Product Development Methods for Medical Devices in Low-Resource Settings

Most medical devices are designed for high-income countries where many resources are available. These technologies cannot simply be used the same way in low-resource settings and face a different set of challenges. Instead, there is a need for medical devices that are developed specifically for these circumstances. Both the users and operating conditions are unique and need to be taken into account early in the product development process. To address this challenge, this research investigates the whole product lifecycle from understanding the user and operating environment to maintenance and service of the device.

This research is directly linked to the breathe project, whose goal is to develop a low-cost mechanical ventilator for low-resource settings (external page https://breathe-medical.ch).