Through its Early Career Mentored Research funding mechanism, the Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4) is supporting a transformative approach to emergency airway management. Initiated by UT Health San Antonio’s Dr. Connor Evans and now led by Principal Investigator Jacob Provencio, B.S., this project centers on the development of the Reconfigurable Airway Platform for Intubation Delivery (RAPID). Designed with a strong human-centered approach validated through NSF I-Corps feedback, this soft robotic technology directly addresses the high failure rates often seen in prehospital airway procedures. By focusing on maximizing first-pass intubation success while significantly reducing the equipment burden for medics, this research has the potential to optimize life-saving trauma care and airway protocols in both combat and civilian settings.
Watch Our Exclusive Interview
To provide a closer look at the innovative work driving this technology forward, TRC4 presents an exclusive video interview and lab tour. In the presentation below, current Principal Investigator Jacob Provencio and previous PI Dr. Connor Evans conduct a guided tour of the Medical Design Innovations laboratory at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The following offers a comprehensive view of the facility where the RAPID device is being developed, alongside a detailed discussion regarding the broader scope of their life-saving airway research.
