November 9, 2001

3 Min Read
Medical Carts Win   IDEA Awards

Originally Published MPMN November 2001

INDUSTRY NEWS

Medical Carts Win IDEA Awards

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The Arrow stand, designed by Modo Inc., supports a noninvasive diagnostic system for cardiology. The unit puts everything the doctor needs for the procedure within easy reach, and the system can be custom configured.

Modo Inc. (Portland, OR; www.modocarts.com) received two awards for its medical carts in the 22nd annual Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition. The company won a silver award in the medical and scientific products category for its Arrow roll stand, which was designed for Arrow International (Reading, PA), a maker of cardiac-care products. Modo also took home a bronze prize in the competition's furniture category for a roll stand created for Rich-Mar (Inola, OK), a designer and manufacturer of therapeutic ultrasound systems.

"For both Arrow and Rich-Mar, our goal was to make sophisticated medical technology more approachable and easier to use," says Glenn Polinsky, director of design at Modo. "We wanted to create products that would support our customers' devices as well as the activities that surround the devices."

The Arrow stand organizes a cardiac-instrument probe, disposables, and technical documentation into a package that is easy to use and move. All of these elements used in a noninvasive cardiac procedure are arranged in logical hierarchy that reflects the way cardiologists work.

"The design of the cart captures the simplicity and innovation of our technology," says Jean-Luc Boulnois, PhD, of Arrow International. "It puts everything at the doctor's fingertips."

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The Rich-Mar roll stand supports a therapeutic ultrasound device for sports medicine and physical therapy in doctors' offices, clinics, and hospitals.

The Rich-Mar roll stand for therapeutic ultrasound machines incorporates oversized casters that make it responsive, easy to control, and capable of negotiating obstacles such as uneven elevator thresholds. Wings on either side of the unit are designed to serve as a resting place for the ultrasound handpiece. A cable on the rear spine makes transport safe and easy for power cable storage.

Both carts measure 32 x 16 x 18 in. and weigh 50 lb. The vertical spine on the Arrow model is made of extruded aluminum and the frame of the Rich-Mar is made from steel tubing. Both feature a heat-cured epoxy finish.

The support arm and handle on the Arrow are cast aluminum and its legs are fabricated from laser-cut steel. The probe holder is made of machined nylon, while the casters are injection-molded nylon.

Legs on the Rich-Mar are laser cut, ¼-in. aluminum sheet. The unit features bins that are made of fabricated steel sheet and casters made of injection-molded nylon.

The IDEA competition is sponsored by BusinessWeek and the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Susan Wallace

Copyright ©2001 Medical Product Manufacturing News

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