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Mechanical Design and Modeling for Medical Devices and Simulators

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026 | Viewed by 787

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Interests: additive manufacturing; CAD; reverse engineering; medical image analysis; statistical shape modeling; feature recognition; 3D modeling; medical device design

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence (DIEF), 50139 Florence, Italy
Interests: additive manufacturing; reverse engineering; 3D modeling; virtual prototyping; CAD; design for additive manufacturing; patient-specific devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Technological innovation in design, 3D modeling and manufacturing is transforming the medical field. Advanced computational tools, artificial intelligence, reverse engineering techniques applied to diagnostic images, hybrid modeling approaches and additive manufacturing make it possible to work with complex anatomical structures, as well as the development of patient-specific solutions. These technologies also support the creation of surgical simulators, providing accurate, safe and effective anatomical and biomechanical representations for training and preoperative planning.

This Special Issue invites original research and review articles on the design, modeling, validation, optimization and manufacturing of medical devices and simulators. We will also consider submissions detailing advancements in materials science for biomedical devices and high-fidelity surgical simulators, with a focus on achieving accurate mechanical, optical or imaging readout properties across various diagnostic and intraoperative data acquisition systems. The aim is to highlight the technological advances driving the next generation of medical solutions.

Dr. Antonio Marzola
Dr. Francesco Buonamici
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • medical devices
  • surgical simulators
  • mechanical design
  • 3D modeling
  • computational modeling
  • patient-specific design
  • additive manufacturing
  • artificial intelligence
  • reverse engineering

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 19520 KB  
Article
Design and Validation of a Novel Modular High-Fidelity Simulator for Pediatric Percutaneous Tracheotomy Using the Frova Screw Technique
by Gaia Vannetti, Marta Mencarelli, Margherita Brogi, Luca Puggelli, Roberto Baggi, Stefano Avenali, Marco Di Mitri, Yary Volpe and Paola Serio
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 4556; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16094556 - 6 May 2026
Viewed by 369
Abstract
Percutaneous tracheotomy represents a critical airway procedure, yet training opportunities in pediatric patients remain limited due to the low incidence and high risk associated with the procedure. Simulation-based training plays a key role in enabling physicians to develop procedural skills in a safe [...] Read more.
Percutaneous tracheotomy represents a critical airway procedure, yet training opportunities in pediatric patients remain limited due to the low incidence and high risk associated with the procedure. Simulation-based training plays a key role in enabling physicians to develop procedural skills in a safe environment. This study presents the design, fabrication, and validation of a high-fidelity physical simulator for pediatric percutaneous tracheotomy using the Frova screw technique. The simulator reproduces the anatomy of an eight-year-old patient in a hyperextended neck position, allowing rigid bronchoscope insertion, and includes relevant anatomical landmarks. The presence of a blood pocket enhances procedural realism. The modular design, with a reusable base and disposable cartridge, enables rapid reset between sessions while minimizing maintenance costs. Soft tissues were reproduced through silicone molding, while rigid components were fabricated using fused deposition modeling 3D printing. Validation was performed by 39 physicians using a structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire. The simulator achieved a mean score of 4.2/5, with item scores ranging from 3.6 to 4.7, indicating a high level of perceived realism, procedural fidelity, and educational value, as well as highlighting potential areas of improvement. These findings suggest that the proposed simulator is a useful tool for simulation-based education, with the potential to improve operator confidence and patient safety in complex airway emergencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Design and Modeling for Medical Devices and Simulators)
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