Top 10 medical innovations to revolutionize and give modern healthcare a major boost

Posted on 09/11/2022 by Srishti Mitra

If there’s something that the pandemic taught us it’s that health truly is wealth! We cannot take our health and well-being for granted, and a mindset of preparedness and precaution is extremely integral during such times. The medical industry has been making leaps and jumps in its innovations, to ensure such a brutal pandemic doesn’t occur again. Designers have been coming up with new and improved, life-saving medical designs that not only boost medical care but relieve some of the pressure from our tireless medical force. From an award-winning inflatable stretcher design to a self-driving wheelchair – these designs tackle a variety of problems in the health and medical field. They’re a boon to modern healthcare and a reminder that we cannot take our health for granted any longer!

1. The Inflatable Stretcher

The Inflatable Stretcher by Yu-Hsin Wu, a student at Taiwan’s Shih Chien University, provides a new and improved version of the stretcher, ensuring that patients are transported in a safer and more securer manner from the site of the accident to a hospital. Like wrapping someone in bubble wrap, the Inflatable Stretcher cushions patients and even secures them with its unique design. Besides, it even comes with its own first-aid kit to help treat injuries that require immediate attention.

2. The AC1 Boot

Designed by Brooklyn-based mischief-makers MSCHF, the AC1 boot, makes rehabilitation from a foot injury lighter and more fun. A removable water-resistant inner neoprene sock liner helps maintain an element of realism. This flexible molded rubber Aircast boot is differentiated from a real medical boot by the presence of the branding logo on all sides. To keep the hip-hop shoe comfortable for all-day use, MSCHF has loaded it with the patented Wowcomfy tech cushions for the underfoot and high-traction outsole.

3. Airy

Airy is a lightweight, comfortable, fashionable, and sustainable brace designed to correct the lateral curvature of the spine. The designer actually created this after talking with a group of adolescent girls, which is the demographic most affected by scoliosis. She wanted to create a revamped version of the current back braces available in the market, and in turn created a brace that not only solves a lot of the pain points of the preexisting ones, but is also comfortable, and adjusts to the growing bodies of its users.

4. CHD-4

Congenital heart disease is a common birth defect, that not a lot of us are aware about. To inspire and generate awareness about this disease, which affects close to 400,000 kids in the US alone each year, designer Love Hultén – reckoned for his handmade audio-visual art and works in music tech – in collaboration with Teenage Engineering has revealed the drum machine with congenital heart disease. The project has been prepared for World Heart’s Day 2022 and would be auctioned on Valentine’s Day next year. Referenced as CHD–4, the drum machine is a functional, modular synthesizer of sorts that produces rhythms made using echocardiograms (ECGs) of four different children suffering from varying forms of heart diseases.

5. Kubota’s Eyeglasses

Japanese pharmaceutical startup Kubota designed special eyeglasses that can improve or even cure Myopia. Kubota’s wearable design has been amped with an array of nano projectors, which project light at the wearer’s retina in a specific pattern, to cause blurring at short distances, in turn forcing them to look further away. This helps the eyeball to morph back into its original shape and allows one’s vision to return to normal. You’re supposed to wear the glasses for a couple of hours a day, usually when you’re simply relaxing or unwinding in the comfort of your home. These groundbreaking glasses could cure Myopia once and for all!

6. Cobi

Cobi, a means of personal mobility for seniors, is designed one, to positively impact an aged person’s attitude toward life, two, to change the society’s outlook toward the aged population which is considered a liability especially when free mobility becomes a task for them. With something like the matte-finished Cobi, the aged generation will lead a better, less dependent, mobile life; it’s a given! To earn such credibility, the accessory is meticulously created in two individual parts: a walker and a mobility device, which combine to form one state-of-the-art wheelchair. Even more exciting; Cobi runs without human intervention.

7. Uray

Uray is a urine analysis device, but one that looks more approachable and also less embarrassing to look at! It almost looks like a liquid soap dispenser, if it were attached to a wall. It definitely looks appealing and friendly! If you don’t have to take it out of storage every time you need to use it, you are more likely to actually use it and test your urine for potential health problems. The colored lower portion not only makes it look more interesting but also leaves room for manufacturer customization.

