# 159. AI Makes Catheters 100 Times Safer

- Show: [The Next Byte Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast)
- Published: 2024-01-30
- Length: 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer
- Listen: https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer-Z7V4BwxM

## Summary

Researchers at Caltech, including Dr. Zuo and Professor Dario, designed a catheter with shark-fin-inspired triangular protrusions to prevent bacterial infections caused by Poiseuille flow. By collaborating with biologists and the Anand Kumar AI lab, they used neural operators to optimize the geometry, reducing bacterial movement by 100 times. This passive, mechanical solution avoids antibiotic resistance and addresses a $300 million annual cost for US healthcare. The team utilized 3D printing for prototyping and high-speed cameras for validation to iterate rapidly on the design.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer#t=0) Introduction: The Catheter Infection Problem
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer#t=188) Caltech Researchers and Poiseuille Flow
- [8:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer#t=516) Shark Fin Geometry and Turbulence
- [12:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer#t=735) 3D Printing, High-Speed Cameras, and AI Optimization
- [16:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer#t=985) 100x Reduction and Economic Impact

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Caltech (company)
- Mouser Electronics (company)
- Wevolver (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Joe Bogusky| Surgical Robots, Catheter R&D, & Seahorse Tails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-05-20-joe-bogusky-surgical-robots-catheter-r-d-seahorse-tails) (Being an Engineer)
- [S1E15 Robot Cinematography, 16-day Ventilators, & Identifying the REAL problem | Russ Aldridge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-06-19-s1e15-robot-cinematography-16-day-ventilators-identifying-the-real-problem-russ) (Being an Engineer)
- [Michael Brooks | How BayCath Medical Is Rethinking Catheter Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-08-21-michael-brooks-how-baycath-medical-is-rethinking-catheter-development) (Being an Engineer)
- [S1E02 $1k to $25M in 12 years | Dan Kasprzyk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-04-29-s1e02-1k-to-25m-in-12-years-dan-kasprzyk) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-30-159-ai-makes-catheters-100-times-safer. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Next Byte Podcast.