Session: ASME Undergraduate Student Design Expo

Paper Number: 167184

Electromagnetic Microfluidic Pump for Wearable Insulin Delivery 

Over the past 25 years, awareness of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has grown significantly, leading to a deeper understanding of its genetics, epidemiology, and overall disease burden. According to the Type 1 Diabetes Index, approximately 8.7 million people worldwide live with this chronic autoimmune condition, which is characterized by insulin deficiency and resulting hyperglycemia. Advancements in diabetes technology, particularly artificial pancreas (AP) systems, offer promising solutions for better glycemic management. If widely adopted, these systems could potentially save 673,000 lives by 2040. However, despite their benefits, many individuals with T1D remain hesitant to use AP systems due to the inconvenience of carrying multiple integrated components along with insulin pumps.

To address this challenge, there is a pressing need for insulin delivery systems that are compact, lightweight, user-friendly, and seamlessly integrated into daily life. As a potential solution, we propose a magnetorheological peristaltic micropump: a small, portable, wirelessly controllable, and energy-efficient device designed for insulin delivery. This study introduces an electromagnetically actuated microfluidic pump featuring a flap valve mechanism to enhance fluid transport efficiency.

To evaluate the feasibility of this concept, a multiphysics-based simulation approach was implemented using a three-dimensional, time-dependent computational model developed in COMSOL Multiphysics. The study examined the complex magneto-solid-fluid interactions occurring within the pump, specifically analyzing the velocity field in the pump channel and the deformation of the pump chamber’s upper wall during operation. Additionally, a validation study was conducted by replicating an existing literature-based computational model to confirm the accuracy of the simulation methodology. Following this validation, extensive simulations were performed to assess the proposed pump’s performance characteristics.

The computational results demonstrate that the proposed pump can transport up to 1.99 μL of fluid per cycle, achieving this flow rate in just 0.41 seconds. A comparative analysis was also conducted between two models, one incorporating a flap valve and the other without a valve, to assess backflow reduction. The findings suggest that the addition of a flap valve significantly improves flow regulation, making the system more effective for insulin delivery.

The wearable patch-integrated design of this insulin delivery system includes a flow chamber, sensors, drug reservoir, and electromagnets, all working together to ensure precise and reliable insulin administration. Beyond diabetes management, the technology has broader applications, including micro-cooling devices, artificial organ blood circulation, and organ-on-chip systems for biomedical research.

By offering a smaller, more user-friendly, and efficient insulin delivery solution, this magnetorheological peristaltic micropump has the potential to increase patient adoption of AP systems and significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with T1D.

Presenting Author: Madison Winters Georgia Southern University

Presenting Author Biography: Madison Winters is a Sophomore in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Southern University.

Authors:

Madison Winters Georgia Southern University
Ayooluwa Oyerinde Georgia Southern University
Sevki Cesmeci Georgia Southern University