8. The Multi Scoop Pro

The Multi Scoop Pro is called so, because it allows medical professionals to scoop up patients, instead of lifting them and then placing them on a stretcher. It splits open laterally, so you can position it on either side of the patient. When the two halves are united once again, you can scoop the patient onto the stretcher, which can then be lifted and moved to the closest ambulance. For patients with less serious injuries, the Multi Scoop Pro can simply be folded into a wheelchair, allowing a single medic to transport them while they’re comfortably seated.

9. The Medicine Delivery Drone

Although designed for urban setups, the Medicine Delivery Drone’s main focus is on urban residents who cannot step out on their own to buy medicines. The drone, designed specifically for carrying pills, can travel between a pharmacy and a residence, dropping off life-saving medicines without any effort on the part of the patient. The drone was designed as a response to the strict Zero Covid policy instituted in China, where lockdowns are imposed to help curb the virus, often affecting the ability of people with serious ailments to step out and buy medicines. In such situations, the drone does the job for them, fulfilling prescription requirements by shuttling between nearby pharmacies and the recipients.

10. Gelassette

Called Gelassette, this prototype is a COVID-19 test that is much more sustainable than the current ones being used! This new prototype uses no plastic with the positive characteristics needed to be mimicked by gelatin. This material is already utilized in other medical technology and is a fully biodegradable material. With this material, you get 4 weeks of soil biodegradability and less than 3 hours of water dispersibility.

The post Top 10 medical innovations to revolutionize and give modern healthcare a major boost first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mitsubishi Fuso Vision I.RQ advanced rescue truck comes equipped with its own first-responder drone

Posted on 19/05/2021 by Sarang Sheth

Designed as the conceptual successor to the Athena rescue truck which made its first appearance at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the Fuso Vision I.RQ and HeliDroid were designed to be your best chance at surviving a calamity. The I.RQ is an advanced, fully equipped rescue truck that’s designed to work on a variety of terrains… and for the places where it can’t reach immediately, it has its own rescue drone that can perform reconnaissance missions for it.

The I.RQ and HeliDroid work in tandem to perform highly specialized rescue missions. The rescue truck itself sits on a modular chassis, allowing the upper cabin to be attached to various types of platforms for different terrain. The model shown in the images above and below comes outfitted with Mecanum wheels that allow it to move in any direction and even rotate on its own axis for flexible mobility. “The styling gives the surfaces a lot of volume as a progressive look into what is considered tough. This results in a more simplified design by also keeping surface interaction of various shapes very fluid. As this is an autonomous vehicle, we use our black belt concept, which continues to the side, to enclose the radars and an illuminated FUSO logo”, says lead-designer Tanay Patel.

The I.RQ’s most interesting feature is its companion drone, which can help locate victims in dense or difficult-to-reach areas. The drone is deployed in emergency scenarios to rapidly locate and pinpoint victims by scanning the terrain. Equipped with big rotors for vertical lift and electric ducted fans for horizontal flight, the drone can carry as much as 10 liters of supplies and cargo to victims. It even comes with its own onboard AI assistant which interacts with victims through its anthropomorphized face-display, providing a sense of comfort to them in moments of distress and letting them know that help’s on the way. When the HeliDroid locates and identifies the victim and drops off its emergency supplies/cargo, it makes its way back to the I.RQ truck, which opens up to transform into a landing pad for the drone. “Our aim at advanced design is to create a benchmark for ourselves with designs like these so we can apply some of these design cues to the next generation of production vehicles”, Tanay told Yanko Design.

Designers: Tanay Patel, Benoit Tallec, Tsuchide Satoshi, Ryoko Kurosu and Diego Santos

This hospital-on-wheels can travel to critical areas to immediately treat patients and victims

Posted on 26/12/2020 by Sarang Sheth

An ambulance’s role is to get patients to a hospital as fast as possible. While this system remains the current norm, it basically means ambulances need to make TWO trips to fulfill their purpose – to the patient, and to the medical facility. The Mobile Hospital halves that by directly bringing the cutting-edge facilities of the hospital directly to the patient. Designed for disaster-struck areas and war-torn regions, the Mobile Hospital is a complete diagnostics center and operation theater on wheels. The vehicle is roughly the size of a semi-truck, and fits all state-of-the-art medical equipment within its rear compartment. When the hospital reaches its destination, the rear compartment expands sideways to virtually triple in size. This makes its inner cabin much more spacious, allowing the hospital to effectively and efficiently treat multiple people.

