Killijan flexible bronchoscope

CTU in Prague / 2021
— about
My aim was to make the bronchoscope as easy to use as possible. That is important mainly when many surgeries are done per day, considering the safety of both the patient and the operating doctor.

Thanks to the improved ergonomics, the new design is way more lighter and easier to operate than the older models, while maintaining the important features of such tool. The shape of the bronchoscope is friendlier for the finger and palm.

This redesigned bronchoscope sits better in the hand of the doctor, and also allows him/her to move around the surgery space more easily, thanks to the improved placement of cables.

By sticking to a minimal shape it is also easier to clean the body of the bronchoscope, making it safer to use repeatedly during the day.
— methods & tools
primary and secondary data analysis / user interviews / prototyping / 3D print

Adobe Suite / Rhinoceros 3D / V-Ray
To improve the design of an existing tool used in the medical industry. My motivation to redesign a flexible bronchoscope was because of the lacking ergonomics of current models, that can leave the doctor's hand sore and make the surgery complicated.
Assignment
During the whole process of researching and designing, I've stayed in touch with a doctor that uses the tool on a daily basis. I also got the chance to attend a surgery and observe for myself, and then ask questions about the usability of the product.

Apart from that I have looked up the market and pointed out the pain points of currently used models of flexible bronchoscopes. I have also researched and discussed the technological and ergonomics requirements, finding out that the wrong design of this tool can have harmful effects for the doctors that use it daily.I have defined the main points as:

a) the shape
b) the lever placement
c) the cable placement (for the connection to the screen)​​​​​​​
Research
My aim was to make the bronchoscope as easy to use as possible. That is important mainly when many surgeries are done per day, considering the safety of both the patient and the operating doctor.

The shape
I started by defining what the shape of the bronchoscope should be, as the greatest aspect affecting other decisions. I figured it out by clay modelling since the start, letting the shape adapt to what seemed the most comfortable for the arm. I ended up with an organic shaped that's easy to be copied by the palm and fingers, and that isn't hard to handle during multiple long usages per day.

When placing the buttons that operate the machine, I followed the natural position of the fingers. That allows the use the least pressure possible, which makes the bronchoscope more effortless to use.

The handle used for hanging the bronchoscope to dry also functions as an element that secures doctors finger in place, and that gives more freedom to movement of the fingers when using other surgical tools. It also allows the doctor to hang the bronchoscope during the surgery when needed.

The cables
I placed the cables in such way so that it allows the doctor to move around the patient smoothly, while being limited the least.

The main difference to the contemporary design is the placement of the cables - instead of leaving one of them up (which restricts the doctor in movement), I have placed both of them to the down part, while minimising the need of having to adapt to their position.There is a little hole in the upper part, leaving space for the suction valve, and another hole in the bottom part for the tools to be placed easily in the operating cable that leads to the patient's lungs.

The lever
I picked placement of the lever that operates the camera at the end of the bronchoscope on the top front side, so that it is operated by thumb - the strongest finger in the opposition, instead of the current design's operating by index finger, which wasn't the most efficient way.The lever is in the shape of a ball with a little pit for the finger to lay in comfortably, without sliding.
Design process