Parallax Innovations, Inc.

Project Overview: 

Small animal testing plays a key role in interventional biomedical research. Traditionally, it has been challenging to perform accurate serial, non-destructive testing because the animal has to be repositioned between acquisition and intervention, which increases the likelihood that the target has moved. Parallax Innovations Inc. is a small software company operating in southwestern Ontario that focuses on the preclinical imaging sector. Since there are hundreds of in vivo scanners in research institutions all over North America, Parallax saw significant sales potential in developing a six-degree of freedom robotically-controlled micro-positioner for pre-clinical biomedical research.

Need or Opportunity: 

Parallax needed help developing a miniaturized robotic needle guidance mechanism for research CT scanners. “Large companies are simply not interested in smaller scale projects like ours,” says Del Archer, Parallax Innovations co-founder and co-owner. “A small start-up like Parallax could never have gotten this project off the ground without CIMTEC’s help.”

Solution: 

CIMTEC’s mechanical engineers designed, built and tested a robotic, image-guided intervention device to Parallax's specifications. Called the CT Sabre, it is designed to operate under fluoroscopy while remaining in the bore of a micro-CT scanner. It can also operate from CT reconstructions where the trajectory of the needle can be planned quickly using full anatomical information.

Progress: 

The CT Sabre is the only commercially available robotic intervention device that operates inside a micro-CT bore. Having the CT Sabre as a product offering gives Parallax Innovations greater credibility and visibility in the marketplace, which can help the company’s capacity to grow, attract funding and develop further product offerings.

View the video on the right to see the CT Sabre in motion. Parallax Innovations is taking orders for the CT Sabre now. Call 519-914-5445 or email info@parallax-innovations.com

Attachments: PDF icon CT Sabre brochure.pdf