Interesting story about a Canadian man suffering from cystic fibrosis who patented a device that helps him breath. His patents for a “chest vibrating device” include US7416536 (B2) and CA2563723 (C).

Medical devices are a bit more challenging to commercialize because they require the approval of various government agencies. In this case, Health Canada approved the device late last year, almost ten years after the first patent application and four years after the US patent was granted.