CRN_01 "Hummingbird" Swabs

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RAPID RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

CRN_01 “Hummingbird” swabs are a rapid design intervention. They were developed in response to the logistics crisis at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and medical supply shortages reported by public health agencies and medical facilities.

ESSENTIAL PRODUCT

The whole world learned about the development of the pandemic from mass testing. Swabs were therefore goods of first necessity and the simplification of their production was a real opportunity to support healthcare workers.

SIMPLIFIED PRODUCTION, SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT

The aim was to simplify the manufacturing process of swabs. Nowadays, they are manufactured in two stages: injection molded and then flocked. In order to obtain the right parameters, specific flocks are needed, and thus also proper machines for their application. The CRN_01 has a one-step production process – only injection molding.

The design was optimized so that any company capable of injection molding can easily produce the swabs in times of need, without any additional equipment.

As the CRN_01 swab has a one-step production process (only injection molding) and no additional flocks, it's made from single material. It means that it can be easily recycled and thus represents the circular economy approach.

The project passed diagnosticians’ verification and the first injection mold and production series were already made. Taking the idea from concept to the first produced series took less than two months, of which more than a week was taken up by the process of intricate EDM of the four-cavity mold.”

HUMMINGBIRD

In the spirit of biomimetics, the form of the swab was inspired by the hummingbird’s tongue, adjusted to collecting nectar from flowers. The designed grooves and cavities allow for collection and deposition of large amounts of sample material, thus ensuring testing efficiency. Moreover, due to the lack of flocks, CRN_01 swabs “give back” for testing more of the collected sample than regular swabs.

Frame from an incredible video of hummingbirds shot by Anand Varma

CRN_01 “Hummingbird” project won 2nd Place in the 2022 MakeMe! design competition.

Jury member, Tomasz Rygalik, commented on the project as follows:

The pandemic has also contributed significantly to the worsening climate crisis. Plenty of disposable hygienic and medical equipment and supplies ended up in landfills. The swab project directly addresses this problem. The standard ones available on the market are produced in two stages and are made of two material groups, inextricably linked with each other. Here, inspired by nature, an object has been created consisting of one part, with a simplified one-step production process – faster and cheaper, which carries the same very important diagnostic function. At the same time, it meets all the expectations placed before this type of project.

The project was also exhibited at Dutch Design Week 2022 with a special presentation as part of the festival's Grand Opening.

The James Dyson Award 2022 national finalist, CEBioForumAwards 2022 finalist.