Filipino engineers develop low cost dialysis device

With rising healthcare costs and the growing prevalence of chronic illnesses, affordable innovations are key for improving access to vital medical services. BiDaKidney, created by University of the Philippines Diliman engineers Andrew Jacob Buensalido and Allyson Cabrestante, is a cost-effective, semi-automated peritoneal dialysis device aimed at making dialysis treatment more available to those suffering from chronic kidney disease. The name “BiDaKidney” is derived from the Filipino word “bida”, meaning hero.

BiDaKidney automates the movement of dialysate fluid to and from the patient, using peristaltic pumps for contact-free fluid handling and load cells to measure fluid volume. The machine has a simple user interface and weighs 2.5 kg, making it compact and portable.

Users input treatment settings for peritoneal dialysis fills, dwell and drain cycles through the interface, then position their PD sets on load cells located on either side of the device to track the fluid volume. The tubing connects to peristaltic pumps, which squeeze the tubes in a sequence to generate movement to and from the patient.

Design and Development

The team first utilized 3D printing to fabricate and test the peristaltic pump, the central element of the system. Upon discovering that DC motors lacked adequate power, they switched to stepper motors and utilized open-source NEMA 17 designs as a basis for their components.

When the pump functioned with existing PD sets, the electronics were incorporated. They upgraded to heavy-duty TB6600 motor drivers following overheating issues and added an internal fan for cooling. Additionally, they created a dual-tube clamp powered by one motor, which cut down on both motor count and machine weight.

Target Cost and Portability

BiDaKidney aims to offer automated peritoneal dialysis for a cost of about $100, or around 1% of commercial cycler prices. The device uses widely available PD sets instead of specialized cassettes, eliminating the need for proprietary consumables. Weighing 2.5 kg, it is portable, enabling patients to perform PD at home, school, or work.

PD nurses and nephrologists at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center have provided positive feedback on BiDaKidney’s fluid automation and volume-monitoring functions. Future development will focus on usability features such as audio cues for the start and end of treatment phases, as well as redesigning the chassis for scalable manufacturing.

Meanwhile, the team is reportedly planning to integrate the electronics into a single printed circuit board to simplify assembly and conduct formal clinical testing and broader patient evaluations to assess safety, performance and user experience. BiDaKidney received the Dr. Francis Chua Innovation Award after placing first in the Design Category of the 2026 University Project Competition hosted by the UP Diliman College of Engineering. It was also named Best Capstone Project in the UP Department of Mechanical Engineering at a colloquium held June this year. Source: James Dyson Award (https://www.jamesdysonaward.org/en-PH/2026/project/bidakidney)