A portable device that aims to reduce hair loss due to chemotherapy has won the annual James Dyson Award.
The device, named Athena, was designed by Irish graduate Olivia Humphreys.
She was inspired to develop her system when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and underwent chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy-induced alopecia can cause hair loss in cancer patients undergoing the treatment.
One method used to prevent hair loss is scalp cooling, which limits blood flow to the scalp.
This in turn limits the amounts of chemotherapy drugs that reach the area, damaging hair follicles and causing hair to fall out.
This is generally carried out within special facilities at the hospital providing treatment.
Patients are required to arrive half an hour early and stay for 90 minutes after infusion for pre- and post-cooling.
The equipment used for the procedure is bulky, expensive and may require additional medical staff to operate.
Athena is a much cheaper wearable device that allows patients to manage this aspect of treatment themselves, reducing the amount of time they have to spend in hospital on treatment days.
System costs 20 times less than equipment used in hospitals
Ms Humphreys, who recently graduated with a degree in Product Design and Technology from the University of Limerick, estimates that Athena will cost around €1,000 (£835), substantially less than current industry machines that start at €20,000 (£16,700).
She built her first prototype using a Peltier computer cooling fan system, a diaphragm pump, her mother’s old suitcase and her father’s plane battery.
The current design uses commercially available Peltier semiconductors, a powerful but lightweight 116Ah battery allowing for 3.5 hours of use, and a closed water system connected to the cooling headpiece.
The thermoelectric semiconductors cool the water, which is circulated from the carry case to the headpiece to cool the scalp.
Ms Humphreys said: “My mum inspired this journey, and it’s incredibly emotional and rewarding to have my project reach this level.”
Sir James Dyson called Athena “a low-cost alternative available to everybody, with the potential to make a real difference”.
Ms Humphreys will now receive £30,000 in prize money, which will help fund further research and development of the project.
She is also exploring other novel technologies for future hair loss prevention methods beyond scalp cooling.
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