5. Proto Labs: Helping the blind ‘see’ with their tongues
Proto Labs (Maple Plain, Minn.) has become a medical device prototyping hub, thanks to its quick-turn manufacturing capabilities. One of most interesting prototyping stories to come out of Proto Labs recently involved Middleton, Wis.-based Wicab and its BrainPort “oral electronic vision device.”
Injection-molded polycarbonate parts from Proto Labs have played a significant role when it comes to Wicab ramping up production of the BrainPort.
The BrainPort V100 received FDA de novo marketing approval last year for use among the profoundly blind. It uses a small headset-mounted video camera to capture visual information. The user feels the information as tingling or vibrations on a small mouthpiece embedded with electrodes and placed on the tongue. By taking three, three-hour training sessions mandated by FDA, users learn to substitute the sense of touch on their tongues for some of their lost sight. BrainPort helps them recover abilities such as being able to walk to a store or dine at a restaurant.
Read more about Proto Labs and Wicab’s BrainPort.
William K. says
Most of the innovations shown look like good advances. BUT the oxygen feed system shown in #7 is far more obvious than the devices available here for at least the past 20 years. So unless it offers a real benefit beyond what has existed for many years, what it provides is “not much.”
Now as to the places where innovation is done, what I have observed is that innovation happens where ever it is not discouraged very much. Some companies work diligently to prevent any innovation anywhere except in their R&D departments, while some, such as 3M and a few others, seek to reward and encourage all their employees to innovate. And some companies, while wanting and needing innovation, have embraced cultures that press deliberately at preventing everything that assists creativity.
Chris Newmarker says
Thanks for the insights William. It truly is amazing—the number of ways a company can kill innovation.
Chris Newmarker says
Also, anything else we should have included in this list?