For my DTC-1 class at Northwestern University, we were partnered with Lindsey McCorry of Lurie Children’s Hospital to address the challenge of attaching a regulator to an oxygen tank, which can be both difficult and time consuming. This makes it hard to quickly access oxygen in an emergency and leads to stress and delays in care. 

To solve this problem, my team and I designed a device that simplifies and speeds up the set-up process. This enhances efficiency, makes it more accessible and user-friendly and reduces the stress for parents during emergencies. We came up with our design after conducting interviews with project partners, hospital workers, and patient family members. We then began to sketch design possibilites and test several mockups for various ideas. After getting feedback from our peers and teachers, we began developing prototypes for our final design to find the most suitable materials.

Our prototype consists of two motors which will automatically screw the t-handle to stabilize the regulator onto the tank, and open the valve to start the flow of oxygen. To operate this, the user is only required to flick two switches. Our final design would be a structure that aligns the regulator onto the right spot on the tank without any effort from the user. The design takes the form of a box that houses both the regulator and the motors as a single integrated unit, while also providing protection.