Increase flow, reduce immersion time, and improve overall usability for lab technicians
Becton Dickenson
Pax Tissue Storage
BD worked with Humanfactors to develop concepts for a sealed container used for fixation, stabilization, and storage of tissue samples for processing prior to analysis. The watertight container allowed new stabilization chemistries to maintain morphology and meet histopathology needs. Research began with lab visits to understand typical tissue processing procedures, their impact on device-user requirements, and how the device may integrate within an environment where space is at a premium.
Internally, we improved the flow of reagents around the tissue sample to reduce immersion time for fixation and RNA stabilization. And we designed the container to incorporate existing specimen cassettes as a means to reduce specimen transfer and handling. Ergonomics that improved labeling, accommodated handling with slippery gloves, and the ease of specimen retrieval were applied. The device also had to maintain compatibility with standard processing equipment, such as a tissue processor/washer, paraffin embedding, etc.
Market Research
In order to understand the world of biomedical tissue storage, Humanfactors visited labs and interviewed the researchers, scientists, and techs tasked with their safe storage and retrieval. Learning about how samples are taken and mounted, how they’re accessed, and how the labs overall are set up for this integral part of their workflow was crucial to our concept development.
Engineering
Humanfactors developed a series of concepts focused on the flow of reagents around the tissue sample to reduce immersion time for fixation and RNA stabilization - a difficult task given that the overall size of the chamber was limited. And we designed the container to incorporate existing specimen cassettes as a means to reduce specimen transfer and handling. The device also had to maintain compatibility with standard processing equipment, such as a tissue processor/washer, paraffin embedding, etc.
Industrial Design
Ergonomics that improved labeling, accommodated handling with slippery gloves, and the ease of specimen retrieval were applied. Several chamber geometries were explored - users needed to be able to twist off the lid with wet hands while grasping a relatively small cylinder. Water-clear plastic was required so that any adverse changes to the tissue sample or reagents could be easily detected.
