TIMELINE

Aug2024 - Dec2025

The end-to-end innovation journey

Developed for a Canadian start-up, this groundbreaking healthcare product, funded by the Canadian government, has been successfully trialled and approved in Africa. Its impact and effectiveness led to an ongoing partnership, with DYSOL being offered the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

The challenge

The client needed a breast pump that could operate in remote, off-grid environments where electricity and infrastructure are limited. It had to be compact, durable, and able to function reliably in diverse and often harsh climates. The device also needed to meet rigorous health standards, be safe for mothers and babies, and undergo clinical testing and approval for real-world deployment. Balancing portability, power efficiency, user comfort, and sustainable energy sources presented a complex engineering challenge. In short, this wasn’t just about building a medical device—it was about creating an accessible solution for women who are often underserved by traditional healthcare products, all while adhering to international quality and safety standards.

Our approach

We began by mapping the real-world use cases of mothers in remote settings—considering heat, dust, battery reliability, and ease of use. Our engineers worked across multiple disciplines—renewable energy, embedded systems, and biomedical design—to integrate solar power into a system that was efficient, safe, and easy to assemble. We developed custom PCBs, designed for low power consumption and long-term durability. The industrial design ensured intuitive usability, while our prototyping and testing cycles focused on both environmental durability and user comfort. The product was trialled extensively across various African regions to validate performance under different conditions. Throughout the process, we worked in close collaboration with the client and regulatory partners to ensure compliance and successful certification.

The solution

The final product is a solar-powered breast pump built specifically for off-grid environments, engineered to perform reliably across diverse climates while meeting clinical safety and efficiency standards. Through rigorous field testing in Africa, we ensured the device’s performance, durability, and ease of use aligned with the daily needs of mothers in remote areas. Our multidisciplinary team balanced renewable energy integration, user-focused design, and medical-grade engineering to deliver a device that not only worked under pressure—but worked where it mattered most. What started as an ambitious concept is now a fully realized, market-ready product trusted by both governments and healthcare providers.