The World’s Most Portable Device for Monitoring Asthma

The Swedish company Aerocrine develops and commercialises products for the monitoring of nitric oxide (NO). The purpose is to cost-efficiently improve management and care of patients with inflammatory disorders, such as asthma. Aerocrine asked Ergonomidesign to design the look and feel of a small, light, portable and affordable product that could be used in clinics and at home, even by the patients themselves. Frequent testing would provide early warning signs, detect environmental influences and determine correct dosage.

The outcome was the Niox Mino, the world’s first handheld device for monitoring inflammation in the airways of asthma patients. Ergonomidesign designers David Crafoord and Daniel Höglund decided to give the device a playful and friendly shape that conceals the advanced technology and downplays the rather awkward situation of taking tests. The device is easy to hold and fun to use, even for young children. The digital interface with easy-to-understand symbols aids the user throughout the process. Individual test results can be stored on smart cards.

The designers developed three prototypes that were tested on adults and children in different countries. Interestingly enough, during this phase, doctors thought that the digital interface would be too complicated for the patients. However, tests revealed that even five year-olds could understand and use the interface as intended. The youngsters turned out to be very design-conscious indeed, and a Dutch five year-old even claimed that the product design was rather inspired by Alessi!

By developing portable, easy-to-use and affordable products such as the Niox Mino, Aerocrine can reach new targets groups and expand the market for its technology. So far, Niox Mino has been launched in the Nordic region, Germany and New Zealand. Over 500 units have been delivered to Germany alone.