Epinephrine Auto-Injector
Creator: Leon Lau
Supervisor: Peter Yeadon
Epinephrine auto-injection devices (e.g., EpiPen®) have been around for a while now, but they have not changed or improved much. There have been no major changes to their form and usability. This has caused users and parents to have mixed reviews on the device's design. It is bulky, and the text that wraps its shell is difficult to comprehend.
As a result, incorrect usage of the device and incorrect administration of the epinephrine can occur; the needle penetrates the thumb instead of the thigh. It is also difficult for people who may need to administer the epinephrine for another person. These are all areas of concern that need to be addressed. It is important that users and non-users know how to operate these devices during an emergency. Every second counts.
This project seeks to redesign the home medical product to make it look and feel less medical, be usable by any user, and be able to fit in a pocket. This new device is smaller and has added a cap to the needle end to make it easier to identify and reduce confusion. Unnecessary text has been replaced with infographics and a single line of text to call 911 for medical assistance.
It also has a smart gel that changes color as the device has discharges the epinephrine. A spring inside the device forces a plate up towards the mechanochromic gel, causing the color to change from blue to green, indicating that the epinephrine has been fully administered and the device is ready to be removed. This color change can be easily seen at the top of the device and reveals a checkmark when the process is finished.
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