Expor t innovator of the year
Orthopaedic instrument design and manufacturing company Enztec produces highspecification surgical instruments for many of the world’s leading implant companies. But a focus on design and aesthetics alongside precision and performance has seen the instrument company differentiate its products and gain market share.
Remember the time when kitchen utensils were purely functional? Your knife/whisk/salt dispenser needed to do the job; it didn’t need to be beautiful. That’s all changed.
Ditto for surgical instruments. Over the years, the tools being used by surgeons have become increasingly precise and refined, as more complex, less invasive, operating techniques have been developed.
But until recently, “beautiful” wasn’t part of the design specifications, says Iain McMillan, development manager for orthopaedic
Auckland-based I Measure U takes it one step further. Its sensor, based on “the smallest, lightest, and most robust wireless inertial measurement unit in the world” can give quantifiable, intelligent feedback to sports people about their bodies when they exercise.
Take recreational and elite runners – I Measure U’s first target market. Sensors around a runner’s arm and leg use physiologically-based mathematical models to provide real-time information and analysis about the forces at play, including the impacts on the runner’s knees, ankles and feet.
This feedback can be used to monitor the cumulative load someone’s joints are experiencing so they can adjust their running technique to prevent injuries.
“IMU provides actionable advice about a runner’s technique, training schedule, rest instrument maker Enztec.
That’s changed too, he says, with surgeons beginning to look for more sophisticated aesthetic in their work tools – as well as improved functionality.
He says meeting the challenge wasn’t easy in a highly-regulated industry, with tight controls.
However, over the last year the company has developed a new range of instruments for surgeons to use in an orthopaedic process called quad sparing knee replacement.
“Our customer requested instruments which allowed streamlining and refinement of a specific surgical procedure,” McMillan says “It was noted how choreographed the procedure could become if every movement was thoroughly considered to reduce surgery time.
“The surgeon also expressed immense dissatisfaction with the appearance of routine surgical instruments.”
The resulting range can be operated with one hand (to streamline the process), but also uses forms not normally associated with surgical tools, and employs a common design language throughout the set.
Importantly the instruments can be produced for a price that keeps them within the tight budgets of health authorities around the world. JUDGES COMMENTS: Great design led innovation, that blends form and function. Growth rates and revenue suggest the business model is working well. and recovery periods and footwear that will help minimise their risk of injury,” says chief executive Mark Finch.
“The potential doesn’t stop with running. IMU has developed game- changing solutions for other sports, including swimming and cycling. We have a product now and are looking at finalising distribution partners in the US."
Finch has a Masters degree in biomedical engineering and has spent the last six years developing the core IMU technology at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, in between honing his technical and entrepreneurial skills at Stanford and MIT universities. JUDGES COMMENTS: Clever innovation based on some novel intellectual property. Well positioned in a growth area, wearable tech, and well-protected with patents.