Are you looking for a tool to better diagnose climbing sports injuries?

Ace Stoßdämpfer calls on young engineers to develop a tool for better diagnosis of climbing injuries. This tool should improve imaging and diagnosis by exerting the same load on the fingers on MRI as was done at the time of injury. Apply for the Innovace Student Award Can the April 1 until September 30, 2024.

Injuries are not uncommon in sport climbing. Ligament and tendon injuries in the fingers occur regularly. This is usually difficult to see on MRI scans. The problem here is that injuries to the annular ligaments, which control the flexor tendons and flexibly attach them to the bony structure of the fingers, cannot be optimally visualized without straining the fingers.

Participating students must develop a solution that allows constant forces of up to 1 kN to be applied to patients' fingers in small steps or continuously via a climbing grip. It must be possible to stabilize the forearm or hand and isolate it from vibrations such as muscle twitching. There should be a contact surface for the upper body or shoulders so that patients do not have to constantly maintain the load during a long MRI scan. The utility must also be adaptable to different arm lengths and hand sizes, and the possibility of interchanging the handles must also be taken into account. Since the design must be suitable for use in the immediate vicinity of the MRI scan, magnetizable materials should not be used.

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Students (teams) who study electrical engineering, medical technology, mechanical engineering or mechatronics at a university or (technical) college and who are guided by a tutor during the design with technical proof of function and feasibility can participate. The Ace rewards the winning team or student with a financial prize of 5,000 euros. In addition, the accompanying chair or course will receive 2,000 euros.

More information about the exact requirements and technical conditions can be found at www.ace-ace.de.

Caller data

TitleAlbert Einstein Street. 15

Zip code and city

4715 N.B
Langenfeld