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Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

liftlabsdesign.com

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Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#61

Post by TeMPOraL »

cshimmin wrote: post #49
jmadsen wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I realize that, and know my comment sounds naive - but. We have people who study earthquakes, and gyroscopes, and nerve disorders. And we have the internet so they can all easily share ideas & research. Is this idea REALLY so "un-obvious"?

Do we have people who study all three?

It is, in my opinion, an obvious solution. Or at least it should be for anyone who took control theory classes (or learned it by itself). So I guess is that a/ people who know engineering don't know what medical problems are, and (more likely) b/ there's a long, long way from an idea to working product.

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#64

Post by tonylemesmer »

jmadsen wrote: post #57
tonylemesmer wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is wonderful isn't it? My opinion as a biomedical engineer is that there is a lack of exposure of these real problems because, really, how many people know someone with Parkinsons? But when companies like this solve them in such an elegant way they can appear pretty cool and dare I say "sexy". So its an obvious solution, but I wouldn't say its an obvious problem. The list of problems is probably huge and a forum f…

" forum for capable engineers and designers to browse and help solve them would be awesome." That is an awesome idea - it seems like I've seen/heard of something similar, but if not, I'm a web programmer who could bang that together rather quickly. Before I do, has anyone heard of an existing site/forum?

It sounds like an obvious solution doesn't it ;) ?

The key to making this work would be an adequate capture of the context as well as a description of the problem. In the product design world we use "Personas" as a vehicle for packaging problems into descriptions of user needs. They give the user a demographic and allow the designer to imagine that person and how they might use a potential solution. This allows to designer to avoid imposing their own preconceptions or doubts onto the context or idea before it is even a mere wisp of a concept.

If you can capture this in a spam free, usable and elegant website I reckon you'll be on to something. Not sure how you'd monetise the output, but then that's why I've never finished the 50 or so website projects I started.

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#65

Post by tonylemesmer »

jmadsen wrote: post #48
atrus wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many things are obvious once you've seen them done.

I realize that, and know my comment sounds naive - but. We have people who study earthquakes, and gyroscopes, and nerve disorders. And we have the internet so they can all easily share ideas & research. Is this idea REALLY so "un-obvious"?

Be careful not to confuse "problems" with "solutions" (you saw my other comment :)

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#66

Post by logicallee »

jmadsen wrote: post #45

This is wonderful! I have to wonder - why is it that it took so long to come up with such a simple idea for such an obvious problem? I'd like to blame it on the "get rich, web app startup" mentality, but really, that's a fairly recent thing. Perhaps this is a harder problem than it seems? Or is it true that all our new inventors are chasing riches?

The idea is actually not simple, and as I've commented elsewhere it turns out it is actually worthy of patent protection, and this particular company couldn't have even brought to market without it. I know it seems incredible, but that is the reality.

Moreover, if they had not gotten patent protection on it and then a grant (from how I read their email to me on this subject, included in my other comment), they wouldn't have even been able to finish developing it.

If they hadn't developed it, but only described the idea, people would have probably thought they were nuts.

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#67

Post by icebraining »

logicallee wrote: post #3

Let's entertain the notion, prevalent here, that this idea itself (like all ideas themselves) is worth absolutely nothing, and that any one of the teams in the world who have access to gyroscopes, servos, and microchips, should have the right to reproduce this hack at unit cost and drive these guys out of business. Its cost is listed at $295.00[1] and this is their only product. It's huge compared to what the best fa…

  Patent 08308664 - Tremor stabilizing system for handheld devices United States 

  Assignees: The regents of the University of Michigan.
Company research? Private investors? Where?

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#68

Post by icebraining »

logicallee wrote: post #44
yownie wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please keep in mind what the poster is saying then, despite your position being worthy of discussion your tone is stifling enough as to make further discussion unpalatable.

I believe it is the facts in this case that make the discussion unpalatable for certain posters. For example, separately, I actually wrote to this company during the comment thread, and received a reply. I found their reply very informative and posted it to the main thread (here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7753308 ) with a simple statement which nobody could find objectionable. It is my impression that some…

What "facts"? The fact that it wasn't any company research, but actually university-funded? The fact that the inventor was doing a PhD, not working for free?

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#69

Post by [deleted] »

logicallee wrote: post #21
kaoD wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect if you tried to copy their idea it'll take you as much time as it took them if you want to match their algorithms. Meanwhile they're earning money and popularity because they were the first to market. You might even find a better algorithm or at least match theirs, which adds another competitor to the market. In the end everyone (especially the consumer) wins. Not a very good defense of patents to be honest…

>I suspect if you tried to copy their idea it'll take you as much time as it took them if you want to match their algorithms. How long do you think it took them to get to just the current, non-waterproof (eating utensil!) stage? I invite you to write down a guess before continuing to read this comment. http://leadersinheels.com/tech/interview-anupam-pathak-found... states "The entire process took about three years fr…

[deleted]

Re: Tremor-cancelling spoon for Parkinson's tremors

#70

Post by lyagusha »

doktrin wrote: post #36
stevesearer wrote: post #5

My grandfather has Parkinson's. My dad has slightly noticeable hand tremors - no diagnosis at this point. I haven't read up on the likelihood that I'll get it, but I assume that I'm at high risk. That said, this looks pretty neat and seems like basically a spoon version of Canon AF lenses. Will definitely look into these for my grandpa :)

Likewise, my grandfather most likely had Parkinson's towards the end of his life. My father has had essential / familial tremor for 3 decades or so. I did at one point did check out my genetic risk factors as determined by 23 and Me, back when they provided trait mapping services. Turns out I have a higher than average lifetime risk. It's all ugly shit. Even essential tremor is non-trivial. I'm glad innovations of al…

No shit. ET is set off by everything - exercise, alcohol, caffeine, lack of sleep, etc. In a perverse way it forces you to stop addictions to stimulants, otherwise you can't help but look 50 years older in front of friends and family because your fingers shake nonstop.
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