Week 0 - Final Project Planning

To start planning my final project, I began by brainstorming a list of problems that I would like to solve. After talking with my brother who works in a drug recovery program, he pointed out a very open problem that I could tackle related to the opioid epidemic. He pointed out that the attempt to proliferate narcan in the market is somewhat inneffective, as the people who need to use it are not able to administer it to themselves, requireing a sober monitor while they use opioids.

I began sketching out some ideas for a wearable device that could detect an overdose and administer narcan automatically. I considered using a facemask as the wearable, as it would be able to detect breathing and heart rate, and would be able to administer narcan through a nasal spray. I also considered using a noseclip or plug, but this would not be able to detect breathing and heart rate as easily. I then started considering the form factor that the device would come in. I thought that instead of a traditional facemask, this one would need to leave the mouth open, and be comfortable enough to not deter its use.

After sketching on paper, I moved over to Fusion 360 to start modeling the device. I started by modeling the compartment for the microcontroller, pump, and reservoir of narcan. I then modeled the tube that would run from the compartment to the user's nose, and the nasal spray that would be attached to the end of the tube. I tried to then start modelling the facemask model, and realized that I would need to model the user's face to get the right fit. I then started modeling the my own face, and realized quickly that my CAD skills were significantly lacking.