To improve the usability, appeal, and marketability of their RF generator for surgical ablation, Medtronic decided to update their hardware and a new GUI – including multi-language support and a touch screen. Developing custom graphics code for an FDA-certified Class II device was a significant part of their engineering challenge. They also wanted the market to determine what the new interface should look and feel like.
Because Medtronic chose Altia’s software, they were able to prototype and test multiple versions of their interface for the best user experience for their end users. Medtronic’s engineers found that using simulated devices before they had real hardware really helped compress the schedule and, ultimately, get to market faster. Moving forward, Altia and the base library of components that were developed by Medtronic for their RF generator teams could be leveraged to quickly create other GUIs with the same Medtronic branded look and feel.