisions of CPR, AED, and First Aid. Ishaan is also General Medical Scribe Certified. After taking various programming courses at his middle school, Ishaan is a fluent Java programmer with experience in Python too. This year, he is taking a Web and Social Media Design course and has finished the curriculum for app designing and formal user-experience design (UxD). Additionally, Ishaan is Design for Delight certified which was a course by Intuit that taught him basic entrepreneurship skills and app development.

Due to the nature of the conceptual idea of Patchnosis, cooperation with other organizations has not been possible. However, despite the small-scale operations of Patchnosis, Shadab and Ishaan have worked with their local communities to better understand the need for such a product and its corresponding impact. Research into the market demographics has been conducted, and the product design involved consultation with target consumers. Studies into statistics for solution demand from major organizations, such as the CDC or World Bank, have been researched. Although Patchnosis is a concept, research has been done on the needs and feasibility of this device.

The solution the Patchnosis device provides is paramount to the future of medical technology. In the status quo, the manufacturing of x-ray machines occurs within a highly restricted and closed market. The nature of the development results in an extortionate product, resulting in higher costs for the end user. The triboluminescence approach that Patchnosis incorporates allows for cost-effective implementation in a device. The technical feasibility, alongside the presence in an open market, provides suitable conditions for the development of more revolutionary technology at an affordable price. Pioneering affordable healthcare technology in a “new market” allows for higher benefits for consumers because of an introduction of more competitive technical solutions at a purchasing level. Aside from a market transformation, the technical capacity of triboluminescence imaging can allow for the development of non-intrusive methods of vital measurement. Due to the nature of the frequencies of emitted waves from the Patchnosis device, it is possible to develop a technology that can measure substances at the molecular level. With sufficient testing, triboluminescence scanning in the Patchnosis device may have the capacity to measure quantities in a user’s blood, such as triglycerides, lipoproteins, white blood cell count, and red blood cell count. Measurement of such quantities has the potential to lead a user to a pre-emptive treatment or cure for diseases like leukocytosis or hypercholesterolemia.

The primary technology that the Patchnosis device incorporates is the phenomenon of triboluminescence. The effect is enacted through the outstretching of pressure-sensitive tape in a vacuumed environment by applying mechanical energy against the tape roll. The procedure allows for the triboluminescence effect to occur, in which x-ray waves are emitted. Subsequently, the waves travel through a stipulated figure and are received by sets of an adequate film composed of silver bromide emulsion. This creates an image on the sensitive film, which can be likened to the product of a radiography procedure. In the instance of the Patchnosis device, a user can initiate the fundamental electrical operations of the product; this is achieved by the activation of the device via an external toggle. Thereafter, the user will be prompted to allow the triboluminescence phenomenon to occur through a prompt on a complementary mobile application. As the device receives a verification command from the user’s mobile application, a pressure system will activate, thus establishing a vacuum environment. Once pressure indicators attain a specific metric, the primary function of the device can be executed. The mechanism for which the triboluminescence effect will be generated is a platform; one end consists of a roll of pressure-sensitive tape, with the supplementary containing a concave polypropylene cylinder. A miniature direct-current motor will be situated within the polypropylene cylinder to drive the extension of the tape. This procedure directly causes the triboluminescence effect, in which quantifiable amounts of x-ray waves are emitted and detected.  

The primary barrier facing the Patchnosis device is the technical capacity of triboluminescence. It is unclear to the extent to which it can operate, and under what conditions it requires. In the present state, triboluminescence can emit a variable amount of x-ray waves that can scan a finger. However, the amount of x-ray waves needed to safely scan an arm remains unclear. Furthermore, in order to achieve this variable number of x-ray waves, the extent to which the device should be altered is shrouded in doubt. Additional research into the strength of triboluminescent-related x-ray waves must be conducted in order to allow for the device to perform at the utmost efficiency. 

Technical development does not currently follow a precise roadmap, as the future of triboluminescence scanning technology remains imaginative. Ideation into another potential household usage of the scanning technology is an alternative route for the Patchnosis product but would require considerable resource adjustment. 

In order to protect the intellectual property of triboluminescence-imaging and all technologies related to the Patchnosis device, corresponding legal copyrights and trademarks would need to be instituted. Furthermore, the foundation of a limited-liability corporation must be secure in order to perform business operations. The technical assembly would then need to be done by members of the corporation. 

Patchnosis devices will be sold through retail stores with a business-to-consumer model. The valuation of a Patchnosis unit would be $50 at retail price. The cost of manufacturing a unit is approximately $39.57, considering variable costs. The markup of 26.36% would generate slightly over ten dollars per unit sold. The additional revenue can be reinvested into research and development of triboluminescence applications or software updates for the mobile application. Well-executed local-scale operations in the Bay Area would be able to sell approximately 100,000 models in a year-long period, thus garnering approximately one million dollars in profit. The business feasibility can develop further from this position, as more insight into applications of triboluminescence leads to more technologically-advanced products. Key beneficiaries of our products would include individuals with minimal health insurance, members of the senior population, and families with limited access to medical consultation. The service Patchnosis provides customers is the capability to scan body parts, determine injuries, and suggest further courses of action. These duties are all completed in a prompt and affordable manner and can be preferred to the current alternatives. In the status quo, solutions to customer ailments involve expensive medical consultations with restricted ease. Patchnosis allows for a comparable experience at an affordable price while negating feasibility issues. Units will be retailed at local convenience stores, primarily featured in health-related and pharmaceutical sectors. Additionally, the Patchnosis device can be sold on a licensed website, which can harness online media traffic and sell more units.