There’s a reason for the sentimental media stories you see about babies’ lives being at danger or great medical risk: there’s not much that tugs at the heartstrings like a small helpless human life imperiled. A recent alumnus of the Institute of Design (ID), Brian Stonecipher, has developed a groundbreaking new product, that has the potential to save lives.
PediaPod started as a research and demonstration project for ID, which is worked on throughout the last year of the master’s program. The device is a support accessory that holds pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures, and its design keeps in mind the needs of both the patient and the medical support. Security is the most important feature of PediaPod; even though the baby is anesthetized, there may still be movement inadvertently, which can be very dangerous during catheterization procedures.
PediaPod also provides a heating system for the patient. Infants lose body heat quickly, and catheterization labs can be cold. Ease of use for the baby was key in Stonecipher’s design as well., since the product’s user-friendliness from a design, perspective is just as much a part of any project at ID as its functionality. Students at the Institute of Design can work on product development in the healthcare, education, or transportation fields. Stonecipher was interested in getting into product development in the healthcare industry because he wanted to be in a hospital because of the complexity of the environment, it allows me to use my ergonomics degree there. The technology in the field is always developing too, and these developments really make a difference even if they aren’t crucial, Stonecipher said.
As part of the Research and Demonstration Project, students at the Institute of Design who choose to develop a product in the healthcare field have the opportunity to go to Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital and find specific project areas they find interesting through observing procedures and questioning technicians, nurses, and physicians during a field observation. Stonecipher observed several adults and pediatric catheterization procedures and found that the patient holder being used during pediatric catheterizations was a product that needed improvement.
The existing patent-holder is a plastic shell that does not fit many patients and is intended for a child larger than an infant. Stonecipher explained that the medical staff would often use pieces of foam and washcloths to properly fit an infant in the holder.
Once Stonecipher had observed many catheterization processes and interviewed technicians and nurses and decided on what product to develop, he developed guidelines for what the product should have. During concept development, Stonecipher developed a framework of guidelines to address the problems of restraining the baby and keeping it warm. This was followed by behavioral prototyping, which is used to test how users would use the product when it does not yet exist.
Once Stonecipher had observed many catheterization processes and interviewed technicians and nurses and decided on what product to develop, he developed guidelines for what the product should have. During concept development, Stonecipher developed a framework of guidelines to address the problems of restraining the baby and keeping it warm. This was followed by behavioral prototyping, which is used to test how users would use the product when it does not yet exist.
Throughout the design process, students had several advisors working with them. Stonecipher worked most closely with Martin Thaler, Institute of Design faculty member and director of design at IDEO. Thaler was an ideal mentor for Stonecipher because he is a product designer and has done product development work with medical products. Thaler felt that there is a need for PediaPod and probably a niche in the market for it. Though PediaPod has not been taken to the final stage, Thaler said the next step is looking at the manufacturing aspect of the product.
Even though PediaPod has not yet been commercialized, it is still getting the recognition it deserves. PediaPod won a gold medal in the 2002 IDEAs (Industrial Design Excellence Awards), one of the most important student competitions in industrial design. Stonecipher’s gold medal is especially prestigious because IDEA, which is co-sponsored by BusinessWeek Magazine and IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America), awards only two students the gold medal each year.
Stonecipher has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Nebraska and graduated in May 2001 from the Institute of Design with an M.S. in Human Factors Engineering. Stonecipher has no concrete plans for commercialization of PediaPod as of now, but is hopeful of getting it put into production. He also hopes to find employment in product development in the medical field, quite possibly achieving his wishes of making a difference through more efficient products.