Oliver Buckland – SDCA Degree Show 2024

Final Year Design Project

HYPOLAR

In today’s changing climate, we are being increasingly challenged by the world we live in. Accidents linked to hyperthermia and other heat-related illnesses are steadily rising year on year. It is important that our medical professionals can rise to the occasion when it matters most. The HYPOLAR rapid cooling system provides a new look at medical cooling to assist with the toughest scenarios imaginable.

The head and neck sections contain cooling pads fed by near-freezing coolant. Each pad surrounds areas close to the carotid and temporal arteries, cooling the blood itself. In turn, this cooling energy is circulated around the body, directly lowering the patient’s core body temperature.

Cooling power comes from a Peltier chip, which creates a temperature differential between its two faces. While one gets hot, the other gets cooler. The face draws heat away from the coolant in the pipework, ensuring stable cooling through the entire system.

Emergency medical staff need to be focused on the task at hand. HYPOLAR is designed to be easy to understand and use. Coloured and textured areas suggest points of contact. Clearly labelled controls erase confusion. An OLED screen displays all necessary information, including patient temperature and cooling time.

Everyone is made differently. It is essential that HYPOLAR can be used by anyone, anywhere. Several adjustability features have been included to make the product as inclusive as possible. These include a slider mechanism, over-head strap, and adjustable dial section. Even the neck wrap is elastic and can be fixed with Velcro.

Prototyping

**User Testing**

A variety of participants were asked to test the fit and comfort of the headset. Medical professionals provided valuable insights into how the design could be taken further.

**Functional Testing**

The concept needed to be feasible, but continuous testing often lead to new avenues of development and refinement that would have remained unexplored.

**Hands-On Approach**

Building a detailed prototype not only developed the final design, but also my skills in electronics and fabrication, ultimately leading to more imaginative solutions.

Optional Module

Computer Aided Modelling

Tasked with using NURBS surfacing techniques to create a real world product, I chose the WAHL Groomsman razor. This product was chosen due to its complex details, including the styled head section and the handhold. As a first time delving into the world of surface modelling, it was rewarding to learn a valuable new skill and produce a high-quality CAD model.