Strain Gauge-Based Torque Sensor for Orthopedic Surgery Applications; Technological Momentum Causes Bias in Medicine: The Case of Pulse Oximeters

My technical work and STS research paper are connected as they both revolve around medical devices. The STS research paper was about an existing medical device, pulse oximeters and how technological momentum allowed pulse oximeters to have significant racial disparities for decades. My technical work explored how to improve the existing technology of surgical drills to give surgeons quantifiable data about the bone density while performing a surgery. Currently surgeons use qualitative data to judge whether a bone “feels” strong enough, to determine the best location to place surgical screws. Because this method has worked “well enough”, doctors have not had a need for a drill with quantitative data, but our project aims to allow doctors to be more accurate and improve patient outcomes. Although my technical project and STS research topic differ in the type of medical technology, both technologies highlight the influence of technological momentum in healthcare.
My technical project explored the idea of creating an attachment to existing surgical drills that would provide the surgeon with real-time quantitative data about the bone density during surgery. My capstone team built a proof of concept, but was restricted by the budget and resources that were available to us. Instead of having real-time quantitative data, the device has a microcontroller with an LED light that changes colors as the bone density changes. Additionally, the data can be saved at the end so the surgeon can review it afterwards. Although the goal was to create a commercially viable product our proof of concept displayed that there is a way to have quantifiable data attached to a surgical drill. This technology has the potential to disrupt the technological momentum of surgical drills by introducing a new product to the market.
My STS research paper explored how pulse oximeters displayed racial bias in its readings and how technological momentum prevented change from occurring. Despite studies that claimed there were racial disparities with pulse oximeters, people ignored this data and called it clinically insignificant. The data was not clinically insignificant, and it took a global pandemic for the FDA, doctors and manufacturers to act and fix this disparity. Since pulse oximeters developed as they were in every medical facility, technological momentum prevented change from occurring. It is important for engineers to be forthcoming to prevent another situation where technological momentum prohibits change and especially in the healthcare industry when lives are at stake.
The STS research paper and technical project both allowed me to see the drawbacks of technological momentum and emphasized the importance of having accurate technology in healthcare. The goal of the technical project was to fix the lack of accurate data for surgeons which led me to finding the pulse oximeter case. The STS research paper underscored the need for consistent medical data across all people. In conclusion, both my STS research paper and my technical project have shown me how technological momentum can hinder the advancement of new medical technology and the importance of pushing boundaries in the medical industry.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Technical Advisor: Jason Forman, Michael Momot

STS Advisor: Benjamin Laugelli

Technical Team Members: Grant Garland, Jackson Green, Joseph Liberatore, Matthew McEwen, Michael Riley, Logan Wasserman