Victoria University of Wellington: Industrial Design INDN341
Innovative Mediums 2021
Project 1 - VISION FOR OUR FUTURE
'Envision how design, integrated with emerging technologies, will revolutionise and innovate the way we live, make, work and enjoy the near future'
What can we create for our future?
I began by looking into innovative technology, architecture, fashion, furniture and products that have been posted online and collected images into a pintrest board. These got me thinking about what is missing from this picture and what I could create for our future.
Stage 1 - Initial research of futuristic and provocative innovation design.
Example 1 - OmniPod Dash System: Automated diabetes pump and insulin delivery.
(Corporation, 2018-2020)
I have always been fascinated by revolutionary medical design innovations that can improve the quality of life for people with medical conditions. These conditions could be amputees, cancer, Parkinson’s, mental illness, diabetes, paraplegics, dementia, the list goes on. One area I am particularly interested in is diabetes as my boyfriend and good friend both have type 1 diabetes. I believe there is a lack of awareness around type 1 and 2 diabetes and is a condition that patients are taught to ‘deal with’ due to the lack of medical development around a cure or better treatment option for checking blood glucose levels and insulin delivery. Additionally, overseas there is a huge issue around the cost of insulin. This BBC article nicely summarises this issue happening in the US and other countries https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47491964.
When researching modern innovations for diabetes I came across the Omni Pod. This product has been recently developed for use by the Insulet Corporation in Massachusetts US. The company has created a revolutionary device that provides nonstop insulin delivery for up to 3 days at a time. The current process for delivering insulin is completely manual and self-directed so the Omni pod will be life changing for those affected by diabetes.
Comparing traditional insulin delivery vs Omni Pod delivery:
Comparing traditional insulin delivery vs Omni Pod delivery:
Traditional treatment process for diabetes (Left image)
- Pricking method to express blood
- Blood is placed on test strip
- Test strip is input into device reader that calculates the amount of glucose in blood
- User must determine the number of insulin units required to bring blood glucose down to ‘normal’ level
- Manual insulin injection into stomach or thigh area
VS.
Omni Pod Process (Right image)
- Automated blood glucose reader using pod attached to body ( no prick required)
- Blood glucose automatically calculated on smart phone app
- Control how much insulin is given on app
- Automatic insulin distribution from pod attached to body
In conclusion, the Omni Pod provides a hassle free, more autonomous insulin delivery. No pricking or injecting required. This device can reduce up-front costs of diabetes, can be programmed through clothing, is very discrete, no tubes and is made up of 2 parts making it much easier to transport efficiently.
Considering diabetes was first discovered in 1899 by Joseph von Mering and Oskar Minkowski, it has taken far too long for a modern solution to arise to make the management of diabetes easier. I think this is extremely innovative and something I feel strongly about knowing first hand the struggles of this condition.
For the purpose of this project, this innovation got me wondering what other medical devices or processes need to be updated? This is something I will explore more deeply to potentially create an idea for this project.
Example 2 - Mental Health Assisting Apps
In 2020 it was published that the number of smartphones owned in the world is over three billion (S.O'Dea, 2020). Each smart phone has complete and easy access to the large social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest ect. In 2020 Facebook had 2.8 billion users (Tankovska, 2021). This is almost as many users as smartphone users, which means almost everyone who owns a smartphone will be on a social media platform. Scientists have noticed an alarming pattern between the increase in mental illness in adultescents, and time spent on social media. While there is undeniable benefits to being on social media such as, connectivity and communication, with friends and family, (especially during Covid times) there also seems to be damaging effects that result from these social platforms. The damage seems to come from subconscious comparisons, exclusion or relational aggression that social media makes too easy. This is believed to have led to an increase in depression, anxiety and other mental illness problems in adultescents especially, but anyone who spends an excess of time on social media. (A
Due to the sheer number of people with access to or using social media, there is no point in telling people the facts, that in order to improve their mental health you should stop using social media. Another issue with this is that many people will not realise that their mental health is deteriorating due to social media. Instead of trying to beat the mental health monster that social media has become, some innovative companies have decided to join them and create their own smart phone apps with the aim of improving peoples mental health. (Allen, 2020)
Examples of innovative mental health assisting smart phone apps:
These are 2 apps that I thought were extremely innovative for making therapy or help for mental illness so accessible and easy.
