Our project presents an “APE” solution—“Affordable, Potential, and Efficient”—for IBD patients. This solution aims to reduce the frequency of acute phases through a non-invasive, highly accessible, and self-automated device.
Rooted in the rich history of Chinese incense culture, the scented sachet has played a significant role beyond mere fragrance; it carries cultural significance and reflects various aesthetic concepts throughout history. Notably, the Tang Dynasty’s openwork scented sachets, crafted from silver and designed to burn incense without producing sparks or ashes, exemplify this tradition. Historically, sachets filled with Chinese herbs served medicinal purposes, effectively preventing airborne diseases during the Han Dynasty. Drawing inspiration from these traditions, we've developed our “incense + IBD” concept.
Due to the nature of muscone, we have chosen alcohol as the solvent of muscone. The muscone-alcohol mixture undergoes emulsification via ultrasonication, a reliable technique for homogenizing liquid and solid suspensions. The physical effects of ultrasound facilitate the disruption of oil droplets, resulting in stable oil-in-water emulsions with small droplet sizes.
Our device offers various power modes, allowing users to control muscone concentration and treatment initiation. For user convenience, the device is housed within an accessible sachet bag.
The emulsifier device is made up of emulsifier module, control module, medication (muscone) and storage.
Using a circuit board-controlled atomizer, connecting it to a power source allows the musk ketone solution to be converted into vapor for inhalation. The picture below shows the actual product we completed.
To achieve dosage control, we can use an STM32 or Arduino module for power management. The user can control the power output duration by regulating the number of button presses on the control module, which in turn controls the working time of the atomizer and ultimately manages the amount of muscone used.
In designing our refillable bracelet, we prioritized inclusivity by incorporating feedback from diverse ethnic and gender backgrounds gathered during patient interviews. Our choice of a bracelet instead of a sachet bag addresses two key concerns: Western cultural unfamiliarity with sachet usage and feedback from male respondents highlighting the inconvenience of using a sachet.
The bracelet features a hollow compartment filled with muscone, which releases medication through its volatility. Muscone's relatively low volatility ensures a steady and mild release of medication at a consistent concentration. Additionally, the muscone solution is blended with other fragrance ingredients, enhancing user experience and encouraging them to refill the bracelet once the medication is depleted.