While the late great comedian George Carlin had his infamous “Seven Words”, only six words are needed to kill innovation in any industry: “We’ve always done it this way.” How much more might be accomplished if those six words could be replaced with “what if”? What if we tried it this way? What if we used a different material? The what ifs are endless. And, while some might consider thinking outside the box to discover new methods, materials, collaborators, or suppliers could be too time consuming, others relish the challenges it provides.
Speaking last month at BIOMEDevice, Dean Kamen, an inventor and entrepreneur, discussed how a decision at DEKA Research and Development to bring in engineers from other fields to broaden the scope of possibilities for design resulted in advances no one could have imagined. “Reaching across boundaries, across industries,” he said, “you can sometimes raise the bar very quickly.”
In this case, he was discussing modifying a stent design for a client. By reaching out to, and coordinating with, aerospace engineers, his healthcare products team was able to develop a new stent geometry that was quickly approved by the FDA.
Kamen is well known for being a leading patent holder with 440 to his credit, including one for the first wearable infusion pump; the iBOT Mobility System, a unique stair-climbing wheelchair; a mind-controlled prosthetic arm—which was FDA-approved in 2014; and the Segway.
The Arm project began when the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded multiple research initiatives in an attempt to create better prosthetic devices for returning veterans. Kamen and his team were challenged by DARPA to develop an arm device that would enable a person to have fine motor control, haptic technology for sensation, and to rotate in all directions that natural arms/wrists/hands/fingers do so that the person can feed himself, dress, and resume normal activities—and to do it within two years.
The iBOT wheelchair can interpret a user’s body movement for control. In addition, it can rotate its front wheels on top of the rear ones to elevate the user to standing height. Unfortunately, a few years ago, a company that licensed the iBOT technology, discontinued production.
But, Kamen has not given up on the iBOT. The FDA recently reclassified the iBOT from a Class III to a Class II medical device and this can allow DEKA to reboot the iBOT. Since the chair was introduced, sensor and battery technologies have advanced exponentially. Kamen hopes to get a next-generation version operating as soon as possible.
Now, Kamen is challenging the science and technology community to encourage a love of science in others, beginning from a young age. He founded a youth outreach organization called FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), which aims to show students of every age that technology is fun and a proven path to successful careers. For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.usfirst.org .
