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Hi everyone! My name is Lianna Genovese, I am a proud 2017 STM Alumni, Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering student at McMaster University and the CEO & Founder of a startup company called ImaginAble Solutions. I have invented an assistive device called Guided Hands™ to enable people with limited fine motor skills in the hand to write, paint and draw as well as type and scroll on a tablet, phoneor a computer! We help people living with ALS, HD, MS, MD, and arthritis as well as people recovering from spinal cord injuries and strokes.
KEY LESSONS I LEARNED:
1. Never let the words of others defeat you
2. Identify your passion, let it become your purpose and one day it will become your profession
3. Know your story and be able to tell it
4. It is okay not to know everything but find people or resources to fill in those gaps
5. “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit but keep moving forward”- Rocky Balboa
MY JOURNEY:
My journey began in 2017 when I met Elissa, a woman living with primary generalized dystonia. She experiences involuntary curling of her fingers, hand and arm fatigue, and limited hand mobility, making holding and using writing utensils impossible. Before her condition worsened, she was a talented painter but now, she cannot grasp a paintbrush. This was a devastating emotional loss that stripped away her passion and creativity. Hearing Elissa’s story inspired me to create the first prototype of Guided Hands™ in my first year at McMaster University.
Fuelled by the passion from my project, I decided to continue my innovation journey in the summer of 2019. I became an undergraduate researcher at McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute. Supported by a strong network of professional engineers and machinists, I applied my hands-on skills to redesign, manufacture and invent our international award-winning product, Guided Hand™.
Immediately, I introduced Guided Hands™ to over 150 patients and medical professionals in hospital clinics, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes and retirement homes. I worked alongside patients to get their input on the design to ensure that all of their needs were met. Guided Hands™ had given the patients hope and happiness as they painted, wrote, colouredand played games on an iPad. The patients had said that Guided Hands™ gave them back their freedom of expression and enhanced their quality of life. As well, Elissa’s passion was reignited as she was finally able to do what she loves once again, painting.
Inspiration struck again in August 2019 when Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, Division Head of the Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Disorders Clinic at McMaster Children’s Hospital, invited me to join Bella, a 12-year-old girl living with Cerebral Palsy at her doctor’s appointment. Armed with paint supplies, I introduced Guided Hands™ to her and as soon as she began painting, a smile of true joy spread across her face. She turned to her mom and said, “Mom I want one” and her mom turned to me and asked, “How much is it?”. At that point, the thought of selling Guided Hands™ had never even crossed my mind. However, with the passion and drive to help more people, at age 19 I created my own company called ImaginAble Solutions.
Today, my team and I continue to grow our company to enable people like Elissa and Bella to live the life they had always imagined!
Contact Info: If someone you love is living with a medical condition that affects their hand mobility please email me, I would love to chat and see how Guided HandsTM can help them!
Lianna Genovese
[email protected]
KEY LESSONS I LEARNED:
1. Never let the words of others defeat you
2. Identify your passion, let it become your purpose and one day it will become your profession
3. Know your story and be able to tell it
4. It is okay not to know everything but find people or resources to fill in those gaps
5. “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit but keep moving forward”- Rocky Balboa
MY JOURNEY:
My journey began in 2017 when I met Elissa, a woman living with primary generalized dystonia. She experiences involuntary curling of her fingers, hand and arm fatigue, and limited hand mobility, making holding and using writing utensils impossible. Before her condition worsened, she was a talented painter but now, she cannot grasp a paintbrush. This was a devastating emotional loss that stripped away her passion and creativity. Hearing Elissa’s story inspired me to create the first prototype of Guided Hands™ in my first year at McMaster University.
Fuelled by the passion from my project, I decided to continue my innovation journey in the summer of 2019. I became an undergraduate researcher at McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute. Supported by a strong network of professional engineers and machinists, I applied my hands-on skills to redesign, manufacture and invent our international award-winning product, Guided Hand™.
Immediately, I introduced Guided Hands™ to over 150 patients and medical professionals in hospital clinics, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes and retirement homes. I worked alongside patients to get their input on the design to ensure that all of their needs were met. Guided Hands™ had given the patients hope and happiness as they painted, wrote, colouredand played games on an iPad. The patients had said that Guided Hands™ gave them back their freedom of expression and enhanced their quality of life. As well, Elissa’s passion was reignited as she was finally able to do what she loves once again, painting.
Inspiration struck again in August 2019 when Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, Division Head of the Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Disorders Clinic at McMaster Children’s Hospital, invited me to join Bella, a 12-year-old girl living with Cerebral Palsy at her doctor’s appointment. Armed with paint supplies, I introduced Guided Hands™ to her and as soon as she began painting, a smile of true joy spread across her face. She turned to her mom and said, “Mom I want one” and her mom turned to me and asked, “How much is it?”. At that point, the thought of selling Guided Hands™ had never even crossed my mind. However, with the passion and drive to help more people, at age 19 I created my own company called ImaginAble Solutions.
Today, my team and I continue to grow our company to enable people like Elissa and Bella to live the life they had always imagined!
Contact Info: If someone you love is living with a medical condition that affects their hand mobility please email me, I would love to chat and see how Guided HandsTM can help them!
Lianna Genovese
[email protected]
