Viaflo

Client: Viaflo Corporation, Hudson, NH (now owned by INTEGRA Biosciences AG)

Product: The Voyager is a modern laboratory pipette capable of being programed to perform complex sequences in an intuitive and repeatable manner. Using a fully automated/electronic system and bio-ergonomic design reduces user fatigue for all-day pipetting.

Project Role: Industrial Design Lead

Services: Product Design, User-Interface Design, Detailed CAD Development, Prototype Validation, Production Support

Concept SketchworkBeginning with a survey of the competitive product space, I developed several sets of sketched concepts for this innovative new pipette that will have a large graphic display. This particular sketch was selected as the “theme” for … — **Concept Sketchwork**
Beginning with a survey of the competitive product space, I developed several sets of sketched concepts for this innovative new pipette that will have a large graphic display. This particular sketch was selected as the “theme” for the new design. Although the design did change quite a bit from this theme to the final product, the overall gestalt of the product remains the same and the final design was perceived as being a wildly successful solution.

Detailed Mechanical DesignOnce a design direction was selected, I began building models to evaluate the form fo the product. This included dividing the product into it’s proposed constituent parts and communicating the design to a model making group… — **Detailed Mechanical Design**
Once a design direction was selected, I began building models to evaluate the form fo the product. This included dividing the product into it’s proposed constituent parts and communicating the design to a model making group. I built several versions of the design with small variations in the finger hook size and variations in button locations and screen angle for detailed evaluation.

User Interface DevelopmentThe addition of a touch sensitive scroll wheel and color graphic display to a laboratory pipette presented an opportunity to completely rethink how people interact with these devices. By providing a rich and familiar experi… — **User Interface Development**
The addition of a touch sensitive scroll wheel and color graphic display to a laboratory pipette presented an opportunity to completely rethink how people interact with these devices. By providing a rich and familiar experience (not dissimilar from interacting with a classic iPod) the team was able to create a distinctive and very well received solution. I worked with the software engineering group at Viaflo to define and develop the device workflow and in turn each user screen and button press. The original usability mockup was built in PowerPoint. Sketch and inVision work pretty well too.