when my doctor prescribed an inhaler after I contracted pneumonia, I was surprised by how little design and innovation went into a device used daily by so many.

after interviewing frequent users, I uncovered that the real problem was the embarrassment they felt from using an inhaler in public, not issues involving its functionality. identifying this problem, i wrote the following statement:

MAKE AN INHALER LESS AWKWARD TO USE IN PUBLIC

i started by doing research into things culturally considered "cool," specifically health items and other props from sci-fi movies and video games.

after adopting an eye motif from blade runner, I developed the following iteration:

using a small oled screen and coding it with an arduino, i developed the iteration into this final version:

three months later, I realized I hadn’t solved the problem. if anything, the inhaler was now more attention-grabbing and unusual. I concluded that the L-shaped profile needed to go; I decided to start over and design something that didn't look like a traditional inhaler.

i created several iterations for an upright inhaler. the mechanism remained the same, but i struggled to develop an intentional form.

in search of inspiration, i continued to research:

conversation with frequent users

conversation with peers + professionals

what makes things cool? | caleb warren | tedxuofa

james turrell: university of texas at austin skyspace, "the color inside"

dune: heighliner folding space
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my sources of visual inspiration also evolved throughout the project:

all my research and iteration eventually manifested into the following form:

the final object is simplified and discreet, working with existing abrutal cartridges.

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