Proto Labs has announced that latest recipient of its Proto Labs Cool Idea! Award is SkyLight.
Helping to transform global healthcare, telemedicine, science education and research capabilities, this universal plastic mount allows older microscopes to be upgraded to the digital age. SkyLight is a device that connects any smartphone to any microscope.
The device enables scientists, doctors, teachers and students to use technology already at their disposal in new ways. People around the world are able to share images and videos via their smartphone using the SkyLight, the company stated in a press release.
“SkyLight offers users in a variety of fields the ability to digitally capture and share scientific discoveries that may otherwise not be seen and explored by others. This allows the advancement of not only science, but research, education and even hobbyist photographers,” said Proto Labs founder and CTO Larry Lukis. “An intuitive product that is designed to further enhance healthcare, telemedicine and science education on a global level is exactly the type of innovative thinking we want to recognize.”
By enabling images from the microscope to be clearly transmitted to others via the smartphone, Skype or FaceTime can also be used to collaborate in real-time. With the help of the SkyLight, a healthcare worker in a third world country can capture and send diagnostic images to a trained expert able to make a vital diagnosis.
Proto Labs provided SkyLight with CNC machining for prototyping, followed by injection molding tooling and the accompanying plastic parts, as a Cool Idea! Award recipient.
Recently, the company announced that Whirlwind Wheelchair International was the latest recipient of its Cool Idea! Award. The RoughRider was originally designed for those with disabilities in developing countries as a low-cost, highly durable wheelchair that can handle rough terrain with ease.
The RoughRider combines a revolutionary long wheelbase with a unique, high-impact/high-flotation wheel to allow users to safely descend curbs and short flights of stairs and to easily traverse obstacles in their path.
Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of Raju’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
