Vibrating Wristband Reminds Users to Take Medication
1. HOME»PROJECTS»NIGHTINGALE FLIGHT
PROJECTS*
Nightingale Flight
A discreet, easy-to-program wrist band that provides a vibrating reminder to the wearer
Team
Master of Product Design & Development Management '13
(All team members)
Enrique Albarrán
Eric Chinnock
David Dinauer
Ken Pagenkopf
Cyndi Pestel
Terry Reid
Program
MPD²
Master of Product Design and Development Management
Problem
Most people have at one time or another forgotten to take their medication or worried about
someone missing their doses. This is common, especially right after changes in medication,
dosage, or location during travel. Forgetting medication dosage or taking it too often can
threaten a person's health and quality of life. In addition, the emotional implications run deeper
than this. People want to be as healthy as possible to enjoy life.
The student team identified a significant market gap for a medication compliance device. Their
strategy was to develop an effective product for medication management that enhances existing
habits to support a positive outlook for the user.
2. Solution
Nightingale Flight
The Nightingale Flight™ is a one-button, easy-to-program wrist band that provides a discreet,
vibrating reminder to the wearer.
Once the user has programmed a reminder, the band provides a vibrating alert each day at the
designated time. The vibrating alert will reoccur at defined intervals until the user confirms by
pressing the button that they have taken their medication.
At a later time, the user can check to see if they confirmed that they took their previous dose.
To do so, the user presses the push button for a short duration. Using a system of red and blue
lights, the device confirms if the wearer has previously taken their medication.
The Nightingale Flight is available in multiple colors that hide the visibility of the electrical
components but maintains translucency for the confirmation lights. The band is also waterproof
and resistant to common environmental elements like salt, oils, sweat, and so on. Its materials
protect the electronic components during constant use for the life of the product (approximately
three-to-six months).
3. Benefits
Easy to use, discreet, and portable
Active recording of compliance
Provides independence and freedom
Aesthetically appealing (easy to see / easy to hide)
Points of difference
Provides reminder and confirmation in one system
A simple and stylish wristband with visual and vibrating feedback
Vibration reminder is discreet, only the wearer knows
User interaction is simple, intuitive, and robust
LED light confirmation to help prevent over/under medicating
Current Status
With its strategic intellectual property that provides rights to some essential features, the
Nightingale Flight can be a winning product in the healthcare sector.
The student team has produced a concept that has garnered overwhelmingly positive responses
(83% top two boxes) in interviews and is ripe for a successful launch with proper funding. The
Nightingale Flight is poised to be the first of a product line with a trusted brand name.
Development Process
1. The team identified potential pain points and product opportunity gaps through
brainstorming, discussions, and research. They narrowed the options to the top three
highest potential opportunities.
2. The team performed individual ethnographic studies and presented these top three
options to the class and project advisers. The team selected "Medication Management
and Compliance" based on feedback from the class and advisers to further investigate.
3. Potential concepts were generated through brainstorming and sketching.
4. Ideas were then sorted and ranked to determine potential Step, Stretch, and Leap
concepts to pursue.
5. Qualitative market research was performed on the concepts to derive a user-centric
design that addressed latent consumer needs.
6. The team initiated prototypes based on the concept to facilitate quantitative marketing
and user evaluations.
4. 7. The team analyzed and interpreted the marketing evaluations to refine the concept to
generate a viable product design.
8. The team then created a quality and manufacturing plan to aid in the material selection
and cost evaluation. In addition, they formalized the materials of construction, created
bills of materials, and sourced potential suppliers and partners.
9. They performed additional competitive analysis and investigated intellectual property.
10. They finalized the product name, styling, and branding, and developed a marketing
plan, business case, webpage, promotional materials, and a Kickstarter page.
11. The team presented their product, The Nightingale Flight, to potential investors,
project advisors, and MPD2
students.
*Note: Project summary can be viewed on Northwestern’s Master of Product Design and Development
website (https://segal.northwestern.edu/projects/profiles/nightingale-flight.html).