When Fan Lin, a Penn State Harrisburg graduate and nursing assistant, noticed hospital patients struggling to reach their phones from bed, she designed a solution — a hands-free phone holder with an integrated wireless charger she called the Entertainment Buddy. She had a vision, a rough sketch, and a deep passion for patient care. What she didn’t have was a path from concept to physical product.

After connecting with the Harrisburg LaunchBox powered by Penn State, Lin was referred to OriginLabs, where she was paired with Tristan Hess, OriginLabs’ service bureau manager, who took her early-stage design and helped transform it into something tangible.

The process wasn’t just printing a shape and calling it done. Hess worked closely with Lin to refine her design, test different materials, and navigate the technical decisions that separate a good idea from a functional product. The result was a 3D-printed prototype that balanced usability with aesthetics.

“Designing Fan’s prototype was a rewarding and enjoyable challenge,” said Hess. “Throughout the process, we focused on maintaining a clean, user-friendly design that balances functionality with visual appeal and ultimately meets the user’s needs in both form and function.”

For Lin, seeing the finished prototype was a turning point. After months of uncertainty about whether her idea could become real, holding the physical product made the goal feel achievable for the first time.

“After all the ideas and sketches, seeing the prototype was a meaningful moment,” said Lin. “Tristan’s hard work turned my vision into something real. It was the first time I felt that my goal to improve patient care and accessibility in healthcare could truly become a reality.”

OriginLabs’ contribution was more than technical — it was the bridge between imagination and momentum. For innovators with bold ideas and limited prototyping experience, that kind of hands-on, collaborative support can make all the difference.

Reach out today to see how OriginLabs can support your project.