AdaptAir

According to UNICEF, 29,000 children die everyday – 21 each minute – mainly from preventable causes. A tragic example of unnecessary deaths is that of deaths caused by pneumonia. For most people in the developed world, pneumonia can be treated at home and often clears up in a matter of 2-3 weeks. The survival rate of this illness thus tends to be taken for granted, when actually it kills more children worldwide than any other disease, and is – arguably – one of the most solvable problems in global health.

AdaptAir, is a clever, simple and highly effective solution with the potential to rid the world of avoidable pneumonia deaths. It addresses the (often) poor-fitting, generic nasal prongs, thus preventing oxygen from escaping during treatment. The device is designed as a one-size-fits-all silicone adapter, addressing the problem of varying tube diameters and children’s nostril sizes. This is possible due to tapered cones, which are designed to fit all children’s noses, creating a strong seal and preventing any air leaks. What’s more, AdaptAir is made out of soft and pliable silicone for the comfort and safety of the children. Furthermore, the product can be mass produced cheaply via injection molded machinery (potentially 3D printers) and is reusable due to the possibility of sterilization, without the risk of losing form nor properties!

The design is so simple and obvious, and AdaptAir holds a huge potential to make one of the leading child killers a thing of the past thus giving a second chance at life to thousands, who would have otherwise died senselessly. A truly prime example of how design can improve life.