Literature Review

The research foundation at the University of Utah, filed a patent for an active needle device with an active component such as a sensor or an actuator integrated into an elongated shaft of the needle. The needle is designed for fluid injection or extraction. The research group plans on using shape memory alloys (SMA) as the actuator mechanism. Although the Utah research group is also using SMAs, our team can still build upon their active needle's concepts and test trials.

Active Needle uses the piezoelectric effect, which occurs when piezoelectric material experiences mechanical stress. When the material undergoes mechanical stress, this generates an electric charge. This company uses the reverse piezoelectric effect where instead of applying mechanical stress to the material, they apply an electric charge to the material in order to cause mechanical deflection. They use ultrasound technology to track the needle during insertion.

Since our active needle have the potential to help in cancer treatment, we researched over some cancer treatment procedures such as biopsy, thermal ablation, and brachytherapy. For the procedures such as biopsy and brachytherapy, the design of a hollow needle provides a general starting point. For thermal ablation, current research studies use ground electrodes to target undesirable tissue. In order to integrate a controllable heat source with proper insulation to other parts of the active needle will become one of the future challenges our group must overcome.