Infrared & Impedance Needle (IRI Needle)

The human body is complex and varies vastly from person to person. Due to this variation and complexity, many medical procedures are difficult to perform. Some of these procedures include using a needle to locate and penetrate blood vessels, as well as using a needle in the spinal cord for an epidural or lumbar puncture. Knowing the location of blood vessels enables the physician to place a needle in the vessel, thereby gaining access to the vascular system. Overcoming the difficulty to locate and gain access to blood vessels thus becomes a topic of value. This leads to the need for methods of needle guidance to locate blood vessels.

This small disposable needle is guided in a directional movement by near-infrared technology to either point towards the cerebrospinal fluid in the spinal canal, and away from any arteries, or towards the selected veins and arteries. This needle also indicates, by means of impedance technology, when the needle tip has made contact with the cerebrospinal fluid or blood. 

• Medical personnel, performing lumbar punctures on a regular basis
• Medical personnel, that needs access to veins and arteries on a regular basis
• Emergency Care personnel

• Unique electronic design
• A reusable program logic controller and a disposable needle
• Cost-effective
• Easy to use

Professor Pieter Fourie, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University.

Tys van der Merwe, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University.

Christoffel Johannes Fourie, Innovation4Life.

Jandre Dippenaar, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University.