Inhalo
by Amber Hartmann
The Inhalo featured with a standard pressurised metered dosage inhaler (pMDI).
Project Description
The Inhalo is an assistive medical device used in the treatment of asthma which aims to improve patient adherence to asthma management regimes by supporting the everyday needs and lifestyles experiences of its users. The product form is a redevelopment of Valved Holding Chambers (VHCs), better known as Spacers. For many decades, these have made the inhalation of medications via inhalers easy and more effective for users, yet their forms greatly discourage use.
The Inhalo brings a new and refreshing aesthetic to everyday medical devices, challenging any existing societal preconceptions or associations about the use of previous VHC devices. The device modernises traditional VHC forms, sporting a sleek, fun and compact body that makes it easy for users to keep their device with them at all times, while further enhancing the devices usability.
The Inhalo comprises several separate components to allow for easy product disassembly and reassembly for cleaning purposes. Internal components include a hidden one-way valve panel featuring cross valve technology, hidden ventilation holes, and a reversible mouthpiece to enhance product portability and cleanliness.
The Inhalo has been designed to support the responsibilities, experiences, identity and daily activities of asthmatic adolescents and young adults. It aims to rebrand the VHC and remove negative connotations associated with VHC in asthma treatment that contribute to cycles of non-adherence into adulthood.
Exploded view of the Inhalo showing internal features.
Comparison between the Inhalo and other commonly carried everyday items.
The Inhalo in travel mode in a user’s hand.
Bio
Amber is an inquisitive product designer with a passion for creating impactful, inherently meaningful products that bridge the realm of imagination with tangible reality. Her true passion for the design process emerges during research and ideation stages in projects, as it allows her to deep dive into new contexts and explore diverse perspectives from various people, societies and cultures. As a designer, she is naturally inclined towards hands-on, experimental design processes, often pioneering her own materials and design processes.
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