LIFELINE - Designed for emergency scenarios

LifeLine is a project focused on exploring the role of product design in emergency response during humanitarian crises. By implementing portability and wearability, it seeks to redefine the approach to infusion treatment, breaking the reliance on physical infrastructure. 

This product aims not only to showcase an innovative technology application but also to redefine the usage scenario associated with iv drips.

CONTEXT - Humanitarian crisis scenario

Through scenario analysis, we were able to explore the relationship between emergency response, product design, and existing infrastructures. This approach has been crucial in understanding the primary causes of healthcare system breakdowns and identifying potential areas where the project can make a significant impact.

Two main problems usually associated with emergency response during a humanitarian crisis have been identified:

1. Capacity

The number of people needing medical care tends to be far greater than the capacity of hospitals, leading to overcrowding. This directly implies that it is difficult to provide space and attention to everyone requiring medical relief.

2. Scarcity

Emergency medical facilities are likely to become inaccessible due to infrastructure destruction during crises, making treatments that rely on them more difficult.

CONCEPT - Wearable iv drip

The idea behind the product is to alleviate these problems by allowing patients to receive infusion therapy outside of the hospital.

Decentralisation of the treatment 

By making infusion therapy wearable, we can decentralise treatment and alleviate the burden on hospitals while creating a product that relies solely on the patient’s body. This approach allows us to envision an intravenous therapy device that shifts treatment away from hospitals, maintaining efficient emergency response and addressing the core issue of dependency on physical infrastructure.

DEVELOPMENT - Technology and shape study

A study both on technology and shape has been conducted to merge the concepts of wearability and functionality. Thanks to these it was possible to obtain a guided volume which is coherent with the wearable concept.

1. Technology - Elastomeric infusion pump

An elastomeric infusion pump was chosen to replace the classic gravity-based system: it generates the necessary pressure through an elastic membrane. When filled, the membrane stretches and pressurizes the liquid for the infusion process, granting the user freedom of movement and device's placement.

2. Ergonomy - Dialogue with the body

Using foam prototypes the dialogue between the wearable item and the human body has been investigated. By keeping in mind comfort, ergonomy and armony it has been possible to experiments with volumes.

3. Technology & Ergonomy - Flat membrane 

We redesigned the elastomeric infusion pump for a compact, wearable volume. The cylindric membrane is replaced by a flat membrane, stretched over a curved rigid plate that follows the arm's shape. This way, the membrane can inflate away from the arm, which improves both aesthetics and ergonomy.

PRODUCT - LifeLine

The two key elements of LifeLine are wearability and the elastomeric membrane. These elements coexist within a single product, where both the design of each part and their interaction have been meticulously designed.

It consist in two main components:

1. Infusion component

It has been design to be pre-assebled and pre-filled. Due to hygiene reasons, as many medical products it isn’t reusable. It is composed of the membrane, the membrane holder plate, along with a hard shell for protection.

2. Wearable component

It was designed to mediate between the infusion system and the body, with a focus on versatility and reusability and it includes a rubber flexible shell, the strap and it's clips.

It is designed to ensure a quick and efficient interaction between the patient and the doctor. The first step is to put on the wearable component; once it is securely in place on the arm, the infusion component can be slide in, allowing the doctor to proceed with inserting the infusion needle into the patient’s arm.

FEATURES - Safe, versatile, intuitive

Throughout the product development process, numerous details were incorporated to ensure coherence with the emergency context and to create a comprehensive, well-rounded design:

Safety details

Great attention has been given to safety details. A release button has been designed to secure the connection between the infusion and the wearable component, ensuring that the product remains safe even in unexpected situations. In addition the hard cover itself is a component that guarantees protection.

Versatility features

The strap and clips (that connect it to the cover) are designed to accommodate everyone. With adjustable features and a flexible cover, the product can adapt to any arm size. Additionally, the strap's direction can be switched, making it easy for both left- and right-handed users to apply the product comfortably.

Status indicator

Given the emergency context, it is crucial for doctors to quickly read and assess the infusion status. To achieve this, we've designed a simple and intuitive indicator that clearly shows the remaining infusion level. This indicator takes advantage of the membrane pressing against the hard shell, creating a visible line for easy monitoring.

Accessibility and aesthetic

During the design of these details, accessibility was a key consideration. For example, the button for the sliding mechanism is clearly marked for ease of use. Additionally, these various features are thoughtfully integrated into a cohesive visual design. The neutral yet warm color palette, combined with subtle red accents, highlights essential functions while creating a product that feels inviting and wearable.

PROCESS - Prototype evolution

Product-body

The prototyping followed the concept generation and started with simple foam volumes used to explore the relationship between wearable products and the human body.

Components and functions

A key factor was our understanding of how elastomeric infusion pumps work. This knowledge allowed us to envision a more complex product with multiple components and to put this into practice with prototyping. After, the ergonomic study conducted on the technology has led to significant advancements in our prototypes.

Flexible 3D printing 

It took numerous prototypes and 3D models to achieve a streamlined shape with the desired functions. However, a constant throughout our journey has been the pairing of flexible materials with the wearable component and rigid materials with the infusion component.

To the final prototype

The process of making the final prototype allowed us to explore milling and vacuum forming processes as well as investigate how painting and finishing 3D-printed surfaces can result in an aesthetically pleasing prototype.

FINAL PROTOTYPE - Something to touch

The final prototype was 3D-printed in several PLA parts, while the transparent hull was vacuum-formed. Cables and clips were added from existing products; a silicone sheet inside represents the membrane. The full-size mockup was essential in understanding the proportions and usability features.