What we do.
Combine the best of medical technology, patient care, and manufacturing techniques, facilitating an educational revolution with Surgical Simulators.
Use design techniques that are Patient-First, applied to advanced additive manufacturing technology, bringing Devices to healthcare that better the lives of patients.
Our Team
Dr. Glenn Green
Dr. Glenn Green is a professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Michigan. He has developed surgical techniques and devices for complex airway reconstruction and is co-inventor (along with Scott Hollister, Ph.D.) of a 3D-printed tracheal splint. He was part of the surgical team that successfully placed the first splint in an infant that had immediately life-threatening bronchomalacia under F.D.A. provisions for emergency use. He is the director of ongoing translational trials of 3D-printed devices in both humans and animals; and ongoing translation trials of antioxidants for hearing loss.
Recipient of the Innovation Award from Popular Mechanics (2013 Breakthrough Awards, New York City), he has over 50 publications related to both his clinical and his research work including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Genetics and JAMA.
He has featured in Scientific American, the New York Times, Forbes and Good Housekeeping. He has been an invited speaker at TEDx talks and MakerFaire in Rome. His current work focuses on overcoming the barriers to implementing discoveries and techniques into clinical practice. These efforts include technological progress in 3D-printed constructs, defining the benefits of this technology to obtain approval from insurance companies and other gatekeepers, and working with the FDA to identify regulatory mechanisms for this technology.
Dr. David Zopf
Dr. David Zopf is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and an Affiliate Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan.
He leads medical device development and tissue engineering for several applications within the field of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Zopf has designed and patented several medical devices. He has designed, manufactured, and validated numerous High Fidelity Surgical Simulators and built educational curriculum around these valuable tools. Dr. Zopf has piloted educational courses at University of Michigan, National Courses, and International courses. A goal is to provide these tools for global outreach to provide improved learning opportunities for local physicians in low resource countries. He has delivered these tools through educational opportunities to Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, India, rural Australia, Ethopia, and Haiti.
His other research interests include pediatric congenital and craniofacial malformations, craniofacial cartilage tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Zopf received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, completed his residency in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Michigan, and completed a Fellowship in Advanced Pediatric Otolaryngology at Seattle Childrens Hospital - University of Washington.
Dr. Payton Schmidt
Payton Schmidt, MD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology, specializing in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, at the University of Michigan. She did her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. She then went on to attend medical school at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, before returning to Ann Arbor. She completed her residency and fellowship training at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and then joined as a faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
As an academician, Dr Schmidt is actively involved in teaching and research. She has won multiple institutional and national awards for her scholarly work in surgical simulation innovation and surgical outcomes. She had been awarded grant funding for innovation in vaginal surgery simulation and teaching. Given her passion for surgical expertise and deliberate practice, she is one of the Surgical Training Co-Directors for the University of Michigan - Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program. In collaboration with Deborah Rooney, PhD, she created the Fundamentals of Vaginal Surgery to help develop and maintain basic vaginal surgical skills.
Dr. Deborah M. Rooney, PhD
Deborah Rooney is a 25+ year expert in the world of medical education and simulation. She founded the 3D innovations Lab at the University of Michigan and is Director of Education and Research at the Michigan Medicine Clinical Simulation Center.
Dr Rooney’s dedication to medical and surgical education has been recognized as an affiliate member of the Master Surgeon Educators by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Dr Rooney continues to contribute to the medical education field via a number of academic societies, including American College of Surgeons and Society for Simulation in Healthcare. She also is involved in surgical simulation research and education globally, working with groups in multiple African countries. Her research targets simulation based curricula and assessment development, and novel simulation validation.
Dr. Kyle VanKoevering
Dr. VanKoevering is an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at The Ohio State University and serves as a member of the North American Skull Base Society. He is an accomplished author with over 20 articles in such peer-reviewed publications as Annals of Surgical Oncology and Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences.
Dr. VanKoevering completed Medical school at the University of Virginia in 2012, his residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Michigan in 2017, and his fellowship Otolaryngology-Skull Base Surgery Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University, 2018.
Dr. VanKoevering has broad experience in the application of 3D Printing for diagnostic and surgical applications, having played a key role in several groundbreaking and novel uses of additive manufacturing in medicine. His work continues in this field while he continues to provide excellent care and leadership at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Owen Tien
Owen is the founder of Thingsmiths, Michigan’s first retail 3D Printing company. His work seeks to democratize manufacturing and industrial design. In his work with a wide range of customers, from the big three automobile manufacturers, medical researchers, or the napkin sketch entrepreneur, his company has been enabling creativity and executing on its customer's vision for five years. In his 7 years as CEO, Owen guided the company through continuous growth and improved product offerings.
Owen specializes in customer service techniques for complex offerings, believing that technology even when complex should be accessible, and that every individual has an idea that can be seen through to fruition. Owen leads our day to day business operations.