Piezoelectric Coagulation Profiler

To address the Army need for a disposable cartridge and associated handheld analyzer of coagulation properties of blood samples, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Piezoelectric Coagulation Profiler (PCP). The proposed device is based on integration of a piezoelectric vibrating membrane and optoelectronic readout scheme for measurement of the viscoelastic properties of blood. The innovative integration of the piezoelectric sensor technology and laser optical readout scheme will enable the proposed system to measure the blood clotting parameters (based on a small blood sample,>10x less than current approaches) in a battlefield environment and in the immediate vicinity of the patient. As a result, the PCP device can be fabricated in a handheld format (>40x smaller than the conventional tabletop system), ruggedized for military applications, and capable of quickly accessing the blood coagulation profile, which directly address the Army Medical Research and Material Command need for analysis of blood clotting parameters. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the PCP system by simulating the system, designing and building a prototype, and testing its key features. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a stand-alone, handheld device ruggedized for military applications and test it with blood samples.