An open airway is critical for emergency medical procedures, but intubation technology and methods have seen little change over the past century. Vine Medical is on a mission to democratize intubation, using vine-like robots to overcome the difficulties of traditional methods.
This life-saving technology is the brainchild of Elliot Hawkes, associate professor of mechanical engineering at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB). The growth pattern of a vine in his office inspired him and his students to create vine robots that can squeeze into small spaces and move through tight angles. In 2022, Hawkes, David Haggerty, a recent Ph.D. graduate from UCSB’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and collaborators founded Vine Medical to implement this innovative technology in the medical field.
Traditional intubation techniques require years of experience to master and are often reliant on ideal conditions, but this new method allows for visualization-free, self-deployment. The non-electronic soft robotic device guides a soft tube into the trachea, where it automatically conforms to its environment. The device grows from the tip reducing friction with surrounding tissues and minimizing injury. Initial testing has shown high success rates not only among highly trained users but also among non-expert users.
In the past three years, Vine Medical has raised $1.43M and is looking ahead to clinical trials. The company also plans to add a visualization system to the device to increase its capacity for feedback. If successful, Vine Medical’s innovative device has the potential to benefit millions of people around the world by facilitating the intubation of any patient by anyone.