Title block with shadow
Ron Sully, Director of Marketing

Welcome to OMNInews from Omnica Corporation, a full-service product design and engineering firm located in Irvine, California. Enjoy our selection of remarkable news, timely topics, and what's happening at Omnica.                         
Ron Sully - Director of Marketing                              
                                                               Click here to receive OMNInews  
 You can unsubscribe any time. We will not share your information.
 
October 2015                  
Virtual Colonoscopy - Using 2-dimensional MRI and CT scans, doctors have had the ability to look inside our bodies for years. It takes extensive practice to mentally orient the flat 2D body part slices of into an imagined 3D spatial structure. During the process, it's easy to overlook key physical features that could result in an incorrect diagnosis.

EchoPixel, a firm in Mountain View, uses their True3D viewer to convert 2D imaging data to interactive virtual reality images. The platform allows a doctor wearing 3D glasses to view internal organs above a screen. With a handheld stylus they can rotate and view the interactive holograms from any angle, including interior surfaces.

The FDA has approved the system for clinical use, and it is being tested at Stanford, for cardiac surgery preparation, and UCSF for virtual colonoscopies. In training trials, diagnosis times have been trimmed to less than a third, and there was a better detection rate for difficult to spot pre-cancerous colon lesions. Cost of the 3D workstations should be comparable or less than current 2D versions. Also, patients won't need time off to recuperate from anesthesia.

Speedy 3D Printer - There are three main drawbacks with current 3D printers: 1) Rapid  prototyping still takes hours, 2) Parts are built in layers, which affect surface resolution and structural consistency, and 3) A limited range of polymers are available. Solving these weaknesses would positively impact the evolution of additive manufacturing for industry.  

Over two years, Carbon3D developed the CLIP process (Continuous Liquid Interface Production). The novel method solves all three major rapid printing disadvantages. It is considerably faster than conventional 3D printing, and the smooth parts are mechanically consistent, similar to those made with injection molding. Carbon3D raised $41M dollars to perfect the technology which should be commercially available within a year. This TED talk is fascinating, and demonstrates the disruptive 3D printing process.
   
High-tech Cures for Blindness - In our previous OMNInews we discussed the Argus II, a retinal prosthesis used to treat retinitis pigmentosa. That tech and two other cutting edge treatments, Stem Cell Injections and Gene Therapy, are poised to help thousands of patients with eye diseases that were incurable a decade ago.   


Knickknacks on Mars - We have the tendency to see faces, animals, and familiar objects (like the Omnica logo) in rocks, clouds, cliffs, and potato chips. Interpreting these random patterns as things we recognize is a phenomenon known as pareidolia.

A valued pastime of armchair astronauts is identifying earth-bound objects in the high-definition images taken by the Curiosity rover on Mars. Searchers have identified dozens of surprises: an iguana, a mermaid, a WWII helmet, a crab and many others. Some are quite a stretch, while others (the pyramid and the floating spoon) require disturbingly little imagination.
Crowdfunding Medical Devices - FDA regulatory requirements are in place to assure consumers that the medical devices they rely on are safe and effective. It is significant to note that medical device prototypes used for human clinical studies must be produced by manufacturers who adhere to state and federal regulations.

For the time being, a number of medical device crowdfunding campaigns are operating in a decidedly gray area, and are taking orders for products that have not yet been reviewed by the FDA. It could be a novel method to determine customer need, but it shifts the burden of risk to the end user.
 
  OMNICA News and Announcements . . .  
  
Medical Device & Investor Forum - The MDIF is an OCTANe Signature Event where start-ups and entrepreneurs can pitch to a crowd of 600+, and meet with life science CEOs and investors. It is the largest conference in Southern California focused on growth, innovation, and technology investment. You can connect with us both days, November 2 and 3 at the Hotel Irvine. 
  
Annual Pumpkin Party - It's Fall, and at Omnica, it means one thing - the annual pumpkin party! All Omnicans are compelled to carve, decorate, and morph pumpkins into novel shapes, hilarious arrangements, or an intricate tableau. Some involve electricity, video, and sound. Last year there were 20 prize winners. You can visit the Omnica facility the morning of October 28, or view the outcome on our site in the afternoon. Happy 31st birthday, Omnica.   
 
October Calendar Quiz  If you browsed the preceding articles, this month's calendar quiz should be a cinch. Look closely at the November calendar image. What familiar object do you see (besides Curiosity)? A correct answer will score you a Starbucks coffee card.

Don't miss out on next year's the Omnica calendar. If you want the upcoming 2016 version, be sure I have your address. 
 
   OMNInews archives . . .  

    Did you miss previous newsletters? Read them here. Below are links to past whitepapers.
 
 

  Video first frame    

               Please Call:  Ron Sully - 949-472-0275

 
           logo 104X76

   We are different than other product developers. Omnica is a  full service high-tech design and engineering firm in business for 31 years. We have 29 full-time employees (who have worked here for an average of 14 years), and perform all design and engineering services in house, at our Irvine facility. Our specialty is developing medical devices for both start-up companies, large firms like Abbott, Alcon, Quidel, Biosense Webster, Medtronic, and others.