Making lifesaving technology affordable and accessible
Design that Matters (DtM) adapts medical technology to make it more available in low-income communities.
Play video (2:43 min.) Image courtesy of Design that Matters
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The problem
Medical equipment is prohibitively expensive
Health care technology that the developed world takes for granted is often too costly and complicated for hospitals in developing countries.
The solution
Redesigning technology for maximum availability
By creating durable, affordable, easy-to-use versions of health care technology, DtM helps save lives where resources are scarce.
Image courtesy of Design that Matters
The role of design
Advanced design software and rapid prototyping tools like 3D printing allow DtM to create and launch products quickly and efficiently with only a small team of designers and engineers.
Image courtesy of Design that Matters
Impact
DtM's Firefly, an easy-to-use, energy-efficient phototherapy device to treat infant jaundice, has treated more than 200,000 newborns in 25 countries across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean. Studies show that Firefly reduces jaundice twice as fast as standard devices, letting parents take their newborns home much sooner.
Image courtesy of Design that Matters
Learn more about Design that Matters
DtM is developing other products to save newborns from easily curable diseases, including a warming bassinet for hypothermia and a pulse oximeter to diagnose pneumonia.
We bridge the gap between existing life-saving technologies and the people who need them most.
Image courtesy of Design that Matters
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