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EpiWear: Wearable
Every minute counts in an anaphylactic emergency — but too often, lifesaving medication isn’t where it needs to be.
Every minute counts in an anaphylactic emergency — but too often, lifesaving medication isn’t where it needs to be.
A 2014 review of anaphylaxis-related deaths in Ontario found that over 50% of individuals who died did not have their epinephrine auto-injector with them at the time (Xu et al., Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 2014). Existing devices are bulky — often left behind, especially by children and teens — and even when carried, they can be difficult to use correctly. Many accidental injections occur from holding the device upside down. These issues in portability and usability point to a clear need for a safer, more accessible solution.
Enter EpiWear — the wearable epinephrine injector that’s always on hand.
Enter EpiWear — the wearable epinephrine injector that’s always on hand.
Benjamin Kaplan and I developed EpiWear in 2017 at Invention Factory, an intensive summer program in which undergraduate students compete to invent solutions to real-world problems. Our goal was to reimagine the epinephrine injector for everyday wearability — compact, intuitive, and always accessible. Our final prototype compresses a full-dose injection mechanism into a slim, wrist-worn form using an accordion-style syringe and a spring-loaded, self-expanding plunger — storing epinephrine efficiently without sacrificing function. For added safety, we designed the pull-pin activator to double as a post-injection lock: once the plunger is retracted and the needle withdrawn, the pin can be reinserted to prevent accidental needle-stick injuries. EpiWear was the second-place winner in the competition, selected by a panel of guest judges representing expertise in engineering, medicine, and patent law.
Watch our video below to learn more about EpiWear.
Watch our video below to learn more about EpiWear.
Further Developments
Further Developments
In late 2017, EpiWear competed in the Quadruple Impact Challenge, an open-call competition focused on innovations that could measurably improve patient experience, population health, clinician workflows, and cost-efficiency. Our submission won first place in the public vote, earning us a spot as official finalists at the MedTech Impact Conference & Expo 2017 in Las Vegas. There, we presented our invention before a panel of judges and a live audience of healthcare experts, investors, and fellow innovators, alongside a diverse field of early-stage, cutting-edge medical technologies.
In early 2018, we continued developing EpiWear in The Cooper Union's Engineering Entrepreneurship course, taught by Jean Chung and Howie Rosenblatt, who later co-founded Maroon and Gold Labs, a nonprofit incubator supporting entrepreneurial ventures by Cooper Union affiliates. The course culminated in the Peter Cooper Startup Challenge, an end-of-term pitch competition judged by a panel of angel investors and entrepreneurs. Our team won first place, recognized not only for the technical viability of the device but also for its strong business potential as a startup-ready solution.
Relevant Works
Relevant Works
[S01] EpiWear: A Novel Wearable Epinephrine Injector
[S01] EpiWear: A Novel Wearable Epinephrine Injector
A. S. Levin and B. Kaplan
MedTech Impact Conference and Expo, 2017
🔗 [Slides]
🏆 Award: Quadruple Impact Challenge Finalist – Publicly Voted Best Submission
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
EpiWear would not exist without the support and mentorship of Prof. Alan Wolf, who founded and directed Invention Factory with Prof. Eric Lima. Prof. Wolf has been instrumental in guiding us from the very first day of Invention Factory, and encouraged us to continue developing and pursuing EpiWear long after.
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