Daughter’s invention to ease chemo hair loss wins Dyson Award

Olivia Humphreys, a University of Limerick graduate, has been named the Irish national winner of the 2024 James Dyson Award for her innovative invention, ‘Athena.’ The device is a portable, thermoelectric scalp-cooling system designed to help chemotherapy patients prevent hair loss. Humphreys received a prize of €5,800 from the James Dyson Foundation for her work.

Making Scalp-Cooling More Accessible

Scalp-cooling can reduce hair loss during chemotherapy by constricting blood vessels in the scalp, limiting the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach hair follicles. While current hospital-based scalp-cooling machines are effective, they are costly, time-consuming, and not widely available. Athena aims to address these challenges by offering a more affordable and portable solution.

Athena’s design includes a battery-operated cooling helmet and a carry case, allowing patients to manage the cooling process themselves. The device uses low-cost thermoelectric semiconductors to cool water, which is then circulated through the helmet. Weighing around 3kg, Athena can run for up to three-and-a-half hours on a full charge, enabling patients to use it at home or during their commute to and from the hospital.

Inspired by Personal Experience

Humphreys was inspired to create Athena after witnessing the impact of chemotherapy-induced hair loss on her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. Observing the limited availability of scalp-cooling machines in the hospital, she saw an opportunity to develop a more accessible and user-friendly solution.

Future Development and Commercialisation

Humphreys is now progressing to the international stage of the James Dyson Award, where she aims to further develop and commercialise Athena. She has also accepted an internship with Luminate Medical in Galway, a company focused on improving cancer care, to continue refining her invention.

Dyson Design Engineer James Gilchrist praised Athena, stating, ‘Athena allows patients to pre-cool their scalp on the way to treatment and continue the process post-treatment at home, significantly improving convenience and accessibility.’

Humphreys’ Athena could revolutionise the market for scalp-cooling devices, providing a cost-effective option for patients who want to take control of their treatment. The international finalists for the James Dyson Award will be announced in October, with the winners to be revealed in November.

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