Envisioned by Osaka University's Dr. Kazuo Kawasaki, the designer responsible for Sarah Palin's iconic glasses, the Vaccine Refrigerator is part-health kit, part-parachute and hopes to simplify the process of vaccine injections in not only developing countries, but disaster-stricken regions.
As part of the "Peacekeeping by Design" initiative, the Vaccine Refrigerator was designed to be ejected from a moving plane, deploy a parachute and provide rudimentary healthcare to people living in conflict zones -- needless to say, it's very durable. The pack weighs a meager 6kg and comes equipped with its own on-board battery, capable of keeping the life-saving vials cool for approximately three days.
The efforts of peacekeeping and humanitarian groups, while laudable, can sometimes put personnel in the way of danger. The Vaccine Refrigerator, which comes with multi-lingual instructions, minimizes that danger by remotely providing assistance.
What's Driving This Trend
- Remote Health Care
- The Vaccine Refrigerator enables the provision of health care remotely in developing countries and disaster-stricken regions.
- Disaster Relief Innovation
- The Vaccine Refrigerator's ability to be ejected from a moving plane and deploy a parachute opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in disaster relief efforts.
- Durable Medical Devices
- The Vaccine Refrigerator's durability and lightweight design present opportunities for disruptive innovation in creating durable medical devices.
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare
- The Vaccine Refrigerator revolutionizes the way healthcare is provided, particularly in remote and disaster-stricken areas.
- Pharmaceutical
- The Vaccine Refrigerator creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in pharmaceutical storage and distribution systems.
- Humanitarian Aid
- The Vaccine Refrigerator presents new possibilities for disruptive innovation in the field of humanitarian aid and peacekeeping efforts.
