Limbs & Things manufactures medical training products for healthcare professionals and students worldwide. Its PROMPT Birthing Simulator, introduced in 2006, supports practical training using a physical simulator and an electronic system for measuring applied force.

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THE CHALLENGE

In 2013, Limbs & Things approached Cubik to investigate a redesign of PROMPT. The aim was to replace the cabled connection to the control PC with Bluetooth and update the application software for use across multiple platforms.

The redesign also needed battery power, a practical charging system and a way to test and calibrate the electronics during production.

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THE SOLUTION

Using our five-phase development process, we designed the baby electronics with load-cell force measurement, an internal lithium power source and contactless inductive charging. Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy provided communication with the host device.

We developed the embedded firmware with a user-upgradable bootloader and worked with an approved partner on the cross-platform control application. Cubik also designed the charging dock, electronic production test rigs and calibration software needed to set up each unit in manufacture.

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THE IMPACT

PROMPT Flex was released in 2015 with application software for Windows, Android, iPad and Mac. We supplied the electronic system ready for Limbs & Things to fit into enclosures and overmould into the simulator babies, alongside the contactless charging dock.

We also supported CE and FCC marking for sale in the UK, EU and USA. Our in-house production team went on to manufacture electronic kits in batches of 100, carrying the redesign through to repeat production.

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Cubik continues to support Limbs & Things with their manufacturing requirements year on year.

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