“The Everest SNAP II is a success story on every level,” stated Greg Holderfield, Director of Industrial Design for HLB. “This device not only improves patient care, but also meets the needs of modern healthcare through its portability and simple user friendly interface. We’re thrilled that it’s being recognized as one of the top products in its category at such a prestigious design competition.”

SNAP II is a portable level of consciousness (LOC) monitoring device that provides anesthesiologists, nurses and surgeons a way to help assess a patient’s brain status under anesthesia. The device’s convenience and versatility in its form factor and feature set allows clinicians to simplify activities, increase productivity, and provide improved patient care, all while reducing risks for the patient.

HLB provided the design solution for the SNAP II’s user interface, which conveys ease of use and readability. A color touch screen and minimized controls eliminate the blender effect – controls for the sake of controls – making navigation of features simple. The unit also supplies visual and audible alerts with user definable limits, as well as a crystal-clear high-resolution color display with visibility under all lighting conditions.

“SNAP II’s design marries function and performance with a refreshing aesthetic that replaces the generic and often intimidating ‘beige box’ frequently found in the healthcare industry, Holderfield added. “The successful development of this now award winning product has helped put Everest Biomedical, a medical start up, on the healthcare map.”

Since 1954, the Annual Design Review has recognized the best in product, furniture, graphic and environment design, from the iconic to the obscure. Throughout the years, this annual showcase has chronicled the evolution of design, and highlighted its impact on our material and visual culture. For the 2007 competition, there were over 2000 products entered from around the world.

Each year, the featured work is chosen by a jury of leading practitioners, who, along with I.D.'s editorial team, focus the abundance of submissions into a clear survey of the state of design. The resulting overview is published in the August issue of I.D. magazine — the Annual Design Review issue. For more information, visit the I.D. Magazine website (http://www.id-mag.com/).

About HLB: HLB is one of the largest privately held product design consulting firms in the world with expertise in strategy and realization for the consumer, medical and industrial marketplaces. HLB leverages a unique approach called Meaningful Design™ to create products and services that make lives more enjoyable, more convenient and more fulfilling for those who use them. HLB is responsible for countless diverse and widely recognized products, including the Johnson & Johnson Embrace Heart Stabilizer, the Motorola NFL Coaches Headset, and the iRobot Roomba Discovery Floorvac. Offices are located in Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. Visit www.hlb.com for more information.

Contact:
Lewis Berkover
Herbst LaZar Bell
312-454-1116 ext. 255
lberkover@hlb.com