Anaesthetic Cap Design

Recently, a clinician from Pharmacy at Auckland DHB approached the design lab with a pressing issue around sealing anaesthetic bottles. Current practise stores the bottles with a hose attachment to identify them as 'in use.' However the bottles drip if they are moved around.

Using rapid prototyping, a design was developed to seal the bottles quickly and easily, and exemplifies the strength of rapid prototyping low volumes. The design is currently being refined before a small batch of caps are printed for use.

The hospital campus in 3D

Recently, two spatial design graduates were contracted to build 3D scale models of the Grafton hospital campus. Two models were constructed: one of the park road entry points to the hospital and the other a 3D campus map.  The purpose of the models were to help the dialogue around establishing the main entrance to the hospital and how this decision affects the campus as a whole.

In contrast to schematics, working with physical models has afforded more useful dialogue around these questions of hospital infrastructure and navigation.

Makerbot for the LAB

Rapid prototyping technology is becoming an inseparable component of design. 3D printing is especially useful for quickly visualising complex forms that would otherwise be impossible to model quickly and cheaply. We are excited to have our own MakerBot printer for design lab staff and student projects and  there is massive potential within healthcare to leverage 3D printing for better health care experiences.