Week One – Final Year Design Project Ideas, Research & Problem Statements (2)

Here are some refined ideas taken from the previous list, with some revisions and editions. Although some of these are specific, over the next few days they will be cut down and will eventually become suitable Final Year Design Project Problem Statements:

  1. Hypo  – A workable alternative to a needle. Using pressurised liquid to inject people without using a needle would prevent a lot of stress, fear and anxiety associated with needles. Although they exist now, they are very efficient, but can sometimes transfer diseases from patient to patient. If there was a way to remedy this, then jet injectors would perhaps dominate the injection market, while rendering the needle obsolete for sub dermal medicine application.
  2. xTinguish – A home fire alarm system with active smoke ventilation and fire suppression when a fire occurs. There have been great strides made to fire suppression in the last few decades, however, many homes have conventional fire alarm systems which sound alarms and do nothing else. Older homes don’t have their alarms connected to the mains so when they battery dies, there is a very high chance that in the event of a fire, they might too. If there was a way to retrofit more useful fire suppression systems in a household, more lives could be saved, and it would also increase the market value of the residence.
  3. MODERNmadra – A dog leash you don’t need to hold. Nowadays people can be seen walking their dogs for both exercise and recreation. But, in an ever growing world where communication is as widespread as ever, people usually must take a call or write an email on the go. Because one had is tied up during a dog walk, this can cause the person to stop, and manoeuvre the leash, phone, mp3 player, and perhaps wallet or even iPad without letting go of the dog leash. If there was a way to design a hands free dog leash, this could assist in tackling this problem. Also, walking dogs can also put a terrible strain on ones arms and wrist. These issues could also be designed out if proper care is taken.
  4. Baby on Board – Parents of small children are almost always swamped with stuff they must carry for the child. On car journeys, the boot or back seats are covered in toys, changes of clothes, food, all manner of supplies to keep the child safe and happy. If there was a way to perhaps combine or design out the need for certain things that a child may need, it would save space, petrol, possibly increase safety, and give parents peace of mind that they are not forgetting a crucial piece of the baby care set which would require a hasty visit back home. For example a pram that can be converted into a car seat would effectively reduce the weight of a car, and could increase safety if designed properly. It would also allow for the quick removal of a child from a vehicle, as well as a quick way of securing them in.
  5. airBAG – An Airport postal service for sending home restricted hand luggage. If your luggage is oversized or contains items that may not be safe for transport on a plane such as blades or a tweezers, a service could be set up to ensure that these items could be delivered to your door via the postal service.
  6. ECOhome – A power saving system in a house. The device would turn off everything except for the essentials at certain times – fridge, clock, internet router – which could also be done remotely. Special plug sockets could be designed too to prevent electrocution by ensuring that there are no bare plug contacts which could otherwise come into contact with humans. This could save much energy in the long run, with standby and lights in other rooms being extinguished with no one being reminded to do so.
  7. Photographers always have difficulty with younger children and babies when it comes to family portraits, or events such as a baptism or birthday party. If something to keep a child’s attention when taking a photograph could be designed, it would spare a photographer a lot of grief, and would make the process much more efficient, which could increase performance, quality, and the amount of jobs one could do in a day.
  8. Onscreen planned surgery interface that is constantly updated to increase performance and minimise error.
  9. Self pain relief for terminal patients built like an insulin belt, but with lots of restrictors that measure blood drug concentration, and take in your mass/height/other
  10. OverTable – A new hospital bed overtable for patients who must remain in their beds – The current design is dated, and the problems associated with it are now social norms. There seems to be no innovation in this area as people just accept it and move on. Problems associated with the current models are its tendency to get in the way, hit off the bed wheels, rotate when there is no need for it to do so, and to be out of reach at times. If a new approach was taken to design out these flaws while applying some new technologies, logical thinking, and a more stimulating aesthetic, it would make the overtable a much more useful, ergonomic necessity for every hospital bed.
  11. A more immersive Cinema experience – A cinema chair that moves and reacts to the user and what’s on screen.
  12. A device to help people get through the withdrawal symptoms of self medication reductions.
  13. MediMap – A device that connects everyone within a hospital, such as patients, doctors, nurses, surgeons to allow for efficient delivery of medicine – At the moment nurses have to call out all the medication they give and other services provided to an administrator who makes a log of it. They have to request actions such as blood pressure examinations, or medicine administration to be undertaken by calling to the front desk, which can decrease efficiency and lead to a lot of mistakes such as double dosages, miscommunications etc. A device that could possibly keep a log of everything that has happened to patient could possibly revolutionise the medical industry. Doctors could see exactly who was with a patient at what time and what services were rendered, and nurses could see, for example, if their patients received proper treatment at the correct times.
  14. Laminar Flow Cabinet – Horizontal flow provides the best protection to the samples, but does not protect the user. This requires the user to wear a special hazmat suit. So if a horizontal flow cabinet is designed that protects a user, there would be a market for it.
  15. Able Everywhere – A portable device that converts a regular toilet into one which can assist those who require assistance, such as older persons, disabled etc.
  16. Keep Calm – War and impromptu emergencies involving injury can push people beyond their limits. Stress and Panic can be the deciding factors that separate life and death. By addressing this and researching the situation in which this occurs, an aid delivery device could be created that could keep both the victim and the responder calm during the first aid administering process, so that they can be transported stably to a facility when rescue arrives. Features could include some kind of cauterising panels for first aid kits for improved explosive devices – e.g. IED (improvised explosive device) goes off, an army medic comes in with first aid kit, clears wound, cauterises it with an electrical kit, and escorts the person to safety.
  17. Pack RAT (Rapid Aid Transport) – There are clear issues with the delivery of aid to disaster stricken areas. This is due to the process in which aid is delivered. It is quick and hastily prepared, and many issues that rise are dealt with on the way. However this can cause delays and the aid cannot reach its destination as quick as it could. From food and shelter to first aid and rescue, a more organised approach with proper tools may reduce the downtime associated with rapid aid relief that is hastily prepared. This in turn may save more lives.
  18. temPLOUGH – After witnessing both Ireland’s and Finland’s approach to dealing with bad weather; seeing the difference is shocking. Ireland “shut down” when a film of snow fell, whereas Finland ran like clockwork even at -44°C. If there was some way to keep Ireland from returning to a standstill when bad weather arrives, it would prevent Ireland from “shutting down” and this would be a big plus. (For example, a portable vehicle mounted plough)
  19. While I worked in tech support there were a number of incidents in which people’s headsets were stolen because they were left behind at the end of the work day, or people had lost theirs and, rather than pay for a new one, took others’. If there was a way to stop this from happening, perhaps some personal security device, it could be applied to more scenarios like this in the workplace.
  20. GreenPod – The gardening industry promotes clean, healthy living spaces that reflect the environment, yet many of the methods used to create beautiful scenes damage the environment substantially. By utilizing modern and even dated technology, a greenhouse or similar could be created that can use the surrounding environment to help itself flourish, without actually taking from the environment. Automatic use of rain water for watering, environmental stability measures, solar and wind powered lighting, for example, could be used, which would be renewable.
  21. Living Desk // Floating Office – New studies show that sitting for long periods of time does a lot more damage to the human body than previously though. Spending the majority of your time seated each day is not good for your back and your heart. Although more research is needed in this field, preliminary tests show that a lot of damage can be done. I feel that a product can be designed that can address the issue of too much sitting and standing throughout the day, to find a healthy balance.
  22. Happy Mouth – As a long term sufferer of mouth ulcers, I can say, without a doubt, that they are the most annoying, painful, pointless affliction to ever come into existence. They hurt when you eat, when you breath, when you drink, when you talk, but also when you don’t eat, or don’t breath, or don’t drink, or don’t talk. The problem is amplified as when they hurt, each pain spike is like the last. There is no getting used to the pain, it never subsides until the ulcer finally heals. Bonjela and other over the counter treatments only work on small ones that shouldn’t really require medicating in the first place, but bigger ulcers are usually treated with a program of steroids, which rarely works either. If there was a device that allowed one to keep their mouth cleaner while suffering from ulcers, it may decrease healing times. An example could be a tooth brush assistant that could be used to make sure the ulcers aren’t touched by the bristles, which can cause instant agony.
  23. 3e – Entertaining Education for Everyone – Within hospitals and Homes for Older Persons, exercise, stimulation, and other activities are few and far between. Many spend most of their day in their room and then are brought to a Day Room to be placed in front of a television. The outcome of this project would be a product or system that would create a stimulating environment for the disabled or those staying at the above establishments, which would allow for an enjoyable, healthier and overall positive experience.
  24. Cannula One – Hospital patients sometimes need to have a cannula inserted into them during their stay, which allows for various medicines to easily be injected into the bloodstream. However, the sight of a tube protruding from one’s wrist can be very unsettling for some, and safety can be a major concern too. They can get caught and snagged on other things which cause bleeding, distress and can lead to infection. If undertaken it can be possible to design a new type of cannula casing which would address the issue. As the design aspects would take place at the part of the cannula which is outside the body, it would be feasible, after thorough research, to improve the product while maintaining its overall essence.
  25. A vehicle mounted refrigeration device – a vehicle mounted refrigeration device or one which is located within the vehicle would help while shopping to ensure that food stays colder/fresher for longer during long drives or if there is other shopping to be done. There are miniature fridges that fit in cars, but these are usually big enough to fit perhaps 4 beverages, and nothing more.
  26. Brace Yourself – Concealed medical braces for broken bones or medical conditions. Many people feel self conscious about slings and bandages and this can cause them to become more unsocial and possibly depressed. If there were more aesthetically pleasing or concealed braces on the market, it could lead people to think of them as more fashionable or not take any notice of them at all.

