RAAI

The reusable auto-injector project addresses many issues in the current market. The project intends to reduce medical waste and costs, address issues such as size and portability barriers, and incorrect usage due to poor affordances. Ease of replacing reusable parts is essential for the concept as it cannot create distractions in an emergency. The design of the auto-injector should be easy to hold and use, with clearer labelling. Also simplifying the switch from other brands to RAAI, reducing the need for retraining. The RAAI seeks to address these challenges and provide a more efficient and effective solution for adrenaline auto-injection.

The RAAI has effectively tackled the shortcomings of conventional adrenaline auto-injectors by employing a modular and reusable design. Its innovative features include refillable adrenaline cartridges and a gas canister recycling system to lower long-term expenses and minimise medical waste. Moreover, the RAAI has also taken measures to prevent accidental injection by placing the cap and activator on the same end and retaining a colour scheme that resembles the EpiPen’s “blue to the sky and orange to the thigh”. These improvements demonstrate the potential for the RAAI to enhance accessibility, affordability and environmental sustainability while improving usability and minimising error.

The RAAI is designed to improve the user's experience with a device they rely on to save their life. The current market is overpriced and needs to focus more on the user's experience and the medical waste created. With most devices on the market single-use and an 18-month expiry, they don’t last long before they are thrown out. Making a device with a main body and replaceable parts reduces the long-term cost and the amount of waste. This could have a vastly positive effect on the environment and users.

The EpiPen and other alternatives are expensive, costing up to AUD$550, inconvenient to carry, have a short shelf life of 18 months, and subject to international shortages due to manufacturing and supply issues. It is predictable that people with anaphylaxis are going without, risking poor health outcomes. The EpiPen also is coupled with poor affordances leading to it easily being used incorrectly in emergencies. The focal point of this project was to create a reusable, better value and more portable device. The process included comparing the failures and successes of the current designs in the market. With these points in mind, the goal was an adrenaline auto-injector that could be used multiple times whilst improving practicality and not compromising safety. The Auvi-Q adrenaline auto-injector was used as the base for designing the internals, as it uses a CO2 canister to activate, which was safer when replacing parts. The RAAI case is a one-time purchase with refills for the adrenaline cartridge and a recycling process for refilling gas canisters. This device reduces the long-term cost for users and the inconvenience of purchasing a whole new device and is more eco-friendly with less medical waste. It is a more patient-focused device.