Improving Communication for the Visually Impaired Through an Innovative Arabic Writing System
Visual impairment is a major global health problem. In 2017, WHO estimated that there were 253 million people worldwide with this ailment. According to the journal of the American Medical association, the prevalence of visual impairment in the Saudi population is 9.3%. Learning Braille by families of students with visual impairments remains a major obstacle, which precipitates several communication issues. Moreover, difficulties for the students themselves lie in learning braille with languages that include diacritical marks; consequently, affecting their academic progress. My main objective of this project is to help improving life quality of these individuals, and the focus is to advance their social productivity and adaptation. This was accomplished through creating a new simpler Arabic writing system using geometrical shapes. As a part of this project, fifteen participants with visual impairments were interviewed and tried this new writing system; two of them are adults between 25 and 40 years old while the rest are students from 9 to 17 years old. Additionally, 100 participants with visual impairments completed a survey. The data showed that students learned this system in two hours in comparison with students that mastered braille in a few months. This shows that this system is easier to learn and subsequently saves time and effort. The most important value added to this project is that diacritical marks were combined with the alphabet, thereby considerably reducing book sizes compared to Braille-written books. This project presents a novel system that helps people with visual impairments to increase their confidence and independence.
Improving Spinal Fusions: Redesigning the Pedicle Probe to Prevent Vertebral Breaches
Pedicle probes are medical devices used by surgeons during spinal fusions for patients with conditions such as scoliosis and spinal fractures. The probe creates pilot holes to guide the placement of pedicle screws in vertebrae. The screws are then connected with a metal rod to stabilize the spine. Twenty-nine percent of patients who undergo spinal fusions suffer from vertebral breaches – accidental damage to the spinal cord – which cause complications such as infection, motor defects, and in many cases paralysis. My goal was to make spinal fusions safer by redesigning the pedicle probe to provide surgeons with instantaneous feedback on the probe’s location, enabling them to more accurately place pedicle screws. The pedicle probe I developed takes advantage of the difference in density between the inner cancellous (spongy) bone and the outer cortical (compact) bone found in vertebrae. Cortical bone is avoided by monitoring the cannulation force – the force required to insert the probe. When the probe contacts denser cortical tissue, it warns the user by providing tactile and visual feedback through a vibration motor and an LED. This enables the surgeon to redirect the probe and advance down the optimum path, preventing a possible breach. It proved successful in preventing breaches on lamb vertebrae, which closely resemble human vertebrae. This novel device improves feedback to the surgeon and eliminates the need for costly and potentially harmful ionizing radiation exposure. Furthermore, it does not depend on, or require, any preoperative imaging. The cost of manufacturing the improved probe is less than $42 USD (NT$1297). Results of patent searches for 加拿大, the 美國, and Europe suggest that the redesigned probe is unique in predicting and preventing breaches in spinal fusions based on predetermined force threshold values. The probe is also unique in enabling personalized procedures in spinal fusions for those with complications, through calibrating a control (force) limit based on tissue samples prior to the procedure. Enhancing a surgeon’s ability to determine an appropriate path for pedicle screws through a sensor-enabled probe has the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of vertebral breaches during spinal fusion surgery.
Convert pixel image into paths saves in XYZ format to use in CNC machines using innovative algorithms.
CNC machines use vector graphics or vector image programs that take time and effort on hobbyists. Therefore, it is important to provide accurate techniques for converting ordinary images available on the Internet or can be designed with easy programs. In order to have precise drill paths read by CNC machines directly and produce a product that does not contain rattles at the edges. This depends on the accuracy of processing the extracted paths. The development of algorithms has been completed Transforms Pixel image into Paths with XYZ extension, which is used to drill material and cut it through CNC machines. And the algorithms are based on transfer images with low quality. And Its Advantage that it can create high Paths with as few points as possible. The program can convert the pixel image into paths, and then converted into g-code, and use it in CNC machines directly.
BA-ADA based ROS-responsive nanoparticles for selective drug delivery in cancer cells
Current medical intervention in cancer therapeutic methods has shown risks and side effects with normal tissues. This includes incomplete cancer eradication. In reference to numerous studies and literature reviews, a stimuli-responsive drug delivery system is selected as an innovative, safe and more assured treatment due to its site-specific release ability. This allows specific intervention upon the given stimulus which response to the presenting disease symptoms. Hence, we designed a ROS(Reactive Oxygen Species)-responsive BA-ADA(4-Hydroxyphenylboronic acid pinacol ester and 1-Adamantanecarboxylic acid bonded molecule) nanoparticle delivery system. In our study, ROS-responsive nanoparticle was designed and prepared based on a synthetic molecule from BA and ADA. A therapeutic payload, Doxorubicin, can be loaded into the nanoparticles and it can be selectively released within cancerous tissues whereby ROS level is over-expressed. This will enhance both therapeutic efficiency and reduce side effects. The stability and ROS-responsiveness of the particle were proven in a series of evidence-based experiments. The results showed a significant difference in cell viability during the experiments with healthy and cancerous cell samples. Further research will be required to extend the experiment in vivo.