Singapore General Hospital Develops Automated Beverage Thickening Machine
Singapore General Hospital has developed an automated device, VisBuddy, to prepare thickened beverages for patients with swallowing difficulties. The machine aims to improve speed and consistency in a clinical setting.
Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has developed a new automated device, named VisBuddy, designed to facilitate the preparation of thickened beverages for patients experiencing swallowing difficulties.
The device addresses the time-consuming and often inconsistent nature of manual preparation. Patients with dysphagia require liquids at specific consistency levels, dictated by international standards, to prevent choking or aspiration. Previously, hospital staff spent considerable time manually mixing and testing these drinks.
The VisBuddy team, led by speech therapist Dr. Wong Seng Mun, engineered the device to meet three key requirements: safety (correct consistency without lumps), swiftness (faster than manual mixing), and surety (meeting international standards for thickened liquids).
Operation is straightforward: staff add liquid and thickening powder, select the desired consistency, and VisBuddy automatically mixes the beverage. The machine has been piloted at SGH, and the team is pursuing commercialization, which could significantly reduce nursing workload and enhance patient safety.