The Mobile Hospital’s interiors are divided into sectors to help boost efficiency. There’s a computer at one corner for communication purposes and for reading/creating reports, a lab at another corner, a pharmaceuticals zone in corner number 3, and a treatment-bench at the last corner. This leaves enough space in the center for an operating table complete with an MRI machine and a robotic arm for precise operations. Lastly, doors on either side of the compartment allow multiple patients to be admitted and treated at the same time… unless there’s a critical case where the hospital is sealed off for high-priority treatments and procedures. When its job is done, the hospital folds back up into its compact size and transports back to its original location.

Designer: Dors Liu

This autonomous ambulance uses a drone to clear way in crowded cities!

Posted on 17/10/2020 by Gaurav Sood

When time is of the essence in event of a medical emergency, seconds also matter. Any delay in transporting a critical patient to the nearest medical facility can be fatal, that’s why an ambulance which can ensure timely transportation of the patient sans any delays can help save countless lives. More so in crowded cities where delays are imminent. The only way to eliminate, or at least diminish the probability of such delays comes in the form of an advanced ambulance which is built in a manner that ensures human life gets a second chance it deserves.

ERKA Autonomous Ambulance is designed keeping in mind the future of mobility in busy city streets plagued by traffic jams and a dearth of parking spots. The minds behind the concept design – Roman Ignatowski (transportation industrial designer) and Maja Bryniarska (engineer architect and industrial designer) – envision a self-driving ambulance that’s propelled by clean energy. The end goal is to have an autonomous emergency medical service that concentrates on the comfort and safety of the patients. The duo identified the current shortcomings in EMS vehicles, thereby designing a compact ambulance that evolves from a small-transport car into a professional vehicle with all the medical facilities.

ERKA is fitted with 90-degrees turning wheels which also act as signal indicators for pedestrians. This ensures maneuverability in tight spaces and lesser parking woes. For a smooth ride, the ambulance has a hydraulic suspension system and for easy accessibility, there is a ramp too. On the inside, there are display screens to keep a tab on the vital statistics of the patient who lies on a comfortable platform during the ride. For more flexibility, the autonomous ambulance has a solar panel roof with a drone that flies ahead and above the traffic to clear way for the ambulance faster. Roman and Maja have put a lot of thought into the dynamics of the design and with more improvements in the ideation, this concept could one day take shape in the real world.

Designer: Roman Ignatowski and Maja Bryniarska

This award-winning Ambulance doesn’t need a road to ride on…

Posted on 09/06/2020 by Sarang Sheth

How does an ambulance reach a victim in a road/highway accident when there are more than a dozen cars stuck in a traffic jam between the ambulance and the site of the accident? Up until now, the only solution was to drive in the opposite lane, weaving through oncoming traffic to get to the victim. A band of Korean designers created the Median AMB, a special ambulance that can directly reach the point of the accident without getting affected by the traffic congestion created by the accident. The Median AMB sits on the road divider/median and drives up and down the highway almost like a monorail. It features sliding doors on both sides, seating for a driver and an assistant, and an area for a stretcher that holds the victim. When an accident occurs, it sends a beacon to the nearest Median AMB Station, located at intervals on the highway. Upon receiving a distress signal, the Median AMB drives down the dividers (which are now specifically aligned to serve as rails), right to the victim’s location, picks them up and brings them to a proper ambulance that can take the victim to the nearest hospital, helping save critical time and eventually lives too.

The Median AMB is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award.

Designers: Hong Seonghwan, Lee Hyungtaek, Lee Taekkyung & Song Yoojin

This ambulance bike solves two problems faced by the emergency vans

Posted on 21/04/2020 by Ruchi Thukral

If you have been on the street, you will have noticed ambulances trying to maneuver their way out of traffic and reach the hospital. There are some countries who have a special ambulance lane but there are many who don’t, and when time is of essence it breaks your heart to see them just make it out of the rush hour to save someone. During this pandemic, our streets have been largely empty because of the global quarantine but ambulances have been in short. The conceptual Neura project focuses on solving two issues with one product – an ambulance attachment assembled quickly for a bike to navigate dense cities easily.

