Bloom was a concept designed around the environmental impact of everyday objects. Initial primary research into products was key to creating the best and most sustainable design. sustainability whether that be the materials, the energy used to creating the product or its carbon footprint are all elements which future designers have to be more considerate of.
I wanted to challenge myself to explore a medical device, pregnancy is such an important stage in a woman's life whether she is young or old. a cheap and sustainable device has still not been brought to market which is surprising as more than 20 milllion pregnancy tests are sold every year. They are a one time use and often have a close expiry date. I focused mainly on sustainability in the materials as most pregnancy tests are made of an abs plastic which is hard to recycle
initial primary research into existing pregnancy tests, their components and life cycle analysis
first phase of concepts and sketching
second more focused area of concept. I enjoyed the idea of adding a seed to the recyclable test as it could add a growing element of not just a baby but also a flower.
When researching the original concept I had narrowed down our audience into two main groups. Mature women and younger women. Both would most likely have two different approaches, emotions and financial situations during their pregnancy. Drawing out the two potential scenarios I looked into how each of these groups could use my pregnancy test in their own way.
For a mature woman who is trying a pack of 10 bloom tests could be purchased. Whether the result good or bad the pregnancy test could be cracked open to reveal the small pot and seed which could be planted into the ground. They can follow along with the seed during their pregnancy and they both grow. A social media app could also connect mothers who are also mid pregnancy and are growing their own seeds.
For a younger woman they might not be as financially stable as the more mature woman. Because of the materials of The bloom pregnancy we can offer a test at a lower price than standard abs plastic ones. They would also come in a smaller pack of two. Because of its biodegradable materials The younger woman could even take the test in a public bathroom if she felt uncomfortable taking it at home and dispose of it into any bin without the worries of causing harm to the environment.
Final Bloom rendering and potential in home scenarios
