HCDE 451 Physical Prototyping: Wearable Fentanyl Testing Kit
Annie Yao, Austin Yung, Daphanie Chan, Jackie Khuong
Concept
Implementation
For our final project our group created two wearable fentanyl testing kits that take influence from kandi (rave-themed bead jewelry). Both wearables have a custom heart-shaped charm that holds a fentanyl test strip inside, allowing users to test their substances on the go. In addition, one of the wearables, a bracelet, contains a small pouch with nasal spray narcan. On the other hand, the necklace wearable does not contain narcan, but has two test kit charms instead of one.
In order to turn this idea into reality we utilized several different prototyping methods: paper, soft goods, 3D printing, and video prototyping. After sketching some designs we went to work, initially creating paper prototypes. This method gave us an idea of what our prototype might look like in early stages, allowing us to make necessary adjustments leading to a more refined design. Then, by combining the use of soft goods and 3D printing we were able to actualize our prototype in a higher fidelity. Soft goods enabled us to create the cloth carrying pouch for the narcan and the beaded bracelet. On the other hand, 3D printing gave us the capability to print out our testing kit charms for our wearables. Finally, video prototyping helped us portray the usability of our prototype in the environment we envisioned its use.
The testing kit works like any other, as users will mix a little water with their substance in the charm, and then place the test strip inside. After two minutes results will be visible on said strip with one red line signifying the inclusion of fentanyl and two meaning none is present. The narcan pouch, on the other hand, simply holds the narcan canister, allowing for easy access.
Goals
This project aimed to tackle the “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” pillar of the 17 sustainable development goals, focusing on safe consumption of mind altering substances. As a team, we based our measure of success on desirability and usability, making sure our prototype not only worked, but also fit the rave aesthetic for our target audience.
Evaluation
As previously stated, we focused on the usability and desirability of our prototype, so we conducted several evaluations with targeted users; All participants were college students that have previously attended at least one rave. We asked participants questions regarding the effectiveness of both our goals, such as, “Could you see yourself using this prototype at a rave? Why or why not?” With more open ended questions like these, we were able to obtain valuable feedback, which highlighted strengths and weaknesses within our design.
Analysis
Overall, we believe that this prototype was a success, as participants reacted positively, noting the effectiveness of the design’s transportability and discrete design. However, participants also showed signs of confusion when reading the test strip, as the prototype lacked guidance for interpreting results. In addition, one participant mentioned that we should add a warning label stating that we do not promote substance abuse, but instead support safety precautions leading up to substance intake. Looking back, we believe we worked well as a team, only struggling with finding time frames that worked for all group members. If we could further iterate upon this prototype we would make varying charm shapes for the testing kits, find some way to include a water capsule so users don’t need to find water in order to conduct a test, and add a key to help users determine their test results. Furthermore, we would also try to create the charms using a more durable plastic, as the PLA plastic from 3D printing lacks durability.
