Wireless Device Servers Enable Portable Cancer Treatments
IOLAN WiFi Device Servers provide Ariane Medical a safe and secure way to transmit serial RS232 data over WiFi
WiFi networks continue to grow in popularity because they are easy to install and do not incur the additional expense of running Ethernet cable in locations where it is impractical. They also enable engineers to rethink and redesign applications previously hard-wired to specific locations. However, not all devices can natively transmit data over 802.11 WiFi.
The goal: A wireless, portable next-gen treatment system
Take Ariane Medical Systems, for example. They have been delivering ground-breaking cancer radiation treatment for over 10 years. Mark Davies, Sales Manager at Ariane Medical Systems, explains, The type of non-surgical radiotherapy that we specialize in is suitable for rectal/bowel, superficial skin, and breast cancers. The Papillon systems deliver low-energy, high-dose, targeted x-rays via patented X-ray tube technology. Unlike traditional radiotherapy, little or no capital expenditure is required for protective radiation shielding in hospital suites due to the low energies used.
The Ariane R&D team wanted their next-generation treatment system, the Papillon+, to be more accessible by making it wireless and portable. The blueprint was for a cable-free system that could be moved from one location to another. This would allow for treatments to be carried out in brachytherapy suites, treatment rooms, and operating theatres. This mobility would also enable smaller trusts, hospitals, and municipalities to pool together their financial resources and share the Papillon+, ultimately making cancer treatment available in more locations.
The Papillon+ system consists of:- the main unit that delivers radiation inside a treatment room,
- the PC workstation operated by medical staff located outside the treatment room, and
- the treatment room door warning sensor.
The solution: Wireless device servers from Perle
All the equipment is located within 20 ft of each other and requires reliable, real-time data transfer.
Mark Davies explains, In the design process, we needed a way for the equipment to communicate seamlessly without hard-wired connections. However, all the equipment inside the main treatment unit had serial RS232 communication ports that did not support 802.11 WiFi. After tinkering with a bespoke solution ourselves, we found Perle IOLAN Wireless Device Servers. They provided the safe and secure way to transmit the serial RS232 data over WiFi, between the workstation, door sensor, and treatment unit.
This wireless operation facilitates location flexibility and avoids the need for hazardous cables within the treatment room. Perle is proud to be a part of the Papillon+ turn-key solution that enhances patient care and increases survival rates.
Ariane Medical Systems Ltd was incorporated in 2005. Since then we have worked alongside our clinical partners, to optimize the delivery of low-energy X-rays to accessible tumors. Following our success with the Papillon 50 for Rectal treatments, we developed the Papillon+. This system was designed from the ground-up to be wireless, cable-free, and suitable for transportation and operation in many clinical use environments. Key to the system was the development of interchangeable ‘treatment adaptors’ which allow for several different clinical applications. This flexibility in treatment option and wireless mobility is allowing us to bring cancer treatments to the patients across Europe and importantly developing countries without access to these live saving treatments.
