CHICAGO (January 10, 2023) – MBX Systems, a manufacturer of purpose-built and deployment-ready hardware platforms for OEMs and ISVs requiring turnkey hardware/software solutions, today announced that its industry-first Kori modular mobile medical cart has been honored as a winner in the 2022 The Good Design® Award competition managed by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in cooperation with the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies.

Kori is the first mobile cart that can be outfitted with different cameras, workstations and peripherals such as keyboards, monitors and articulating arms to accommodate the needs of different computer vision applications. This ability to adapt to different technology requirements without designing and building single-purpose hardware eliminates the need for technology developers to pay $100,000+ for custom cart design, engineering and mold injection.

The modular design also shortens hardware development time from a year or more to as little as three months by making it possible to customize off-the-shelf hardware with components tailored to the specific application, including the workstations that house artificial intelligence (AI) software needed to interpret data captured by system cameras.

The platform was designed specifically for edge AI applications, including built-in support for high-performance computers equipped with powerful AI-enabled embedded systems like NVIDIA Jetson. Computers running the AI software stay out of sight in a cavity in the base of the cart.

In hospital environments, Kori can be used to deploy solutions to detect patient falls, screen body temperatures, facilitate patient-healthcare provider communication, enable remote live surgery collaborations, and deliver other computer vision capabilities that help improve patient care.

Software applications installed on the platform can perform all data processing in the hospital room or anywhere else the cart is placed, overcoming traditional roadblocks to AI use in the hospital by eliminating the risk of compromising sensitive data by sending it to the cloud. The use of edge AI also enables a faster response rate and avoids bandwidth and/or connectivity issues created by sending multiple video streams through hospital networks.

In other settings, Kori can be used for industrial automation applications such as factory and warehouse safety monitoring; access and building control such as movement analysis and anomaly detection; retail monitoring of customer movements to identify purchase patterns affecting product placement, store layout and staffing; traffic surveillance including monitoring of areas of congestion utilizing Smart Cities’ AI infrastructure; and more.

Kori also features:

• Individually programmable LEDs that can be controlled via API to light up in different scenarios, such as alerting hospital staff when a patient fall is detected
• A built-in USB speakerphone with noise cancellation for clear two-way communication such as conversations between hospital rooms and medical personnel
• Easy servicing in the field with an accessible power system and removable VESA-mounted computer reached by detaching four screws from the cart base
• Optional branding and customizable colorways to fit the software developer’s design requirements

“The rise of artificial intelligence and edge computing has paved the way for edge-based computer vision applications in multiple environments, including hospitals, but most initiatives in this area have been stymied by lengthy and expensive development cycles”

said Roger Lam, MBX Vice President of Engineering. “This award recognizes the value of Kori’s modular building block approach in shortening development time as well as our achievement in integrating all components to create a sleek design that breaks new ground in aesthetics as well as form and function.”

The 2022 Good Design Award winners were selected from approximately 4,000 shortlisted entries from the world’s most prestigious design offices and leading manufacturers from over 52 countries. See the complete list of winners.