![\"Path1\"](\"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Path1-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIn 1977, three experts in reproductive health founded the organization that became PATH, an international nonprofit organization that is the leader in global health innovation. Today, PATH saves lives and improves health, especially among women and children, in more than 70 countries. PATH\u2019s product development shop in Seattle supports initiatives in five platforms: vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations.<\/p>\n
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Recently we had a chance to talk with Mike Eisenstein, PATH\u2019s product development shop manager, about the role of design thinking at PATH\u2014and how they\u2019re using Fusion 360.<\/p>\n
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Eisenstein describes his workplace as \u201ca full, hands-on R&D shop\u201d that is successful because of its \u201camazing team.\u201d While the group can assist with any of PATH\u2019s initiatives, in practice, \u201cmost of our work is with devices.\u201d<\/p>\n
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For Eisenstein and his colleagues, product development is \u201cnot just a heads-down technical problem.\u201d PATH takes a holistic approach to innovation\u2014it is a team effort that combines technical development, commercialization, and public health expertise for sustainable impact.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe want to get to impact,\u201d Eisenstein says. He takes pride in the organization\u2019s track record of helping to create \u201cappropriate, sustainable products that are in use around the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n
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PATH has 1,500 employees and 45 offices spread throughout the world and works with hundreds of partners to increase the reach of its work. In Seattle, the shop team often collaborates with engineers, scientists, and clinicians from countries around the world and local partners like the University of Washington and Seattle Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n
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![\"RELI1\"](\"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/RELI1-1.jpg\")
To ensure health innovations reach the people in low-resource regions who need them, PATH collaborates with public health officials, manufacturers, and distributors. That means coming up with locally appropriate solutions, such as PATH\u2019s reusable, electricity-free, low-cost infusion pump (RELI Delivery System), which operates pneumatically using an ordinary bike pump; a few minutes of pumping allows the device to deliver lifesaving medications for hours.<\/p>\n
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In terms of increasing effectiveness across the life cycle of a product, Eisenstein says, \u201cWe\u2019re [always] looking for those appropriate, sustainable partners.\u201d The benefits of that approach are ongoing. For instance, \u201cIf something\u2019s being made locally, it can usually be maintained locally.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Eisenstein says that design thinking is crucial for the work they do. PATH and their development partners always focus on the people for whom they\u2019re designing the products, whether that means a health care worker, a mom, a child, or the local ministry of health.<\/p>\n
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That means a lot of travel for the PATH team, plus a lot of time spent bringing people and ideas together. \u201cThe goal isn\u2019t just to solve the problem,\u201d he says, \u201cbut to account for human factors and local constraints to solve it in an elegant way.\u201d It requires paying attention to factors ranging from cost to the availability of electricity to the wording and colors used on product packaging. Whenever possible, they also want to adapt their products to work within existing systems.<\/p>\n
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For instance, right now PATH is working on a reusable infusion device that can be used to deliver medicines, fluids, and nutrition to patients. The need for the device was brought to light by a doctor working in Rwanda and an anesthesiologist. By collaborating with these physicians and other local users, the PATH team is refining a prototype that is powered by air pressure (it is charged by operating a bike pump) and that uses no expensive proprietary disposables.<\/p>\n
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Even though Eisenstein studied anthropology and art history in college, he says, \u201cMachines have always talked to me.\u201d He explains that \u201cI grew up in a family of engineers. There was probably nothing we didn\u2019t fix or build.\u201d<\/p>\n
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![\"PATH5\"](\"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PATH5.jpg\")
That background serves him well in the hands-on environment of the shop, which is equipped to carry out all aspects of product development, even including testing for durability and resistance to humidity.<\/p>\n
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Lately the team has used Fusion 360 for more and more of their work. Eisenstein notes that it\u2019s especially useful \u201chaving software that works the way we work,\u201d because Fusion 360 is so good for quick iterations during product development.<\/p>\n
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Given that the shop uses its own CNC mills and lathes, he also loves Fusion 360\u2019s CAM side, especially what he calls the \u201cintuitiveness\u201d of the cutting features. He says that the team is also building out their capacities in utilizing 3D printing for prototyping parts. (Fusion 360 helps with that, too.)<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are excited to take the software to the field,\u201d Eisenstein said. Because it\u2019s cloud-based, Eisenstein can easily open up his laptop when he\u2019s sitting with a development partner in Rwanda \u201cshowing the CAD of what we\u2019re trying to do.\u201d That directly supports PATH\u2019s approach of designing not just for<\/em> but with<\/em> the end user. \u201cThat type of feedback is so valuable,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Going forward, he expects the \u201cempowering\u201d accessibility and seamlessness of Fusion 360 to promote even more involvement from local partners and end users. For instance, he would like to see PATH\u2019s partners in places like Uganda or Rwanda using the software to work directly with the PATH shop during the design process.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cProduct development is complex,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt\u2019s iterative. It takes time.\u201d But Fusion 360 is helping improve PATH\u2019s product development collaborations as the organization works with partners to create appropriate, sustainable products.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Eisenstein sums it up by saying, \u201cThe ability of it to work as a global tool, that\u2019s what I\u2019m excited for.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hear how PATH, a global non-profit, is driving transformative innovation to save lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":5480,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-5468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fusion","dhig-theme--light"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n