Young talent achieves paper publishing success
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Published
14 May 2024
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Three University of East London (UEL) students have published two research papers drawing on work carried out in their final year projects – a rare achievement for undergraduate research. Their work was included in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Xplore journal and presented at the International Conference on Innovation and Intelligence for Informatics, Computing, and Technologies in Bahrain.
Ahmed Ali Falah and Sri Sai Vakulabharanam’s paper Towards Tactile Sensing of The Epidural Needle into The Spinal Column examined a new approach to providing tactile feedback to medical professionals when they insert needles into spinal columns. The new method uses sensors placed at the base of the needle to make such procedures safer and more accurate.
It was co-authored by UEL Associate Professor Dr Saeed Sharif and Senior Lecturer Dr Samir Morad. Dr Sharif said he was very proud of the students’ research,
It is great to work with students on research projects and motivate them to achieve such a significant milestone during their studies. They demonstrated amazing knowledge growth on their course, improved their communications skills and applied their experience.”
Sri Sai Vakulabharanam has now graduated but he’s stayed on at UEL, where he’s studying for an MSc in Computer Science. He praised the support he’d received on his final year project. He said, “Dr Sharif and the academic team were instrumental in making our project happen. It feels awesome to see our work published. It shows our hard work paid off and can help others in the medical field.”
Hanan Lebetiou, a recent UEL graduate in Biomedical Engineering, also co-authored a paper in the same journal, which was also presented in Bahrain. Her paper Non-Invasive Ventilation Sensor Mask (NIVSM): Preliminary Design and Testing was written with Dr Morad, Dr Sharif and UEL Senior Lecturer Paul Nichols. Their work examined how to develop a mask to administer oxygen to patients without causing pressure ulcers. Sensors within the mask monitor the micro-climate under the mask and on the patient’s skin. The newly designed mask will improve the comfort and safety of patients who use non-invasive ventilation masks for long periods. These masks are frequently used in patients with acute and chronic respiratory failure.
Lebetiou embarked on her research because of her interest in a rarely explored topic. She said, “My engagement with this project was motivated by the opportunity to contribute valuable insights to an under-addressed area of healthcare. This specialised mask addresses the needs of individuals requiring prolonged hospital stays, where extended mask usage can lead to skin injuries. By detecting changes in temperature and humidity, the aim is to empower healthcare providers to intervene proactively before skin injuries develop.”
Dr Morad said he was very proud of the research carried out by all three students, “They demonstrated amazing knowledge growth on the course and applied this experience in unique clinical applications. With their first published research paper, these students have taken their first step towards a bright future.”
Dr Morad helped the students to research those topics by involving them in his own research on medical device design. Such design aims to improve the clinical treatment of patients with lower back problems and those who face prolonged stays in hospital. This enhanced the students’ learning experience as they were faced with a real-world clinical issue. The students also received support from UEL’s Digital Fabrication Laboratory, where the students manufactured their prototypes.
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