The Magic of Medical Devices

This project is a case study exploring a novel approach to medical equipment design. Design ideas can come from the most unlikely of sources… MAGIC! The day-long hackathon sought to find design solutions to create safer, less wasteful medical devices, including central line kits, by drawing inspiration from the design of props used in magic performances. While magic and medical devices might seem an unusual combination at first, those in attendance instantly saw the correlations between the strategies used in magic to design the seemingly impossible and how those can be utilized in design exercises to inspire safer, more patient-centered medical devices.

The report from the hackathon explores the shift towards patient-centered healthcare and the role of design in facilitating this transformation, drawing inspiration from magic as a catalyst for change. The findings from the hackathon emphasize the power of interdisciplinary design thinking and the potential to transform healthcare systems, suggesting that the interdisciplinary research of design, magic, and healthcare deserves further exploration in the future with theoretical exploration and projects.