Pinocchio

What it does

Approximately 291million people worldwide suffer from seasonal epiataxis, creating a structural issue. Pinocchio, with its ergonomic design and scenario-based solutions, enables users to rapidly alleviate nosebleed symptoms and minimize post-bleeding effects.

Your inspiration

For 6 years, I've suffered from seasonal nosebleeds, with up to 1-2 daily episodes in winter. Despite 20+ medical visits, no effective non-clinical relief was found. Research shows the condition's vague boundaries and lack of attention, leading to overuse of surgery and steroids. During a shower nosebleed, I submerged my nose in cold water, stopping it much faster than tissues. I made a silicone container for cooling and pressing the nose, sharing it with 5 friends with similar issues; 4 reported shorter bleeding times. Studies confirm cooling and pressing the Kiesselbach plexus relieve symptoms, inspiring Pinocchio to develop this approach.

How it works

Scene-based dynamic cooling technology uses a vacuum structure, phase-change paraffin (20ml, crystallizing at 15°C), and gallium-indium alloy (1.5g) to transfer heat across scenarios, enabled by metal additive manufacturing. Seasonal nosebleeds often occur during rapid temperature changes, so constant cooling isn't needed. The paraffin, encased in a central cavity, maintains 15°C and crystallizes in air. A vacuum cavity with minimal thermal contacts surrounds it, containing the alloy. During motion, the alloy flows, disrupting the vacuum, causing paraffin to release heat and crystallize. At rest, the alloy settles, restoring the vacuum to insulate the paraffin, enhancing insulation by ~9x, retaining effective temperature for 5 hours in warm conditions. The nose’s elasticity and ergonomic design ensure pressure points align with the Kiesselbach plexus. Custom springs deliver optimal pressure, addressing gaps in nasal product design.

Design process

The design underwent 40+ prototypes, exploring portable cooling and ergonomics. Early Pinocchio-1 and Pinocchio-S used water immersion, focusing on ergonomics with 21 prototypes. Key findings showed the nose’s flexibility requires elastic sizing around an optimal value. However, water immersion was bulky, unhygienic, and impractical for portability. Pinocchio-L tested chemical endothermic reactions with 3 formulas and 2 prototypes. While lightweight, it produced gas and odors, complicating volume control, and refilling was unintuitive. Pinocchio-T used semiconductor heat sinks, iterating 12+ prototypes. It met cooling and ergonomic needs with good volume control. However, high heat dissipation caused instability, fan noise, and limited cooling time. Pinocchio-C and Pinocchio-Y combined phase-change materials with jewelry aesthetics, testing 2 formulas and 4 prototypes. Effective cooling lasted only 30–45 minutes. The final Pinocchio-I, after 5 iterations, adopted scene-based dynamic cooling, reducing volume by 32% compared to Pinocchio-T and offering 4x longer cooling than semiconductors. It requires no charging, delivers suitable temperatures on demand, and allows greater design freedom with a compact cooling module for harmonious encapsulation.

How it is different

As the market's first seasonal nosebleed reliever, Pinocchio fills a critical void. Its key innovation is a scenario-based cooling solution, a breakthrough inspired by inclusive design. By developing technology for a specific use case instead of adapting generic hardware, it minimizes engineering compromises and maximizes user benefit. The design shatters medical device stereotypes. Its visual proportions adhere to the Fibonacci sequence, giving it the sophisticated look of a fashion accessory, not a clinical tool. Pinocchio embodies the future of inclusive design: commercial, non-invasive, and user-driven. It integrates mechanics, absorbent materials, ergonomics, and cooling into a single, effective, and highly responsive system, always ready when needed.

Future plans

The current mechanical structure has been completed in the verification part of 3D printing, and it is expected to be completed with CNC prototyping and the production of the core cooling module by July. It is expected to try mass production and commercialization next year.

Awards

The prototype of the mid-term design (using the Pinocchio Type-T with Peltier cooling sheets) has been shortlisted for the Design Value Award. https://awards.designsociety.cn/en/category/shortlist-list/detail!a530if Other awards have not been announced.