Olivia Humphreys (24) from Pallasgreen, Co Limerick has won the award for ‘Athena’, a portable and accessible scalp-cooling device for cancer sufferers undergoing chemotherapy.
Olivia, who recently graduated with a degree in Product Design and Technology from UL’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, developed the device as part of her final year project. The prize comes with an award of €5,800 from the James Dyson Foundation.
The UL graduate had witnessed how upsetting it is for patients who face losing their hair during chemotherapy when her mother was sadly affected by cancer in 2019. Spending time with her mother during her treatment inspired Olivia to reimagine the way scalp-cooling can be done.
Scalp cooling is intended to help prevent hair loss, known as chemotherapy-induced alopecia, for people undergoing chemotherapy. It works by limiting blood flow to the scalp. This can reduce the amount of chemo treatment that reaches the head, in turn protecting hair follicles from the chemo drugs.
Olivia noticed the shortage of scalp-cooling machines in the hospital her mother was in, as well as how limited the existing solutions were. Current products require the patient to arrive 30 minutes early and stay for 90 minutes after treatment. Athena offers a solution through its cost-effectiveness and portability, without compromising on quality.
Powered by a thermoelectric battery, the device consists of a carry case and a cooling helmet which aims to provide a more accessible and efficient option for scalp cooling. It enables patients to manage the scalp-cooling process themselves and spend less time in the hospital on a chemotherapy infusion day.
Athena works by utilising low-cost thermoelectric semiconductors to cool a tank of water, which then circulates the cold water around the head with the smartly designed headpiece.
Olivia estimates the cost for Athena would be around €1,000, compared to industry machines which could cost in the region of €40,000. Weighing around 3kg, it is more portable than the current leading products on the market, which use refrigeration technology requiring constant plugged in power.
Athena, at full battery power, can run for 3.5 hours, allowing the patient to commute to and from the hospital while cooling and move around during infusion for bathroom visits, etc. The James Dyson Award forms part of a wider commitment by inventor Sir James Dyson to demonstrate the power of engineers to change the world. Speaking about Athena, Lead Design Engineer at Dyson James Gilchrist who was part of the judging panel, said: “Hair is a deeply rooted symbol of our identity. Losing it can be one of the most difficult side effects of chemotherapy.
“The genius of Athena isn’t just in increasing access; it’s in taking the patient out of the clinic. Instead of spending an extra two hours in the treatment centre, Athena allows patients to precool their scalp on the way there and continue the cooling process post-treatment in the comfort of their own home. That’s not just a win for patients but also for clinics, enabling them to treat more patients each day.
“Olivia impressed us with her first prototype - a 'cut and shut' computer cooling fan and diaphragm pump built into her mum’s old suitcase. Once that proved the concept, she went on to develop a high-fidelity prototype, leveraging recent innovations in battery-powered coolers. ”On winning the James Dyson Award, Olivia said: "I’m incredibly grateful for this achievement. I’ve worked so hard, not just for myself and my university, but for my mum and all the people I spoke to during the research phase.
“Many of them shared their stories with me in the hope that it might help the next person, and now, winning the James Dyson Award feels like a validation of all that effort. It’s incredibly fulfilling and rewarding to know that Athena honours those who have gone through such tough times."
Commenting on the win, Professor Niall Deloughry, Head of Discipline for Product Design at University of Limerick said: “I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to Olivia on her outstanding achievement as the National Winner for Ireland in the prestigious James Dyson Award for 2024.
“Olivia’s award-winning product, Athena, addresses a deeply personal and important issue with great sensitivity and care, offering a solution that could significantly improve the quality of life for patients during a challenging time.
“Olivia’s success is an inspiration for both current and future students in our design studio. It exemplifies how following one’s instincts and pursuing meaningful projects can lead to impactful, real-world outcomes. We look forward to seeing Olivia’s continued growth and success in the field of design.”
Dr Eoin White, course director for UL’s BSc in Product Design and Technology said: "Athena is a testament to the innovation and creativity that Olivia strived for throughout her time here at University of Limerick. It is a shining example of how a project rooted in personal meaning can evolve to have a positive impact for many others in similar situations. This James Dyson Award celebrates not just our student’s incredible skills, but also our commitment to nurturing world-class designers who make a global impact.
"Looking ahead, Olivia is eager to see how her work can inspire further innovation in cancer treatment and patient care and continue contributing to advancements in the industry.
“To elevate Athena to the next level, extensive research and development is required. While working on this project, I have been fortunate to network with Luminate Medical, a company in Galway, dedicated to building a better future for cancer care.
“They have extended an internship offer to me as a research and development engineer. I have accepted and am very eager to apply the insights gained from my own research and development to contribute to their mission.”
Athena will now progress to the international stage of the James Dyson Award and Olivia hopes to commercialise this product by producing a fully functional, technologically integrated prototype.
UL's School of Architecture and Product Design is renowned for producing internationally recognised innovators who, year after year, continue to lead the way in providing solutions to real-world problems. Two further UL projects have been successful in the Irish stage of the James Dyson Award 2024, achieving runner-up status.
“I am also delighted to extend further congratulations to Ko Kallewaard for his project entitled ‘Suas’, and Seán-Jameson Galvin for ‘Swoop’, as runners-up in the competition this year,” Professor Deloughry added.
Suas designed by Ko Kallewaard is a secure universal airplane seating solution. It aims to enable wheelchair users to travel with their own chair by encouraging airlines to fit specially engineered seats with Suas’s universal wheelchair lock, as well as offering a connecting lock to the wheelchair user for their chair.
Swoop created by Sean-Jameson Galvin is an accessible music engagement system. It offers a new and accessible way of learning and creating music using haptic gloves and hand movement for those with visual learning difficulties like Dyslexia, Dysmusia, and Dysgraphia.
