The winners of the 2010 Spark Awards were announced at the premiere of the latest Spark Awards Exhibition at the Autodesk Design Gallery in San Francisco In this their first time participating in Spark, Carbon was recognized with a total of three awards-one Gold and two Silver. "These wins are especially gratifying because Spark's mission supporting design's power to better lives resonates with Carbon's mission create positive impact in the world," said Dan Blase, President of Carbon Design Group.
The DigiTrak F2 Drill-Head Locator, developed for Digital Control Incorporated (DCI), received a Gold Spark Award. The DigiTrak F2 enables workers to accurately monitor the position and progress of subterranean Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) equipment. This "trenchless" process allows precise placement of underground lines and utilities with much less disruption to the natural environment than previous methods. The F2's rugged design stands up to harsh, construction-site conditions, yet still communicates the sophistication and precision of its sensitive, industry-leading technology. Carbon's product development specialists optimized the design and mechanical engineering to ensure a great user experience. The F2's strong and clear design language and bold use of quality materials creates a product that can be recognized at a glance. Since its introduction, the F2 has enabled DCI to increase market share and sales have exceeded all forecasts. It has also reduced assembly time by 80% and has been 10 times more reliable in the field. Previously, the DigiTrack F2 has been recognized with a Bronze 2010 IDEA Award and a NO-DIG Award 2009 presented by the International Society for Trenchless Technology.
Receiving a Silver Spark, the Pathway JETSTREAM Atherectomy System represents a breakthrough in the treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). PAD affects an estimated 12 million people in the U.S. alone, raising risks for heart attack, stroke, and amputation. The Pathway Medical Technologies device is built around an innovative, adjustable-diameter cutting tip that removes plaque without causing trauma to arterial walls. The minimally invasive system pumps saline into the cutting site, while also suctioning out a debris- filled mix of saline and blood. It's the first and only device of this kind that increases patient safety with active aspiration. The Jetstream features a pre-loaded cartridge that organizes the tubing and removes the possibility of incorrect loading. It turned a confusing 8-10 min setup into an error-proof process that takes under a minute. Carbon was involved in nearly every facet of the Jetstream system's development- industrial design, user interface design, human factors, mechanical, electrical, systems, and quality engineering, and even identity. As a result, the Jetstream system is an integration of functionality, engineering, and aesthetics seen in few medical systems. With clogged arteries and potential strokes on the rise, the Jetstream provides a safe and cost-effective treatment with little to no recovery time.
Nanopoint's Microfluidics Controller captured Carbon's second Silver Spark Award. The Controller is the life-support system for Nanopoint's cellTRAY, the miniature "bio-incubator" previously designed by Carbon. Together, these two devices enable researchers to study small groups of living cells over extended periods of time. The Controller regulates the fluid temperature, manages the delivery of nutrients in extremely small quantities and flow rates (microliters per second), enables the delivery of small amounts of drugs, and removes metabolic waste from the living cells. By stacking and tilting the controller's pumps, the Carbon team was able to keep the upper pumps within easy reach while still minimizing the device's footprint. Cable management was streamlined by gathering the tubes into onion-shaped bundles at each end, which helps prevent tubes from being connected to the wrong pump. The final product is simple, clean, and contemporary-but with a very distinct appearance. The appropriately sophisticated, easy-to-use, and easy-to-understand design has helped increase adoption by avoiding entry barriers such paradigm- changing technologies can face.