Projects

For Idaho-based technology company HubWorks, the future of mobile payment was about focusing on the customer. The company’s concept was an interactive, easy-to-use software platform that communicated with restaurant point-of-sale systems and encourages customers to place orders and pay bills on their own timeline via a table-mounted iPad.
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.
Synapse Product Development partnered with Viableware, a Kirkland, WA based startup, to develop Rail™, an innovative payment platform that enables restaurants to put their point-of-sale system in the hands of their guests. Synapse engineers worked closely with Viableware in the design and production of the wireless digital payment folio that communicates securely with existing point-of-sale systems and Viableware’s datacenter to protect consumers from credit card information theft, while also enabling restaurants to streamline payment processes and generate new advertising revenues.
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.
The Bamboo Bottle Company initially approached Synapse for industrial design services to integrate their individual components and assembly concepts into an elegant, tasteful, and “cool” solution. As follow up to that initital work, BBC approached Synapse again to incorporate not only ID services but mechanical engineering support all the way though contract manufacturing selection and release for their new “Coffee Top” and “Sport Top” product line.
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:
Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom combines GPS and the Nike+ Sensor ensures that the Nike+ SportWatch GPS gives the user accurate run data no matter the terrain. View performance night or day on an ultra-crisp backlit Memory LCD. Upload run data via the USB cable integrated right into the strap to share routes, run metrics, and more on the Nike+ online community and social media sites.
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.
The Nike+ SportBand is a ultra-low-power 2.4GHz radio combined with the Nike+ RF protocol enabling a unique running experience. The electronics pops out of the band to reveal an integrated USB connector used to upload your workout stats. Users can track progress and participate in Nike's running-based social media portal at http://nikeplus.com.
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.
Synapse helps Tetracore innovate cutting edge field-deployable diagnostic tools enabling the collection of DNA samples for genetic analysis. These highly innovative devices have advanced the ability to detect an analyze infectious diseases and biological warfare threat agents.
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.
The TraceDetect ArsenicGuard™ is the first fully automated, online arsenic analyzer for monitoring drinking water arsenic levels. The device can automate the monitor and analysis of metal content in a solution, e.g. drinking water- distinguishing between metallic elements. Instantly detects metals like arsenic and lead.
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.
Exploring the leading edge of human interface with the PC. Novel applications of sensor technologies allow for smarter, context-aware devices that change function in anticipation of the user's needs. Synapse helped Microsoft investigate novel human interface designs including acceleration, touch, haptic feedback, and display technologies.
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 Phantom Lapboard is a wireless integrated keyboard/mouse system designed specifically with the rigors of gaming in mind. Phantom had ambitious goals, but required engineering expertise for design execution. Phantom turned to Synapse for help in getting this much anticipated product successfully to market.
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.
Synapse has partnered with the nano-molecular and genetic analysis company for nearly a decade, contributing their IP portfolio and developing automated processing instrumentation with precision optics, machine, fluidic chemical processing, and electro-chemical analysis. We developed the ElectraSense® product for array-based analysis, which measures up to 12,000 probes on an array in less than 25 seconds and is the most commercially available today.
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.
The Nike AMP+ is a unique running watch with built-in iPod remote control capabilities. The ultra-low-power 2.4GHz radio communications and unique dead-front LED display set this product apart from its peers.
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.

AOL

The first personal media player to feature integrated Wi-Fi, bluetooth, and web browser. The Rhapsody allowed on-the-fly purchasing of AOL/Time Warner music, videos, podcasts, as well as Real Networks, Rhapsody music stream. The ultra-low-power consumption, innovative capacitive touch interface and premium quality materials put this player ahead of the curve.      
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.
This ruggedized device in a small form factor enables technicians to gather and analyze evidence in the field and determine if targeted DNA is present.
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 InnovaTek Guardian enables the high-speed collection of respirable bio pathogen particles for concentration and analysis. Synapse designed a ruggedized enclosure for deployment in active arenas by military and civilian disaster response teams.
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.
The QuickCam Orbit AF was the world's first consumer videoconferencing camera with machine vision and automated pan/tilt capability. This camera recognizes the human face in the field of view and tracks the subject's movements to keep features in focus and centered in the screen.
Synapse helped prototype the ‘appliance of the future’ simulation environment for GE using interactive video and projected capacitive touchscreen interface.
The world's smallest full-function, full-performance palmtop PC with wireless connectivity and a wide range of peripheral functions. Its 24 watts of peak power consumption provided long battery life and cool-to-the-touch thermal dissipation management. This x86 processor-taking mini workhorse had 800x480 resolution, 256MB of RAM, 20 gigabytes of built in storage, and integrated 802.11b. The device will used Windows XP as it's OS and had the possibility of the following expansions: 2.5G Wireless Data: GPRS or 1xRTT (CDMA), Bluetooth, or 1394 (Firewire).
The Traffic Gauge was the world's first mobile consumer product dedicated to real time traffic reporting. It not only displayed the current congestion levels of the city's major roadways, but also alerted the user to upcoming traffic events. This rugged easy-to-use device was available in Seattle, Los Angeles and seven other major US metro centers.