Winners of the Young Medical Delta Thesis Awards in the news with female-friendly ‘duckbill speculum’

A new design of a speculum, also known as a ‘duckbill,’ earned Ariadna Izcara Gual (TU Delft, Industrial Design) a Young Medical Delta Thesis Award earlier this year. Together with fellow graduate Tamara Hoveling, she recently explained the unique design in NRC Handelsblad. Other media outlets, including NOS, also covered the design.

The prototype of the new design is not only more female-friendly, but also easier to clean, making it more sustainable in use. The material (rubber instead of steel) is also more sustainable. While many steps remain for further development and eventual application and use, both researchers are ambitious. “We truly believe in this design.” Moreover, they do not want to stop improving medical instruments, especially in women’s healthcare.

The full article in NRC Handelsblad can be read here (paywall).

Onder meer ook NOS Nieuws besteedde er aandacht aan, ook aan de financiering van dergelijke innovaties, met duiding van oud-Medical Delta PhD Sanne Allers: Alternatief voor eendenbek heeft nog lange weg te gaan: wie betaalt 'm?  

NOS News also covered the topic, including the funding of such innovations, with commentary from former Medical Delta PhD Sanne Allers: Alternatief voor eendenbek heeft nog lange weg te gaan: wie betaalt 'm?  

Read an in-depth article from the Faculty of Industrial Design (TU Delft) about the design here.

Watch a short video below made by NRC Handelsblad about the design.