System Design for Mobile Care
Showcased at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023.
Care can't come easy.
In Taiwan, in-home dental care was inefficient, with dentists spending too much time on setup and logistics, leading to low participation despite its importance for homebound patients.
Solution & Impact
Efficiency
Reduce setup time from 15 to 5 minutes
67%
Mobility
Enable single-person transport
75%
Flexibility
Simplify power requirements
67%
Understand the field reality.
Traveling with the team from patient to patient. I followed an in-home dental team from a local hospital in Taipei, Taiwan for one week.
Commute
Setup
Treatment
Pack up
Commute
Key insights.
Complex Environment
The abundance of devices around patients made it challenging for the dental team to find space and power outlets.
Standalone Devices
Current dental products, designed for static clinical settings, didn’t accommodate frequent travel and setup needs.
Time-consuming Setup
Multiple personnel were required for equipment transport and configuration, resulting in longer setup times.
How might we design for streamlined setup time to ease the preparation process?
As one dentist noted, “Unlike in a dental office where you have all the equipment ready and an assistant to hand you whatever you need, for this type of service, you have to do everything by yourself.” This complexity has led to limited participation in home dental services.
Modularization
What if we integrate these devices into a cohesive system?
Modularization
Combine multiple standalone devices that are frequently used in the treatment into one unified system.
Mobility
Use trolley to provide a foundation to assemble devices all into one and allow mobility.
Concept development
Advantages
Simple modular separation for flexible use
Challenges
Stability issues during transport
Advantages
Enhanced stability between modules
Challenges
Vertical interface placement proved awkward
Advantages
When used individually, the interface faces horizontally, allowing natural usage
Adaptable configuration for different treatment scenarios
Breakthrough
Vertical interface placement proved awkward
Final design.
Integrated cable routing
Each module features dedicated grooves for organized cable storage.
Reduced tangle risk
Cable management prevents tangling during transport and setup.
Independent operation
The trolley core serves as both a structural backbone and centralized power distribution system. Each module functions as a standalone unit when needed.
Enhanced Stability
Secure mounting system prevents movement during transport while enabling quick detachment.
Final design
Integrated cable routing
Each module features dedicated grooves for organized cable storage.
Reduced tangle risk
Cable management prevents tangling during transport and setup.
Independent operation
The trolley core serves as both a structural backbone and centralized power distribution system. Each module functions as a standalone unit when needed.
Enhanced stability
Secure mounting system prevents movement during transport while enabling quick detachment.