PORTABLE BREAST SCANNER
for Zedsen
Sometimes a new technology holds the potential to initiate a seismic shift in patient care. Zedsen’s new non-invasive, radiation-free breast scanning device, the Zedscanner, combines electrical capacitance tomography with advanced AI and machine learning to assess breast density and cancer risk in a portable and patient friendly device. Their mission is to deliver detection into the hands of clinicians in GP surgeries and community clinics worldwide.
FROM CONCEPT TO CLINIC: PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
When we first met with Zedsen, we saw they had a compelling early-stage design concept and hardware, not yet developed into a final product. 7TH were appointed to undertake the product design and development of the Zedscanner handheld device, working in parallel with electronics hardware and software development teams, to take this idea from early concept through engineering prototypes and on to design validation of a ready to manufacture device.
CLINICAL INSIGHT FROM DAY ONE
Early input from Zedsen’s clinical experts helped frame key usability and interaction constraints for end users of the device at the very start of the project, allowing us to frame all subsequent design and engineering decisions in terms of their impact on end user experience.
RAPID ITERATION IN THE STUDIO
Central to 7TH's development process is to undertake constant physical prototyping and experimentation, from start to finish. Many iterations of 3D printed prototypes were designed, built, and assessed at our studio to evaluate ergonomics, interaction, centre of balance, hardware fit and assembly process. These and many other critical design factors can only be truly assessed once you have a physical sample in your hand.
AN ELEGANT SOLUTION TO AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE
The most interesting design problems often appear mid development process. During early clinical feedback sessions, a persistent challenge emerged around placement of a button and display. Most obvious solutions created adverse effects: comfort at the cost of handle position or display visibility at the cost of ease of use. The solution was to create nested functionality. By placing the display inside the button itself, every competing constraint was resolved in a single design move. Ergonomics, usability, UX and visual feedback were unified rather than compromised, and with fewer components in manufacture. Our favourite type of design feature: a win-win.
MATERIALS AND CLINICAL SUITABILITY
Ensuring that materials and design features are suitable for use is critical for any medical device design. 7TH identified and specified materials suitable for use in proximity to sensing technologies and appropriate for a clinical environment. Final device components needed to be resistant to damage, to the cleaning and disinfecting agents used in healthcare settings, free of dirt traps, and to meet the required IP rating. A refined design aesthetic was developed alongside these functional requirements, translating Zedsen's technology into a product that communicates trust and clinical credibility at first glance.
SUPPORTING LAUNCH AND CLINICAL ADOPTION
7TH's contribution extends beyond the design of the physical device. To support Zedsen's clinical trials and product launch, we were able to produce a suite of high-quality product marketing renders, 3D animations, and 3D animated product training videos, giving clinical users the resources they need to understand, adopt, and advocate for the technology. On the manufacturing side were also able to design and build a number of test and assembly rigs for use in ongoing development and manufacture of devices.
You can find out more about Zedsen and their work here.
All content on this page, including text, images, product renders, prototype photography and animations, is published with the permission of Zedsen Ltd. and remains the confidential and proprietary information of Zedsen Ltd. and/or 7TH London Ltd. All intellectual property rights are reserved. No part of this case study may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of both parties.
All product images, renders and animations depicted on this page are the property of Zedsen Ltd. They are reproduced here solely for the purpose of illustrating 7TH's design and engineering contribution and do not imply any transfer of rights.
The Zedscanner is currently undergoing clinical evaluation. Nothing on this page constitutes a regulatory or marketing claim regarding the device's performance or clinical status.