1. Code Blue app – Designed in Wellington, NZ!
“Code Blue is a simple smartphone app that acts as a mobile support crew. Designed to help young people get help when they most need it, it lets you select a support crew who, on receiving a ‘Code Blue’, will provide immediate support via text, phone, or by showing up.” (Code, 2014)
2. Talkspace App
“Talkspace is the most convenient and affordable way to improve your mental health. Get matched with a licensed therapist in your state from the comfort of your device, and message via text, audio, and video”.
(Therapy, 2021)
This got me thinking about the potential of other modern technology and the positive impact it could have on improving mental illness issues caused by social media and smart phones. Yes these apps are great ideas, but how do you know if you should download the app or if you mental health is bad enough to be on one of these apps? What if I could create a device or product that targets the root of the issue, time spent on smart phones, and prevented mental illness before it became harmful? This is an idea I will defiantly explore in the ideation stage of this project as I think there is great potential that has not yet been explored by other designers, it is also crucial that we figure out a solution or prevention before the pattern between social media and mental health becomes even stronger.
Example 3 - Algae Dress
Scarlett Yang has revolutionised the fashion industry with her biomaterial dress that is created from algae and silk cocoon. This was inspired by her knowledge of the wastage produced in the fashion industry and the lack of recycling available for old clothes. This dress can grow over time and will react to different temperature by twisting or creasing. In winter when it is cooler this dress may appear more rigid and in summer it may be more relaxed. At the end of its life span, this dress is completely biodegradable and will become a part of the ecosystem within a few weeks.
The creator Yang, took extra steps to ensure this was the most eco friendly garment possible. She 3D modelled the dress before creation to ensure there would be minimal waste produced and used animation to simulate the appearance of the dress to ensure only one final dress was made. In typical fashion creation, 4-5 practice garments are created before the final design is produced for the consumer, so 3D modelling proved extremely useful to significant reduce garment waste (Hahn, 2021).
This concept is mind-blowing to me as I had no idea algae was capable of forming a plastic like material. This has got me thinking what other purposes algae bioplastic could be used for to combat other wasteful processes that are negatively contributing to climate change and world waste issues.
Example 4 – Bioplastic Face Shield
Another interesting use of bio material is Alice Potts design for biodegradable face coverage to be used as PPE for people dealing with Covid patients in close proximity. Potts utilised food waste and flowers to create this plastic shield that can be thrown out after use or after a shift for doctors or nurses working in hospitals. The shields have a 3D printed top section and the colour and material of the biomaterial shielding the face is completely dependent on what food waste and flowers are used in each batch. (Carlson, 2020)
This bioplastic movement is revolutionary and has endless possibilities. I want to explore the potential of this material and see how it could benefit humans either on a similar medical scale or even in day to day life.
Comparing Research Examples
I have created a table to compare different elements of each of my research examples. I was suprised by the number of unexpected similarities, with 2 examples being medical based and 2 being sustainability based. In saying that, there was still a-lot of similarities between concepts which was interesting to reflect on. By comparing these examples, I have realised how I can integrate elements from all of these research examples into my final concept for this project.
Stage 2 - Concept Creation
From the research I have conducted above, I have chosen 2 design routes to explore for the final concept for this project:
1. Portable product for improving mental health
2. Creation of biomaterials
Concept Option 1 - Mental Health Device:
I have always had a strong interest in mental health in adultescents. I have seen first-hand the highs and lows of mental health both in my personal experience, friends experience and others. I feel very strongly about the effects of technology on mental health and believe the powerhouses that are having such a strong influence on peoples mental health, such as apple, Samsung, Facebook, Instagram etc should be doing more to help. I want to explore the potential of a new device or product that is portable and could change the way we deal with mental health on all levels, forever.
