BlackWind Technologies is the advisory practice of Dimitri Chernyak, Ph.D. For 25 years he has taken ophthalmic and photonics devices from first prototype to FDA and CE Mark, and helped acquirers see what lies beneath a deal.
Move across the eye to see the wavefrontTouch the eye to see the wavefront
25+
Years in medtech R&D
13
Issued U.S. patents
$20M
Acquisition diligence led
$10.1M
Venture capital raised
FDA / CE MARK / MDSAP / ISO 13485
Where BlackWind helps
Each practice comes from work Dimitri has led himself — inside Abbott, Johnson & Johnson Vision and VISX, and as chief executive of a venture-backed device company.Built on work Dimitri led himself — at Abbott, J&J Vision, VISX and as a medtech CEO.
New medical product development
From proof of concept to commercialization
Most device programs lose time between a working prototype and a product that can be certified, built and supported in the field. BlackWind helps teams make the decisions that shorten that path.
Feasibility review and technology roadmap
System architecture for opto-electro-mechanical and software devices
Design controls, DHF and V&V strategy (ISO 13485, FDA QMSR)
Risk management and usability (ISO 14971, IEC 62366)
Regulatory pathway for FDA, CE Mark and MDSAP
Design transfer, in-house manufacturing, field reliability
Fractional VP Engineering or COO leadership
OutcomeBuilding a practical strategy to achieve a faster go-to-market.
Technical due diligence for M&A
An independent engineering view before you sign
Financial and legal diligence can't tell you whether a technology works, can be cleared, or can be manufactured at scale. BlackWind gives acquirers and investors a clear technical answer.
Technology maturity and product readiness
Design history, quality system and regulatory status
Software, algorithms and cybersecurity posture
IP position and real technical differentiation
Manufacturability, supply chain and cost of goods
R&D team capability and key-person risk
Realism of roadmap, timeline and budget
Technical Feasibility & Risk Mitigation
DeliverableA written report with red flags, a risk matrix, and the cost and time to close each gap.
Ophthalmic devices
Opto-electro-mechanical and software systems
Refractive lasers, aberrometers and imaging systems combine precision optics, mechanics, electronics and software. Dimitri has built them for two decades.
Excimer and femtosecond refractive surgery systems
Wavefront aberrometry and optical modeling
Eye tracking, iris registration, image processing
Corneal biomechanics and Brillouin imaging
Pre-clinical and clinical studies with physicians
Technology landscape and partnership assessment
OutcomeSpecialist depth that generalist consultancies rarely have.
Along the whole optical path
Hands-on experience with the systems that measure the eye and the systems that treat it.
Refractive laser surgery
Wavefront-guided procedures, ablation algorithms and energy calibration for the STAR S4 IR.
Iris registration & eye tracking
Cyclotorsional tracking and registration methods, protected by issued U.S. patents.
Corneal biomechanics
The Brillouin-based BOSS platform, from prototype to CE Mark, launch and FDA clearance.
Diagnostic workstations
Next-generation refractive diagnostic workstation development at AMO.
Wavefront aberrometry
Fourier reconstruction methods used in the iDesign and WaveScan platforms.
Optical modeling
Ablation, laser-delivery and custom-lens aberration models, published in JOSA A and Applied Optics.
Two decades of ophthalmic systems at
VISX / AMO / Abbott Medical Optics / Johnson & Johnson Vision / Intelon Optics
How engagements work
From a single expert conversation to ongoing technical leadership. Fees are agreed per engagement.
Format
Best for
Scope
Advisory session
A focused question or a second opinion
1–2 hours, remote
Project
A defined deliverable: assessment, architecture, V&V plan
Fixed scope and timeline
Due diligence
A pre-deal technical assessment
Typically 2–4 weeks, written report
Fractional leadership
Ongoing VP Engineering, CTO or COO support
Monthly retainer
Every engagement can be covered by an NDA from the first detailed conversation.
From first call to results
Intro call15 minutes, free of charge. Your situation and what a good outcome looks like.
ProposalScope, deliverables, timeline and fee in writing.
The workHands-on, alongside your team, with regular check-ins.
ResultsFindings and recommendations you can act on immediately.
An NDA can be in place from the first detailed conversation.
From first call to results
What happens after you book a call.
Dimitri Chernyak, Ph.D.
Founder, BlackWind Technologies
Ph.D. in vision science (UC Berkeley), then two decades building refractive surgery and diagnostic systems at VISX, AMO, Abbott and J&J Vision. Since 2017 he has led Intelon Optics as VP Engineering, CEO and COO, and advises medtech startups as a Scientific Advisor and Board Member.
Dimitri earned a Ph.D. in vision science at UC Berkeley and spent the next two decades building refractive surgery and diagnostic systems at VISX, AMO, Abbott and Johnson & Johnson Vision.
Since 2017 he has led Intelon Optics as VP Engineering, CEO and COO, taking a novel imaging platform through certification, financing and commercial launch. He has also served as a Scientific Advisor and Board Member to multiple medtech startups, providing strategic guidance across technology development, clinical translation, and commercialization.
BlackWind brings that range — from algorithm to boardroom — to companies and investors who need a senior technical partner.
Education
Ph.D., Vision ScienceUC Berkeley
M.S., Cognitive and Neural SystemsBoston University
B.S., Mathematics and BiologyBrandeis University
Research
13 issued U.S. patentsplus U.S. and international filings
Peer-reviewed publicationsIEEE TBME, JOSA A, Applied Optics, IOVS, JCRS
