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So where are they now...

Tane Cambridge Posted: 23 August 2006, 1:06 PM   I remember seeing that on Breakfast one time... I think its some sort of charger for a pace maker or something to do with pace makers... maybe??   mark Posted: 23 August 2006, 3:16 PM   A Tauranga industrial designer is on the verge of achieving international recognition for an innovative intravenous pump that is worn like jewellery on the arm. Matt Backler, 26, has designed a lightweight device that feeds medication or fluids into the patient through a catheter on the upper arm while performing blood analysis from a second site on the forearm - transmitting the information wirelessly to a medical centre. Gone is the cumbersome IV bag hanging from a tall pole, wheeled around the wards by the patient. His design has earned him a place as one of four finalists in the sixth annual Dyson Product Design Awards to be presented tonight in Auckland. The awards aim to reward a new generation of emerging Kiwi designers with product design ideas that best demonstrate innovative and inspiring solutions to everyday problems, and is open to final year tertiary students studying in the areas of design, technology or engineering, and to graduates in these areas who are in their first five years of work. Mr Backler's device - called N-One, making use of medical jargon for the first nurse involved in a patient's treatment - is stuck to the arm using medical adhesive, staying in place while the patient performs normal arms functions - even in the shower. "It removes the whole idea of having a lot of strapping and support for the IV," says Mr Backler. "It's not as expensive as a standard infusion pump - the technology has been cut down. It can be used in hospitals, rehab and elderly care homes. "This design has the potential to go right round the world." In true Star Trek style, N-One pumps in the medication or fluids while transmitting blood analysis data back to a monitoring station every two hours - enabling recovering patients to leave hospital perhaps four days earlier to recuperate in the comfort of their own home. The module on the upper arm has two storage pods, each capable of delivering the same, or different, medication or fluids. The process of prepping the patient for an IV feed remains exactly the same. Mr Backler has redesigned the catheter to fit his device. "It also overcomes people's fear of needles, because they can't see the needle." It took six-months of research at Victoria University, followed by a couple of months to develop the idea, but Mr Backler knows there is a long way to go to get the product up and running commercially. His design is not a working model, although he knows the technology already exists to enable it to be built. He owns the intellectual copyright, and if successful at tonight's awards will be able to show his device to top designers and product developers at Dyson in the United Kingdom. "A lot of people I've talked to about it are excited - they can see its high relevance and importance. Technicians at Wellington Hospital think it is a great opportunity." Mr Backler, who works at Design Mobel in Greerton, plans to take the product overseas in any case. "I have to get the product to companies to get the development underway. It would take five years to get it through the legal and ethical requirements for a medical product, and probably take millions of dollars for trials, even though it would be a relatively cheap product to make. "I do have a couple of other ideas with my wife, who is also an industrial designer ... "   stu barr Posted: 24 August 2006, 1:58 AM   Matt Backler is now happily married to a girl named Sarah Adams. he now lives in Dunedin and has a short term position with Fisher&Paykel.   stu barr Posted: 24 August 2006, 2:21 AM   hey what about WACO? they were 9 out of the 18 finishers. bring back WACO!   addison Posted: 5 January 2013, 11:08 AM   Fraser Mills - Wanaka. Currently in Waitarere Beach Phil Wood - Wye Creek. Currently in Waitarere Beach Antonia Wood - Dunedin. Currently in Waitarere Beach   fraser Posted: 8 January 2013, 11:28 AM   Where is Julian Donaldson, Tristan Donaldson, Ray Pratt, andrew thompson, andrew McCarthy, Tim sleath, Chris ingham, kristian anderson, felicity Anderson, Matt tuck, Stephen Leary, Todd oats, Keith agmen, Graeme hattie,   onemanfanclub Posted: 8 January 2013, 11:50 AM   Keith Agmen may well have been standing next to you at any stage over the last few days Fraser! Chris Ingham (paediatrician at Palmerston North hospital) has been getting seriously back into running lately but seems to prefer to do it without a map these days -marathons, ultras and that sort of madness- though that might be taking a back seat now following the recent arrival of his and Rachel's baby boy.   AlanHorn Posted: 8 January 2013, 11:54 AM   Todd Oats was at todays event.   Michael Posted: 8 January 2013, 12:15 PM   Chris Ingham's name was at today's event.   mark Posted: 8 January 2013, 10:59 PM   Andrew McCarthy is in Singapore. Andrew Thompson is in Wellington. Felicity Anderson is in London. Matt Tuck lives with his buddy Fraser. And all of the above are Facebook friends with Fraser, so he already knows where they are.   Todd Oates Posted: 14 January 2013, 6:05 AM   It's Oates.   Michael Posted: 25 August 2014, 9:32 AM   Stu Barr (the one above) features in the DomPost business pages today. The article "Pest Trap Knocking Off Range of Critters" is about his company "Good Nature" whose traps are used by conservation depts in several countries; but are also available thru rural traders and hunting stores.   mark Posted: 26 August 2014, 1:47 AM   http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/10418737/Pest-trap-knocking-off-range-of-critters   AlanHorn Posted: 26 August 2014, 1:59 AM   and related - in todays DomPost http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/10422631/Cat-burglar-makes-most-of-rodent-traps   Michael Posted: 11 October 2014, 3:42 AM   Michael Scott features in the DomPost today with a citation in the national "Best Design Awards". Michael was part of a group of OHV M16's who were unbeatable in the mid-80's. His product is a device worn by hunters to stop them shooting each other. After a nervous encounter he thought "it would be pretty cool if the gun could warn you." http://bestawards.co.nz/entries/product/