FURI | Spring 2025

Miniature Evaporative Cooling Device for Focal Cooling Treatment of Epileptic Seizures

Of the roughly fifty million people in the world with epilepsy, one-third are estimated to have drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), where anti-seizure drugs are ineffective and epileptic seizures persist. This project aims to design a miniature wearable cooling device that provides focal cooling treatment to people with DRE. The researchers propose a cooling loop with an evaporator and condenser that conduct pool boiling of the nontoxic chemical Novec 7000, manipulating the chemical’s saturation temperatures by adjusting the pressures at the component inlets and outlets. Fabrication of this design will allow for safe and effective treatment of people with DRE.