Handheld Laser Therapy Device.

The problem

The client runs a medical practice using intense pulsed light to treat chronic injuries and other conditions. The price, reliability, and limited flexibility of existing devices drove them to build their own: a handheld laser therapy device with high power output and configurable pulsing patterns.

Our work: profile and mitigate power droop from laser diode self-heating, demonstrate that safety compliance standards would be met, and prototype key functionality in parallel with external contract EE and firmware teams.

What we built

• Test hardware and methodology for the thermal measurements: circuit design, layout, firmware, and software to drive laser diodes on a custom PCB and graph thermocouple readings against power settings.
• Integration of production PCBs from contract EE partners. Four boards in the device, each with its own untested firmware. We wrote the integration plan, agreed success criteria with each team, and wrote test firmware to validate communication, connectivity, and laser control.
• A documented compliance process, in coordination with a laser compliance consultant, demonstrating the parameters required to meet 3R safety standards.

The outcome

The device exceeded its original performance criteria and sells well, giving the practice and its customers a flexible tool for both treatment and new research.