2017 Galleries

The Spark Gallery pages are one of our most popular design destinations, with thousands of visitors each year. Check out some of the latest Spark entries, in the galleries below.

Galleries // 2017 Spark:Fall Concept // Aria Inhalers

Aria Inhalers

Winner - Platinum

Competition: Spark:Fall Concept
Designer: John White - Director of Industrial Design
Design Type: concept
Company / Organization / School: Thrive
Website: http://www.thrivethinking.com
Team Members: Justin Arsenault, Delroy Dennisur, Jasmine Hentschel, Clay Prickett, Ryan Sanderson & Bethany Whitlock

Globally, asthma is on the rise, with more adults being diagnosed every year. The form and function of the common Albuterol rescue inhaler however, has hardly changed over decades. THRIVE sought to re-think the typically indiscreet, medical-looking device, starting with understanding asthma sufferers’ relationship with their inhalers, then applied vapor technology to increase efficacy, and optimized form and materials to strengthen the connection between user and device. Current inhalers felt foreign and embarrassing to users. To strengthen the connection between user and device, we applied two updates. First, we incorporated vapor technology, which increased efficacy, making dosing easier. Secondly, we rethought the form to be more sculptural than medical, enabled them to be held discreetly, and crafted them with high quality materials (wood, porcelain, aluminum)–less disposable and more of a keepsake. Aria inhalers are tailored to four identified user personas: Youth, Contemporary, Heritage and Sport. Design, features and materials are specifically optimized to their user segment. To bring inhalers into the 21st century, we added an app that works in conjunction to make life easier. The dashboard features information about weather and air quality conditions that can impact breathing, and personal metrics can be incorporated to increase recommendation accuracy.