Team:SDU-Denmark/Hardware
Hardware
Several iterations ultimately led to the two designs of the SDU iGEM 2020 hardware prototype, which focuses on user-friendliness and convenience, tackling the two test formats. The purpose of prototyping is to be able to enable the end-user to experience and give feedback on the PROSTATUS test within the short term. The long-term goal is to make a tangible product that can be launched to the market.
The process started by mapping the business environment around prostate cancer self-testing. Knowledge about existing self-diagnostic applications was used to understand what would drive the market forces if such a product were to be released to the general public. The Business Model Canvas was used, as it is a common tool used to provide the basis of a prospective business venture. See the Entrepreneurship page for a further description of the business model.
The process from choosing the direction for iGEM SDU 2020 to the prototype can be summarized in seven simplified steps:
Click or tap a category below to see more information!
Idea generation workshop
The design was initiated by the “problem area” workshop, where the direction for our project was chosen. Through the workshop weekend, a brainstorm on different project ideas were made. During the workshop, many ideas were made, and ranged within 8 categories, including climate change, self-diagnostics, mental health, resource optimization.
The idea about a self-test for prostate cancer was considered for the first time at this workshop.
Problem selection
The selection of the prostate cancer test was executed through an internal voting supported by a workshop facilitated by Patricia Wolf. Here we used the screening methodology – top 3 voting and Kesselring [1]. Those are structured methods to ensure that the idea found most appealing by the team, and at the same time fulfils the competition criteria is selected.
[1] Michanek J., Breiler, A. (2013). The Idea Agent: The Handbook on Creative Processes. Routledge
Research of probable testing options
From selection of a prostate cancer self-test, the team investigated which segments who are likely to be affected by this specific disease.
From the research, it was estimated that approximately 1,200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer yearly worldwide, and for whom early detection could be valuable.
This segment was analysed according to their demographics, and their needs as potential end-users were gathered through interviews as described in the human practice section.
The market opportunity research led to a proposed business model and a preliminary target segment. Those were further investigated through the interviews conducted by human practice.
Benchmarking – Inspiration from the pregnancy test
Initially the idea was to make a self-test for prostate cancer that could resemble the same simplicity as the well-known and commonly used home test – the pregnancy test. However, before going into the initial hardware design, the team made a product benchmarking to identify alternative prostate test solutions in the market.
Three products with similar attributes were allocated:
- The PSA test
- The PUR test
- The Imaware™ test
Concept adaption to laboratory work
As the lab work proceeded, it was found that the temperature would be a factor necessary to consider. This ruled-out a design solution similar to the pregnancy test.
A design workshop was facilitated, where different methods were used to find potential innovative designs for the prostate cancer test. Here it was found that a cup would be a more ideal way to accommodate the design criteria of the temperature being stable.
Through the workshop 10 different designs were found and afterward made into 3D models.
It was found that even though the process of taking a pregnancy test couldn’t be utilized regarding a prostate cancer test, the hardware of the pregnancy test could still be repurposed in our final product.
Pre-to-typing
The main idea of pre-to-typing is to validate the idea or produce constructions in a rapid manner, for fast learning and a better 3D understanding of ideas in mind. For the pre-to-type workshop, teammates from the lab and human practice were invited to join, in order to have a better understanding of the lab work and the actual test combined with the design.
Prototyping
After the pre-to-typing workshop, the most promising ideas were constructed in CAD and then 3D printed. (See the Integrated Design section for more information.)
