
Numnuts is a new product under development by 4c Design, in partnership with Moredun Research Institute, for improving the welfare of lambs undergoing necessary but painful animal husbandry procedures.
You can find out more about Numnuts here.
Field trials had shown that for optimum effectiveness of anaesthesia, the precise location and orientation of the needle tip, prior to delivery of the anaesthetic, was crucial. This meant that a two-stage injector mechanism was required, with the first stage positioning the needle tip, and the second delivering the anaesthetic.
Working in close conjunction with our colleagues at 4c Design, we investigated several different types of two-stage mechanism, before focusing development on a novel rotary design. This design was then developed through several working prototypes, with new features being added and the size being reduced as the design progressed, always with an eye on space constraints and integration into the Numnuts hand tool. 3D printing techniques were used to great effect to enable rapid iteration through the design process.
Over the course of the project, we undertook the following activities: