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.