Orchid Technologies Engineering & Consulting Designs a Cough-Assisting Device

Orchid was approached by a leading medical device company to take-over the electronics design of their cough-assisting machine. In development for three years, our client's original design team got boxed in through a series of poor architectural choices. Orchid studied and reevaluated the entire electronics design. Making radical changes, we executed the delivery of working prototype units in four months.

Cough-assistance requires the production of pressurized air. That air pressure must be controlled with great accuracy throughout the cough-event. During the cough-assisting process, airflow through the motor system changes rapidly. These changes cause large, step-function changes in the motor's load. To function correctly, motor control electronics must rapidly adjust to these rapid changes in motor load. PID motor speed control with advanced feed-forward control techniques permits precise motor speed control.

�We were very pleased to develop a coughing machine that would help individuals who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis, ALS, and other muscular diseases, that prevent individuals from coughing on their own,� says Paul Nickelsberg, President and Senior Engineer at Orchid Technologies. � During the design process we realized the impact this device this would have on people's lives. Quality of life is important to everyone and our cough-assist design is a miraculous aid for people in need of help.�

The development of custom electronics technology solutions for our OEM clients is Orchid's entire business. High-performance custom medical electronics with rapid design cycles, demanding technical requirements and unforgiving schedules set us apart. Call Orchid Technologies today at 978-461-2000.