Concept Option 2: Creating biomaterials
My interest in biomaterials begun last year during a sustainability course where we learnt about the different alternatives to plastic that are on the market today. I decided to conduct deeper research into biomaterials for this project as they fascinate me. Bioplastics have been around for a long time, but interestingly, it is only in recent times that we have taken the material more seriously as an alternative for regular plastic that is clogging landfills, oceans and taking hundreds to thousands of years to break down.
Below is an ideation brainstorm of different elements of biomaterials and a brief look at what some futuristic uses for bio materials could be:
Bioplastic Innovation
I conducted more research into different examples of biomaterials already being used. There was not a whole lot of information out there, which means there is room for more creation which excites me. Some innovators are already looking into how we can create these biodegradable materials to replace traditional oil or petrol based plastics. Examples are in my research in this blog (algae dress and bioplastic face shield).However 2 established biomaterial projects I did come across after my initial research phase were too good to not include. I have included below as they are both doing very interesting and revolutionary things:
Existing Bioplastic Innovations:
1. Plastic Alternative from Fish Waste
Lucy Hughes from the University of Sussex has recently invented a biodegradable plastic made from the waste and offcuts from the fishing industry (Matchar, 2019). Called 'MarinaTex' Hughes has designed so people can compost it in thier homes after they are finished using it. The material itself is made from an organic blend of fishing industry off cuts, such a carcuses and scales, with red algae used to bind the material and give it a flexible nature.
I really admire how Hughes has used the fishing industry waste stream to solve the plastic industry waste stream. I think this is especially innovative and essentially killing two birds with one stone. This project provides solutions to two serious and wasteful issues our modern society is facing and I think this project has a lot of potential if she can figure out how to mass produce the material. I will be watching this project closely to see how it progresses in the future.
2. Evoware Seaweed bioplastic company
Evoware is a company based in Indonesia that utilizes seaweed and turns it into a unique bioplastic that is completely edible and biodegradable. This material is environmentally friendly and very sustainable. The product is biodegradable so can be put into home composting systems and can be eaten. Their edible products are especially useful for single use plastic sachet such as noddle flavouring. Instead of having to pour out the flavouring from the plastic, you can put the whole Evoware sachet in and it will melt when the hot water is poured over the noodles. This company also provides seaweed harvesting jobs in the village where it is collected from in the ocean. The core values of this company are collaboration and innovation which I think they encapsulate very successfully.
https://www.webpackaging.com/en/portals/evoware/
Comparing existing examples
Fish Waste Bioplastic vs. Evoware Seaweed Bioplastic
- Hughes uses an existing waste stream to create the bioplastic where as Evoware uses seaweed which is living material that is also vital to producing oxygen in the environment and provides a source of food for some sea creatures
- Both bioplastics are flexible and can be used to replace some plastic packaging
but Evoware can dissolve in hot water so is useful for replacing single use sachets
- Evoware is an edible product, Hughes is not
- Both materials are biodegradable in home compost systems
So why is bioplastic or biomaterials so important to our future?
Plastic has been extremely useful to human kind due to its cheap, light, sterile and waterproof property that has helped us to create many successful products. However plastic has only ever been a short term fix and we are now paying the price for using this often single use material for so long. Plastic is clogging landfills, waterways, oceans and even entering the food chain. Everyone on earth today will be aware of the detrimental effects plastic is having on the planet and that an alternative to plastic must be created to stop the plastic pollution on earth.
