In two weeks, my software partner and I developed a custom hardware and software solution for an endoscopy device UI/UX prototype. We used a Raspberry Pi microcontroller to interfaces between the surgical handheld device and any laptop hosting the UI prototype. The Raspberry Pi converted GPIO signals coming from button presses on a custom PCB button presses into keystrokes the UI prototype could decipher and use to initiate different menu options.

For the hardware, we simulated a endoscope using CNC machined housings, 3D printed 2-color elastomeric keypads, and custom PCBAs to simulate a realistic medical device. For software, there was no existing framework to simulate custom hardware beyond keyboard presses. We created Chrome plug-ins and Django Python Web frameworks created a rich simulation environment, where surgeons could test UI prototypes and corresponding button layouts. This helped the medical device company make accurate judgments regarding the intuitiveness and comfort of each arrangement tested.