Enhancing Self-Injection Through Human Factors & Ergonomics
The Challenge
Evaluate current self-injection challenges for high-viscosity delivery and develop a holistic offering to enhance the experience across the device portfolio.
The Solution
A suite of ergonomic accessories optimized to the needs of their targeted therapeutic categories and user groups.
The Story
While new drugs offer amazing benefits, they're also introducing new patient challenges due to higher volumes and viscosities (think pancake syrup). This drug evolution adds burden to demographics suffering from dexterity issues requiring higher force generation with syringes and devices not designed for this intended use. It's also common for patients to accidentally stick themselves while removing needle shields due to high removal forces.
We were tasked accessing the portfolio and develop a suite of enhancements that will enable simpler, more comfortable, and safer injection experiences in a price-point constrained and heavily patented space.
Design Contributions
Experiential
Design Research
Human Factors
Interaction Design
Physical
Training Materials
Instructional Design
Concept Sketching
Design Language
Industrial Design
Branding / Logo
Digital
Demo Videos
Animations
The Solution
A suite of ergonomic accessories optimized for their intended user groups
Broad offering of ergonomic flange extenders and needle shield removal accessories for bare syringes and multiple safety systems sized appropriately for targeted end-users
Extensive heuristic analysis, ergonomic evlaution, and tensile testing to characterize usability, assembly and removal, and overall strength performance
A patent portfolio securing multiple application methods and design features
Project Details Below
Adapting the syringe
The need for enhancements to existing syringes was clear when pharmaceutical companies started pushing the boundaries of decades-old syringe technology. Knowing the hurdles with redesigning an established product including manufacturing and automation, adding on to the existing syringe systems were the ideal next step.
Exploring 2D Ergonomics
Concept development involved sketching various concepts targeting the different devices across the portfolio. Attaching an accessory flange to enable better grip and generation of more power has different assembly challenges for glass syringes, plastic syringes, and syringes housed within a safety system.
Ideating Attachment Methods
Realizing forms and ergonomics would potentially be influenced by how we'd attach an accessory to the syringe, different methods to affix an extender onto an existing syringe flange was explored before anything else.
Exploring Additional Methods
We explored multiple design options developing CAD and 3D printed prototypes, testing attachment methods, and evaluating different geometries needed for temporary or permanent connection.
Evaluating Flange Designs
Once we honed in on the most promising attachment methods, we developed multiple forms for ergonomic, strength, and visual evaluation.
Evaluating Plunger Rods For Comfort and Strength
Syringe components needed to provide comfortable gripping surfaces while being simple and cost-effective to injection mold. We explored concave and convex designs along with various techniques for increasing part strength while keeping a close eye on manufacturability.
Creating Basic Instructions
Preparing for clinical sampling and human factors evaluations, simple instructions were created to guide consistent assembly.
Simplifying Needle Shield Removal
To complement the ergonomic finger flange designs, concept development for improving needle shield removal included exploring single-use and reusable options while evaluating user affordances and ease of use.
Defining Technical Applications
Varying syringe materials and sizes eliminated possibilities for a single universal design, requiring purposefully designed accessories and specifications for each pairing.
Designing and Prototyping Packaging for Clinical Development
We designed and developed packaging for market development, sample distribution, user testing, and evaluation by targeted therapeutic categories.
