Define innovation strategy: Building the business case for digital innovation

Physical products are increasingly supported by digital features, but building and maintaining them well is expensive and easy to get wrong. We’re helping clients identify what their customers genuinely need from digital supplementation, evaluate the right technology to deliver it, and – critically – align that choice with the broader business strategy before a line of code is written. Read more about the work, here: Building the business case for digital innovation.

Solve complex innovation challenges: Advancing medical device design through simulation

Medical devices are increasingly customised to the individual patient, accounting for physical fit as well as subjective preference. Simulating those interactions is notoriously challenging: human anatomy and preferences vary widely, and a wrong assumption carries real consequences downstream.

In a recent project, we integrated a newly developed AI algorithm with custom-built code to prototype a device, then tested it in a production environment to confirm it met real patient needs. Read more about how the work is being taken forwards, here: Advancing medical device design through simulation.

Create winning products and services: Digital troubleshooting for Johnson & Johnson Vision

We helped Johnson & Johnson Vision define what a new digital tool would need to do to support contact lens wearers. Working from a detailed understanding of how people actually insert lenses – and where they typically struggle – we created the structure of a troubleshooting algorithm and set the guardrails for its development. The resulting app is now live and reducing the dropout rate for new wearers. Read more about the work, here: Digital troubleshooting for Johnson & Johnson Vision.

Make the vision a reality: Making robot training accessible for ABB

Robots have the potential to play an active role in our future. But humans are sceptical about whether they can programme them to do useful work. We helped ABB understand the human experience of training robots and provided insights into perceptions of robot abilities. This work has lowered the barriers that keep otherwise-willing users from adopting a tool at all. Watch a video which describes the work and shares outcomes, here: Helping people to train robots.

Maximise the impact of innovation: Guidance systems for surgeons

Surgical guidance tools are becoming more sophisticated, but choosing the right one – from a fast-growing, fragmented market of digital and AI options – is difficult.

We looked at the relative importance of different types of information and trends, and developed ways to present the filtered and ranked information clearly. We created concepts that worked at different scales – from inventions in haptic and visual communication to broad strategy moves – allowing our client to present the information to surgeons in a way that was complete without being overwhelming. Learn more about the work and outcomes in development, here: Guidance systems for surgeons.