Alice McCutcheon
Industrial Design
Final year project
Improving the management of Addison's disease [Read more]
A cortisol pump designed for Addison's disease which enables users to improve their quality of life and independence
Patients with Addison's disease currently suffer on a daily basis with managing their medication- something they will need to take their entire lives. Patients are left to either take the medication orally and experience the highs and lows, meanwhile managing their symptoms, or out of desperation hack existing products such as an insulin pump, which is not designed for their illness and therefore doesn't fully meet their needs. Corti+ is the first cortisol pump designed especially for Addison's disease and can not only help reduce the intensity of their symptoms but can allow them to regain their lives again.
A compact, tubeless and reusable wearable designed with users in mind
The product is not only lightweight and tubeless, however, is also reusable to minimise waste and improve ease of use. The use of microneedle technology means that the user experiences less bruising, infection and a less painful infusion experience.
Emerging technology to deliver future-facing solutions
Corti+ enables the user to wear their pump with ease, and adjust their doses either semi-automatically, with a built-in cortisol sensor, or have the reassurance of a manual adjustment. The sensor paired with A.I. and machine learning means doses can be increasingly accurate, and personalised to each user, to ensure they are feeling their best meanwhile not suffering from the side-effects of incorrect doses.
Early crisis warning system
The product is designed to enable users to complete important tasks and receive critical feedback without relying on having full visibility of the product. In addition, the user receives early warnings that they may be nearing an adrenal crisis, which could be potentially life-saving as often users are unaware this is approaching and it is sometimes too late.
Intuitive use
Corti+ is intuitive to use through its detailed design which ensures users can replace medication and consumables rapidly and effectively. This was further developed and tested with users via remote user testing.
Iterative prototyping
To develop the product further and test different features, prototypes were iterated to create a refined solution.
Corti+ supporting app
Corti+ comes with a supporting app to enable users to track their symptoms, set their cortisol curve, create reminders to change consumables and monitor their cortisol readings.
Pollu- Making the invisible, visible.
Pollu is a smart bicycle filtration device, grounded in circular design principles. The device collects particulate matter in the air whilst the user cycles and coverts the matter collected into a textile material using pioneering technology. Pollu encourages and rewards sustainable behaviour and has a supporting app with incentives, filter statistics, leaderboards and community challenges. It empowers individuals to feel that they are making a difference.
Alice McCutcheon
An innovative user-centered designer with the aim to improve lives
For my final year project, I wanted to tackle an issue I hadn't seen done before and wanted to help people with a genuine need for a solution. I enjoy the variety in design and turning ideas into a reality, with some of my strengths including brainstorming innovative ideas, teamwork and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I strive to design products that are a perfect combination of feasibility, usability and aesthetics and believe my determination and resilience have helped me to deliver high-quality solutions.
I believe my international personal and work experience has equipped me with an open-minded attitude, ready to embrace new ways of thinking and continuously learn along the way. I am not fazed by new challenges and am an individual who will always give my everything to whatever task they are given.
Final year project
Improving the management of Addison's disease
Awards
2021- Team nominated for RSA Design Awards by SDCA
2020- Innovation Undergraduate of the Year Award- Finalist
2019- Rolls-Royce Yellow Belt Award- Awarded during my placement year for having made a significant change and positive impact with my work
2019- Loughborough Bronze Volunteer Award- For taking part in voluntary activities such as teaching languages to other students and helping in local kennels
2019- Ford Building Sustainable Community Award- Obtained as part of the Loughborough Enactus team for our PrepMate project enabling upper-limb amputees to prepare food safely and confidently in the kitchen
2019- Female Undergraduate of the Year Award- Shortlisted
2019- Loughborough Employability Award - For developing and enhancing my skills from work experience and extra-curricular activities
2018- Starpack Silver Award - For designing an innovative meal-time packaging encouraging families to reconnect with each other
Work Experience
Rolls-Royce (June-Aug 2019) - I began my placement year with Rolls-Royce working in their Innovation and Future Technologies team which was an incredible experience. I worked on a range of exciting projects and learnt how to manage stakeholder needs, deliver well-structured and clear presentations to higher management and clients and was able to put into practice my design skills. It was a challenge to work in such a large organisation for the first time, however, I improved my communication skills and was able to lead and take responsibility for several successful projects.
MM Design, Italy (Aug-December 2019) - My second placement was with MM Design in Bolzano, Italy. It was incredible to immerse myself in a new culture and country. Here I practised and improved my Italian on a daily basis and worked in a close-knit team. I contributed to designing a range of products in different industries and also leading research projects. I learnt how to be more efficient with the design process, flexibility when working with clients and also how different countries approach design was was invaluable.
WILDDESIGN, Germany (February- June 2020) - My third placement was with WILDDESIGN in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. It was another opportunity to learn from different cultures and was a placement more focused on medical product design. I developed further my research, presentation and communication skills, UX, wireframing and prototyping skills and was able to lead my own independent project with the skills I had developed.