Design for Our Future Selves awards 2006

Tongue Sucker

Graeme Davies, Phil Greer, Chris Huntley and Lisa Stroux
/ Industrial Design Engineering

Winner of the Big Idea Award for Inclusive Communication

A simple, effective life-saving device allows an untrained bystander at an accident scene to secure the airway of an unconscious casualty

Background

Typically, the time taken for the emergency services to get to the scene of an accident is 12 minutes, by which time any unconscious casualties could have swallowed their own tongue and started to suffer irreversible brain damage. One of the most critical issues for an injured or unconscious person is the securing of the airway, as without a clear airway a casualty could die within minutes irrespective of their other injuries. In the UK last year, over a quarter of a million people were rendered un-conscious, each one a potential fatality.

Tongue Sucker is a life-saving device that can be safely used by an untrained user immediately after an accident. The product consists of a rubber bulb attached to a clear plastic chamber. Squeezing the bulb 'sucks' the tongue of the victim into the chamber and away from the throat. It then holds the tongue, keeps the mouth open and the airway free.

User research

This group design project conducted user research at several different stages. Firstly, user research was conducted under simulated stress conditions using nine people divided into three groups to recreate the context in which the product would be used.

A user spectrum study was then conducted to ensure that one size could be used on a span of casualty sizes. A range of people from a three-year-old child to fully grown adults were invited to try the prototype.

The packaging was then addressed as the product is in a unique category in that it may not be used for years but still needs to convey its purpose instantly in the event of an emergency. A user forum with older people looked at the design of the packaging as a communication device in an emergency.

Other resources

Extensive testing was carried out on medical mannequins in consultation with both the London Ambulance Service and surgeons at St Mary's Hospital. In addition, tests were carried out on an ox tongue to simulate the loss of muscle tone. In the final stages of the design process, St John's Ambulance Brigade was consulted for input on potential use within the context of first aid.

Design output

Traditional airway devices are counter-intuitive in use and require training before they can be applied. The simplicity of the Tongue Sucker allows it to be used by an untrained person after reading the instructions.

The Tongue Sucker is designed to allow the first aider to successfully perform a life-saving action without prior knowledge of the product. As the Tongue Sucker is expected to be used in extreme stress situations, such as in the aftermath of an accident, the semantics of the design indicate both purpose and use, and the packaging combines text and icons to provide understanding of use 'at-a-glance'.

As a result of user research, the device has been through several design iterations and is aimed at being a 'one size fits all' product.