Hamilton C6™ ICU Ventilator

Cutting edge modular ventilator system.

Hospital teams needed a ventilator that could adapt to diverse clinical workflows, from mobility and ICU transport to non invasive therapy, while reducing operational complexity and enhancing patient comfort. RKS collaborated to create a ventilator that balances technical sophistication with intuitive usability.

Personalized ventilation, simplified.

“It has been our experience in dealing with RKS design that they have raised the bar for the whole industry. Time after time they have delivered to our products, cost effective, functional, and artful designs that have cause our customers to reflect on the wisdom of their purchase. And no matter what the product, our company enjoys a common look and feel on all of their work. It does not get any better than what RKS delivers.”

— CEO of Hamilton Company

Ventilator system with touch interface screen showing integrated hardware and software design.

We conducted global field studies across critical care and ICU settings, mapping emotional and functional needs, such as agility, simplicity in emergency protocols, and reassurance through visual clarity. Psycho‑Aesthetics® helped define design priorities to optimize patient outcomes and clinician confidence.

Research Insights & Discovery

KEY OUTPUTS

User Personas
Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 Map
Benchmarking
Opportunity Areas & Design Criteria

How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.

Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, we conducted in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation in diverse lab settings. We identified key emotional and usability pain points — such as intimidation with complex interfaces, workspace clutter, and trust in precision. These insights guided both the form and interface strategy, ensuring approachability and confidence in operation.

PA Map of RKS Design's project with Hamilton for the development of the Hamilton C6 device
A Wall at RKS Design with preliminary brainstorms for the development of the C6 Ventilator

Our team sculpted a ventilator with compact trolley architecture powered by a high performance turbine, enabling mobility independent from wall systems. The form is ergonomic, compact, and tool free, designed for rapid response and easy transport. RKS Design embarked on an extensive research journey to gain a deep understanding of the hospital environment and identify pain points in the critical care setting. Through a global exploration, our team delved into the challenges faced by healthcare professionals and patients, enabling us to uncover key opportunities for innovation.

Industrial Design Concept Development

KEY OUTPUTS

Form Factor Concepts
CMF Strategy
Refined Industrial Design Language
Hamilton c6 Medical Benefits

Collaborating closely with Hamilton engineers, RKS integrated turbine powered airflow, thermal management, and multifunctional interfaces into a stable, high performance assembly, validated for ICU use and mobile deployment. This collaborative approach allowed us to develop a best in class ventilator system that seamlessly integrated the critical new features and technologies, addressing the pressing needs of the market.

Product Engineering

KEY OUTPUTS

Engineering Evaluation Prototypes
Tolerance Analysis & DFM Refinements
Validation Reports
Two Designers at RKS Design putting together a prototype for the Hamilton C6 Ventilator
Detail Shot of the Hamilton C6 Ventilator Connection ports from the back

From the initial stages of research and strategy to the intricate product definition and engineering processes, our expertise guided every step of the development journey. The result is a state of the art ventilator system that not only meets the highest standards of performance and reliability but also improves the overall patient experience and empowers healthcare professionals to deliver exceptional care in critical situations.

Key Outcomes and Results

Key Accomplishments

Commercially launched; widely implemented across hospitals for ICU and transport use.

Slim chassis saved 40% bench space compared to older systems, improving ICU layout

Intelligent modes like ASV® and IntelliSync®+ reduce manual adjustments and support automated weaning

A modern medical ventilator with a digital touchscreen displaying patient data, graphs, and settings; control buttons and a dial are visible below the screen, with ports and connectors on the main unit.

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