Single Use Plastic Waste Statistics:
From (https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics)
- The world uses over 500 billion plastic bags a year – that’s 150 for each person on Earth. (Source: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics)
- 88% of the sea's surface is polluted by plastic waste (Source: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics)
- The world produces 381 million tonnes in plastic waste yearly which is expected to double by 2034. Of this, 50% is single-use plastic & only 9% will be recycled. (Source: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics)
- 8 million bits of plastic enter our oceans every single day. (Source: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics)
Waste Stream Statistics: (Via websites listed with each link)
Organic Food Waste Stream
- Every year 1.3 Billion tonnes of food is wasted, this is 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption. (http://www.fao.org/3/i4807e/i4807e.pdf)
Construction Waste Stream
- In the United States, around 170 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste was generated during 2003, of which 48% was estimated to be recovered
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/construction-waste)
Medical Waste Stream
-U.S. health-care facilities generate about 14,000 tons of waste per day; up to 25 percent is plastic (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/can-medical-care-exist-without-plastic)
Food packaging Waste Stream
- EPA estimated 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2018 ( https://www.google.com/search?q=food+packaging+waste+statistics)
Fishing Industry Waste Stream
- As much as 2 billion pounds of fish are discarded by fisheries in the United States each year, hindering the recovery of depleted stocks. (https://oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/wasted_cash_report_final.pdf)
Statistic Reflection:
These were a few statistics among my research that stood out to me the most. Firstly, the sheer number of plastic waste is almost too large to comprehend. Hearing about how much of the ocean's surface is covered is seriously concerning and emphasises the importance of finding an alternative material for plastic that will biodegrade safely, quickly and not end up in the landfill or ocean for thousands of years. The waste streams were particularly surprising to me, the most shocking being the amount of organic waste, totalling 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption ending up as waste.
A surprising waste stream was the medical industry, as one of the biggest producers of plastic waste. While I understand that plastic is useful in the medical field for hygiene purposes, I wonder if there are some areas of the medical industry where plastic could be reduced or replaced by a bioplastic or other biomaterial?
Stage 3 - Shaping the Concept
Picking my concept focus:
The path I have chosen to focus on for my final concept is the use of bioplastic in the medical industry. I have chosen this route based on my interest in unlocking the potential of organic bio plastics to reduce the use of plastic in the future. And I have also chosen to look into the medical industry because of my personal interest in it and also to find a solution for the surprisingly large plastic waste stream in hospitals. The next step is to conduct more research into bioplastics and figure out an innovative way to create it. I also need to narrow my purpose in the medical industry.
Bioplastic research:
Bioplastic is in the family of biomaterials that are made from biomass and renewable resources such as organic food waste, algae, seaweed, starches ect. Bioplastic has become a recent topic of interest in the design world with a few small organisations looking into the potential of this product and how it could replace regular plastics. The advantage of using bioplastic is that is can biodegrade within weeks and has very similar material properties to regular oil based plastic. There is still much work to be done in the bioplastic field to see just how important it may be to reducing the serious plastic waste issue on earth.
Bioplastic life cycle (from https://mappingignorance.org/2013/02/27/are-we-really-prepared-for-bioplastics/)
This diagram nicely explains how circular and sustainable the creation and use of bioplastics can be. However this does depend on the raw materials used as the base of the bioplastic and wether it can be biodegraded in peoples homes.
What is bioplastic made from?
Bioplastics can be made from many different renewable resources including:
- Seaweed
- Algae
- Corn
- Starches
- Organic fruit and vegetable waste
- Flowers
- Fish waste and scales
One interesting factor about bioplastics is that not all can be biodegraded or composted. This is something I need to seriously consider when choosing my final organic biomass that will create my bioplastic material.
How do you make bioplastic?
The process of making bioplastic is surprisingly simple and something that can be created in anyones kitchen at home. This is what convinced me to look into bioplastics as originally I assumed it was a material that would have to be created in a specialised workshop or lab.
The process of making bioplastic:
1. Gather the necessary materials:
10ml distilled water
0.5-1.5g glycerol
1.5g cornstarch OR chosen biomass material
1ml of white vinegar
1-2 drops food coloring OR vegetable dye
2. Combine all of the ingredients and stir together in saucepan
3. Heat mixture on medium to low heat until mixture becomes translucent and starts to thicken then remove from heat
4. Add colouring dye if desired.
5. Pour mixture onto baking paper and allow it to dry for atleast 2 days before testing its thickness
Considerations:
For my concept I need to decide what biomass or renewable resource I will use to create the biomass and ensure it is compostable to make it a completely sustainable material.
