Case Studies:

LensLifter — Eyewear Holder

Restoration Robotics — Hair Transplant Robot

CardioThrive — Portable Defibrillator

ZAP Surgical — Brain Surgery Device

1. Inspiration and Prototyping

They say necessity is the mother of invention. For me, the necessity came from frustration. As a fan of high-end sunglasses, I was tired of seeing my expensive pairs scratched after leaving them unprotected on desks or countertops. When I couldn’t find a quick, easy, and attractive solution on the market, I decided to create one myself.

I began prototyping with simple materials like clay, wood, and plastic. After testing multiple designs, I developed a breakthrough adjustable slot system that securely held glasses of all shapes and sizes. This simple yet elegant solution solved the problem of scratched lenses while being fast, intuitive, and visually appealing.

A simple, elegant solution to protect your eyewear from scratches and damage.

2. Protecting the Invention

With a functional prototype in hand, I knew the next step was to protect my invention. I filed a provisional patent with the USPTO and later secured a Utility Patent (US 6,273,386) to safeguard the design. I trademarked the name LensLifter and designed a logo to establish a recognizable brand. These steps ensured that my invention—and its potential market—were legally protected.

Patent No. US 6,273,386: Proof of protection and innovation, ensuring your idea is safe from competitors.

3. Refining the Design and Preparing for Manufacturing

Turning a prototype into a market-ready product required careful refinement. Using Computer-Aided Design (CAD), I optimized LensLifter for high-volume injection molding. I tested early prototypes with potential users to ensure the product was functional, durable, and visually appealing. Feedback guided refinements, including offering a range of colors like translucent hues (popular at the time) and classic black and clear for universal appeal.

By designing with manufacturing efficiency in mind, I reduced production costs to just $1.00 per unit in quantities of 10,000. This ensured the product was both profitable and accessible to consumers at a retail price of $9.95.

Refined for universal fit: Adjustable, scratch-free design that works for any pair of glasses.

4. Taking It to Market

With the design perfected, it was time to bring LensLifter to market. I developed packaging that highlighted the product’s simplicity and appeal, created brochures and advertisements, and approached retailers with a ready-to-sell product. The Point-of-Purchase (POP) display emphasized LensLifter’s practicality and made it stand out to consumers.

Retail-ready: LensLifter packaged and displayed for maximum consumer appeal.

What This Means for You

LensLifter isn’t just a success story—it’s proof of what’s possible when you combine a great idea with the right expertise and process. I know the challenges inventors face because I’ve been there myself. That’s why I offer a comprehensive approach to help you:

Protect your invention with patents and trademarks.
Develop prototypes that work and wow.
Refine designs for manufacturing and market appeal.
Create a clear path to profitability.

Ready to Make Your Invention a Reality?

Your invention could be a big success—but only if you take the right steps. Contact us today for a free initial consultation, and let’s discuss how we can transform your vision into a market-ready product!

Restoration Robotics: Hair Transplant Robot

Lots of news lately from San Jose-based robo-surgeon manufacturer Restoration Robotics. In October, the company announced that it had just sold its 100th ARTAS robotics system (at about US $200,000 each) and “harvested” its 10 millionth hair follicle. (At about 1200 to 1600 hair follicles per patient, that’s perhaps 7000 or so patients that have had the robotic surgery.)

And this month, news came out that the backers of Restoration Robotics, among them venture firms Sutter Hill, Clarus, and InterWest Partners, had just put a few more million dollars into the company, closing out a Series C round of $45 million, for a total investment to date of more than $70 million. (That’s $7 per hair if you’re counting.)

Restoration Robotics started in 2002, and its first-generation product received Food and Drug Administration clearance in 2011. This latest round of funding aims to bring a second-generation robot to market.

The VCs aren’t making a crazy bet—cures for baldness are a $3.5 billion market annually—and that’s just in the United States. If Restoration Robotics gets a decent piece of that market, its investors would win big.

The ARTAS robot, using an onboard camera and analysis software, analyses high-resolution images of a patient’s scalp and selects follicles to extract; a doctor watching a monitor (in the same room or remotely) oversees these choices. The robot then uses one needle to break the skin and then follows it with a hollow needle to punch out the follicle. The doctor later manually inserts the follicles into previously bald areas of the scalp.

Learn more

CardioThrive: Pocket-Sized Portable Defibrillator

Putting the lifesaving AED in the hands of first responders

Download PDF

Eneura - Portable Migraine Therapy Device

Zap Surgical: Zap-X Gyroscopic Radio Brain Surgery Device

CREATING ELITE NEURO-ONCOLOGY PROGRAMS ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE

For the first time ever, ZAP-X presents the ideal platform to cost-effectively reach more patients in more places and effectively build an acclaimed clinical brand among both referring physicians and patients.

REDUCING BARRIERS BY LOWERING Total Cost of Ownership

Removing the financial constraints that have historically concentrated world-class radiosurgery primarily among the well-funded urban academic hospital, the novel innovations of ZAP-X expand SRS access and introduce new benchmarks in cost-efficient, high-quality care.

Putting Patients First WIth No-Compromise SRS

Developed exclusively for the streamlined treatment of brain tumors, lesions, and other conditions of the head and neck, ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform redefines the future of radiosurgery and aspires to set new standards in SRS delivery.