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Proof of principle

The step that decides whether the idea works at all. We take the core mechanism to the bench and test it until the physics either holds or does not.

When a proof of principle is the right step

After a concept is chosen and before a full prototype. The one mechanism the whole device depends on is tested on the bench.

  • Prove the core mechanism

    The physics or chemistry the device relies on is tested with the simplest rig that answers the question.

  • De-risk before you raise

    Investors and grant bodies ask if the core works. Bench data answers that before capital is committed.

  • Find the real numbers

    Measured values replace assumptions, so later requirements can each carry a number that was tested.

What you bring, and what you get back

You bring

  • The chosen concept and why it was chosen
  • The mechanism you believe will work, and your evidence
  • Target values, even rough ones
  • Any earlier test data, papers or lab notes
  • The decision the result must support

You get back

  • A written test question and pass criteria, set before testing
  • A bench rig built to answer that question
  • Test data, with the method recorded
  • A plain reading of what the data shows and does not show
  • Measured values to carry into the requirements
  • The risks still open, and a recommendation for the next step

A proof of principle is not a prototype

ONE QUESTIONMANY QUESTIONSProof of principleOne mechanismSimplest rigAny shape or sizePrototype / MVPThe whole deviceWorks end to endRough finishVerified designDesign outputsTested against inputsUnder design controlsThis serviceEvidence for the regulatory file

A proof of principle answers one question: does the core mechanism work. The rig can look nothing like the device. That keeps it quick and cheap to change. Its data guides the design, but it is not design verification, which tests the finished design against its inputs.

How a proof of principle works

  1. Step 1

    Frame the question

    The one thing the result must show, and the pass criteria, written before any build.

  2. Step 2

    Design the rig

    The simplest mechanical and electronic set-up that can answer the question.

  3. Step 3

    Build it

    Parts are made or bought, and the rig is assembled and checked.

  4. Step 4

    Test and record

    Tests run to a written method, and every result is recorded, including failures.

  5. Step 5

    Read the results

    What the data shows, what it does not show, and how sure we are.

  6. Step 6

    Decide the next step

    Move to a prototype, change the concept, or stop.

Questions researchers and founders ask

Is a proof of principle the same as a prototype?

No. It tests one mechanism, often on a rig that looks nothing like the device. A prototype or MVP brings the parts together into a working whole.

Can the results go into the regulatory file?

They support design inputs and the risk analysis. Design verification is done later, on the design as specified, to a written protocol.

Which risk should the proof address first?

The one that would stop the project if it failed. ISO 14971 risk analysis can start here, and the open risks carry into the next stage.

What if the mechanism does not work?

Then you learn it on a rig, not on a finished device. The result often points to a changed concept rather than a dead end.

An engineer soldering a circuit board under a magnifier

Bench, design office and labs together

Our design office, labs and assembly are in Navi Mumbai, so the engineers who design a rig are the ones who build it and read its results.

Our quality system · About us

Devices we have worked on

We name the type of device, not the client. Client work stays confidential. See every device type.

Run under an ISO 13485:2016 quality system certified by TÜV SÜD, certificate 99 400 00046. What it covers.

Not quite you?

Where this sits

  1. 01Co-Innovate
  2. 02Co-Design & Develop
  3. 03Co-Manufacturing
  4. 04Co-Commercialize
  5. +Co-Invest

Also in Co-Innovate

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