Vaccine Patch

Design Defense
By Gabriella Vasquez, Lucy Ostrowski and Sebastian
Orellana
Outline of Presentation
In this presentation, we will solve the following questions:

• Did the team adhere to the Engineering Design Process?

• How does the final concept work?

• What level of risk is associated with this design?

• Do the students appear to be teaming effectively?

Problem Definition
A problem with vaccines is that some people, especially young children, find them
painful and remotely unbearable, so they refuse to receive them.

We also found that due to the need of facilities and administration, a large
population in other countries don’t have access to vaccinations.
Design Requirements
To solve the problem previously stated, we needed to create a solution that
incorporated:

❖ Painless injection method

❖ Self administration

We also wanted to make it more environmentally friendly than current methods.

Alternative Concept 1
Vaccine patch with biodegradable
cone-shaped microneedles, instructional
video, cooler-type packaging.
Alternative Concept 2
Oral vaccination with nonprofit
sponsorships, bubble wrap/packaging
peanuts, environmentally friendly
manufacturing, and instructional manual
included in packaging.
Final Concept
Final Concept
A vaccine patch with cheap materials, biodegradable microneedles, packaging
that perfectly fits each component, and instructional pictures on the actual patch.

40401 (201x201) dissolvable microneedles

Microneedle Dimensions: 1.2mm x 0.2 mm

An adhesive patch that keeps the needles adhered to the skin.

Why we chose the final concept:
● Most environmentally friendly product out of all of the options. This is due to the
biodegradable microneedles and the fitted packaging that produces less waste.

● Easy to use because it would have clear and labeled picture instructions on the actual
packaging. This makes instructions clear and followable, even if one cannot read.

● Fitted compartments to ensure no movement occurs while shipping (safe packaging)

● Easy to mass produce because it is a simple patch that could be broken down into parts to be
separately mass produced.

● Affordability- cheaper materials

Detailed Design
This is a 3D model of our design
from the bottom.

Adhesive patch

Polymer baseplate

Dissolvable microneedles
Manufacturing
The adhesive patch will be made of multiple layers of structural and plastic film
coated in ester resin and acrylic acid.

The baseplate will be made of the polymer hyaluronic acid to adhere the needles
to the adhesive patch.

The needles will form in a silicon mold and be comprised of a mix of hyaluronic acid
and the chosen vaccine.
Up-close details
The dissolvable microneedle has a shape that is part cone
and part cylinder. The cone-shaped end was proven to
cause the least amount of skin breakage in one of our
experiments. This model shows how the needle is hollow.
The inside would be filled with the vaccine and the outside
would be made of dissolvable hyaluronic acid.
 Up-Close Details
This is a photo of the modeled patch from the side. This
clearly shows how many microneedles are part of the patch
itself. Each microneedle is 1.2 mm long and 0.2 mm wide.
Experiment 1- solubility 1. Turn on stove to medium heat and place a pot on
top
This experiment will model the way that microneedles need 2. Fill the pot with 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar
to dissolve: 3. Stir mixture until all the sugar is dissolved
Introduction:This experiment will model how the 4. Keep on heat until the mixture reaches between 250
microneedles need to dissolve in the skin, and will give us an and 266 degrees F
outline for the size of the outer layer of the needle. The 5. Pour sugar mixture on pan lined with a baking sheet
microneedle will be made of hyaluronic acid, but since we and create a thin strip
couldn’t get ahold of that, we used sugar, which is also water a. Test three different thicknesses
soluble and dissolves in the same manner as hyaluronic acid. i. 1 cm
(info) The microneedles need to dissolve because they ii. ½ inch
contain the vaccine within them, and when the outer layer iii. 3/4 cm
dissolves, the vaccine is released into the skin. 6. Let cool until touchable, but still malleable
Question: How will the microneedles be able to quickly 7. Roll into cylinder shape to mock the needles basic
dissolve into the skin, releasing the vaccine? shape (not to scale)
Hypothesis: If the microneedle has a thinner outer layer, the 8. Let cool and solidify completely
vaccine will be released faster. 9. Add food coloring to inside of cone
10. Dip cone in 98 degree water (mocks body heat) and
let dissolve and release food coloring
11. Time how long it takes for food coloring to be
released into water (film process)
Photos of Experiment
Experiment 2
Painless: 1. Design 3 different to-scale needle shapes
Introduction: This experiment will allow us to a. Cone shaped
understand which shape of microneedle will cause b. Pencil shaped (long and thin)
the least amount of pain/breakage to the skin. We c. Pencil shaped (shorter and wider)
2. 3D print all three needles
will model this by 3D printing the different possible
3. Set up “fake skin” by layering fabric over
needle shapes and pressing them into a fake skin foam (three different setups)
substance (foam). We will measure the amount of 4. This models how the needle would have to
pain that each needle created by observing the break through that first layer of skin
breakage caused by the foam. 5. Poke all three needles fully into “skin”, using
Question: What needle shape will create the least equal pace and pressures
6. Remove all three needles
amount of pain for the patient?
7. Remove fabric
Hypothesis: If a skinnier needle is used, there will be 8. Record damage to “skin’ by taking pictures
less pain because the skin will have less breakage. of holes left and comparing size of the hole
and breakage/tearing to the fabric
9. Greatest size of hole in mm=most pain
Photos of Experiment
 Experiment results
Thickness of 1.27 cm (½ inch) 1 cm ¾ cm ½ cm
sugar “needle”

Experiment One

Time to dissolve 17 min 48 sec 11 min 59 sec 10 min 57 sec 7 min 30 sec - Thinner coating=faster

in 99℉ water dissolving

Pencil shaped (short Cone shaped Pencil shaped (long

and wide) and skinny) Experiment Two
- Cone shaped=least amount of
Trial 1 20 mm 9 mm 16 mm damage
*Measurement in mm of diameter in
Trial 2 19 mm 8 mm 14 mm
damage to styrofoam
Trial 3 18 mm 9 mm 14 mm

Average 19 mm 8.66 mm 14.66 mm

Summary
Strengths
Our design incorporates:

❖ A painless method of injecting vaccinations

❖ An easy self administrative product
❖ Minimal waste compared to current methods
❖ Small and safe packaging
Expectations
We expect our design to be a public product in order for it to be cheap and
accessible to all. We will not privatize or sell the rights to a pharmaceutical
company.

In a survey we conducted at the beginning of our research, we found that 33% of

our population don’t receive vaccines because of the pain and 17% stating vaccines
are too expensive for them to get, as well as 50% wanting a new painless method.
We expect our product to help these percentages and result in more people
getting vaccinated.
Thank you