As a biomedical engineering major, Brian Cottle, in his sophomore year at the U, developed “The Wedge.” It is used for abdominal muscle endurance testing in clinics that study intra-abdominal pressure. It allows clinics to consistently measure someone’s abdominal strength. You’re probably wondering, “What’s the point?” According to the National Center for Health, 24 percent of women will have a primary or recurring pelvic floor disorder, a disorder where organs fall or droop below the abdomen, causing extreme discomfort. “This study aims to debunk or understand the correlation between the intra-abdominal pressure and failure of the abdominal area. It’s a hidden epidemic,” Cottle said. He has worked on numerous projects in a lab managed by professor Robert Hitchcock. Learn more about Hitchcock’s at hitchcock.bioen.utah.edu.
More articles like this in ‘Student Innovation @ the U!’
Find this article and a lot more in the 2017 “Student Innovation @ the U” report. The publication is presented by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to celebrate student innovators, change-makers and entrepreneurs.
