Teleflex Medical OEM, Gurnee, IL, has developed a new suture technology that transitions from round suture to a flat braid center segment and back to round suture. The Force Fiber Fusion™ Suture has a broader footprint and offers a more uniform distribution of pressure than similar suture. This may reduce tissue strangulation and a “cutting effect” in applications where tissue pull-through may be a concern.

Researchers have fabricated an artificial device reproducing a 1:1 scale model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the anatomical and functional structure that protects the central nervous system from external substances, such as contaminants, but also drugs when they are injected intravenously into the body. The device, which is a combination of artificial and biological components, will be fundamental for studying new therapeutic strategies to overcome blood-brain barrier and treat brain diseases, such as tumors.

A team of engineers and physicians has developed a wearable, noninvasive system to monitor electrical activity in the stomach over 24 hours — essentially an electrocardiogram but for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Engineers have for the first time demonstrated that wood can be directly converted into a carbon sponge capable of withstanding repeated compression and other extreme mechanical conditions. The new sponge can be used in various applications including electronic devices and sensors. The wood carbon sponge overcomes several limiting factors of other lightweight, compressible carbon sponges because it is simpler, less expensive, and more sustainable to produce.

Researchers have created a mobile version of the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the gold standard technique used to detect the presence of an antibody or antigen. Instead of sending patients to a laboratory, new cell phone-based technology allows for the very same test to be conducted in the doctor’s office, clinic, or even in a remote area.

Development of a theoretical basis for ultrahigh piezoelectricity in ferroelectric materials has led to a new material with twice the piezo response of any existing commercial ferroelectric ceramics.

Engineers have developed a thin, lightweight, rubber-like adhesive film that can stick to highly deformable regions of the body, such as the knee and elbow, and maintain its hold even after 100 bending cycles. The key to the film’s clinginess is a pattern of slits that the researchers have cut into the film, similar to the cuts made in a paper-folding art form known as kirigami.

An increase of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, the growing sector of people 65 and older, improved access to healthcare in developing countries, coupled with strict reporting guidelines, demand new infection-prevention methods for overburdened healthcare environments. In addition, the HHS 2020 HAI reduction targets pose an opportunity for medical device OEMs to add value to their products by providing a non-chemical means to combat infections. Integrating deep UV LEDs offer healthcare OEMs the ability to address these market challenges with proven technology that reaches beyond traditional surface wipe protocols.

NuTec Tooling Solution has released the compiled results of its first annual Industrial Automation Impact Survey conducted at the end of 2017. The survey evaluated the degree to which industrial automation has influenced production, purchasing habits, and future strategies using feedback from plant managers, operators, and engineers.

​​​Many medical devices begin their lifecycles designed for low-volume manufacturing. But successful scaling to a high-volume process requires foresight and planning to reap the benefits of automation. Follow these important guidelines during initial product design to make the transition faster and less expensive.​​