Question:
I'm a sophomore mechanical engineering student at
Purdue University. We are assigned to design a device to help with
problems of sleep apnea. I would very much appreciate if readers with
this condition might take some time to respond to some survey
questions my design team has developed:
A. Your age, sex?
B. How long have you had sleep apnea?
C. Severity? (mild, moderate, or severe)
D. What treatment options have you tried? (c-pap, bi-pap, or other
machine)?
E. What did you most like and most dislike about each option you've
tried?
F. What improvements to these devices would you suggest in the areas
of (1) comfort, including placement of air tubing, (2) pressure level,
and (3) overall effectiveness?
G. What improvements would you suggest in the areas of (4)
portability and (5) maintenance level?
H. Please rank areas 1-5 above in order of increasing importance to
you.
I. Any other improvement suggestions...
Answer:
we (of course i can't really speak for the rest of the group) don't have a
problem wtih people gathering info of this sort from the website, it was
just that the way the other message was worded it sounded a little
suspiciuos that someone was trying to sneakily promote a specific device -
which usually makes us think they're trying to make money out of us......
which we dont' take kindly to because that's not what this group is
for......especially if it's something that hasn't undergone official studies
proving the item in question actually works.
CPAP... well, my machine (Fisher & Paykel HC202) is average - not enough
features, needs larger, easier to operate buttons, an adjustable ramp
feature and mask off alarm.
Mask (Fisher & Paykel Aclaim) is great - very comfortable and allows me to
move around during sleep. Diffuser pads make for quiet and non-drafty
operation
1) mask is already comfortable - needs optional fabric pad to cover forhead
rest to prevent reaction on forhead and to help ease pressure on top of nose
(the fabric pad i made lifts the top off the mask further off my face than
the adjustable forhead rest allows.
2) don't see how pressure level could be changed as it needs to be specific
to the individual
3) overall effectiveness.....well, it blows air at me and that's what it's
supposed to do so it's effective hehe.
the F&P HC202 has built in humidifier and very easy to transport. A
smaller unit with a collapsable humidifier chamber specifically for travel
would be a bonus (am going to suggets this one to F&P when i eventually get
around to making an improvemnt list for them)
Any manufacturer should have a rep that reads this website! that way
they'll find out all the issues we like or have trouble with and can design
their future products to meet the needs of the every day people who use
them.....rather than the lab results - which are often not a good indication
of everyday usage by an individual.
How interesting! Wonder why the prof chose sleep apnea for your project?
Regardless, I will email you and your classmate my answers. Please understand how
careful one has to be giving out personal info (not to mention sleep deprivation
makes us grouchy :o)
Now, after all of this, and speaking as a college prof., I hope you have
learned from your postings the value of a well thought out
presentation. Presentation is everything in everything. Your original
posting had it been better thought out and presented would have garnered
a very different response.
However, nothing was lost as it was an opportunity to learn.
Over the years I have seen vast numbers of products, sales, jobs, etc.
fail due to lack of proper presentation. And you engineering types are
often the worst at this. You should take an elective in marketing.
Let us know how your project turns out and if you need further input,
I'm sure most here will be glad to help now that we know all the facts.
Good luck.
Now, for next semester, tell your prof that I suggest he ask the
victims (sorry, students) to design a corn powered portable generating
unit so we can take our CPAP's into the wilds.
