news & blueViews

Drug-free pain relief

7 Oct 2004

The EziStim® TENS (‘Transcutaeous Electrical Nerve Stimulation’) device represents a watershed approach to personal pain relief therapy. In effect, the EziStim has done to pain relief what the ‘Sony Walkman’ did to personal stereo. By miniaturising the electronics of a proven and safe technology to a wearable size, the EziStim inexpensively and effectively delivers TENS treatment to users requiring pain and stress relief.

According to Jim Lamers, the CEO of Bio Electronics the unit’s manufacturer “TENS is a therapeutic technique proven by over thirty years of medical and scientific research and regularly used by health professionals such as physiotherapists. Most studies conclude that this treatment is an effective means of decreasing pain, promoting faster healing, as well as inducing relaxation & sleep”. The technique is safe, has no major side effects and avoids the use of conventional alternative treatments such as using prescription or over-the-counter drugs. As relief and healing is more effective at low intensity over long periods of time, the TENS treatment generated by the EziStim “is enhanced by being able to be worn and applied continuously”, says Mr Lamers.

The design aim for this project was to package the electronics and user controls in a compact and visually appealing case. Low unit cost and easy assembly were also critical factors in the design. For users, the device needed to be reliable and simple to operate.

CobaltNiche’s approach was to avoid the usual ‘clinical’ appearance of medical devices so that it clearly communicated the device’s ‘empowering’ approach to pain relief. The device had to look friendly and allow users to feel comfortable wearing the device. Early in the development it was decided to make the casings translucent so that the electronics can be seen; symbolical of the approach taken to make the treatment as understandable to users as possible.

Commercially, the unit has already been overwhelmingly successful, in part because of the unit’s radical and friendly design, but also because of the passion Mr Lamers has for the product.

For more information contact Steven Martinuzzo