OLYMPUS TECHNOZONE Vol.67 2006-11
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INDEX
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Commitment to User Needs
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PK7200
This system uses CCD image processing to assess agglutination patterns. New automatic judgment parameters provide improved accuracy, and because there are two units, this single system can provide blood testing using plasma specimens and test for infectious disease markers using serum specimens. The PK7200 also provides increased processing capacity. |
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| The PK7300 automatic transfusion testing system uses a highly sensitive CCD camera to read reaction patterns from microplates. |
The successor to the PK7100, the PK7200, was developed to meet requirements under the new Product Liability Law by providing greater consistency in testing accuracy. We began to install the new systems in blood centers throughout Japan in 1994.
By this stage, the PK Series was firmly established in the Japanese market for automated blood typing and infectious disease tests.
Yet you also received some criticism from users about the PK7200, didn't you?
Some aspects of the PK7200 and even the current model, the PK7300, still do not meet our requirements. Also, I wonder if the intentions of those who were involved in the development of earlier models were passed on to their successors. How does Olympus handle this kind of technology "baton pass."
When we develop next-generation systems, we comprehensively examine all of the problems experienced with the previous model and study user suggestions. Improvements resulting from this work are reflected in the design for the new system. The intentions of the technical staff are handed on through this process. One problem is the length of the development life cycle. This means that the same developers are unlikely to be involved continuously. For this reason, we have thoroughly documented the development of previous models.
We are told that a company is built from people. I think the same is true of technology. However well we document our activities, it is difficult to pass technology on to the next generation. In this sense, a company's success may also depend on the number of "geeks," people who focus exclusively on particular fields, in its work force. We want to develop this type of human resource.
When we were developing the PK7000 into the PK7100, we were driven by our determination to create a machine that would be unique in the world, right there in the laboratory. My supervisor told me to abandon the project because it was costing too much. I told him that we couldn't simply give up after the Hokkaido Center had given us so much support. I was determined to pursue my dream even at the expense of fighting with my own employer. I hope that today's young technicians will bring the same commitment to their development work. If we are to meet user expectations, we must always be ready to accept technological challenges.
I believe that to understand what our customers want, we developers must also understand the situations in which our products will be used. Unfortunately, there still doesn't seem to be enough emphasis on this aspect. We need to go back to the basics of development and focus more on learning about the environments in which customers will use our systems.
We must ensure that people are aware of our social responsibilities as a company, and that they continue our business activities with vision.
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