Iteration 3: Adapt

Dr. Judd and Brian Kelly

• Feedback Area: Physical Therapy Google Sheet + SD Card Suggestions

• Stakeholder: Sponsor

• Approach: Group discussion

• Method: Showed progress on developing a way to transfer data into Google Sheets with charts and by SD Card.

• Results/Suggestions:

  • Like Google Sheet output with graphic

  • Program cells where the values are coming in to compare against threshold value and light up red when don’t meet or do meet the threshold

  • If it meets XX, turn green, otherwise turn red

  • If graph is getting distorted, that gives another way to qualitatively see

  • More immediate upload to Google Sheets is convenient

  • As long as therapist has right hardware for SD card, wouldn’t be an issue

  • If know brace needs it, would get a adapter

  • How many of us know how to input a txt file into Excel? Already in Excel would save a step

  • Data on SD card represents rawest of data, must need to put into pre-programmed Excel sheet to do red/green coding and graphing

  • Good backup data collection plan, user end is harder

  • Photos – see brace on someone – sleek enough that it won’t encumber movement

  • Photos – snippets of the readout from SD or Google Sheets to show what data looks like + real time feedback (addressing goals and education for therapists); what data look like, what could I look at

• Summary:

  • Add red/green if then statement to google sheets for another method of understanding how often patient did not hit threshold

  • Make sure SD card work flow is applicable to therapists not totally tech savvy

Dr. Ryan Meis

• Feedback Area: Concept/theory/idea and talking to Breg to pitch our idea

• Stakeholder: Conceptual Expert

• Approach: Discussion

• Method: Get feedback from doctor about viability of project in terms of pitching to Breg representative

• Results/Suggestions:

  • Several bracing and physical therapy research companies have tinkered in this kind of business (feedback to track patient progress and send data to PT)

  • Breg dabbled in this with the Flex brace, did not take it far because thought it would be difficult to monetize (dates back before modern apps)

  • sounds like no one has figured out just how to make it work for the masses

  • Trendy thing in terms of new products coming out in the bracing and therapy world that use an app for feedback

  • How far do we want to go?

  • We could get in front of the Breg product engineers when project reaches reasonable point to do so – may not be interested in doing something with it, but may be able to give feedback to help us improve

• Summary:

  • Potential for meeting Breg engineers to discuss project future

Karen Crofton

• Feedback Area: Pitching idea to Breg

• Stakeholder: Entrepreneurial Expert

• Approach: Discussion

• Method: Get feedback from entrepreneurial expert about viability of our idea in terms of business

• Results/Suggestions:

  • selling ideas doesn’t really happen

  • Check on a few things: 1) why isn’t anyone else doing this? 2) could existing hardware do the same thing?

  • Check patents – does this already exist?

  • Talk to entrepreneurial law clinic at CU for advice + legal help

  • How do we make money? learn more about value chain (insurance payments with medical devices)

  • Put together a pitch deck covering main aspects

• Summary:

  • Make sure we have the whole picture (stakeholders, existing patents, monetization)

Lessons Learned

Based on the feedback, we learned:

• The brace is in good shape for showing information to Physical Therapists, could do a few tweaks to make very clear

• Possible to pitch idea to Breg, but must refine idea and gather all information first

Unexpected Learnings:

• Selling an idea doesn’t really happen

• Could talk to Breg engineers for feedback

• Patent for “sensing wearable” exists until 2030

What Worked or Didn’t Work:

• Worked: group discussions worked for us this week to just chat with experts on refining what we already have. It also gave us opportunity to really get deeper into our understanding of where our brace stands in the market.

• Didn’t Work: none, felt like this iteration went well.

Accomplishments:

• Connected brace to Google Sheets for displaying information

• Got in contact with Breg people for potential pitching opportunity

Changes:

• We will be refining our Google Sheet information and digging deeper into the supply chain for medical wearables to see how our project stands