Tom's Personal Clinic

Here's what "Tom's Personal Clinic" looks like so far. See my Do It Yourself Doctoring Blog for the progress reports.

Let me know if you want to know more or would like to see this setup in person! Feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested.


So far, here's what I can do....

Urine/Saliva pH,

10 panel urine test,

Average Blood Pressure,

Phonocardiograph, - Click here for "how to make"

Endoscope/Otoscope, etc. - Click here for more "how to" information

* Internet access to Symptom Checkers and other Health Information.

* Ability to send my test results to my Healthcare Professional, or anyone else, if I want to - Telemedicine.


All this was done for under $500, including $250 for a used computer.

Click here to see the report I took to the doctor. My doctor was impressed!

Future activities include additional DIY tests, "Super Symptom Checker", Telemedicine, and Interfacing with the Doctor Within. Good Luck on your own DIY Healthcare Journey!

That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://my.athenet.net/~ideas


Thanks!

Home Endoscope

Hello All - I've added a Home Endoscope to "Tom's Personal Clinic" and it works great! I can use it as an Otoscope, for closeups of skin conditions, and for other endoscope functions. I've taken pictures to my doctor and he was impressed. We both could see telemedicine opportunities for this.

You can see pictures of this at http://picasaweb.google.com/tgideas/20090729#.

I bought it on eBay for about $60 using the words home endoscope. I'm still learning how to use it but thought I'd get this out to you via this Blog, in case you haven't heard of it.


That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://my.athenet.net/~ideas

Thanks!

Electronic Stethoscope and Analyzer for under $5.00

Hello All - This posting looks at designing "Low-Cost Electronic Stethoscopes – Heart/Lung Sound Analyzers."

First off, here's something I made for under $5.00. Essentially, I modified a pre-natal heartbeat monitor with a standard stethoscope head, then fed the results into an open-source heart/lung analysis software program.

Below are instructions and see photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/tgideas/20090716#

1. Find a prenatal heart monitor. I bought mine at a charity shop for $3.00.

2. I found it works better to have an external standard stethoscope head attached to the monitor. Use a plumbing gasket and flexible tubing. Glue the gasket into the monitor head. Push the tubing into the gasket. Connect the other end of the tubing to a standard stethoscope head. I suppose you could use a small funnel if you can't find a stethoscope head.

3. On my monitor, I force the LISTEN button permanently down with a soda bottle cap and duct-tape. I then only use the ON/OFF volume control to turn the monitor on/off and adjust volume.

4. Connect the output of the monitor to the input of a laptop.

5. Download for free - Thinklabs Phonocardiography Open-Source Software

6. You're done! I plan to take a printout of my heartbeat and lung sounds with me on my next physical exam, along with normal heart and lung sound printouts too.

7. Long term, I plan to send these sounds and analysis to my doctor (telemedicine).

If you don't like what I did – here's a few others...plus some other links you might find useful.
http://nielsolson.us/Haversian/2007/12/stethophone.php

http://www.ymec.com/hp/signal2/heart1.htm

http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/science/019/index.html

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-high-tech-spy-stethoscope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqjxOapIKbE

http://www.openheartsurgery.com/heart_sounds.html

If you still don't see what you're looking for, check out these patents. Please remember that newer patents are probably not expired, and therefore active. Patents that have expired due to age (generally more than 20 years old from the filing date) are free to use by anyone. Please note that just because something is patented or written, it might not work all that well or might not be safe in today's standards. Use your own judgment, or seek help, to stay safe and out of trouble.
Electronic sound amplifier stethoscope with visual heart beat and blood flow ...US Pat. 4783813 - Filed Dec 24, 1986

Universal stethoscope amplifier with graphic equalization and teaching and ...US Pat. 5832093 - Filed Jan 4, 1996

Compact hybrid stethoscopeUS Pat. 4528690 - Filed Mar 12, 1984

ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRONIC STETHOSCOPEUS Pat. 3247324 - Filed Jun 26, 1964

AMPLIFIED STETHOSCOPEUS Pat. 2419471 - Filed Oct 28, 1944

Noise-reducing stethoscopeUS Pat. 5492129 - Filed Dec 3, 1993

In addition, here's some Idea Seeds for new and improved versions.
* Computer assisted heart/lung sound analysis with preliminary diagnosis. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17701776 and http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=548236

* Garment showing best places to place the stethoscope head for untrained people. Also, this could be shown in a training video.

* Indicator on stethoscope head showing best place for heart and lung sounds for the untrained user.

That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://my.athenet.net/~ideas/, Thanks!

