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INDUSTRY NEWS

Shaking things up in the medical arena, this eye, ear, and throat inspection device converts kinetic energy into electricity.

A device for eye, ear, and throat examinations that uses kinetic energy to generate electricity has received a coveted International Forum (iF) design award within the medical products category. The Shakerscope, which includes a light source that is powered by shaking the device, was designed and developed by The National Centre for Product Design & Development Research (PDR) at the University of Wales in Cardiff, UK.

With interchangeable heads, also developed by PDR, the instrument offers significant advantages in terms of cost, space, and weight compared with conventional devices, which typically require a separate power and light source for each application. The Shakerscope was recently used in Afghanistan on military patients, where its robustness, compact dimensions, reliability, and nondependence on batteries ensured its success.

The Shakerscope was designed and developed for two consultant anaesthetists in Swansea, UK. They hope to market the device on a global scale this year.

With extensive experience in medical device development, PDR has vast resources at its disposal to take a product from concept to prototype to launch. Its facilities house CAD systems, rapid-prototyping machines, three-axis machining centres, injection moulders, and low-volume batch manufacturing equipment.

For more information on the Shakerscope device, contact the National Centre for Product Design & Development Research, UWIC, Western Ave., Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK; phone: +44 29 20416725; fax: +44 29 20416973; e-mail: info-pdr@uwic.ac.uk; Internet: www.pdronline.co.uk.