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 clients 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 motors 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 peoples 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 Orchids 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 or visit our website to review our recent design projects at www.orchid-tech.com