Opus One Kunimoto Laryngoscope

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  • 2015

  • Product
    Medical and Scientific

Designed By:

Commissioned By:

Tokuda Industries

Designed In:

Japan

The Laryngoscope is one of the few medical devices that has not seen any innovation for more than half a century. This device was completely re-designed to adapt to changing medical fields such as anesthesia, intensive care and emergency situations. Our goal is to resolve malpractice of tracheal intubation by increasing operability and enhance functionality by using appropriate power. The design of the blade was made transparent to include a high intensity light. The diffusional angle was also expanded using super luminosity LED as a light source to improve the operator’s field of view and enable ease of use event in dark areas with no electricity or light.


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  • CHALLENGE
  • SOLUTION
  • IMPACT

  • Comparison examination of the optimal material for a grip and a blade was carried out and the material design was performed. The organic configuration design was performed and 3D processing technology of an NC system in high level was used. For this reason, the post processor for CAD for exclusive use was developed. By establishing the new know-how of this processing technology, we decided to manufacture complicated three-dimensional geometry in a design plan faithfully.

  • The trial production and manufacture design of the grip of the new type laryngoscope, form examination of the blade and an optimization design were performed. This was carried out by having repeated trial production examination and manufacturing the design based on data obtained from medical research of the trial product. Then, the last trial production was created, the clinical use by doctors was completed and the new style laryngoscope which does not damage a human body was manufactured.

  • The new type laryngoscope was able to perform design optimization of medical equipment. The key design feature is the unique rounded design of the blade which dramatically reduces potential damage to the human body. From a functionality perspective, a doctor with little experience can also use the device correctly. It excelled in operativity in the anesthesiologist of the medical department in Nagoya City University and a Japanese anesthesia science meeting and Japan Society of Clinical Anaesthesia. A high evaluation was received and the device was described as being very easy-to-use by practitioners.