Fall 2012- Spring 2013
Keywords:
Virtual Team
Product Design
Medical Device
Systems Testing
Project Management
Product Design of a Medical Device
3M Sponsored Medical Device to Reduce Chemotherapy Induced Hair Loss
Left to Right: Sophia Goodrich, Sarah Weber, and Linda Son The Smith based design team provided systems testing, mathematical modeling, and rapid prototyping for the project.
Presentation Poster of Medical Device to Reduce Chemotherapy Induced Hair Loss
Left to Right: Sophia Goodrich, Sarah Weber, and Linda Son The Smith based design team provided systems testing, mathematical modeling, and rapid prototyping for the project.
Project Scope:
Currently 2 of 3 people undergoing chemotherapy treatment experience severe hair loss. Cooling the scalp during chemotherapy treatment constricts blood vessels in the scalp therefore less blood and chemotherapy can reach the hair follicles. Preliminary studies of scalp cooling devices show a potential 80-90% reduction in the amount of hair loss (depending upon the type of chemotherapy treatement).
However there are no FDA approved scalp cooling devices in the United States. 3M sponsored a team of three Smith College students and three Marquette University students to assess the current technology avaialble in europe, assess the US market potential, and to create a demonstration prototype that improves upon current technology.