Joe Woody

Why Hollywood Loves Chinese Takeout Boxes - It’s Not About the Food Ever notice how often characters in movies and TV shows eat Chinese takeout? Detectives hunched over case files. Coders pulling an all-nighter. Couples moving into a new apartment. Most people assume it’s just a cultural trope: “busy city people order Chinese.” That’s partly true. But the real reason is a lot more practical: It’s about continuity. On set, every detail must match from one take to the next. If an actor bites into a burger or eats a slice of pizza, the food’s shape and size change instantly. The script supervisor then has to track every bite for reshoots and close-ups - a logistical nightmare. Chinese takeout solves that problem: The food sits inside opaque paper boxes. Viewers can’t see what’s going on inside, so the prop stays visually consistent. Actors can poke with chopsticks without actually eating much, avoiding dozens of full meals across retakes. Boxes can be quietly swapped or refilled between takes with no one noticing. It’s the same reason you often see characters with to-go coffee cups (the lid hides how full they are) or opaque beer bottles instead of clear glasses. These small prop decisions save hours of filming time and reduce costly mistakes. Good storytelling is also good logistics Choosing the right props is about keeping production efficient and freeing the crew to focus on performance and emotion rather than refilling sandwiches for continuity. Next time you watch your favorite show and see someone digging into lo mein, you’ll know: it’s not just dinner, it’s smart production design.

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬? In the newest episode of Powering the Future Within, I sat down with Murielle Thinard McLane, President & Managing Partner of Intuitive Ventures, the venture arm of Intuitive Surgical. Murielle has a rare perspective across the innovation ecosystem, having been an operator, CEO, and now a venture investor helping shape the future of minimally invasive care. In our conversation we explore: • What top MedTech investors actually look for • Why clinical workflow can matter as much as breakthrough technology • The rise of platform technologies and closed-loop care • Where some of the most exciting innovation is happening today It’s a fascinating window into how the next generation of MedTech companies will be built. 🎧 The episode is live today. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. Resonant Link Medical Rachel Allard #MedTech #HealthcareInnovation #MedicalDevices #VentureCapital #DigitalHealth #MedTechPodcast

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MedTech Innovation at TCT 2025 🚀 Honored to join the opening session of the MedTech Innovation Forum at TCT 2025, alongside visionary leaders Andrew Cleeland Jan Garfinkle Josh Makower Todd Brinton, MD Amr Salahieh. The session — “So, You Want to Be an Innovator: Master the Process, Channel the Genius” — offered timely reflections on how MedTech innovation must evolve to stay relevant and sustainable. 💡 Key takeaways: 1️⃣ MedTech funding is shifting. The cost of innovation is rising — driven by inflation, higher expectations, and reimbursement delays — making exits slower and returns smaller. Venture capital has shifted toward later-stage, de-risked ideas, creating new challenges for early innovators. 2️⃣ Innovation is a disciplined process, not a stroke of genius. The idea is only a small piece of the puzzle; history is written by those who show up. Unmet clinical needs are abundant, but the most promising ones are often latent—unseen yet impactful. Uncovering them is what leads to truly disruptive innovation. 3️⃣ Innovation thrives on meaning. For physicians, purpose (vs financial gain) is the most powerful motivator. However, deeper understanding and skillful navigation of the complex innovation ecosystem are needed to turn that purpose into lasting impact. In the end, meaningful innovation requires a convergence of insight, discipline, and purpose. #TCT2025 #MedTech #Innovation #MedicalDevices #Biodesign Mayo Clinic Fogarty Innovation Cardiovascular Research Foundation Juan Granada Shai Ran Sapir Lisa Carmel Charanjit (Chet) Rihal Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign

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Why are we so excited about Monogram Technologies and being first to market with semi-autonomous and fully autonomous robotics in Orthopedics globally? Ask Linda Suleiman, MD FAAOS and any surgeon who has been doing these surgeries for a while. Here is what they will tell you…..and nope, we are not here to replace surgeons, we are here to augment them. The e-mail system creation and the IT revolution didn’t make executives obsolete. It made them efficient. But yes, those insisting on continuing to do memos by hand and faxing notes to one another while complaining about technology “disruption” struggled a bit more than those who embraced the “new normal”. Here are my notes from Dr. Suleiman’s conversation recently. Her thoughts below (challenge me here Linda!): 1. The system is uniquely efficient from both an execution and planning standpoint. The degrees of freedom of the robotic arm enable faster, more precise cutting while protecting soft tissues — a meaningful advantage in reproducibility and safety over current options. 2. Reduced Need for Additional Staff. Because the surgeon’s hands remain free and retractors aren’t required to be held manually, the workflow is more streamlined and less dependent on assistant involvement. 3. Democratization of Total Joints. The majority of U.S. joint replacements are performed by surgeons without arthroplasty fellowship training. By improving precision and reducing variability, Monogram/ mBôs can elevate outcomes and consistency nationwide. The projected rise in knee revision procedures — expected to reach 115,000 annually by 2040 (from ~44,000 in today’s Medicare population) — largely due to infection and instability, both of which stem from variability in balancing, cuts, and technical error. 4. Cognitive Off-Loading Through Intelligent Robotics. Monogram’s intelligence layer meaningfully reduces surgeon cognitive load. This is where the field is headed — from guided robotics to smart robotics. 5. Broader Procedural Capability. Monogram has the potential to support both cemented and cementless constructs, and both fixed-bearing and mobile-bearing philosophies — something other robotic platforms cannot offer. This flexibility is critical for global penetration given differing preferences between U.S. and OUS surgeons. We look forward to getting the statements above fully vetted/approved by the FDA and other global regulatory bodies as we continue our clinical trials and work before our bold launch ahead. They are not considered approved yet and are a surgeon’s opinion until approved. We can hardly wait until this technology is launched with Zimmer Biomet’s core implants which remain number one in the world for both hip and knee arthroplasties. A new generation of technology is here. Are you ready? We are. Welcome to the future. Benjamin Sexson, CFA Shaun Braun Jonathan Vigdorchik JehanZeb Noor Douglas Unis Bradley M. Kessler Gary Campbell John Klibanoff MD, FAAOS Charlie DeCook Joe Mullings

