Hack for Cystic Fibrosis

This is a Hackathon but some of the challenges are design related so I am posting here.

Issues

Below are some of the issues we will be tackling at the Hack for CF. To submit an idea of your own to work on use the issue submission form on this page.

The vest machines can be loud. Could we design a way to quiet them down safely?How can you prevent losing to much salt? Is there an easy way to measure it with a patch or something?Can you come up with some way to tell how much salt you need to replenish when exercising?Is there any way to remodel the masks so the salt from the Hypertonic saline doesn't get in your eyes?Is there a way to redesign ports so they are easier to find and inject with medicine?CF patients can't get close to each other. Can you build an app that would alert CF patients that there are other CF patients around?Could we make a game that teaches about compliance? Fighting a big (zombie?) disease; the player is responsible for keeping everyone healthy and in compliance. You can also age during the game.How can CF patients eat better? Apps?

Who

Data scientists, technologists, developers, designers, subject matter experts and others interested in furthering CF causes come together and collaborate to come up with ideas that make a difference for people with CF. We will form teams based on interest in the ideas and backgrounds of people in attendance. A good mix of expertise is needed so come join in the fun.

Be Sure to register (http://hackforcf.eventbrite.com/) on event site.

Saturday
8:00 a.m Registration + Breakfast
9:00 a.m CF education intro
9:30 a.m Pitches begin
10:00 p.m Teams formed and work starts
12:30 p.m Lunch
6:00 p.m Dinner

Saturday
8:00 a.m. Coffee + Breakfast
11:45 a.m Lunch
1:15 p.m. Presentations begin
2:30 p.m. Awards presentation
3:00 p.m. Conclusion

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-shortening genetic disease among Caucasians in the U.S., and the second most common genetic disease, overall. The burden of CF begins at birth, and impacts every day of a patient’s life thereafter; the management of this disease becomes a life-long focus for patients and their families. Because CF is a highly complex disease, impacting many different organ systems, patients are required to take many forms of oral and aerosolized medications, have special nutritional needs, and must undergo a variety of treatments every day to avoid life-threatening bacterial infections. In many cases, this calls for up to three hours of care, per patient, per day.

Atlanta is the home to the second-largest CF clinical program in the country, co- managed by Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Researchers at Emory and Children’s are teaming up with engineers at Georgia Tech, with support from the CF Foundation, to form CF@LANTATM comprehensive program that will bring new approaches to improve our ability to care for our patients. We seek to work with other creative minds in Atlanta to develop new tools that will enhance the lives of CF patients worldwide.