Embedded Physiologic Sensors for Ambulatory Monitoring

Not Available KCI proposes to design and prototype pultruded polyurethane matrix composite stanchions to replace the steel tubing currently used for shipboard safety railings. They key technical challenge is establishment of commercially-robust processing technology that will allow routine pultrusion of polyurethane matrix composite structures. KCI will evaluate the range of available urethane matrix materials with the goal of identifying the best resin for KCI's modifications to formulate it as a pultrudable system. KCI will work with our formulation subcontractor, Science Research Laboratory, to specially blend a polyurethane system that simultaneously meets the wet out and curing characteristics required of a pultrudable resin and the ultimate service requirements of the composite stanchion. KCI will select reinforcing fiber materials, design a composite from these fibers and our formulated pultrudable polyurethane, and perform finite element analysis to verify performance of the stanchion when exposed to critical design loading. KCI plans to investigate both conventional tubular stanchion configurations and other, more novel open section designs that would simplify tooling, ease process development and ultimately reduce production cost. Prototype polyurethane matrix parts will be pultruded and tested, and initial project ions of the production cost for the stanchion developed during Phase I.