Low-Cost Village Sanitation

Hello All - This posting looks at designing a "Low-Cost Village Sanitation" dedicated to the Engineers Without Borders, University of Wisconsin-Platteville chapter. Good Luck on your upcoming trip to Ghana!

The topics in this posting might be helpful in providing basic survival needs, making into products to sell, or instructions for people to make devices themselves.

As a start, how about these Low-Cost Village Sanitation patents. Please remember that newer patents are probably not expired, and therefore active. Patents that have expired due to age (generally more than 20 years old from the filing date) are free to use by anyone.

DECOMPOSITION TOILETUS Pat. 3921228 - Filed Apr 1, 1974 -

IMPROVEMENT IN PRIVIESUS Pat. 109160 -

PRIVYUS Pat. 432461 - Filed Apr 7, 1890

PRIVYUS Pat. 1290886 - Filed Jan 3, 1918 -

READY-BUILT METAL OUTSIDE PRIVYUS Pat. 2573838 - Filed Feb 3, 1947

COMBINED SEPTIC TANK AND PRIVYUS Pat. 1281528 - Filed Sep 5, 1916

IMPROVEMENT IN PRIVY-HOUSESUS Pat. 147266 - Filed Dec 9, 1873 -

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZERS FROM NIGHT-SOILUS Pat. 151905 - Filed May 23, 1874 -

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FERTILIZERS FROMUS Pat. 183242 - Filed Jun 21, 1876 -

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE FROM NIGHT-SOILUS Pat. 200731 - Filed Jan 4, 1878 -

FERTILIZERUS Pat. 232756 - Filed May 19, 1879 -

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FERTILIZER FROM NIGHT SOILUS Pat. 548561

IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING NIGHT-SOIL FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSESUS Pat. 39472

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZERS FROM NIGHT-SOILUS Pat. 129739 -
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZERS FROM NIGHT-SOILUS Pat. 151905 - Filed May 23, 1874 -

Weak alkaline organic fertilizer from organic waste including food waste and ...US Pat. 6793704 - Filed Dec 10, 2001

METHOD OF CLARIFYING NIGHT SOIL WITH BACTERIAUS Pat. 3219576 - Filed Apr 20, 1962 -
MEANS FOR DEODORIZING AND DRYING NIGHT-SOIL AND THE LIKEUS Pat. 950977 - Filed Jul 15, 1908 -

COMPOST TOILETUS Pat. 3840907 - Filed Sep 6, 1972 -

Method for natural biochemical decomposition of latrineUS Pat. 4001108 - Filed Jun 23, 1975

In addition, here's some other information you might find interesting.

CLTS - Community-Led Total Sanitation

Community-led total sanitation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Google results for Community Led Total Sanitation

Google results for Rural Sanitation

YouTube - THE NEW WAVE- Scaling Up Sustainable Sanitation in Rural ...

YouTube - Awakening - Total Sanitation in Bangladesh - Part 1

YouTube - Water and sanitation: a partnership for change

YouTube - Sanitation: A Perfect Deal!

YouTube - WECF film on Safe Sanitation

YouTube - Community-Led Total Sanitation in Bangladesh

YouTube - East Timor Water & Sanitation - Part 1 of 5 Community ...

YouTube - Awakening: Achieving Total Sanitation in Bangladesh

YouTube - Ecosan toilet in Bangalore,India - Towards sustainable ...

How to Build a Composting Toilet - wikiHow

How to Build a Compost Toilet eHow.com

How to Build an Outhouse eHow.com

YouTube - Ecosan toilet in Bangalore,India - Towards sustainable ...

YouTube - Pump Aid and the Elephant Toilet

YouTube - Water and sanitation: a partnership for change

YouTube - Sanitation in Ethiopia

YouTube - WaterSanitation's Channel

How to Build a Dry Toilet eHow.com

YouTube - Affordable Compost Toilets for the World's Rural Poor

YouTube - Towards Clean Cities: Addressing Sanitation in Urban India

Water And Sanitation Videos - Metacafe

Find your local library at Libweb and ask about Community Led Sanitation or Rural Sanitation.

You could ask for help from an Engineering School. Find schools at All Engineering Schools.

So what can you do with all this information? Here's some suggestions.

+ You could make and sell the device described in the expired patent. Please note that just because something is patented or written, it might not work all that well or might not be safe in today's standards. Use your own judgment, or seek help, to stay safe and out of trouble.

+ You could "translate" the expired patent into easy-to-understand instructions for others to make the device. These instructions could use easy-to-find materials, like trees, plants, rocks, people, scrap materials, etc.