More Information:

  1. There is an issue in hospitals between doctors and nurses. There’s less efficiency due to the fact that most instructions are issued manually. Nurses must approach the front desk in order to receive instructions as to who to administer medication too, or who requires a blood test. If there was a better way to ensure that this information is received and read quickly, a hospital will run more efficiently, and this may save lives in the future as there would be a lack of miscommunication.
  2. Antibiotics won’t reach things placed in the heart (artificial pacemakers, defibrillators etc.) so if they can become septic they have to be removed. This is doubly hard because after a few years the heart expands around it and all this has to be cut which is difficult.
  3. Stents can cut up the walls of the artery, causing blood to flow around the stent which is problematic for some reason
  4. Pacemaker batteries are also very problematic. They’re mechanical and because of this they can fail. If someone’s dependant on it and doesn’t have their AVN anymore, they can die…  so some kind of battery check or foolproof battery that doesn’t interfere with the heart beat could be useful.
  5. Infections in hospitals kill over 5000 people a year. Silver lined gowns have been developed but the number remains shockingly high. A solution to this could be found.
  6. Electronic hospital bracelet that links to a hospital hub that can be scanned to see if a patient had received medication etc.  Something like a small touchpad reader to make patients notes and save them to those bracelets. However this could be problematic for inebriated persons, people with mental disorders, uncooperative people or psychotic people who think it’s some form of mind control.
  7. E-note system for general practise and other clinic based things kept by doctors/nurses instead of paper, but this could be problematic because it may be easy to misplace/wipe memory etc.
  8. A replacement for the IV wrist cannulas that allow you to medicate without needles that can’t come loose/get knocked out by older persons.

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