Supporting Innovation in Healthcare Product Development
The South East Technological University (SETU) has supported Irish healthcare company, Ostomy Cubecare Ltd., through a series of innovation-led collaborations with two of the University’s Enterprise Ireland (EI) funded Technology Gateways, helping to advance the development of new healthcare product solutions. The company recently completed two successful €10,000 Innovation Voucher projects with Design+ and SEAM. The focal point of these projects was the provision of access to specialist expertise in design innovation, product development, engineering and applied materials research.
Individuals who have undergone ostomy surgery need a hygienic and comfortable means to empty and replace their ostomy bag, which does not lead to further medical complications. There are few products on the market that cater to their specific needs, such as being able to clean and reattach a new bag, dispose of waste in a hygienic manner and complete these actions in a comfortable and dignified manner.
The Ostomy Cubecare Company was founded by Carolyn Houlihan to cater to this market through the development of products to enhance the quality of life of people with stomas.
The Ostomy Cube – Improving Quality of Life for Ostomates
The Ostomy Cube is an innovative, self-contained unit that transforms standard bathrooms into stoma-friendly spaces. By connecting directly to existing hot/cold water and sink waste pipes, it provides ostomates with a convenient, dignified setup for pouch changes and cleaning without requiring major structural overhauls. In this way it allows ostomates to adapt standard toilet facilities to meet their specific needs — both at home and in public spaces.
Key Features and Design Requirements
• Sanitary Surface: Built from antimicrobial Solid Surface composite materials, ensuring high hygiene standards and easy cleaning.
• Integrated Siphon Drain: Features a specialized basin and siphon to safely handle medical waste and eliminate lingering odours.
• Seamless Installation: Hooks up to conventional plumbing fittings for water access and gray water drainage.
• Accessibility: Empowers ostomates to independently manage pouch changes in both home settings and public facilities
Innovation Voucher Collaboration with Design+ and SEAM
The collaborations focused on supporting the continued development of a novel ostomy-related healthcare product designed to improve usability, user comfort and patient experience. The work was undertaken through the Enterprise Ireland funded Innovation Voucher programme. This funding enabled the company to access research expertise, technical evaluation, prototyping and user-focused design support within SETU.
The first voucher was based around optimising the design of the Ostomy Cube sink component and the creation of a full scale prototype of the finished design.
Prototype Development and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
The prototype was built at Design+ using the RAPLAS PR 450 SLA 3D printer using a RR60WH ABS resin, a tough white material ideal for this application. This printer is a high-productivity SLA production system designed for industrial environments requiring large build capacity, repeatability, and material flexibility.
With a 450 × 450 × 350 mm build envelope and high accuracy across the entire platform and a high-power 355 nm UV laser, the PR450 enables scalable production of large parts or multiple components in a single build. This printer is a flexible, production-ready solution for aerospace, automotive, defence, tooling, and advanced manufacturing.
The second voucher was concerned with the design, optimisation and prototype manufacture of a measurement plug used with the Ostomy Cube sink. The device is described as “a plug used in the ostomy sink, having volume increments marked on it so the user can measure the output of their ostomy bag before flushing the waste down the sink outlet.”
An initial design concept was created using Solidworks™ and this design was further refined to a workable finalised design. This was then printed in full colour at SEAM using the Stratasys J55™ Prime PolyJet™ printer. This is a full pantone colour pallet enabled printer that can print photo-real prototypes of concept designs with not only depth of colour, but also variable material properties ranging from rubbery to hard plastic.
This capability makes it ideal for both industrial and mechanical design. The system’s rotating print platform also ensures outstanding surface finish and printing quality, allowing sample products to be created that are near indistinguishable from the end manufactured product. Five prototypes in total were printed.
Intellectual Property and Commercialisation Support
As part of the collaboration, SETU has also formally assigned Intellectual Property connected to the “Measure Plug” innovation to Ostomy Cubecare Ltd, supporting the company’s ongoing commercialisation activities.
This is a legally binding contract that defines who owns, controls, and benefits from intangible assets like inventions, code, designs, or creative works. Its primary purpose is to clarify ownership, prevent infringement, and dictate the exact terms under which others can use or monetise the assets.
This will ensure that no other company can capitalise on this concept and, if the company wishes to licence the concept to a manufacturer.
The Value of Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers for SMEs
Innovation Vouchers are designed to strengthen collaboration between enterprise and higher education institutions, enabling companies to access academic knowledge and specialist facilities to support innovation and business growth.
It is of particular value to small to medium companies, as it allows new concepts and ideas to be explored to their fullest with little financial risk. The primary cost is the VAT on the €10,000 provided by Enterprise Ireland, which has to be paid to the chosen institute prior to the commencement of work. This can typically be recovered at the end of the tax year.
Vouchers of this sort have been used by companies in every sector of Irish industry to de-risk innovation and novel product development. The “what if” idea, deemed too costly to develop in-house, can be provided with its own R&D lab, with state-of-the-art equipment and world-class expertise to make that “what if” a reality.
Vouchers are often the first step in a company’s innovation journey. A voucher may lead to a feasibility study looking at the viability of further developing a concept. This may then lead to a full EI funded Innovation Partnership, which typically represents a quarter of a million euro in funding for a company to undertake with a Research Performing Organisation (RPO) of their choice.
Industry and Research Collaboration Driving Innovation
Speaking about the collaboration, Carolyn Houlihan, Founder of Ostomy Cubecare Ltd, said:
“Working with the teams at SETU has been an extremely positive experience for our company. The expertise and support available through both Design+ and SEAM helped us further develop our product concept and provided valuable insight that will support our next stage of growth.”
Richard Whyte at Design+, said:
“This project highlights the important role that design-led innovation can play in healthcare product development. Collaborating with companies such as Ostomy Cubecare Ltd allows us to apply research and design expertise to real-world challenges that can make a meaningful difference for users.”
Dr Ramesh Raghavendra at SEAM, added:
“Innovation Voucher collaborations are an effective way for companies to engage with SETU’s research capabilities. Through projects such as this, businesses can access specialist technical expertise that supports product development, innovation and commercial potential.”
Supporting Irish Enterprise Through Applied Research
SETU’s Technology Gateways work closely with companies across Ireland to support applied research, innovation, product development and knowledge transfer. The collaboration with Ostomy Cubecare Ltd demonstrates how university-industry partnerships can help accelerate innovation, while supporting enterprise growth and healthcare advancement.
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