Determined that my university project would make a real-life difference, I found a charity of non-funded doctors attempting to increase accessibility to skin diagnosis equipment, used to diagnose diseases such as leprosy, scabies, & cancer, which are all treatable, if caught early. They gave an example of a major hospital in Egypt only having one device to share between all staff, resulting in huge issues with misdiagnosis. This led to my concept of DIY-built dermatology equipment. Early concepts received great reviews. I thought, why stop there? What other diagnostic equipment can be developed using the same format, to help save lives.

The project is unique as it is not about producing a medical product to sell to an end user but empowering them to make their own. In terms of functionality and accuracy, the devices are very similar to those found on the open market. In fact, the medical trial involving 12 NHS dermatologists found no statistical difference between images produced using the DIY-phone version and commercial products used by the NHS, except the commercial device costs the end user 440x more to obtain. 100’s of millions suffer from skin diseases around the world, it is the 4th most common disease we face as a species, many of which can be treated easily, when diagnosed early, using the right tools. Leprosy now has a free cure from the World Health Organisation, illustrating accessibility of medical tools is often the only thing preventing many users from effective treatment, this project seeks to change this and empowers users to help themselves, by sharing knowledge globally.

The charity I worked with are dermatologists, so their focus was on increasing accessibility of Dermatoscopes, a vital tool used for diagnosing skin diseases. They work using magnification, illumination, and the need to remove surface scatter created by the unevenness of skin. Image capture is also needed for referral purposes. The first significant challenge was finding parts that could be used to create a device that were sold globally. Next, 3D printed parts were designed to fit together, even at low tolerance, using flexible features and crush ribs. Once I had something that worked, loose components were sent to the doctors to assemble and test on real patients at a Bristol hospital. They then provided critical feedback, which was used to improve later iterations. One key alteration, to overcome issues with focal distance, was to develop two separate devices, one that could be used to capture images using a phone and a handheld device, which effectively doubled the workload of the project. A medic in Egypt was contacted, to test that the devices could be built anywhere in the world, independently. Finally, a medical trial took place to ensure device accuracy. Since making the plans available for download, users from around the world have already begun to build devices.

Stannah - We Loved It Award 2024, New Designers. Creative Conscience – Top ten Creatives For The Future Award 2024, New Designers. Finalist at the Quality in Care Dermatology Award 2024. Awaiting final result.

Instructions for each device are online. First, instructions are provided for the 3D printed components, which can be printed on any type of printer without the need for support material and are designed to fit with a wide tolerance, allowing them to be printed on cheap hobby printers which are available worldwide. Users are then given a breakdown of the ‘off the shelf’ products required, so they can be sourced locally or ordered online. Pre-found links for each continent have already been found, to aid this process. Users may choose to buy in bulk to lower costs, enabling multiple devices to be produced at one time. Finally, users are given pictorial and video instructions on how to assemble, test and use the devices. No specialist training is required, and the only equipment needed is a pair of scissors. Two devices are already available for download, please see links. The plan is to now develop many more, in conjunction with relevant medical experts.

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Medical equipment is very expensive, this means that many around the world cannot afford them, often in places they are needed most! OSME empowers users to build their own by combining cheap, globally sold products and 3D printed components.

OSME is an online resource that any medical professional can access to create their own accurate diagnosis equipment in a simple, low-cost manner, increasing accessibility and saving lives.

I wanted to push the project further and create a new way of thinking around open-source medical equipment, to prove the same approach could work for other medical devices. I have already started working on an Otoscope design, which is used for monitoring ear health. It is undergoing the same development process as previous devices and currently stands as the future of the project. My goal is to create an online community that allows professionals around the world to access as many medical devices as possible. It is my belief that anyone that devotes their time to helping others, deserves the correct tools to do so.