Understand the opportunity
The product development team set about researching the market to see what was available. There was a wide selection of devices that seemed to do everything yet a lot of what the nurses were administering was simply Hydration fluids and Antibiotics.
There appeared to be a niche in the market between the Roller clamp and the Peristaltic pump for a device that would be more affordable and available to hospitals.
Create the possibility
The product development team identified a new technology that could potentially be far simpler than the pumps that would give a good level of accuracy and nobody else was using it to control flow. Engineering models were made and the control loop concept was evaluated. Storyboards were drafted up and the team set about running through some user scenarios with various Medical professionals to extract the level of functionality they really required. Block models and rendered images were also created to show to the key stakeholders allowing them to feed back in to the development cycle.
Develop the solution
With a solid mechanical concept in place and a well defined direction on the User Interface the product development team began to add some detail to the design. Working prototypes were constructed and testing was carried out on the various subassemblies for design verification. An appropriate contractor was sourced that could develop the electrical software and hardware together and a strong working partnership was forged.
Produce the reality
All plastic parts were tooled up in Adept’s tool room and a working product was produced with outsourced electronics built to our specification. The working product entered the rigorous testing that a medical product of this nature needs to go through.