by Marcus Soori, Inventor – Tricorder.Zero™
The inspiration for innovations can come from anywhere. In my case, the spark I needed to become an inventor in healthcare came from the world of science fiction. I believed a prop that millions had seen on the big screen could become a real-world tool that would radically improve the healthcare industry.
But as all successful inventors know, bringing an idea to life often involves a long and arduous journey. For those just getting started on that journey, the following are some lessons I learned while taking my invention from the big screen to reality.
Assess the need.
I was in medical school when my inventor’s journey began. Consequently, I had first-hand knowledge of the issues that patients were facing.
I knew getting access to medical professionals was challenging and costly, but I also knew that the ability to measure health metrics and track them over time was extremely valuable. Patients who could conveniently assess their own health conditions — or gather accurate, clinical-grade health and fitness data to share with their doctor — would streamline the healthcare process and improve their chances of living healthier lives.
The process of identifying the need is often referred to as assessing viability. It’s a step that entrepreneurs and inventors must take to determine if their invention or broader business strategy can sustain operations and generate profits in the long term. All businesses must start there, determining if there is a significant enough need in the marketplace for their big idea.
Identify key selling points.
Once you determine that your idea is viable, you can start refining it to optimize its marketability. This involves identifying the key features that will attract consumers.
For example, I knew size would be an issue with the product I was developing. To be truly useful as a healthcare tool, it couldn’t be too big. The more portable it could be, the more useful it would be for the market.
I also knew that it had to be convenient to use. If a product or service is too complicated, it can easily be a turn-off to prospective customers, which is why user-friendliness has become a huge selling point in the modern marketplace.
Determine if the timing is right.
As the invention’s actual design begins to take shape, you may discover that key components are inaccessible for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they are too costly. In others, they’ve yet to be produced in a form that satisfies your needs.
Take telehealth as an example. Entrepreneurs had experimented with telehealth tools for years before the COVID-19 pandemic, with little market penetration. But when Covid hit, key technology components suddenly became a high priority, which quickly made them both available and affordable. In addition, the pandemic swung consumer acceptance of telehealth by forcing a large percentage of the population to experience it firsthand.
I was forced to wait years for the components I needed to become small enough and affordable enough to support my design. If you similarly find your invention is ahead of the times, don’t waste time waiting for the tech space or consumer tastes to catch up. Continue working on what you can (improving your business plan, refining marketing ideas, and surveying stakeholders, for example) so you are ready to move quickly once you have what you need.
Address weaknesses that threaten success.
Thriving as an inventor or entrepreneur requires having a lot of confidence in the product or business you are building, but it also requires realistically identifying what could go wrong and taking steps to avoid possible pitfalls. The key is being optimistic without being naive.
For example, technology innovators face the threat of copycat innovation. If the tech that drives their product isn’t carefully protected, it can be cloned by another company and used to create competitive products. To minimize this issue, inventors can focus on obtaining patents for the methods, systems, and designs that make their product unique before publicizing it in the marketplace.
In the healthcare industry, regulatory hurdles are another threat that must be addressed. Companies seeking to get a start in healthcare must assess the costs and requirements of compliance with HIPAA, FDA regulations, and other applicable laws. If performance, security, or safety standards can’t be maintained, healthcare startups can quickly find themselves facing insurmountable challenges.
Stay up-to-date on key issues.
As you work through your development process, conditions in the market will undoubtedly change. Keeping up with the changes and how they could affect your success is critical.
The April 2025 tariffs impacting global trade provide a perfect example of how market conditions can change rapidly. If you are an inventor who relies on components from China to produce your product, these tariffs pose a significant threat to your viability.
In some cases, changes can be a boon to your business plans. If you are developing a home medical device, for example, a shift that turns public sentiment against the conventional healthcare system can be helpful. The key is keeping pace with developments and understanding how you may need to pivot as a result.
An innovative healthcare idea can not only form the foundation of a successful business but also empower patients to achieve a better quality of life. Bringing the concept to life in a sustainable way, however, requires perseverance, practicality, and patience. The steps listed above can guide inventors as they seek to shepherd their project from concept to prototype to product.
Marcus Soori, Founder and CEO of O/D Vision, is the inventor of Tricorder.Zero™, a fully integrated, touchscreen seven-sensor health and fitness tracker that can be used for personal health monitoring and in telehealth. Soori developed the initial idea for the device in medical school in 2013 and refined the idea over the next eight years as technology advanced. In 2021, he began developing his prototype and secured patent-pending status on 12+ novel concepts related to his invention in 2022. The device is now available for pre-order.
