Client:

With cellTRAY, a microscope slide with integrated bio-incubator, researchers are able to perform time-lapse imaging of living cells for the first time. An array of 7,614 micron-sized wells can sustain living cells in a liquid medium, and a network of microfluidics channels supplies nutrients (and reagents) and removes metabolic waste. Designers were challenged with developing a design expression to communicate this new technology that is so advanced it is invisible to the naked eye.

The Calypso 4D Localization System is a medical device that guides radiation therapy delivery with sub-millimeter accuracy, reducing complications from organ motion during treatment. It uses electromagnetic fields to locate implanted miniature circuit transponders, smaller than a grain of rice, which continuously monitor tumor position during radiation therapy. Care was taken to avoid the conventional lab-equipment look prevalent in most radiation therapy rooms. The result is a non-threatening and approachable form that enhances the therapeutic environment for patients.

Client: Kaz, Inc

Until now, all digital underarm thermometers borrowed their form from the old mercury thermometers. The design team discovered that changing the shape from straight to curved makes a thermometer a lot more comfortable and visually communicates to the consumer that it's not for oral or rectal use. The new shape snugly fits into the underarm cavity with a probe that mates with the "hot zone." Better ergonomics and a friendlier look make taking a child's temperature a lot less hassle.

Client: Chattanooga Group

The unique modular design of this fully integrated suite of clinical electrotherapy equipment offers complete flexibility in the configuration and upgrade of the unit to meet the requirements of the individual therapist, at a fraction of the cost of the individual modalities. The mobile version was designed to be compact and lightweight to facilitate use away from the clinical environment at venues such as sporting events.

These portable x-ray fluorescence analyzers can quickly and non-destructively determine the elemental composition of any sample. Applications include lead paint testing, soil contamination testing, mining, material identification in scrap yards and heavy metal detection in plastics. This product was the first of its kind to address significant ergonomic considerations, thereby transforming a commodity product in a saturated market into a market success. Sales have been so brisk that competitors have begun to offer their own ergonomically designed analyzers.

The Eclipse 500, the first very light jet approved by the FAA, offers a unique combination of advanced instrumentation, a small size and an economical price tag. The design team was tasked with developing a rational, pilot-friendly instrument panel that also blends with the overall design vision for the jet. After extensive research, the team achieved a layout for the instrument panel that is more intuitive, less cluttered, less fatiguing and more motion efficient.

Client: Teknion Corp, Canada

Contessa is the next step-or leap-in mesh seating. By incorporating materials with low chemical emissions and making Contessa 95 percent recyclable, Teknion has created an environmentally responsible chair that is as ergonomically superior as its predecessors and even more beautiful.

The Embrace Heart Stabilizer is used during beating-heart coronary bypass surgery to assist surgeons in positioning the heart and stabilizing the coronary artery. The stabilization created by the device allows surgeons to bypass the blocked artery without resorting to the traditional method of stopping the heart and employing a heart/lung machine, a new technique that is less invasive and lower in risk. Because of its unobtrusive profile, clutter and crowding is reduced giving the surgeon unencumbered access to the chest cavity.

The VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer and Storage System uses safe, clean ultraviolet light to kill up to 99.9 percent of the germs on your toothbrush. It fills the marketplace void for home toothbrush sanitizers that are consumer friendly, easy to use and stylish. One of the design parameters established by the designers necessitated VIOlight not require users to change their normal brushing routine. The device emulates a standard bathroom toothbrush storage cup rather than a commercial-like sanitizer.