Hematoma Arm Board

During my internship at Adept Medical, I led the design and development of an ergonomic arm support board aimed at reducing patient discomfort and improving clinician workflow during cardiac procedures — specifically to address the challenge of managing arm hematomas post-intervention. The product was designed from scratch, progressing through ideation, CAD modelling, prototyping, testing, and refinement, with direct input from clinicians at Auckland Hospital’s Cath Lab.

The board supports the patient’s arm in a stable, elevated position, helping to minimise swelling while maintaining comfort over long procedure durations. I focused heavily on ergonomic shaping, compatibility with existing hospital equipment, and material selection suited to medical environments. The design went through multiple iterations, with testing phases that included strength, lifecycle, and clinical usability assessments.

This was a full-cycle product development experience, culminating in the arm board being clinically trialled in real hospital settings. It taught me how to balance user-centred design with manufacturing constraints and medical safety standards — and highlighted how engineering can directly improve patient care through simple, effective solutions.