I will definitely look into using organic food waste as my source of biomass. This way I will be utilising the large waste stream of organic food waste meant for human consumption, and repurposing it to create a plastic alternative which will also help the plastic packaging waste stream. Killing two birds with one stone!
How is bioplastic useful in the medical industry:
This article published by the BBC in August 2020 makes a really interesting point. I reflects on the sheer amount of single use plastic that the medical industries, hospitals imparticular, go through on a daily basis to maintain hygiene. In summary, most equipment in hospitals is plastic due to its sterile nature, but as soon as it has touched a patient, it will be thrown out. When you think about the amount of hospitals there is around the world, and the number of patients being seen every day, it is not surprising that the medical industry is one of the largest contributors to plastic waste streams.
Two interesting points people interviewed in the article say "As doctors, we are required to make patients’ immediate needs and requirements a priority, and that needs to come first.”
OR In people’s minds now, both single-use protective equipment and single-use medical equipment are understood as safer. But that is not necessarily true – Tony Capon
This is important to note and understandable as a patient will always be a doctors first priority. Additionally, single use plastic is more important than ever in the medical environment as doctors and nurses are dealing with different types of viruses, diseases and bodily fluids that should not be cross contaminated. However, what if we created a solution to end single use plastic in the medical industry. This may seem far-fetch but some countries have begun focusing on reducing single use wastage in medical hospitals and clinics. One example is of a doctor from the Phillipines who was surprised by the wastage at a Singapore hospital. A section from her article follows:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200813-the-hidden-harm-of-medical-plastic-waste-and-pollution
When surgeon Claire Teves* (not her real name) landed in Singapore from the Philippines for a six-month fellowship, she knew it would take some time to adjust. Teves had come from a hospital serving the needs of a poorer developing society, to work in a cutting-edge medical facility in a much wealthier one. She was braced to overcome a knowledge gap at this world-class facility, and face different day-to-day medical challenges. But when she arrived, she faced a very different culture shock: how the new hospital used plastics.
In the operating theatre, devices such as plastic retractors – which are used to hold surgical cuts open – were used once per patient and then thrown away at the end of the procedure to be disposed of as medical waste. In her hospital in the Philippines, the same device would be painstakingly sterilised and reused until it was worn out and beyond repair.
Seeing these life-saving items being thrown away when they were so sought-after in the Philippines, Teves decided to do something about it. “When I saw the waste, I thought to save whatever single-use equipment I could get my hands on, so I could recycle them and bring them back,” she says. It was a decision that would have ruffled some feathers at the Singapore hospital if it wasn’t carried out with discretion and the help of friendly staff. In the end she managed to fill a large suitcase with “single use” plastic surgical devices that would otherwise have gone to waste"
While the majority may believe there is no room for sustainability in the medical industry, I am determine to find a niche area to creatively introduce bioplastic to replace some of the single use plastic being wasted currently.
The difficulty I will face will be finding a product that is highly used and wasted, that is not at direct risk of interfering or becoming a hygiene problems for patients. Eg. Hospital gowns, face shields or medical ID bracelets.
Target audience interview
For this purpose of this project I decided to interview one of my flat mates who had leukaemia when he was younger. He offered to share his experiences of being in and out of hospitals for 4 years. Interview below:
Question 1: Have you ever thought about the amount of plastic that is used in the medical industry?
Answer: "No, I have really thought about it, I guess I would just assume everything in hospitals would need to be fresh, sterile and safe so I guess plastic would be one of the best materials for this. Especially considering the amounts of material they would need in a hospital to keep up with demand".
Question 2: Do you remember using any specific plastic materials?
