Research · 2026
Circumflex — Neonatal Photoacoustic Oximeter
Two-quarter capstone: a miniaturized transesophageal photoacoustic oximetry probe to non-invasively measure pulmonary venous oxygen saturation in neonates with congenital heart disease.
Role: Capstone Team (Circumflex) — BIOE 141A/B
Overview
Neonates with congenital heart disease often need invasive measurements that extend NICU stays. As part of Team Circumflex (the BIOE 141A/B capstone), we designed the Esophageal Pulmonary Venous Oximeter (E-PVO): a flexible transesophageal probe positioned in the esophagus adjacent to the left atrium that uses photoacoustic sensing to non-invasively estimate pulmonary venous oxygen saturation — aiming to reduce length of stay in the NICU.
Highlights
- Defined the clinical need and concept for a minimally invasive transesophageal photoacoustic oximeter for neonates.
- Designed a flexible probe positioned adjacent to the left atrium to estimate pulmonary venous oxygen saturation.
- Iterated the design across milestone reviews spanning requirements, prototyping, and validation planning.
Tech & topics
- Medical Devices
- Biosensors
- Photoacoustics
- Hardware
- Neonatal Care