Interview about Esc Syringes Transport Container, winner of the A' Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design Award 2022
The Emergency Syringe Capsule Esc enables caregivers during vaccination campaigns to prepare in advance up to ten prefilled syringes for distribution. The Esc will provide a controlled environment with the help of a color-changing cold pack for up to five hours. It can also be used by emergency response teams during a crisis or various special circumstances. The design is intuitive and relies on visual cues to facilitate interactions between caregivers.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsUnder special conditions or extreme circumstances, pre-filled syringes can need to be transported and distributed to caregivers in various locations. These situations could be major disasters, offsite medical interventions, or immunization campaigns.The ESC provides protection and a temperature-controlled environment for ten 1ml syringes. A colour-changing cold pack offers visual cues to assess the internal temperature of the capsule quickly. This feature ensures the syringe's content will stay at a temperature ranging from 2 to 8 degrees F for up to 3 hours. The capsule also includes various security features to alert users of potential tampering.
I was concerned with the overall size of the casing. That limitation resulted in the number of syringes. The device was designed to be held with one hand, and temperature control was mandatory for such a product.
During a recent vaccination campaign, I was able to witness how the entire vaccination process could be complex (from the preparation of syringes to the administration of various vaccines). It was obvious to me this process could be facilitated by a new tool allowing in advance the preparation of syringes. These could then be stored in kits in refrigerators and distributed as required with constant temperature monitoring.
The container is built around the modularity of spaces. When a tamper-proof seal is installed on the main access panel, no syringes can be reached without removing the seal or destroying the casing. In both cases, it appears evident some form of tempering has occurred.
This product had to be useful for emergencies and at the same time for organized vaccination campaigns. Both situations required different specifications based on the speed of distribution. First respondents need characteristics maximizing the resistance of the container and its content in harsh conditions. For mass vaccination, the storage and temperature control of the pre-filled syringes was taking priority.
I based my design on an extreme hypothetical scenario: What if a group of people were trapped underground (in a collapsed mine for example)? How can we provide medication or vaccines in various pre-filled syringes in the most effective manner? The idea of this “box” was to simplify the distribution and management of medication. In the absence of medical staff, anyone could select the right syringe for a certain situation by colour code or numbers on the storage compartment.
Various variants of the ESC could be envisioned to answer other needs or other markets. The content could be varied and the overall size could be modified. There are multiple needs this design could satisfy. I have two other versions of the ESC: One for surgical rooms and one for vaccine transport.
Since this product can be sterilized via autoclave, for example, all parts can be removed and reassembled in case of damage. A medical facility could purchase a certain number of units and maintain a constant number of operating capsules by “recycling” via mix and match of individual parts. This could reduce the operating cost when deployed in large numbers.
The temperature of the syringe holder guided the development of this product. This is a critical element in vaccine management. My goal was to provide a simple solution not requiring electrical power or sensors. It also had to be intuitive. Communicating vital information via Color was the obvious choice.
That's a very interesting question. What I am most proud of in this design are the various intuitive features. With minimal information or training, anyone can operate this product with maximum results. This is probably a major aspect of future medical equipment: Simple and intuitive designs.
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