For our final project, we were tasked with creating a replica of the LUCIA pelvic frame. LUCIA, which stands for Low-Cost, Universal Cervical Cancer Instructional Apparatus, is a portable model developed and evaluated at Rice University by Dr. Richards-Kortum in collaboration with faculty at MD Anderson. The model costs $47 and includes a wooden pelvic frame, a vaginal canal, cervical model holders, and the cervix models.

To begin constructing the model, we first dimensioned the existing LUCIA model (Figure 1). By taking dimensions of the base, panels, and cervical model holder, we were then able to shift towards implementing the prototype techniques we’ve been learning all semester to replicate them.

Our first step was to recreate the panels to house the labia, vaginal canal, and cervical model. To be able to laser cut the wood panels, we first created multiple different drawings on Adobe Illustrator with the same dimensions as the panels in the original model. Additionally, we added numbers on each panel to indicate the order in which they should be placed. We set the stroke width to be 0.001″ for the panel outline and 0.008″ for the numbers to ensure that the laser cutter will vector cut the outline and engrave the numbers.

Then, we sent our files to the Epilog Fusion Pro. We set our engraving settings to 500 resolution, 60% speed, and 50% power, and we set our vector settings to 35% speed, 100% power, and 10% frequency as suggested by the instruction manual for the laser cutter (Figure 2). However, some of the wood pieces did not cut all the way through on the first pass, so we then had to complete another pass to generate all the panel components (Figure 3).

Next, we created the base of our frame. We found scrap wood in the woodshop that could be easily cut using a bandsaw to match the dimensions of the original model. One of the challenges we encountered was how to create a 10-degree cut in our wood with the bandsaw. With some help from a lab assistant, they taught us how to change the angle of the cutting bed to achieve the cut we were aiming for. After cutting the wood (Figure 4), we then sanded it with an orbital sander to minimize roughness and level our crooked cuts (Figure 5).

In our next set of steps, we had to assemble the base and the panels, since at this point we just had an assortment of cut pieces of wood. We attached the two base pieces to each other and assembled the 3 panel sets using wood glue (Figure 6).

Then, we decided on a new cervix holder design than what was used in the original design. The original cervix holder did not have the tightest fit around the cervix, and it had multiple parts (elastic strap and 3D printed base). We wanted to improve on this device by finding a clasp that can tightly fit around the cervix but with a simpler design. We found a Bowden clip STL file on Thingiverse and modified its dimensions on the Prusa slicer to match the dimensions of the cervix radius (Figure 7). We then 3D printed the clip out of TPU (Figure 8).

Lastly, we had to put all of these pieces together. To accomplish this, we first 3D printed L-shaped brackets found on Thingiverse. We attached the panels to the base through screwing 3/4″ Phillips head screws through the holes in the brackets (Figure 9) and securing them with wing nuts (Figure 10). We then super-glued the cervix holder onto the back panel (Figure 11). With that, our LUCIA pelvic frame was complete (Figure 12)!

Cost Analysis