I interned on the Specialty Explorations Team of Medtronic's Surgical Innovations Department as a Mechanical Engineering R&D Intern in the summer of 2018. My project for the summer was to create a novel needle-guiding ultrasound device for minimally-skilled clinicians. Starting with only a few design concepts, I created a functional first-generation device* in 12 weeks with a fellow intern.

The Iterative Design Process:

To start the project, I reviewed clinical literature to define user needs for the device. Using these user needs to guide the design process, I then drew several concepts for the housing of the ultrasound technology on a whiteboard, allowing for freedom of creativity. I made sure to put down any idea, no matter how ridiculous, then worked on refining those ideas until they were feasible.

As I narrowed down the options, I prototyped the designs using cardboard tea boxes and duct tape. I tested the various cardboard prototypes with co-workers to get an understanding for ergonomics. As I received feedback, I made changes and modeled the part on CAD software (PTC Creo), breaking it down into three modular components so that changes could be easily made. I then prototyped them using 3D-printed plastic and machined parts.

The 3D-printed parts were made to house the ultrasound technology, which was sourced from a 3rd-party vendor. I communicated with the vendor to make changes to the ultrasound, tested the device's functionality, and tweaked the design of the housing until we had a completed needle-guiding ultrasound device at the end of 12 weeks.

*Disclaimer: Prototype design is confidential to Medtronic, so specific design details and photos are excluded