qio

QIO IS A REDESIGN OF MINIMAL INVASIVE LAPAROSCOPIC INTRUMENTS
TO LOWER THE PAIN SURGENS EXPERIENCE WHILE WORKING.

QIO HAS A DONUT SHAPED HANDLE TO FIT A WIDE RANGE OF HANDSIZES AND DECREASE THE PAIN, SURGEONS EXPERIENCE WHILE AND AFTER WORKING. Over time, it has become MORE AND MORE evident that LAPAROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS lead to pain and injuries for surgeons - especially for those with hands outside the “norm.” THIS IS BECAUSE Current MINIMAL INVASIVE instruments are still built on handles established in the 1950s, WHERE MOST SURGEONS WERE MALE. THANKS TO THE ROUND SHAPE, SURGEONS CAN GRAB THE HANDLE FROM ANY ANGLE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HAVING TO BEND THEIR WRIST IN UNHEALTHY POSITIONS.

ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVER OF WORKING ON THIS PROJECT WAS TO UNDERLINE THE STILL EXISTING ERGONOMIC INBALANCE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. NOT ADRESSING THIS LEADS TO - A - AN UNSUSTAINABLE WORKENVIRONMENT AND - B - amplifies THE ALREADY EXISTING GENDER INEQUALITY AND Exclusion of bodies beyond the norm.

THE PROCESS WAS HIGHLY USER DRIVEN: OBSERVING OPERATIONS IN THE HOSPITAL, INTERVIEWING SURGEONS, ASSISTANTS AND AESCULAP ENGINEERS, PROTOTYPING EVERY ITTERATION, TESTING AGAIN, HAVING BY-WEEKLY CHECKINS WITH DANIEL, MY SURGICAL ADVISOR, CONDUCTING A ROLE-PLAY FOR THE FINAL CONCEPT VALIDATION, AND PROTOTYPING WITH AS MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.