BBC World’s “The Health Show” filmed a feature using the inflatable operating theatre Studiohead created for Imperial College London. This version of the surgical training simulation features an Angioplasty; a wire is inserted through the artery in the thigh to unblock an obstructed blood vessel.

In normal cases the patient is under local anaesthetic during the procedure, and so in this set up, we have concealed an actor under the simulated patient to create realistic pressures on the clinical team.

The large ‘C-arm’ is an X-ray machine that allows the cardiologist to see the blood vessels, the blockage, and the inserted stent. We recreated a portable simulation of this imposing equipment, which is linked to a virtual reality simulation of the heart and blood vessels shown on the screens, created by Imperial College engineers.

In creating the simulation, we spent time observing real angioplasty’s in hospitals in London and Oxford to decide how to recreate the procedure in a realistic, but low-cost and portable way.

The resulting simulation provides an immersive training environment for clinical teams that recreates the pressures of the real thing, as well as a valuable tool for engaging the public about this increasingly common operation that is often used following a heart attack.

You can see the feature from “the Health Show” here:
http://rockhopper.tv/programmes/756

Studiohead have been successful in the Design Council’s most recent Design Challenge. Together with Louise Wilson, Ifung Lu and Meike Walcha, we entered a proposal to create a brand new tool to help families living with dementia. The tool, provisionally called Grouple, will be a combination of a website and physical products that help families and friends co-ordinate their care for someone with Dementia.

At the heart of the concept is the idea that we can make caring and sharing for someone with dementia more accessible and less daunting for people on the periphery of the care network, and that by providing the tools to do this, we can enhance the lifestyle of the person with dementia and relieve the pressure on their primary carers.

You can see an animation of our original concept here. We have made it public in order to gain feedback, so don’t be shy with your comments.

We are at the start of this very exciting project, and we will be undertaking considerable user-research to refine and improve our ideas, and will be producing a prototype for public display at the end of March.

We are undertaking this challenge with support from BT Innovate & Design, and Jewish Care.

We will keep this news page and our facebook page updated as the project develops, so do check back regularly.

For more information on the Challenge, and to read about the four other successful proposals please visit www.designcouncil.org.uk/dementia

We are delighted to be part of this year’s Winter Open Studios, at Studiohead HQ at The Chocolate Factory. Our neighbours, who are painters, illustrators, ceramicists, artists and design-markers will be exhibiting and selling their work. During the private view on the evening of Friday 2nd December, we will be showing a recent project we have created with the help of our Chocolate Factory neighbours.

If you are near Stoke Newington on Friday evening, do pop by! There will be excellent Christmas present buying opportunities.