Letting Implant Prototypes Shine
Motif Neurotech is focused on developing minimally invasive bioelectronic implants to treat patients with neurologic conditions that have failed to respond to the standard of care. They approached Winnemac Labs with a need for a miniaturized device that could wirelessly power and control their implant prototypes during demonstrations and in their R&D efforts.
Motif Wand & Hat
A set of devices that consist of custom circuitry, enclosures, and an accompanying mobile application developed by Winnemac Labs.
Building a device with a laundry list of requirements — including complex thermal dynamics, high-power sections, custom wireless power and communication protocols, as well as a sleek mechanical enclosure and mobile app connectivity through BLE — usually takes several months. The challenge? Just four weeks before a major demo.
With the clock ticking, we pulled from our substantial background in prototype manufacturing, spanning from circuitry to app design. The Winnemac Labs team mapped out a plan, clearly communicated risks, and steered clear of potential roadblocks to ensure the project wrapped up in time.
Circuit Design & Firmware
The circuitry needed to be compact, but large enough for debugging should the need arise. We re-imagined the existing wireless power and communication circuitry to significantly decrease its footprint, and paired it with a BLE-capable microcontroller. To maximize flexibility we integrated a customizable button and several status LEDs. Safety is always a priority for us, so we included fuses and redundant temperature sensors, along with dedicated battery management circuitry.
Our firmware drives the ensemble. It enables the devices to wirelessly power and communicate with Motif’s research prototypes, monitors parameters like temperature and charging status, and interfaces with our custom mobile application that serves as a sophisticated user interface for the platform.
Enclosure Design
The wand device enclosure is designed for low-quantity additive manufacturing, and it is easily assembled and disassembled using screws and threaded inserts. It employs off-the-shelf light pipes and a 3D printed button to interface with LEDs and a tactile switch mounted on the surface of the PCB.
When Motif had the idea to demonstrate their technology in a hat form factor, we were able to quickly design and fabricate a smaller device enclosure to meet their needs.
Mobile Application
Accompanying the hardware is a mobile application that allows Motif to test all aspects of the prototype hardware including internal configurations, and demonstrate future functionality. This iOS application uses BLE to communicate with the hardware to set runtime variables on the fly, storing all communication in a local database. Motif can test the hardware and give eye-catching demos using a single app. In addition, the application’s architecture facilitates long-term support, easily adapting to the hardware as it matures.
“It was an absolute pleasure working with Winnemac on this project. Thank you all for your diligent effort on all aspects of the device. Your attention to detail and transparent communication made working with you a breeze!”
— Landan Mintch, Product Manager
