Week 3: Testing Method

This week the group’s discussions and planning were primarily focused upon the testing of the magnetic field induced medication release. Specifically, the group spent a good amount of time determining necessary materials to do this and then ordered them. Several new items were ordered including 5 pounds of iron(II,III) oxide nanoparticles (30 micron), and clear plastic tubing. An extra few days was allotted for the planned arrival of these materials, due to the processing speed of Drexel University’s postal delivery service.

Figure 1. Test setup and measurement

These materials were ordered with a specific testing strategy in mind. First, the group considered the scale that everything aspect of the experiment (tube size, electric/magnetic field power) would have to be since the capsule size would have to be enlarged in order to prototype. It was determined that a 3/4 inch inside diameter tube would be adequate. Figure 1 shows the step by step function of the proposed test setup. The next thing the group considered was the flow of liquid inside the tube. In an effort to properly simulate the effects of this medication method on a patient, the liquid within the tube would have to be flowing at a rate proportional to that of blood flow within a blood vessel, after being adjusted for scale. Several options were considered, including using a pump and simply elevating the source of liquid and having gravity pull the liquid through the tube, as shown in Figure 2. Due to cost constraints, the pump option was determined to be too expensive and the gravity-assisted flow would although cumbersome, would better serve this project.

Figure 2. Potential arrangement for gravity-induced flow