SBIR Phase I: Automatic debridement device

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to improve the quality of life for the estimated 38 million people in the US, and 780 million people globally, who are suffering from nail fungus (onychomycosis), a $4.5 billion global opportunity. Onychomycosis is a serious health problem without a cure and affecting quality of life.

Fungal nail infections contribute to the severity of diabetic foot problems and potentially leading to tissue necrosis and ultimately lower limb amputation. Current treatments have limited efficacy, often with serious side effects; oral medications may cause liver damage, and topical antifungal drugs and lasers have low efficacy due to their limited ability to penetrate the dense and variable thickness nail plate.

This project will develop an autonomous robotic debridement device to reliably, precisely, and uniformly reduce the diseased nail thickness, which can be particularly effective in combination with laser or topical treatments for improved outcomes.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will design, develop, and build an engineering prototype to demonstrate the feasibility of the novel conformal scan-based precise debridement treatment for onychomycosis. The technology offers precise and uniform polishing of the nail at the micron level, reducing the nail thickness down to its structural yet still safe limit. A 3D printing process will be developed for models used to validate design and demonstrate feasibility.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.