Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the organization is creating a repeatable analytic paradigm that eciently
sifts through the volume of requests to produce the most fruitful projects.
YokyWorks seeks projects that meet two objectives: (1) there is no existing
commercial solution and (2) providing a solution for this person might also
provide a solution for other people. These objectives are explored in more
detail below.
8.3.1 Absence of Existing Solutions
While YokyWorks is fundamentally in the business of engineering solutions
to problems where no commercial solution exists, the organization has been
surprised at the number of applicants for whom a solution is on the market.
The most frequent reason YokyWorks turns projects away is that a solu-
tion already exists. Other non-profit organizations assist clients in finding
appropriate existing assistive technology. Unfortunately, prospective clients
are often unaware of these organizations and lack the familiarity to be able
to search for these devices on their own. Accordingly, the first step for every
project is to find a team member to look at the state of the art used to solve
challenges similar to the one being evaluated. This effort amounts to looking
for a null set in a diversely populated universe, and, as such, lacks complete
certainty. Despite the lack of certainty, after a reasonable effort, it is possible
for YokyWorks to conclude that no existing solution adequately addresses
the challenge faced and that the case merits further evaluation.
8.3.2 Potential for Direct and Ancillary Benefit
YokyWorks is in an unusual niche. The organizational goal is to find projects
that both benefit a specific individual and hold the potential to assist many
additional people with a similar challenge. Simply, the organization wants to
provide the greatest benefit from each dollar of funds it spends on research
and development. Finding projects that can benefit a large number of people
may seem incongruous with developing unique engineering solutions. If there
are an enormous number of people with the same need, an existing com-
mercial solution becomes a virtual certainty. Despite the apparent conflict
between finding problems for which no solution exists and finding problems
that could benefit many people, the organization has found several promising
candidates.