Answer: "I didn't take much notice at the time, but thinking back, the medical wrist bands your'e given on entry were tight, plastic and uncomfortable. Also little things like pill cups, and cups to drink water from were all plastic from memory. I remember having blood transfusions and even the bags the blood was contained in was plastic, same with the drips they put into your body".
Question 3: Do you think it is possible for the medical industry to use less plastic?
Answer: "At the rate the world is going, I don't think we have much of a choice wether the medical industry should use plastic or not. I do think it is important in some areas for sterility, but if they can figure out a new material, I think it would be revolutionary because plastic pollution is a massive issue these days".
This interview was extremely helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of plastic in hospitals. I found it especially interesting what George mentioned about remembering how annoying the plastic medical wristband was. This could be an interesting avenue to redesign.
Brainstorm of bioplastic uses in the medical industry
From these ideas and the interview with George, I decided to have a closer look at the potential use of bioplastic for hospital wristbands.
Medical Wristbands:
The medical wristband is often the first instance of single use plastic used on a patient when they enter a hospital. The wrist band is crucial for the patient and doctor/nurse relationship as it will include the following key information:
The patient ID wristband can hold the following information:
Patient name
An assigned medical record number (ID number)
Patient’s Date of Birth
Contact details
Photograph
Social security number
Medical history
Details of all possible allergies
Administered medication
Medication dosage
Assigned medical head and team
Details of surgeries, etc.
(https://www.assetinfinity.com/blog/patient-id-wristband-in-healthcare-industry)
Wristband pollution:
The amount of wristbands being used is the biggest issue at hand. Every patient who enters a hospital must receive a wrist band. While global hospital statistics are unclear, in America alone (in 2013) 35.4 million people were admitted to hospital. Even America alone, that is 35.4 million wristbands going to waste and ending up in landfills or oceans. (https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/care-coordination/5-statistics-to-know-about-hospital-admission-rates.html)
Current wristband materiality:
I spoke to Medical Wristbands NZ, which is NZ and Australias leading supplier for medical wristbands. I enquired over the phone about the materiality of their product and was informed that they use a range of materials with one of the main being PVC. I looked into the recycling process of this material and found this piece of information about PVC:
...this commonplace plastic is one of the biggest contributors to the flood of toxic substances saturating our planet and its inhabitants. PVC contaminates humans and the environment throughout its lifecycle during its production, use and disposal. While all plastics pose serious threats to human health and the environment, few consumers realize that PVC is the single most environmentally damaging of all plastics. Since safer alternatives are available for virtually all uses of PVC, it is possible to protect human health and the environment by replacing and eventually phasing out this poison plastic.
(Via https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/report/2009/4/pvc-the-poison-plastic.html)
While this explains the serious and harmful side of PVC I also understand that it is a good product to use as it is sturdy and unlikely to break and fall off the patients wrist. However, considering how toxic this material is and potentially harmful to human health, then why is this one of the main products being used for patient wrist bands in NZ and AU hospitals?
I think this could be a great opportunity to use a bioplastic instead of PVC to reduce plastic usage and also remove the potential harm of PVC on hospital patients.
How could I make bioplastic medical wristbands look different from traditional plastic bands?
https://design-milk.com/colorful-compostable-bioplastics/)
This range of colours has been produced by a designer from Chile using blueberries, purple cabbage, beetroot and other vegetables.
Step 4 - Refined Innovative Concept
Bio-Bracelets
Concept:
Personalised medical wristbands made from bioplastic. Hygienically crafted from organic fruit and vegetable waste, and turned into a colourful bioplastic patient identification band. When the band is no longer needed, simply throw in the compost and the Bio-Bracelet will decompose within 8 weeks.
Purpose:
The purpose of Bio-Bracelets is to reduce the amount of single use plastics in the medical industry and give patients a more personalised experience. Due to the dyeing of bioplastic, every band will have a different colour scheme, emphasising how every patient is unique and not just a medical ID number on a white plastic wristband.
Target Audience:
The target audience for Bio-Bracelets is any patient who is admitted to hospital or medical facility and receives a wrist band.
