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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Skin tribology with compliant materials for medical and healthcare applications

Objective

The goal of this project will be to facilitate knowledge transfer regarding the characterization of high compliancy materials from SUT to Philips Apptech, and apply this knowledge to the development of prediction methods and design rules for the friction behaviour of human skin in medical and healthcare products containing such materials as bulk, or on the surface as coatings or inserts. Polymers, elastomers and hydrogels are used extensively in health and medical condition monitoring products (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, skin condition), hearing aids, catheters used for introducing or withdrawing fluid from the body, and contact lenses. The material surface of these products greatly influences the friction behaviour and tactile performance or "feel" in contact with the human body.

The latter is determined largely by the tribological behaviour, which is essential in governing the responses of various sensory receptors within the skin. Current product design practice regarding friction behaviour is still based on trial and error, leading to long design lead-times and often to inferior solutions. The main innovation of the ToK research project is the re-use and integration of the knowledge and expertise available at the partner's institutions on skin tribology against hard materials (Apptech), and mechanical behaviour and surface characterization of compliant materials (TUS).

Appropriate prediction methods and design rules will be developed, enabling design practice on the basis of understanding of the friction phenomena and leading to an optimum combination of functional and comfort performance in healthcare product design. In the proposed project, one experienced researcher from Apptech will be exchanged with two experienced and two very experienced researchers from SUT. The bulk of the research work will be carried out physically at Apptech because the test equipment needed for friction experiments in-vivo on human skin is available only at Apptech.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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FP6-2005-MOBILITY-3
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

TOK - Marie Curie actions-Transfer of Knowledge

Coordinator

PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NEDERLAND BV
EU contribution
No data
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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Participants (1)

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