Idea Clinic: Find out if your idea is worth more of your time.

For clinicians who have noticed a problem in practice and want an honest second opinion before investing in solving it.

What happens:
In a 90-minute working session, we turn what you've seen into a clear problem statement. We look at who else faces it, what already exists, and roughly what kind of device or trainer solution it would be. You can bring an Idea Brief from the free workbook, or just the idea.

What you receive:
A written readout and slide deck with your problem statement, the closest existing solutions, a rough view of the regulatory path, open questions, and a recommendation to continue, change direction, or stop.

Timing and fee: 1 session, readout within a week. $250.

Concept Sprint: Direction on what to build and how to get there.

For clinicians with an idea that has passed a first look and now needs a real test.

What happens:
Over 3-6 weeks, I interview you and a colleague who faces the same problem. I search patents, FDA databases, published work, and products on the market. Your needs become measurable requirements, and I sketch two to four concepts with rough costs and the main risks of each. Your part is about five hours, mostly conversation.

What you receive:
An 8 to 12 page readout with the recommendation on page one: build, redirect, or stop. Behind it sit a problem statement, requirements, a market analysis with a search log, concept comparisons, and a starter risk file, all reusable with a partner, funder, or later design team.

Timing and fee: 3-6 weeks, $6,000.

Prototype Sprint: A working prototype you can hold, test, and demo.

For clinicians whose Concept Sprint recommended building, or who arrive with a well-defined concept and requirements.

What happens:
Starting from the chosen concept, I design and build a functional prototype in the studio using 3D printing, silicone casting, machining, and hand assembly. Electronics, firmware, or software are subcontracted to vetted partners and managed by me, so you deal with one person. We review progress in a demo partway through, then bench-test against your requirements.

What you receive:
The prototype, a bench test plan and results, and a handoff package: requirements, drawings, an updated risk file, and your options for what comes next. It's everything a funder, licensing partner, or development firm will ask to see.

Timing and fee:
Six to ten weeks. From $15,000, quoted at a fixed fee once the concept is chosen. Materials and outside fabrication are quoted separately and approved by you first.

Trainer/Simulator Build: The custom task trainer your program needs, designed to be built again.

For residency and fellowship programs, simulation centers, nursing and allied health educators, and device companies that train clinicians on their products.

What happens:
We start with the skill: what learners must do, which errors they should be able to make safely, and how you'll measure improvement. I then design the trainer layer by layer, with printed anatomy, cast silicones matched to how tissue feels and cuts, and embedded sensors where feedback helps. A working version is tested with your faculty and revised from what they find.

What you receive:
A working trainer and a repeatable design package: drawings, molds, a bill of materials, consumables, and step-by-step build instructions, so you can make more in-house or have them made.

Timing and fee:
Typically 10 to 14 weeks. From $15,000. Not ready for a full build? A Concept Sprint can define the learning goals and produce the cost breakdown a grant or budget request needs.