The Challenge:
Carolina Medical Equipment had developed innovative technology for the treatment of colon cancer. They needed to enclose the components of their technology in a form that would satisfy a number of constraints:
•    The unit would be used in operating rooms crowded with other equipment; therefore, the unit had to take up as small a footprint as possible.
•    The unit had to be easily transported from one operating room to another: maneuverability was important.
•    The interface between the unit and the patient was an expensive probe attached to the unit via a cable. This probe and cable had to be protected from damage while the unit was being transported.
•    The unit had to accommodate use by physicians and technicians in both a sitting and a standing position.
•    The unit’s appearance had to be contemporary and unique in order to establish the brand. Further, its configuration had to allow for expandability and serviceability.

The main electronic system was comprised of a printed circuit board that controlled the overall system operation, a second circuit board that controlled the ultrasound technology, and a third device called a beam profiler. The unit also required a CD rom drive, a ZIP drive and a floppy disk drive, as well as a printer, two storage drawers for supplies and instruments, a drawer for a keyboard to be stored within, and a display monitor.

Innovative Thinking:
•    Arranging the component in a side-by-side configuration at the base of the unit keeps the center of gravity low and makes the device stable.
•    The handle design makes the unit easier to maneuver by enabling multiple hand positions so the unit can be pushed either from the front or from the back.
•    To prevent signal interference from other devices, the electronic components had to be isolated inside a sheet metal cage. By using the sheet metal framework as an element of the aesthetic design, we eliminated the need for molded side panels, making the unit less expensive to manufacture while at the same time providing the unit with a unique appearance.
•    The design of the front and back cover panels is such that they are both made from the same mold, thereby increasing the cost-effectiveness of the unit’s manufacture. The hole in the front cover through which the storage and keyboard drawers pass is accomplished by a simple routed cut after the panel is molded.