Students invent wearable lifesaving anti-allergy device

Julie, whose middle school daughter is acutely allergic to a variety of nuts, always carries an EpiPen with her.

If her daughter unwittingly eats some of the triggering nuts, her airways swell and close asthmatically. An immediate injection of epinephrine is necessary to prevent anaphylactic shock and possible death.

The school nurse is armed with another EpiPen for the same purpose. Protecting the child from her allergies requires constant vigilance; one small slip-up could be disastrous.

Now this kind of risk can be further reduced thanks to EpiWear, a device invented by a group of students at Rice University in Houston.

The spring-activated device is designed to be worn on the wrist like a watch and inject a full dose of epinephrine when a person experiences an allergic reaction.

The team developing the invention — bioengineering majors Albert Han, Alex Li, Jacob Mattia, Justin Tang and Callum Parks — said the device is intended for everyone but small children and could be a good alternative to other delivery systems on the market.

Tang, who suffers from peanut allergies and carries a penlike syringe wherever he goes, came up with the idea.

"I'm very self-aware and worried about my life, but it was always difficult for me to bring something as bulky and obtrusive as this when I was going out to dinner with friends," Tang said.

Working on the device with their adviser, Rice lecturer Deirdre Hunter, the team members hope its creation will lead to a delivery device that is less expensive and more stylish than Epi-Pens — and thus more likely to be worn by users.

EpiWear is designed to inject a dose of 0.3 milliliters of epinephrine, the same as commercial devices that contain more of the drug.

When unfolded, the three-part hinged device will be about the same length as epinephrine pens on the market now, with the dose in the middle section and a strong spring in the top. Releasing a safety lever allows the user to push a cap on top that releases the spring, plunging the syringe into the user's thigh.

Along with the lever, Li said the tri-fold design prevents the device from being accidently triggered.

"None of the compartments are linear, so the needle would be in one compartment while the spring is in another," Li said. "Even if the spring were to go off accidentally, it wouldn't be able to push the needle."

The team wants to make EpiWear fashionable so people are more inclined to wear it and is considering making it cool colors or integrating it into a watch to create a dual-purpose device.

Julie said she was happy to learn about EpiWear. "This would allow my daughter to always have the remedy to her allergy with her 24/7, it's great. It would ease my mind tremendously. I wish they would be available on the market soon," she said.