What it does
h2 o~pal is a pocketable water testing ecosystem designed to restore autonomy, dignity, and trust; especially for displaced communities and those navigating environmental instability. The system is intuitive, inclusive and supportive.
Your inspiration
I’m a Jordanian designer with Palestinian roots. This project was born out of seeing Gaza being stripped of their access to clean water, leaving them in the dark without the needs to survive. Rather than design for disaster, I wanted to design for dignity. o~pal began as a medical health testing reader developed by éclateral. I reimagined it as a tool of resilience; allowing people to test, trust, and share water quality on their own terms; helping strengthen and build communities.
How it works
The cassette sleeve scoops 50μL of water from any source. The user tilts the cassette down to release the sample. After one minute of chemical reaction, the cassette is inserted into the reader. The reader uses onboard electronics to detect the test result. The app publishes the result with what3words location, guidance on what to do next, and the option to log it anonymously or publicly. Aid workers can upload fresh water supply locations to the same map. Displaced communities deserve to have autonomy and trust, all in the palm of their hand.
Design process
I started by reworking the ergonomics of the original o~pal to make it more compact, organic, and field-appropriate. The device needed to be used by someone stressed, displaced, or unfamiliar with such tech. I designed the cassette sleeve to solve a key problem: unsafe, uncontrolled water flow onto the test paper. The sleeve guides collection, protects electronics, and ensures proper activation. Most importantly, it is “self cleaning” and reusable due to its material choice of LSR. The app was inspired by community “led” platforms like Waze and geocaching apps. It uses universal iconography, minimal text, and visual trust signals to help anyone navigate it, bypassing cultural and linguistic barriers.
How it is different
Everything about h2 o~pal is designed to reduce intimidation an d build emotional clarity. It doesn’t look clinical. It looks personal. Nostalgic. Familiar. It doesn’t require bulky components or high-tech knowledge. It removes barriers to water testing whilst giving users real power to help themselves and others. It combines and simplifies éclateral‘s health testing system, with the digital power of geolocation and community data. This isn’t just a test kit… it’s a communication tool, a network, a public safety infrastructure right in your pocket.
Future plans
Live field testing with charities in Gaza and surrounding regions at first. Partnering with NGOs to launch a pilot production run. Building o~pal Lite, a simplified version for rapid deployment. Expanding into a modular ecosystem, with snap on features and increased personalisation. Everyone deserves to access, enjoy, and appreciate good design, no matter what situation they find themselves in. Exploring data donation partnerships with humanitarian research networks Because in crisis, trust is everything; clean water should not feel like a miracle.
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