Fighting Pneumonia: Breath Counter
The Breath Counter is a simple, effective testing device to help detect pneuomia in children under five, living in remote areas in developing countries.
Pneumonia is the number one cause of death in the under fives worldwide, killing an average of two million each year. The disease is diagnosed by counting the number of breaths taken by the patient in one minute, as those infected will have a much higher count than healthy children. But despite the relative simplicity of detection, the current timing device distributed by NGOs is too basic and unreliable. Philips Design has created a reliable, easy to use solution that addresses the problems identified by the NGOs in the field . Powered by solar cells, the Breath Counters lifespan is potentally five years longer than what is currently available. An LED screen logs three test results, making them easy to compare. Aesthetically, the Breath Counter looks like a medical tool, to give the user a feeling of commitment and contribution to this important issue. For users who cannot read, Philips Design created a simple manual with clear visuals that explain the procedure.
Philanthropy by Design
The Breath Counter was created within Philips Design’s Philanthropy by Design program, established in 2005 in which, together with partners such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), public bodies and social players with complementary expertise and values, Philips Design donates its creative expertise and socio-cultural knowledge to create solutions to improve the health and environment of the more fragile categories of the world’s developing societies. Replacing fear with understanding: Kitten Scanner
The Kitten Scanner is a product that supports teaching children about what happens during a CAT (or CT) examination and helps prepare them and their parents in a simple, fun way. Placed in the waiting room of a hospital, the Kitten Scanner is a miniaturize and stylized version of a CAT (CT) scanner, and includes a TV screen and several toy animal characters that children can identify with. While waiting for their scheduled examination, the children are invited by an animation on the TV screen to choose an animal character and place it on the bed of the Kitten Scanner. The child can then slide the bed and character into the bore of the scanner, mimicking what happens in reality. Through this story-telling, the animation shows children about how a real CAT scanner works, and what they can expect to happen during their own examination. Part of the total Philips Ambient Experience for Healthcare solution, the experience continues into the examination room where it guides the child through the CT and offers positive distraction. This people-friendly solution has resulted in reduced numbers of retakes and sedation rates. According to Stefano Marzano, CEO and Chief Creative Director, Philips Design, “Creating value for people is at the core of Philips Design's vision and I am proud that the work we have done to improve people's quality of life in all types of societies has been recognized with these awards." The IDEA awards ceremony will take place on 26 September. | 
