New Core Added to CCTS Voucher Program
New Product Analysis and Protyping
The OSU CCTS facilitates and supports the translation of scientific discoveries into innovations that improve health. To achieve this mission and advance translational research, the CCTS awards vouchers to provide funding support to investigators who require assistance from an eligible Ohio State University or Nationwide Children's Hospital core service to enable preliminary work and generate data for new or ongoing projects.
The newest addition to our voucher core offerings is New Product Analysis and Prototyping, with support from The Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence. CDME assists researchers as they develop and validate their healthcare innovations, and can perform market screens so that researchers better understand their product’s target market(s); provide design revisions and prototyping of products to validate aspects of innovation; and conduct focus group sessions to capture critical user requirements and other feedback vital for market acceptance of product and navigation of the regulatory pathway.
Service offerings include:
Market Screening: Technology Evaluation, Problem-Solution Fit Analysis, Initial Market Identification and Competitive Analysis are provided as a base offering with the ability for the customer to add the additional identification of Qualified Markets and Customer/Expert Interviews. This preliminary information helps the healthcare researcher better understand the target market for their innovation, the customer needs and the competitive landscape within that market, how their innovation stacks up against other products in the market. Using this information, a healthcare researcher can move forward with greater confidence, pivot their design in order to better align with customer needs and differentiate themselves in the market, or determine that further research and development is not prudent due to strong market competition or other barriers to market introduction.
Design Refinement and Prototype Fabrication: Visualization of a healthcare product design using applicable design tools for translation into a prototype. Customers bring projects to CDME in various development stages (idea, sketch, non-functional prototype or unrefined alpha prototype) needing development and refinement of that design to meet a stated validation goal. We can offer design tools such as artistic renderings, computer-aided-design (CAD) images, as well as functional and non-function prototypes via 3D printing and other fabrication methods. Our 3D printing equipment can produce items using polymers, continuous fiber composite, metals and paper. We also have full machining capability and can work with nearly any material required.
Customer/User Feedback: Focus group conducted with clinicians, clinical staff, patients, and/or other healthcare stakeholders identified by the client to capture product requirements using a fabricated model or other visualization tools. CDME will prepare, facilitate, and report results of the session to support future medical product development efforts.