Projects

Wisconsin-based Asthmapolis tapped Synapse to develop its breakthrough technologies for asthma treatment. Combining medication sensors, mobile applications, and analytics, the Asthmapolis sensor was designed to attach to existing rescue inhalers and collect data such as when and where patients experience asthma conditions.

NREL, the only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, selected Synapse to develop functional 1/10th and full scale proof of concept prototypes to demonstrate physically what theoretical modeling and simulations have shown. The NREL DEvap Air Conditioning concept uses desiccant materials which remove moisture from the air by using heat and advanced evaporative technologies. The result is a cooling unit that uses 90% less electricity and up to 80% less total energy than traditional air conditioning.

Designed and engineered as an effective way to clean interproximally, the Sonicare AirFloss uses breakthrough microburst technology to deliver microdroplets of air and water to remove plaque biofilm between teeth. Adhering to the Philips Sonicare standards of performance and safety requirements, the AirFloss can quickly clean the entire mouth in just 60 seconds. In 2012 the AirFloss won a Bronze award in IDSA’s 2012 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). The innovative device was a winner in IDEA’s new bathroom, spa and wellness category. Features:

Synapse designed and built the Simpa Regulator™ prototypes currently being tested with customers in Bangalore, India. The Simpa Regulator™ hardware platform enables the Progressive Purchase™ pricing model by metering and adjusting electricity availability in response to the entry of payment codes by customers. The result is a secure, low-cost, intuitive, rugged, and tamper proof device that allows Simpa to test and prove their new pricing model with real customers, giving them valuable new information about customer needs and desires.

Award-winning Archerfish Solo™ is a thinking video surveillance system that understands what it sees. Just tell it what to look for – expected events, unanticipated intrusions, or just the odd things that can happen when you’re not around – and Archerfish sends video alerts to any number of mobile phone or email addresses when they happen. With Intelligent Surveillance Technology that’s more advanced than motion detection, you won’t get false alerts every time tree branches move or a pet walks in front of the camera.

A minimally invasive device for the installation and removal of arterial stents. What used to be a major surgical procedure can now be done orthoscopically, while the patient is wide awake. Procedure cost, time, and risk to the patient are all dramatically reduced by this device.

Synapse prototyped a mobile computing appliance integrated into the epicenter of the modern American home for Whirlpool. Drawing power and prime kitchen real estate from the refrigerator door, the ClioNXT + CentralPark is a powerful, instant-on computing and web appliance providing family communications, schedule coordination, online shopping, recipes, entertainment and more.

When consumer electronics giant Samsung wanted to develop a new hi-fi wireless headset, they turned to the Synapse team for our expertise in user interface hardware design.The Samsung SBH-500 headphones were designed to transfer seamlessly between phone calls and music. The Bluetooth headphones’ novel user interface enables tactile, no-look intuitive control in multiple contexts. When developed, this product pushed the boundaries of both the available Bluetooth protocol of the day and redefined the state-of-the-art in cell phone audio performance.

The Comsonics Companion is an unprecedented sophistication of capability in a touch driven, rugged handheld device for the cable installation and test market. The device revolutionized the cable test and measurement market by placing advanced capabilities in the hands of field technicians as previously, only operators specially trained on bulky, expensive equipment had access to the diagnostics and configuration tools which are now provided by the Companion.

Panasonic Avionics Systems, the undisputed global leader in commercial inflight entertainment, turned to Synapse innovators to produce blue-sky concepts and trade show demonstrations for wireless video, interactive seat-back systems, and inflight staff coordination. Staying ahead of the competition in the field of in-flight entertainment means delivering innovation, high design, and sophisticated performance in a package that is instantly understandable to new users. Panasonic has relied on Synapse to realize their advanced in-flight entertainment concepts for over six years.

When Exbiblio set out to build tools for connecting the worlds of online and print media, they built a dream list of features that would need to be included in a device no larger than an iPod shuffle. Synapse engineers pushed the technology boundaries of manufacturable design to new limits of density and met these ambitious goals for a successful initial product launch.

In order to drive down cost-of-goods and accelerate the schedule for the famed ultrasonic toothbrush, Synapse designed and produced a custom non-form-factor development platform for concurrent hardware/software work.

A revolutionary automated cellular micro-dissection instrument. The Syntrix system helps pathologists identify, select, and extract just the desired portions of a human or animal tissue sample. Advanced machine vision morphology tools driving a novel UV projection fixative process allow researchers to isolate individual cells and cellular substructures for targeted analysis.

The world's first therapeutic ultrasound device for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The EKO-1 instrument controls the energy delivered by an array of miniature ultrasound transducers at the tip of a catheter guided into the vasculature. The EkoSonic Endovascular Device is intended for controlled and selective infusion of physician-specified fluids, including thrombolytics, into the peripheral vasculature.

Synapse helped prototype the ‘appliance of the future’ simulation environment for GE using interactive video and projected capacitive touchscreen interface.