Neura’s intention is to get the patient to the medical facilities faster and because of how fast it can be made, it is a gift when resources are short. The form is built like a two-wheeled wagon that can be attached to a vehicle. The Neura ambulance has one stretcher for the patient and a seating place for one paramedic. It is 3.1 meters long and has been designed to be light in weight by using minimal parts. It can reach remote parts where the lanes are narrow and can conserve the use of the traditional, more well-equipped ambulances for critical patients. In countries like India, the Neura project will be very successful given the dense traffic at any given point of the day will still allow a bike to slip out to the hospital easier than a van.

The last thing we want to face in the future is an ambulance stuck in traffic or worse, an ambulance not being available. With Neura we can be better prepared for unprecedented times.

Designer: Jorge Coll

Ambular uses the sky to provide swift medical emergency response in crowded cities

Posted on 04/07/2019 by Sarang Sheth

Obviously executing an airlift in cities isn’t particularly feasible. You’ve got buildings, cars, pedestrians, telephone wires, traffic lights, along with a dozen other complications. Helicopters, no matter how small, can’t do the job in crowded cities, and regular ambulances end up bearing the brunt of congested roads and traffic. In swoops (quite literally) the Ambular, an eVTOL designed to provide medical airlifts in cities. Ambular can take off and land without needing a helipad, and can transport patients to medical centers safely, via air.

Ambular comes with six propellers (three on each side) that help it take off and land vertically as well as travel through the air. Given that Ambular will work in crowded cities, it makes sense that the propellers come with pretty strong guards around them, just in case they hit or snag something and get damaged. Each propeller is capable of pushing out 20kW of power, giving the Ambular the ability to carry patients up to 250lb for as long as 15 nautical miles.

Ambular’s small, city-friendly size comes from the fact that it lacks a cockpit. Patients are loaded into Ambular’s cabin, and an autonomous piloting system transports them to the hospital. The absence of a pilot, and of piloting controls allows Ambular to operate in relatively small real estate (as compared to helicopters, with a wing-to-wing span of approximately 20 feet.

Designers: Charles Bombardier and Martin Rico for Imaginactive

The Life Knight brings the hospital to the injured

Posted on 13/02/2019 by Sarang Sheth

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Think about it. When you deploy an ambulance, you’re essentially making two trips. One, to the patient, and the second, to the hospital after collecting the patient. This 2x journey is often the difference between life and death, and a problem that the Life Knight wants to solve.

Designed to be deployed in areas with no access to medical care, i.e., disaster-struck zones or medically underdeveloped areas, the Life Knight is a moving hospital that reaches its destination and opens up into a full-fledged emergency room that can cater to more than one patient. Its body can be expanded—an inner crane structure extends outwards to create a makeshift hospital with 26 wards and an operating room fully equipped to meet the basic needs for treating mild to moderate injuries. Instead of driving patients to the hospital and wasting crucial time, the Life Knight brings the facilities of the hospital directly to its patients, halving the treatment time, and saving a lot of lives.

The Life Knight is a winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award for the year 2019.

Designers: Prof. Baojun Li, Prof. Mingliang Song & Zhifei Tian

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Ambulances can interrupt your music in emergencies

Posted on 16/01/2017 by Engadget RSS Feed

When people tell you not to play music at full blast in your car, they're not necessarily raining on your parade -- there's a real concern that you might not hear an emergency vehicle until the last moment. You might not have to worry quite so much i...

The Transportation Notification Illumination!

Posted on 06/06/2016 by Sarang Sheth

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The Lite-On Awards are dedicated towards curating and rewarding design concepts that showcase an innate ability to solve a problem through lateral thinking. The Notification Traffic Light is one such design concept to be awarded Lite-On’s Merit Award. The concept avoids the eventuality of an Ambulance getting into a vehicular accident at busy signals and crossroads by installing a special type of attachment to regular traffic lights. When synced with a beacon inside an ambulance, the notification light flashes a red cross on the road to alert all oncoming traffic to stop and make a clear passage for the approaching ambulance.

While it seems like a difficult ordeal to have a visible projection on tarmac in broad daylight, the idea certainly provides a solution to a problem that causes unfortunate loss of lives. The solution just like any design solution can always be perfected with time. One must get the ball rolling in the first place, don’t you think?

The Notification Traffic Light is a winning entry for the Lite-On Awards 2015. Entries for this year’s LiteOn awards are open till the 16th of June, 2016. Head down to the LiteOn website for further details. Hurry, you have just a week!

Designers: Chen-jun Yi & Liang-siou Ming.