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Rethinking Heart Failure Management—Why Device Innovation Matters Interesting article from the Cleveland Clinic - Device-Based Heart Failure Therapies in the Spotlight. It highlights the shift in how we address heart failure in today’s clinical landscape. The piece emphasizes that despite advances in pharmacotherapy, hospitalisation and mortality rates continue to climb—and that earlier consideration of device-based therapies is essential to alter disease trajectories effectively. This aligns with the latest consensus guidance from the HFSA, advocating a more integrated pathway that pairs guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) with device-based options for patients not fully responding to medications alone. From my perspective at Ceryx Medical, this trend holds deep relevance. Our device, designed to optimise cardiac function, improve energy efficiency and boost cardiac output thereby treating symptoms and inducing cardiac repair, dovetails with this evolving paradigm. Here’s why: Early intervention is key: By targeting the root of cardiac inefficiency sooner, our device aligns with the Cleveland Clinic’s call to shift device therapy “earlier” in the care continuum, particularly in NYHA II–III patients. Bridging gaps in GDMT response: For patients who remain symptomatic despite medical management our approach offers a powerful tool for eliminating the debilitating symptoms of heart failure. Enhancing personalization of care: The trend toward phenotype-driven treatment decisions, as outlined in recent reviews, mirrors our commitment to developing solutions that fit the individual patient’s physiology, symptom profile, and treatment tolerance. Complementary rather than competitive: Ceryx has demonstrated our technology significant improves the clinical condition of subjects already treated with optimal pharmacotherapy. In essence, this Cleveland Clinic article reinforces that advanced device strategies are not just “nice to have”—they’re becoming essential companions to pharmacological therapy in improving outcomes and quality of life for heart failure patients. #HeartFailure #MedicalDevices #DigitalHealth #ClinicalInnovation #Cardiology #GDMT #DeviceTherapy #PatientCentricCare

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When vital signs flow directly to the EMR, it doesn’t just save time – it helps strengthen the connection between data and decision-making for the care team. Learn more about how Baxter empowers connected vital signs monitoring below. #ConnectedCare  

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At eCential Robotics, we’re building the future of spine surgery through an open, app-powered ecosystem designed to enable innovation and expand access to robotic technology. Today, we’re excited to share a major milestone: the launch of the new ChoiceSpine™ App on our Op.n™ platform. This collaboration highlights the strength of our model—offering a scalable, implant-agnostic solution for companies looking to bring enabling technology to their customers without the burden of developing robotics in-house. Through partnerships like this, we’re delivering flexible, cost-effective surgical solutions that meet the evolving needs of surgeons, hospitals, and industry partners alike. Who’s next? Let’s build the future of spine surgery—together.

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In this clip, Cassandra Haupers, Director, Global Business Development at Vantedge Medical discusses the company's expertise and vision for the future of surgical robotics Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/equFSUrD #robotics #roboticsurgery #healthcare #surgicalroboticstechnology

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Cell therapy development can’t rely on a blueprint.​ Every project comes with its own technology, constraints, and curveballs – so the Fast Trak services team designs solutions that are just as unique as the therapies they support.​ “Every cell type, facility, and workflow tell a different story. The right process has to be built around it.”​ Masashi Nasukawa, Fast Trak Solutions Specialist in Japan, has seen how different each team’s reality can be. “I want people to know they don’t have to figure it out alone.”​ That’s a theme you’ll hear across our global Fast Trak services network.​ “The organizations we support often treat us as an extension of their scientific team,” says Mojtaba Parvizi, Global Director of Fast Trak Solutions. “We brainstorm, run experiments, and analyze data side‑by‑side to move therapies toward clinical development and commercialization.”​ Process is one part. Training is the multiplier.​ “Cell therapy manufacturing doesn’t scale like ‘one bioreactor equals 100 plates,” notes Mingming Li, Global Clinical Partnerships Leader. “We help teams scale from small dishes to commercial systems – and we train them to actually run those GMP processes, troubleshoot independently, and understand the regulatory landscape they’re stepping into.”​ The problem‑solving drive is universal across the team. ​ “When someone brings us a new question, my instinct is always: let’s test it,” says Sabrina Carmichael, Global Technical Leader. “We talk openly about what works, what doesn’t, and what the data says.”​ And if a solution doesn’t exist yet, we build one.​ Yi Jin, Fast Trak Solutions Leader for Cell Therapies in China, shared a recent example:​ “A team needed to integrate microbeads instead of the more common nanobeads into a scalable TCR‑T workflow. We designed a custom approach that met their needs and simplified their process.”​ If you’re working through challenges in process development, scale‑up, or regulatory readiness, this team is ready to share what they’ve learned.​ Join us for a live Q&A on tackling cell therapy development challenges.​ Reserve your spot: https://okt.to/E38xco

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