Importance:
This product is an extremely important step to introducing more sustainable schemes into the medical industry. The current assumption is that the medical industry and sustainability cannot work together, however this is not rue. While there will always be some equipment that requires full sterility, there is significant room for improvement when looking closely. Bio-Bracelets may be the first step but is definitely not the limit. I would like to next look into biodegradable scrubs, patient gowns, pill cups, shoe and hair covers.
Bio-Bracelets is the first step towards more sustainable medical care. It is also the first step for a patient who enters hospital. Bio-Bracelets are essentially a connotation for the future of a more sustainable medical industry.
Materiality:
The bioplastic is made from organic fruit and vegetables that would be typically going to waste. The dye also comes from fruit and vegetable skin. When processed correctly, and mixed with other proteins, a bioplastic is formed. This is biodegradable matter, with the same texture and materiality as oil based plastic. Since it is made from organic matter, when the Bio-Bracelet is at the end of its life, it can simply be put into home composting systems and will biodegrade within 8 weeks.
Form:
The Bio-Bracelet is similar to a regular bangle. It is designed to be a cuff to make the sizing more flexible, and eliminated the need for plastic buttons to tighten it to the patients wrist. There is a second bioplastic layer that gets wrapped around the top of the bracelet to create a sleeve for the patients medical ID to be put into. The doctor or nurse must simply print out a piece of paper with the necessary information on it, and slip it into the space on the band. The paper will also decompose with the bracelet when biodegrades.
Uniqueness:
The potential of bioplastics for the future is yet to be discovered. While some groups have started exploring the use of biomaterials in the fashion, packaging, and Covid relief industries, no one has looked into using bioplastic as a permanent replacement in the medical industry. This concept is the first of its kind.
Another element of uniqueness is the colouring of the Bio-Bracelet. No bracelet is the same, due to the nature of the natural dyeing process, much like how no two humans are the same. This is an important element for me to express as I believe hospital patients deserve more than being given the exact same wrist band as the next patient, just with a different set of numbers on it.
10 Step Process of creation:
The process of making the Bio-Bracelet is simple:
1. Organic fruit and vegetables that can no long be used are collected from local supermarkets, shops or restaurants to avoid going to waste
2. The base of fruit, vegetables and basic proteins are mixed in a saucepan over heat
3. Pre-prepared vegetable and fruit dyes are added
4. When mixture thickens and turns semi translucent, mixture is taken off heat
5. Mixed is poured out onto baking tray and pushed until a flat layer approx. 2mm thick is created
6. Mixture dries for at-least 2 days
7. Layer is cut into 3cm wide, 15cm long strips and 4cm wide and 7cm long strips
8. With a hairdryer, bioplastic is lightly softened to create rounded wrist shaped bracelets with a pocket on top side for paper name tag to be slipped into
9. Bracelets are left to dry in shape for an additional 6 hours
10. Bio-Bracelets and finished and ready to be sent to hospitals for patient use
How to use in context:
1. When bands arrive at hospital they are to be stored in a cool dry place
2. When a patient arrives, the doctor will print off their medical information onto a peice of paper 3cm wide and 2 cm long
3. Patient is handed over their unique Bio-Bracelet to wear for as long as they need it
4. When the patient is dismissed from hospital, they may give it back to the hospital to compost or take it home and put it in their own home composting system
5. Bio-Bracelet will then decompose naturally within 8 weeks
Product Life Cycle:
Concept Presentation:
Bibliography
Allen, J. H. (2020, Febuary 10). Scrutinizing the effects of digital technology on mental health. Retrieved from NEWS & VIEWS FORUM: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00296-x
Carlson, C. (2020, October 27). Alice Potts makes bioplastic face shields from food waste. Retrieved from dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/2020/10/27/alice-potts-biodegradable-face-shields-food-waste-ngv-triennial/
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https://www.healthitoutcomes.com/doc/st-johns-hospital-realizes-significant-cost-and-care-improvements-0001
