Managing the design for a pediatric oxygen concentrator with team of five engineers in senior capstone project
Role: Project Manager, Engineer, Researcher | Timeline: June 2020 - May 2021
Before
The Goal
Design and build an oxygen concentrator, a medical device that creates nearly-pure oxygen. Given the project started in COVID-19, many groups were working on similar projects. To find a niche in an already crowded market, we decided to create an oxygen concentrator for pediatrics.
Foundational Research
Finding our market
To find our niche, we discussed designing for three different markets:
Pediatrics
Developing nations
Elderly patients with COPD
We chose pediatrics because we found that many other teams were designing for developing nations and elderly patients with COPD was already an established market, with many companies designing specifically for them.
Before
Problem Statement
Oxygen concentrators are not built for children with cardiopulmonary diseases. Instead, they are given over-specified, utilitarian devices that will then be ratcheted down to match the specifications required for children.
Foundational Research
Research
Users experience with the device was critical to the project. We asked our selves the questions:
How would kids interact with the device?
How would parents interact with the device?
What elements of a medical device can be scary to children?
How would kids feel going to school with the device?
We put out surveys on Facebook groups to identify pain points and find potential interview subjects.
The biggest pain points we found were:
The size and weight
The noise
The battery
Word cloud made with the pain points from users
Foundational Research
Interviews
We found one woman whose grandson uses an oxygen concentrator and a respiratory specialist who were willing to speak with us.
To prepare for the interviews, the team wrote out detailed questions, assigned the questions to team members, and identified a hierarchy of questions to ask. We assigned one team member to take notes.
We meticulously planned our conversations to ensure that our interview subjects felt comfortable and understood.
Foundational Research
Results
We decided to focus on three main elements for the design:
Medical specifications
Creating an aesthetically pleasing design for children
Keeping the product under budget of $800.00 USD
Prototyping
Building an Oxygen Concentrator
Throughout the project we were plagued with the issues of sourcing during COVID. This resulted in us having to create a looks-like and works-like prototype. We divided and conquered. One part of the team worked on the internal system and the others worked on the external casing and UI design.
We got together and brainstormed ideas on how to make the design approachable for children. Below are is concept art that my teammate sketched.
Prototyping
Refining the Design
After consulting with the respiratory specialist, we decided to not use the seat idea due to vibration issues. We instead created a backpack sized casing painted in a fun green color. A clipped mechanism covers the UI so that it can’t be accessed by any children.
The Design
The User Interface
While designing the user interface, I wanted to create an intuitive experience.
The ratcheting knob and the on-off toggle switch with resistance prevent children from adjusting or turning off their own device
Light indicators when the device needs charging, has low oxygen, or needs maintenance
Non-electronic labeling per FDA guidelines
Project Management
Schedules
As the team Project Manager, I worked through developing schedules and budgets for the project. I pushed for getting access to the software Microsoft Project to do so.
I created macro and micro schedules for the team. Below are some examples of the Gantt charts that we followed throughout the semester.
The biggest challenge as PM was scoping the project. My team was ambitious and we wanted to get the most out of the project. I had to put my foot down and tell my team that we were out of scope so that we had time to complete the reports and pitch presentations.
Project Management
Budgeting
One of our main goals was keeping the manufacturing cost below $800. I kept track of the purchases and components in Excel, created purchase orders, and sent out quotes. The resulting estimated cost was $759.00 per unit.
Conclusion
Results: Stakeholder Presentation
Another major element of the course was presenting our work to our classmates and a panel of jurors. We created a presentation to showcased the oxygen concentrator from concept to final design. I worked with the team to practice our presentation skills and ensure that we were within the given time. We pitched the project and our jurors were impressed with the results we were able to achieve within the timeframe.
Results
Video Showcase
To further showcase the work we did, I directed and edited the following video. As the video shows, we successfully executed the majority of our main objectives.
Conclusion
Takeaways
In my capstone course, I learned about interviewing users, managing projects, and communicating technical work effectively. The course was self directed and I gained more confidence in delegating work and making definitive decisions about phases of the project.
I also enjoyed talking to the subject matter experts and users. During this project we focused so heavily on human factors design and it resulted in a product that satisfied and exceeded the goals.