+ You could recruit the inventors or authors to help you, since they are experts in their field. Some of the inventors of older patents might be retired now and might be looking for something to do.

+ Existing manufacturers could use this information to make their already fine products even better, more efficient, or less expensive.

+ Build on the work of others. Maybe, use patent images instead of starting with a blank sheet of paper. Computer model other's designs and make the designs better or cheaper or simpler. You don't have to "reinvent the wheel" . Design around active patents.

+ You could use the information to brainstorm new ideas.

That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".

See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://www.athenet.net/~ideas/, Thanks!

Low-Cost People Powered Corn Grinder

Hello All - This posting looks at designing a "Low-Cost People Powered Corn Grinder" dedicated to the Engineers Without Borders, University of Wisconsin-Platteville chapter. Good Luck on your upcoming trip to Ghana!

The topics in this posting might be helpful in providing basic survival needs, making into products to sell, or instructions for people to make devices themselves. Good Luck!

As a start, how about these People Powered Corn Grinder patents. Please remember that newer patents are probably not expired, and therefore active. Patents that have expired due to age (generally more than 20 years old from the filing date) are free to use by anyone.
GRINDING-MILLUS Pat. 525473 - Filed Nov 25, 1893 -
CORN CUTTING AND GRINDING MILLUS Pat. 230547 - Filed Dec 12, 1879
GRINDING-MILLUS Pat. 11181
IMPROVED PORTABLE GRINDING-MILLUS Pat. RE316
GRINDING-MILLUS Pat. 20734
Mill for grinding granular materialUS Pat. 4807818 - Filed Oct 27, 1986
DRIVING DEVICE OPERATED BY THEUS Pat. 1933654 - Filed Jun 9, 1930
CORN HUSKERUS Pat. 224588 - Filed Jan 2, 1879

In addition, here's some other information you might find interesting.
Pedal Powered Grain Mill Project Summary - Looks Good!
Pedal Power Dynapod
Processing Machines,Hand Operated Machine,Juice Machine,Pop Corn ...
Appropriate technology sourcebook‎ - Page 469
by Ken Darrow, Kent Keller, Rick Pam, Volunteers in Asia, inc - Technology & Engineering - 1981 - 816 pages
Appropriate Technology Sourcebook‎ - Page 196
by Ken Darrow, Kent Keller, Rick Pam, Volunteers in Asia - Technology & Engineering - 1981 - 816 pages
Appropriate technology sourcebook‎
1978
Page 196
How to Build a Plumping Mill: 9 steps - wikiHow
How to Build a Plumping Mill eHow.com
Michigan Tech Media Relations Story#876 - Low Tech, High Impact ...
Gristmill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Find your local library at Libweb and ask about People Powered Corn Grinders.
You could ask for help from an Engineering School. Find schools at All Engineering Schools.

So what can you do with all this information? Here's some suggestions.
+ You could make and sell the device described in the expired patent. Please note that just because something is patented or written, it might not work all that well or might not be safe in today's standards. Use your own judgment, or seek help, to stay safe and out of trouble.
+ You could "translate" the expired patent into easy-to-understand instructions for others to make the device. These instructions could use easy-to-find materials, like trees, plants, rocks, people, scrap materials, etc.
+ You could recruit the inventors or authors to help you, since they are experts in their field. Some of the inventors of older patents might be retired now and might be looking for something to do.
+ Existing manufacturers of Trash Handling System/Incinerator could use this information to make their already fine products even better, more efficient, or less expensive.
+ Build on the work of others. Maybe, use patent images instead of starting with a blank sheet of paper. Computer model other's designs and make the designs better or cheaper or simpler. You don't have to "reinvent the wheel" . Design around active patents.
+ You could use the information to brainstorm new ideas.

That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://www.athenet.net/~ideas/, Thanks!

Design Notes for Low-Cost Trash Handling System/Incinerator

Hello All - This posting looks at designing "Low-Cost Trash Handling System/Incinerator". The topics in this posting might be helpful in providing basic survival needs, making into products to sell, or instructions for people to make devices themselves. Good Luck!

As a start, how about these Trash Handling System/Incinerator patents. Please remember that newer patents are probably not expired, and therefore active. Patents that have expired due to age (generally more than 20 years old from the filing date) are free to use by anyone.

* METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ECOLOGICAL RECYCLING OF WASTE PRODUCTSUS Pat. 3728254 - Filed Sep 22, 1971 –

* Process and apparatus for treating municipal trashUS Pat. 4665841 - Filed May 16, 1986

* Method and apparatus for solar destruction of toxic and hazardous materialsUS Pat. 4432344 - Filed Jul 15, 1981

* Solar powered compaction apparatusUS Pat. 7124680 - Filed Jun 9, 2004

* METHOD FOR THE DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE BY MULTI-STAGE THERMAL DECOMPOSITIONUS Pat. 3918374 - Filed Jan 2, 1975

* Low cost trash compactor assembly with improved trash compression and ...US Pat. 5080011 - Filed Jul 24, 1990

* REFUSE INCINERATIONUS Pat. 2104040 - Filed Aug 27, 1934 –

* MOBILE TRASH CARTUS Patent 3,675,940, 1972

* METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING WASTE MATERIALUS Patent 3,426,673, 1969

* IncineratorUS Patent 3,079,878, 1963

* Method for drying refuse of refuse burning generating plant using solar hot-air device Publication info: CN1912514 (A) — 2007-02-14

* Solar refuse nonhazardous treatment method and its equipment Publication info: CN1515822 (A) — 2004-07-28

* INCINERATOR UTILIZING SOLAR HEAT Publication info: JP10160138 (A) — 1998-06-19

* Solar garbage bin Publication info: CN201151547 (Y) — 2008-11-19

* Solar flies-killing dustbin Publication info: CN201109608 (Y) — 2008-09-03

* METHOD AND DEVICE FOR A COMBINED TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC SEWAGE AND DOMESTIC BIODEGRADABLE GARBAGE. Publication info: MX9708423 (A) — 1998-08-30

* Solar refuse can Publication info: CN201027083 (Y) — 2008-02-27

To search for more Trash Handling System/Incinerator patents, try the following.
* In the Patent List above, look at the "Citations" and "Referenced by" of each of the patents that interest you the most. By doing this, you're essentially finding "more like this".
* For more Worldwide patents, go to esp@cenet.

In addition, here's some other information you might find interesting.

* How garbage truck is made - Background, Raw materials, Design, The ...

* The design of very low cost incinerators for emergency situations in developing countriesDJ Picken, MC Bennett - IEE Seminar on Appropriate Medical Technology for Developing …, 2002 - ieeexplore.ieee.org

* Low-cost incinerator units for the disposal of waste graphite and oilsMW Boback - AEC pollution control conference, 1973 - osti.gov

* Make - Solar incineration of biomass for increased energy?

* Conceptual framework for municipal solid waste management in low-income countries… on Municipal Solid Waste Management in Low-Income … - 1996 - worldbank.org

* Urban solid waste management in low-income countries of Asia how to cope with the garbage crisis

* Incineration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

* Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries

* Norton Incinerator Drawings

Find your local library at Libweb and ask about Trash Handling System/Incinerator.

You could ask for help from an Engineering School. Find schools at All Engineering Schools.

So what can you do with all this information? Here's some suggestions.
+ You could make and sell the device described in the expired patent. Please note that just because something is patented or written, it might not work all that well or might not be safe in today's standards. Use your own judgment, or seek help, to stay safe and out of trouble.
+ You could "translate" the expired patent into easy-to-understand instructions for others to make the device. These instructions could use easy-to-find materials, like trees, plants, rocks, people, scrap materials, etc.
+ You could recruit the inventors or authors to help you, since they are experts in their field. Some of the inventors of older patents might be retired now and might be looking for something to do.
+ Existing manufacturers of Trash Handling System/Incinerator could use this information to make their already fine products even better, more efficient, or less expensive.
+ Build on the work of others. Maybe, use patent images instead of starting with a blank sheet of paper. Computer model other's designs and make the designs better or cheaper or simpler. You don't have to "reinvent the wheel" . Design around active patents.
+ You could use the information to brainstorm new ideas.

Here's some brainstorming ticklers to help you launch in new directions around the topic of Trash Handling System/Incinerator.
* Cremation apparatus and methodUS Pat. 4781174 - Filed Nov 25, 1983

* Backyard Waste to Wealth Project for Low income earning countries ...

* Waste Picker Cooperatives in Developing Countries

* Waste reduction and incineration in developing countries

* Garbage: exploring non-conventional options in Asian cities

* World at work: Brazilian ragpickers

That's about all for now. As background, the site "Design for the Other 90%" said to "GET INVOLVED", so I did. I plan to continue posting these LOW-COST DESIGN TOPICS on my Blog for a while yet. Let me know if you have a topic you would like covered. I'm open to suggestions on improving my blog format, too. Please e-mail me directly.. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure you can do much better though! Good Luck!
For more of my LOW COST DESIGN TOPICS - Click on the tag below "design for the other 90%".See disclaimers on TG Ideas LLC publications and website - http://www.athenet.net/~ideas/,

Thanks!