Portable Oxygen Concentrator Medical Design for Home use

“Oxygen concentrators operate on the principle of rapid pressure swing adsorption of atmospheric nitrogen onto zeolite minerals and then venting the nitrogen. This type of adsorption system is therefore functionally a nitrogen scrubber leaving the other atmospheric gasses to pass through. This leaves oxygen as the primary gas remaining. PSA technology is a reliable and economical technique for small to mid-scale oxygen generation, with cryogenic separation more suitable at higher volumes and external delivery generally more suitable for small volumes.” – wikipedia

O2 Tower is a medical grade Oxygen Concentrator for home use. Main users are mainly patients with Sleep Apnea and  CPAP who needs safe oxygen supply at home, and Oxygen therapy is the administration of oxygen as a medical intervention, which can be for a variety of purposes in both chronic and acute patient care.

Traditional Oxygen Concentrators are normally bulky and look industrial, and often “look” like a medical device that reminds of a hospital experience (which are often unpleasant)!

In O2Tower design, I try to re-invent the Oxygen Concentrator user experience that is more enjoyable and integrated into the contemporary home environment.

Yuwell O2 Tower Cover PNG 1

Compact & Portable

For some patient, continuous supply of Oxygen is necessary all day long, and having a portable Oxygen Concentrator will give patients great freedoms moving around the home as needed. O2Tower is designed to be compact, lightweight, and portable with easy cable management.

The vertical configuration of O2Tower are carefully designed to provide the smallest footprint, so it could be moved around a home with easy and could fit in any corner or next to your seat. The heaviest compressor is placed at the bottom to lower the enter-of-gravity and add stability in use. An ergonomically friendly handle is placed at the top with a sturdy grab.

Clean UI design and reassuring experience

O2Tower reinvent the User Interface (UI) with a big LCD display and 1 simple dial button to control the device with 1 hand operation. When in use, the circular LED around the outlet of Oxygen tube will glow with a slow breathing rhythm to bring the machine to live. Together with the breathing LED, there is also a physical air flow meter to provide physical assurance that there is Oxygen generating through the system.

Yuwell O2 Tower top view
Medical Design – oxygen concentrator healthcare design for Yuwell, User experience and UI design

Easy to handle water filter

Concentrated Oxygen will be pass through a water filter to add some humidity to the oxygen inhale to protect the patient, and it requires water change after a certain period of use. In a traditional setting, the patient needs to disconnect and connect the oxygen tubing to the water container every time a patient change the water. O2Tower design eliminates the needs of connecting the tubing by integrating the tubing into the machine. The patient simply lifts the water tank out for renew, and insert in the slot with a simple magnetic snap-in connection.

Cable management

One challenge for the oxygen concentrator are the management of oxygen supply tubes and power cords, especially when the machine is portable. O2Tower leverage a simple yet effective metal hook below the oxygen outlet, so patient could easily wrap the oxygen tubing around the hook when need to move. Same principle also use at the back for power cord management during move. These cable management hooks to be push back to blend with the body when not in use, so to keep the sleek and clean overall design aesthetic and user experience.

Aesthetic inspiration

Inspired by the idea of a royal domestic butler who serves their masters’ needs with the highest standard, attention to details and loyalty. O2 Tower balance the professional and quality look yet blend in a contemporary home environment seamlessly like a piece of home appliance or furniture!

The design language of connotes a touch of technology with a sharply defined LCD screen, plus soft and friendly profiles to express a sense of trust and sophistication in medical design. Overall, O2 Tower is trying to construct a pleasant User Experience (UX) for the patients through intuitive user interaction, reinforced trust and freedom to move around home!

Yuwell O2 Tower back view
Medical Design – oxygen concentrator healthcare design for Yuwell
Yuwell O2 Tower front A
Medical Design – oxygen concentrator healthcare design for Yuwell, User experience and UI design