According to statistics, in 2010 there were 26 individuals seen by a group of 100,000 who were depending in home oxygen therapy (HOT). Oxygen treatment adds a certain amount of Oxygen to the patient because the ability to breathe correctly and sufficiently is negatively affected.

The dominant disease that leads to HOT is COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As the name suggests, it is a chronic disease which gives inflammatory changes to the lung bronchioles. These changes affect the breathing surface which results in that the individuals’ respiratory capacity becomes reduced.

The project used methods from dynamic product development with the user in focus. This to obtain a functional prototype that could be used by the target group and to fulfill the purpose, goals and requirements set for the project's results. An important component of the project therefore was to work with the collection of data. For this, various methods were used to obtain information from users as well as prescribers of HOT. All of the methods used have been tested earlier and proven reliable. This project collected information from interviews, observations, matrix arrays, risk analysis and usability testing in patients with HOT.

The prototype developed in the project resulted in that the target group could perform live test without any risks during testing. The results showed that the aim and objective for the project were fulfilled, expressed in that patients would be able to move the oxygen tube used in HOT.

It was further concluded that the results fulfilled the patients' desire and opportunity to move the Oxygen tube in their home and at the same time answered the questions that the project was to answer. There were no existing solutions to the problem which is included in the project, but it was possible to develop a first prototype that met the purpose and object of the project.

Lindhe Xtend is a prosthetics company in Halmstad with the ambition of providing the amputee with functional mobility and a high quality of life. Their main product, the Xtend Foot is a patented prosthetic foot developed to imitate the natural features of the human foot.

Dissatisfaction with prostheses often stems from poor fitting of the part that connects to the body. This often leads to chafing, pistoning and strain. Amongst users of leg prostheses, the strain often results in a reduction of limb volume, further augmenting the bad fit. The development of suspension systems has excelled through the recent years as many prosthetics companies has developed products with integrated vacuum assisted suspension systems, a mounting method where vacuum is used to hold the prosthesis against the body. This mounting mechanism of the limb onto the prosthesis has been proven to prevent fluctuations of limb volume as well as reducing chafing and pistoning.

A vacuum assisted suspension system integrated with the Xtend Foot has been invented using the product development process. The project group has used motion analysis, calculations and concept generation to reach a final concept to be prototyped, called Unify Xtend. Unify Xtend is made to demonstrate the function of the final concept, to actively produce a vacuum during ambulation using a pneumatic actuator.

This project has addressed prosthetics and pneumatics. The project group has, using their knowledge of mechanical engineering and physiology, combined and applied them in this thesis.

Further user testing is needed to evaluate the usability of the prototype, due to reaching target pressure considerably faster than the products of main market competitors.