24 FOCUS - JUNE 2017 Developing an innovative product for a multi-billion dollar indus- try demands equal parts imagination, determination, and true grit. Most often, such revolutionary creations are born in corporate Research & Development Departments, the progeny of generous budgets and abundant personnel. Michael and Brodie Stanfield didn’t have an R&D Department at their disposal. Instead, they had their fam- ily’s basement. However, the father and son team had elements equally necessary for success: a brilliant concept and boundless determination to bring it to life. Ten years later, that concept is finally poised to come to market. Its genesis grew from otherwise trivial circumstances. Both father and son enjoyed video games, and one night’s session – the “Halo” role-playing game saw the pair battling jointly against alien forces – produced a shattering on-screen explosion. “A small vibration went through our controllers,” Michael remem- bers. “Something was miss- ing to really bring the game to life… we both knew it.” Their shared reaction generated spirited discussion. But rather than ending by dismissing or cursing the absent element, Michael and Brodie repaired to the base- ment determined to resolve the deficiency. “We weren’t afraid to tear apart and rebuild our gam- ing equipment,” Michael says. “We created a schematic and went from there.” The pair envisioned a body suit which would transmit sensory impulses from the game console to the wearer’s body in addition to enhanced sound quality. Feeling re- verberatingshockwavesandexperiencingsuperioraudio would, they agreed, supply that missing “something.” Brodie pursued greater knowledge academically. His undergrad degree, from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), specialized in Game Development Entrepreneurship and Marketing. Michael, a father of four, already had twin careers as a Firefighter Captain and providing related instruction through a training company. His professional experi- ences translated well to the fledgling enterprise. “Each fire requires you to evaluate and allocate your resources, then execute a plan.” Michael and Brodie quickly adapted to unique roles in ARAIG As Real As It Gets