INSPIRE - The Responsible Inhaler System

What it does

The Inspire Inhaler System aims to address issues in current inhaler designs, including the lack of sustainable disposal options, recurring problems with inhalation in asthma therapy, and the stigmatization of medical products.

Your inspiration

Victor Papanek once said, "There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a very few of them." This quote inspired me to deeply question the ethical responsibility of designers. As someone who has managed asthma from an early age, I have relied on many inhalers and witnessed their flaws — especially the absence of sustainable disposal options and their often stigmatizing appearance. During my studies, I started to examine these issues critically. This project is my bachelor’s thesis and my personal design response.

How it works

The Inspire Inhaler is a responsible redesign of the widely used metered dose inhaler, which has the highest environmental footprint among inhaler types. All components are additively manufactured. The actuator is printed from stainless steel via selective laser melting, offering long-lasting durability, hygiene, and a high-quality alternative to disposable plastic housings. Its flatter, more compact shape improves handling and portability. The actuator’s interior is easily accessible, allowing thorough manual cleaning. The stainless steel cartridge is wider and flatter, enabling easier activation with multiple fingers. All metal parts can be returned for closed-loop recycling, using less energy than the production of new metals or plastics. The protective cap is made from compostable PHA. The Inspire App offers guidance on usage, disposal and access to a replacement service for caps and actuators. Together, they form a Sustainable Product-Service System.

Design process

To investigate the designer’s responsibility, I interviewed members of the iF Design Jury. Core responsibilities toward both users and the environment emerged as key aspects of responsible design. In response, I conducted comprehensive material research, including analysis of Life Cycle Assessments and Sustainable Product-Service Systems, to inform environmentally conscious design decisions. In parallel, user needs were identified through structured interviews and questionnaires with asthmatics, pharmacists, and a pulmonologist. Using these insights, a series of design iterations were developed through sketching, CAD modeling, and rapid prototyping. Multiple prototypes of actuators, cartridges, and caps were tested in ergonomic workshops with both asthmatic and non-asthmatic users to evaluate usability and intuitiveness. Feedback loops were embedded into each development cycle. To ensure correct use and responsible disposal, the Inspire App was created. Its design process began with a review of existing inhaler apps and continued through interface design and iterative click-dummy testing, focusing on intuitive interaction, readability, and integration into a Sustainable Product-Service System.

How it is different

Inspire is more than a redesign of the asthma inhaler at a product level. It is a responsible system model focused on circularity and user-specific needs. The inhaler and app function as services that offer a sustainable, ergonomic, and visually satisfying experience — not only for patients but also for medical professionals — by addressing information gaps through the app. By reimagining the inhaler as a Sustainable Product-Service System, responsibility for the disposal of components remains with designers and manufacturers, rather than being shifted to users. This transforms the inhaler from a disposable product into a service that patients use rather than own, with components returned for recycling or composting at the end of their life cycle. The bold and unconventional design challenges the stigma of medical aesthetics, presenting the inhaler as a high-quality, essential object that reflects its true importance in the daily lives of patients.

Future plans

The Inspire system was developed as a conceptual approach to more responsible industrial design for inhalers. Given the limited time frame of this four-month thesis, technical aspects still require further testing to meet all medical product standards. I hope to continue this project, and submitting it to the Dyson Award may help build connections for its future. Even if it remains at the concept stage, connecting with medical professionals, designers, and patients has been a meaningful experience — one that clarified where true design priorities lie and reminded me of the impact we can have when we stay true to our core responsibilities.

Awards