Changes call for innovation and innovation leads to progress.
For years, entrepreneurship and innovation has had a hand-in-hand relationship. The intersection of both has enabled businesses to produce new ideas, provide better services and originate new products. Alongside hundreds of traits that a successful entrepreneur possesses, innovation is one of the key traits amongst them. One such entrepreneur who flexed her innovation muscles to attain unrivaled success is Corinna (Cori) E. Lathan, Ph.D., the Co-founder and CEO of AnthroTronix. The former Associate Professor, has been featured in multiple magazines and has won numerous distinctions for her contributions and efforts towards the industry and her company. She is also a thought leader on some of the latest technological trends that are impacting the healthcare sector.
Planting the Seeds of Innovation
AnthroTronix is a human inspired, technology driven research and development company that offers a plethora of software and hardware product development services. They work with a diverse client base, ranging from the private sector to government agencies in the fields of education, entertainment, military, and healthcare.
The idea behind the inception of AnthroTronix stemmed from Cori’s dedicated interest in empowering people through technology. She co-founded the company, with Jack Vice, back in 1999 to focus on enhancing capabilities beyond what could be done without technology. One of their first products was conceptualized with the same idea and innovation. The product was a computer access device for children with disabilities.
Boasting an Impressive Portfolio
Cori’s educational resume includes a Bachelor’s in Biopsychology and Mathematics from the Swarthmore College, which she followed up with a Master’s in Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from MIT. Prior to AnthroTronix, Cori was an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Catholic University. She was also an adjunct Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland.
She is part of the Board of Directors for nonprofits like Engineering World Health and The KID-Museum and also on the Advisory Board for the Smithsonian Institute’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Cori also serves as an Independent Director of PTC, Inc., which is a global technology provider of Internet of Things and Augmented Reality platforms.
Enhancing the Interaction between People and Technology
As a research and development company, AnthroTronix is truly dedicated to enhancing the interaction between people and technology. By improving that connection, the company can increase the benefits that technology can provide. The company developed a mobile medical application, DANA™: The Brain Thermometer®, which administers game-like tests that can provide data within minutes to help assess and measure a person’s brain/cognitive health. Cori states “The app can help clinicians track cognitive function as a quantitative outcome during treatment for such conditions as depression, dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
AnthroTronix has also undertaken educational technology projects with products like the Cosmos Learning Systems™. This computer interface device provides educational tools to children with and without disabilities. The company also has a product named CosmoBot, which is a prototype interactive robot used to promote educational and therapeutic activities. CosmoBot has been tested with children with a wide range of disabilities including children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, apraxia, neurodevelopmental disorders, and language developmental disorders.
All of these products highlight AnthroTronix’s human-computer interface technology, and product development specializations.
Supporting and Nurturing each Employee
Cori mentions, “I think it is critical that leaders, whether for a small, mid-size or large business, remember that their most important resource is their staff.” She firmly believes that supporting and nurturing your employees should be embedded within the DNA of every entrepreneur.
At AnthroTronix, there is an incredible group of engineers, designers, scientists, and administrators, who all contribute toward the company in their own unique way. Cori values the different skill sets and perspectives of her employees, allowing her to have a multi-disciplinary approach to developing exclusive technology solutions that help solve real life challenges.
Overcoming the Stumbling Blocks along the Journey
When asked about the challenges and struggles Cori had to face since founding the company, she exclaims “The biggest challenges we had were personnel and timing.” Neither Cori nor Jack had the requisite business experience or expertise. It took them about 12-18 months to find the right business partner, which is an eternity in the life of a startup.
Add to that, timing was another challenge; as lots of things affect the markets that are beyond the control of a company. One of which was when AnthroTronix launched its first round of fund-raising — the night before the 9/11 attack. Needless to say, no one was investing. In spite of all these, Cori and her team’s unwavering determination to attain success led the company to what it is known as today.
The Roadmap Moving Ahead
“I see AnthroTronix growing and adapting to meet the ever-changing technological needs of our society,” Cori asserts. Moving ahead, AnthroTronix will continue to push the envelope in its collective thinking to ensure meaningful research and development. “We will stay true to our company, nurturing our employees and treating our customers as co-creators,” she concludes.
