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Just
over ten years ago, Keith Simpson, a practising vet and an electronics
enthusiast, perceived a need for a variety of innovative products
that could support his own work and also the work of other veterinary
practices specialising in the care of small animals, birds and
reptiles. He founded Vetronic Services and went on to design,
build and supply a range of electronic products which are now
marketed successfully throughout the world. These products range
from anaesthetic, ECG and respiratory monitors to diagnostic
ECG recorders, analysers and ventilators. In each case, Keith
Simpson has set aside the conventional approach of adapting
products intended for human care and instead designed equipment
specifically for the veterinary market. His increasing involvement
in electronics design has also led him to undertake a Master's
degree in electronics and to register as an Incorporated Engineer.
Vetronic
Services recognised the potential benefits of introducing digital
technology into its product range, which include greater flexibility,
ease of use, higher reliability and precise control of all the
respiratory parameters. The company approached the Electronics
Design Support Centre at Bournemouth University and opened discussions
on how the existing (analogue) products could be upgraded to
incorporate microprocessor technology. The first product selected
for evaluation was a ventilator for small animals weighing between
50g and 50kg.
A
feasibility study undertaken by the Support Centre demonstrated
the practicality of building an instrument incorporating a microcontroller
that would offer several new features, including control of
inspiratory time, volume and flow rate, in addition to the control
of airway pressure and expiratory time offered by the analogue
product. The digital instrument would also provide much more
comprehensive feedback to the operator, with displays of airway
pressure, compliance and flow rate, calculated volume and breathing
rate. It offered greater precision of control, provision of
safety alarms and a variety of special operator control facilities.
Keith
Simpson decided to go ahead and build a prototype of the digital
ventilator. The Support Centre gave advice on writing the detailed
specification of the product, helped with the selection of a
microcontroller, a stepping motor and its associated controls.
A prime consideration was to keep the cost of components to
a minimum, whilst providing extensive analogue and digital signal
processing and displays. In the case of the microcontroller,
the PIC range was selected on the grounds of projected sales
numbers, the low cost of development tools and the predicted
rapid learning curve.
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The
Centre helped the company secure European Community funding
for the ensuing development and, in spite of some delays in
payments from Europe, which precipitated temporary cash flow
difficulties, the project was completed within the 12 month
target.
The
prototype was a great success, and performance exceeded the
original specification. A fully engineered version - the Merlin
Ventilator - is now in production and on sale. With its truly
novel features, this is beginning to find favour with Veterinary
Schools and veterinary anaesthetists and a number are already
in use.
However,
this is just the beginning of the story, because Vetronic's
experience with Merlin has now encouraged the company to introduce
PIC microprocessors into six more of its products, boosting
market share and profitability and establishing a reputation
for the company as a leading supplier of innovative veterinary
products incorporating the very latest microelectronics technology.
For
further information visit:www.vetronic.co.uk
Click on the image to enlarge:
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