Sophia Neill · CLIENT: Victoria University of Wellington
Czero is a wearable device made to reduce the spread of infections. The ring vibrates when the hand of the wearer comes near the face, giving a reminder not to touch it. An earring or pendant communicates wirelessly with the ring to sense this distance. Inside the ring are a transmitter, a receiver, a vibrator, an optical blood flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a microcontroller and a battery. Health data is sent to a linked application, which also gives reminders to wash the hands. The accessories are small and discreet.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Czero is a wearable device that vibrates when your hand is near your face reminding you not to touch it which would reduce transmission of infections notably. The ring is linked to an app that tracks your health and also alerts you to wash your hands before turning off.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Sizes vary between accessories.
- Tags
- Ring, technology, travel, safety, health, app, covid 19
- Production Technology
- Inside a ring is a transmitter, receiver, vibrator, Photoplethysmography sensor (PPG), Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) sensor, Arduino and battery. The earring/pendant transmits and receives information wirelessly to the ring. When the ring and earring/pendant are close, the vibrator in the ring is activated until moved away. The PPG sensor tracks the blood flow under the skin. Body temperature is monitored through a NTC sensor. The Ardunio and transmitter sends this information to the app.
- Design Challenge
- This project began when challenged at university to create a new interaction that had some relevance to the Covid 19 pandemic. Sophias solution to this challenge was to remove the interaction of touching the face as 80% of infections are spread this way.
- Project Duration
- This project was completed by a third year Industrial design student with Victoria University of Wellington during the Covid 19 lockdown period in New Zealand.
- Operation Flow
- Czero utilises pre existing technology in a revolutionary way, with the power to significantly reduce the spread of Covid 19 and other threatening infections that may arise in the future. This concept has considerable relevance to the current global crisis, increasing the demand for innovative and feasible designs. The ring and accessories are discrete, small and aesthetically pleasing which is rarely seen in healthcare products. Not only does this product break the dangerous habit we have of touching our faces, it also tracks the state of the user and informs them when they may have contracted an infection.
- Research
- Sophia began research by looking at Covid 19 and understanding the root of the issue. As Covid 19 is not predicted to be the only pandemic, Influenza is posing an increasing threat as we are expected to enter a post antibiotic era, where life threatening infections are deemed untreatable. To be able to successfully reduce the spread Covid 19 and other infections, Sophia chose to design an affordable product for a large target audience but majority travellers.
- Inspiration
- Covid 19 and Influenza viruses have a rapid transmission rate which causes a huge threat when we are without vaccinations or cures. Although washing our hands has been encouraged during this time 80% of infections spread from touching our faces. Czero is a prevention tool intended for travellers. This diminishes overseas transmission and reduce a potential pandemic down to an endemic.
- Image Credits
- Chat Roulette, Single Friend, 2019
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