CASIT has various ongoing resarch projects focused on telemedicine, telementoring, medical robotics, prosthetics, medical imaging, medical devices, and clinical outcomes. These collaborative projects take the approach of applying technologies developed by engineers to the medical needs of clinical specialists. The projects are listed below:

Telementoring: A haptic-guidance system for laparoscopic tools is under developement to facilitate minimally invasive surgical training and telementoring.

Haptic Feedback System for Robotic Surgery: A pneumatic tactile feedback system is under development to restore tactile input to the surgeon during robotic surgery. 

Haptic Feedback for Prostheses and Sensory Neuropathy: A novel pneumatically-driven balloon-based tactile feedback system is currently under development for lower-limb amputees and for patients with lower-limb sensory neuropathy. The system will translate the pressure distribution on the feet into tactile information which can in turn be relayed to the body through a series of balloon actuators.

MEMS Sensors for In-vivo Monitoring: A catheter-mounted MEMS-based pressure sensor for continuous, wireless (radiofrequency) integration of pressure monitoring in the urinary tract will be developed. Packaging technologies developed by Minimed Medtronic, Inc. will enable safe long-term use. This sensor should ultimately be applicable to monitoring pressures in other organ systems as well.

Telepresence Using Robotic Wireless System: A software application for remote wireless access in real time to a comprehensive set of medical data is being developed. A wireless mobile pocket device will allow access to all data, including viewing radiographic imaging connected to the PACS system. The entire medical electronic record can be accessed remotely in real time. New high-speed cell phone networks are employed. This technology will be fused with the InTouch robot for virtual physician presence at the bedside, in the Emergency Room, or on the battlefield. It will allow for remote expert consultation, with the ability to view the patient, interview the patient, and assess a complete set of medical data in real time.

Ultrasound-Guided Procedural Training: Computer-based procedural training and educational methods are being explored to practice procedures without risking iatrogenic injury. The project will develop a desktop computer-based platform that will train users how to perform ultrasound-guided procedures. It should provide a platform for the development of additional procedural training using text, audio, digital video, 3D modeling, and force feedback.

Flexible Ultrasound Arrays for Medical Imaging: Flexible conformable ultrasound arrays are under developmetn for medical imaging. These arrays have the advantage of providing multiple unique "looks" around objects to produce high resolution volumetric images of curved body surfaces in real time. This blood-pressure cuff-type flexible conformable array will allow less experienced personnel to obtain high quality images with minimal manipulation of the affected extremities, since mechanical scanning is not required.

Thin Film Nitinol Low-profile Devices for Vascular Repair: The focus of this research is to develop an ultra-low profile device containing new thin film Nitinol to occlude the damaged vessels preventing excessive blood loss as well as subsequent repair.

Reflective Terahertz Medical Imaging Systems: A terahertz (THz) imaging system is under development for medical imaging applications. The high dielectric constant of water in the 300 GHz to 3 THz range lends itself well to the detection of slight variations in water content of biological materials.

Clinical Research: Minimally Invasive Surgery attending physicians, fellows, research residents, and rotating medical students have been accumulating a database of bariatric and other non-bariatric laparoscopic surgical cases since January of 2003.  Accurate outcomes analyses have resulted in numerous oral and poster presentations at various surgical societies and publications in surgical journals.  Participants are also initiating several prospective clinical trials in hopes of improving surgical outcomes and patient care through the practice of evidence-based medicine.