Product Development
Developing Hardware with a Distributed Team
Although popular in the software industry for years, remote work was uncommon in hardware development until the start of the pandemic. Manufacturing physical products requires testing, debugging and iterative design, which often relies on specialized equipment and sufficient space. These factors have limited the growth of hybrid and remote work opportunities in hardware. So, how …
Make Parts Fit Right the First Time with Exact Constraint Analysis
It’s a tale as old as time – you build your hardware prototype design in CAD and everything fits perfectly, but when your parts arrive from the manufacturer, some parts are jamming and others are rattling around. What happened? Often, the underlying problem comes from how the mechanical connections between parts constrain how …
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Announcing MistyWest’s New Focus
Intelligent connected device development firm MistyWest has decided the best way to align with its purpose of enabling a healthier planet and bringing prosperity to all humankind is by focusing all of its resources on manufacturing skimboards. “After months of analysis of future trends in technology and social development, it became clear that …
Design Thinking in Hardware
Has your business spent time and money developing a hardware product that failed at the commercialization stage because it didn’t meet customer expectations? Have you wondered at what point in product development you lost sight of the user story? A design thinking methodology can help to address these common issues that product development teams face. …
What Is The Purpose Of Hardware Prototyping?
What is Hardware Prototyping? When MistyWest was approached by VodaSafe prior to developing the AquaEye, founder Carlyn Loncaric had a proof-of-concept (POC) and a goal: to develop a life-saving piece of technology that can quickly scan underwater to locate drowning victims. Through iterative prototyping, our engineering team was able to develop a hand-held device that …
7 Companies Fighting The COVID-19 Pandemic
As I write this from my home office during quarantine, I am reflecting on what has become the new normal. I don’t think many of us thought we’d live to see a day where massive, global layoffs occur and nearly every single country would close its borders, restrict domestic travel, and order us all to …
Dyson Airwrap II: Technical Teardown
Written by Phil Tsao, former Westie. Introduction Last week, we brought you the first part of our Dyson Airwrap series where we looked at the surface of this achievement in product development, and then used it to deliver a bomb makeover for Ryan Walker. By now you’re probably familiar with what the Dyson Airwrap …
Dyson Airwrap I: Design Review & Demo
This is the first of a two part series on the Dyson Airwrap. Part II features our technical teardown. Origin Story If you’ve ever used a hand dryer in a public washroom, you’re probably familiar with Dyson. Famously known for their vacuums that defied the standard expectations for vacuum cleaners in the 1990s–featuring dual-cyclone …
Emerging Tech in 3D Printing
Written by Phil Tsao, former Westie. Introduction In our 3D Printing series, we brought you an Introduction to 3D Printing, a Guide to FDM, SLA and SLS, and a Guide to the Exotic. As a tailpiece to this series, we’ve compiled a guide to emerging tech and cool trends within the 3D printing and additive …
Guide to 3D Printing III: The Exotic
Written by Phil Tsao, former Westie. Introduction In this series, we’ve covered the history and growing popularity of 3D Printing and the various types of technologies available on the affordable scale that garage tinkerers or smaller businesses can use in-house. We’ve now arrived at Exotics and Metals, consisting of more expensive options that are usually …