Product Design · Medical Device
CathNav
A multi-component surgical navigation system bridging digital planning, physical hardware, and real-time mobile guidance -- designed across a three-month sprint to evaluate a novel approach to bedside EVD placement and support a patentability assessment.
The Challenge
External ventricular drain placement demands precise targeting within the brain -- errors can damage healthy tissue and cause serious, irreversible complications. Existing bedside methods relied on anatomical landmarks and surgeon experience, with minimal image guidance. The opportunity was to design a system that made CT imaging clinically actionable at the bedside -- and to evaluate whether that system had sufficient novelty to support a patentability assessment and early-stage investor conversations.
System Design & User Flow
Designed a five-phase clinical user flow connecting digital and physical touchpoints: CT-based digital procedure planning, Smart Mat patient registration at the bedside, CT-to-anatomy spatial fusion, sterile cath guide positioning, and live catheter navigation on a mounted mobile device. Each phase was designed to unlock sequentially -- maintaining clinical focus and reducing cognitive load during a high-stakes procedure.
Prototype Design & Interaction Model
Designed and prototyped the system's mobile-first interaction model -- starting with CT import and digital planning (skull thickness measurement, catheter path selection, midline shift compensation), through Smart Mat-based spatial registration, to live mobile navigation during placement. Every interface decision balanced clinical precision with usability under sterile, high-pressure conditions. Hardware and software touchpoints were designed together to evaluate the full system before any manufacturing investment.
Outcome
A fully articulated proof of system covering hardware, software, and procedural user flow -- with the technical depth needed to assess the novel contributions of the Smart Mat registration approach, CT-to-anatomy spatial fusion, and integrated cath guide navigation. The prototype formed the basis for a formal patentability evaluation and early-stage investor conversations, demonstrating that a complex hardware-software medical system can be validated through design prototyping alone.
