Client
DNANudge Ltd.
Service
Product Design
User Experience Design
Partner
Hu Keren
Team
Ao Bingyang / Chen Yang / Li Yu / Ma Shiliang / Xu Qingxian
NudgeBox is the world’s first compact, desktop DNA sequencing device designed for user-operated, at-home use. It streamlines genetic analysis—eliminating the need for complex, costly lab equipment and workflows—and allows users to view their data via a smartphone.
Distinct from the “lab instrument” perception typical of comparable products, NudgeBox adopts a pared-back, restrained design language that integrates naturally into everyday environments. The concept of a black enclosure, paired with a sliding open-close interaction, is intended to lend the sequencing process a sense of ritual and mystery.
Developed by UK technology company DnaNudge, the product won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s MacRobert Award in 2021—widely regarded as the UK’s most prestigious prize for engineering innovation in business.
Client
DNANudge Ltd.
Service
Product Design
User Experience Design
Partner
Hu Keren
Team
Ao Bingyang / Chen Yang / Li Yu / Ma Shiliang / Xu Qingxian
NudgeBox is designed to make genetic analysis effortless and efficient—reducing the entire process to a few simple steps that take just minutes. Users collect a saliva sample, load it into a DnaCartridge, and insert the cartridge into NudgeBox. With a gentle push of the sliding lid, analysis begins. Once complete, placing the DnaCapsule on top of NudgeBox enables seamless data sync.
By removing the need for complex and costly laboratory equipment, NudgeBox transforms DNA sequencing into a service that is more convenient and accessible than ever. This advanced, compact desktop analyzer is a genuine technological feat, allowing users to access and interpret their genetic data with ease via a smartphone.
The DnaCartridge is a core component of the DnaNudge genetic testing system—a single-use microfluidic lab-on-a-chip cartridge designed to store and process DNA samples collected via an oral swab. Integrating advanced microfluidics, it enables rapid DNA extraction and analysis on the spot, without the need for large-scale laboratory infrastructure—making truly portable genetic testing possible.
Once the swab is inserted into the DnaCartridge and the cartridge is placed into the NudgeBox, the DNA analysis runs automatically end to end, requiring no manual intervention. This seamless automation ensures efficiency and ease of use, making genetic testing more accessible than ever.
As a highly precise and engineering-intensive component, the DnaCartridge communicates technical sophistication and reliability, reinforcing user trust in the system. Inspired by the transparent caseback of a mechanical watch, its translucent, colored housing reveals the intricate internal mechanics—highlighting the cutting-edge nature of this lab-on-a-chip platform.