New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including a new reciprocating head for medical tubing from Guill Tool; EpoxySet's state-of-the-art UV adhesives, the UV-8675, specifically designed for bonding PVC tubing in medical devices; Mahr Inc.'s expanded length measurement product line; Zeus' latest addition to its StreamLiner series of ultra-thin-walled catheter liners; and more.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on a thin film that combines an electrode grid and LEDs and can both track and produce a visual representation of the brain’s activity in real-time during surgery; one on an implantable piezoelectric ultrasound stimulator (ImPULS) that generates an ultrasonic focal pressure of 100 kPa to modulate the activity of neurons; one on AiSee, an AI-powered ‘eye’ for visually impaired people to ‘see’ objects; and more.

Boston Scientific Improves Cardiac Monitoring Component with Heimatec Speeders

Boston Scientific is a market leader in pacemakers, defibrillators, monitoring equipment, spinal and brain stimulation, stents, catheters, and ablation devices. Read on to learn how the company improved upon cardiac monitoring.

Low-Cost Laparoscope Designed for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Despite its advantages, laparoscopic surgery remains largely inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to the high cost of equipment and other logistical challenges. To bridge this gap, researchers recently developed the KeyScope, an affordable laparoscope designed specifically for LMICs. Read on to learn more.

Laser-Made, Ultra-Thin Material Enables Precise, Self-Powered Tracking of Healing Wounds

A major challenge in self-powered wearable sensors for healthcare monitoring is distinguishing different signals when they occur at the same time. Researchers from Penn State and China’s Hebei University of Technology addressed this issue by uncovering a new property of a sensor material. Read on to learn more about it.

Smart Textile Senses Light, Pressure, Smell, and Even Taste

Researchers have developed a multifunctional sensor based on semiconductor fibers that emulates the five human senses. The technology developed in the study is expected to be utilized in fields such as wearables, Internet of Things (IoT), electronic devices, and soft robotics. Read on to learn more.

Diagnostic Kit Provides Early Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer

A research team led by Dr. Youngdo Jeong of the Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition the Korea Institute of Science and Technology has developed a urine-based diagnostic kit for bladder cancer that can be conveniently used at home. This kit can accurately detect bladder cancer biomarkers without any preprocessing of urine samples. Read on to learn more.

Bioprinting Method Replicates Heart Tissues

Researchers at University of Galway have developed a way of bioprinting tissues that change shape as a result of cell-generated forces, in the same way that it happens in biological tissues during organ development. The breakthrough science focused on replicating heart tissues, bringing research closer to generating functional, bioprinted organs. Read on to learn more.

Multifunctional Biomedical Robot for Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment

Researchers have successfully developed what they believe is the world’s smallest multifunctional biomedical robots. Capable of imaging, high-precision motion, and multifunctional operations like sampling, drug delivery, and laser ablation, the robot offers competitive imaging performance and a tenfold improvement in obstacle detection. Read on to learn more.

Soft, Bioelectronic Sensor Implant Monitors Brain

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and New York’s Columbia University have embedded transistors in a soft, conformable material to create a biocompatible sensor implant that monitors neurological functions through successive phases of a patient’s development. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor - The 2024 Product of the Year

In December, we asked Medical Design Briefs readers to cast their ballot to choose from our eight Products of the Month the technology they felt was the most significant new introduction to the design engineering community in 2024. Here is the winner of the 2024 Medical Design Briefs’ Readers’ Choice Product of the Year. Read on to learn more.

Proof of Life: The Rapid Evolution of Biosensors for Fitness, Health, and Wellness

While smartwatches and fitness trackers have paved the way, upcoming innovations in hearables (earbuds that monitor health), augmented reality glasses, smart patches and smart clothing will push the boundaries of what biosensors can do. As demand for these devices increases, the focus will shift to making them more energy-efficient, secure, and even more embedded in daily life. Read on to learn more.

Streamlining Medtech Manufacturing with Effective Communication

Manufacturing engineers tend to focus on new machinery and ways to maximize production lines. Improving communication can also increase efficiency and reduce costly and dangerous mistakes. Good communication becomes more critical as the medical device manufacturing industry grows increasingly complex with the addition of robotics and automation. Read on to learn more.

Sensitive Ceramics for Robotics, Prosthetics

Researchers are developing soft sensor materials based on ceramics. Such sensors can feel temperature, strain, pressure, or humidity, for instance, which makes them interesting for use in medicine, but also in the field of soft robotics. Read on to learn more.

Optical Biosensor Detects Monkeypox Virus

Researchers have developed an optical biosensor that can rapidly detect monkeypox, the virus that causes mpox. The technology could allow clinicians to diagnose the disease at the point of care rather than wait for lab results. Read on to learn more.

E-Tattoo Reads Brainwaves

A conductive ink can be printed directly on the surface of a patient’s head and measure their brainwaves. These e-tattoos serve as the sensors for electroencephalography (EEG), a medical test that measures the brain’s electrical activity. EEG can help diagnose and monitor brain tumors, sleep disorders and other brain issues. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Ultrasound Tech for Muscle Monitoring

Engineers have developed a wearable ultrasound device that can provide long-term, wireless monitoring of muscle activity with potential applications in healthcare and human-machine interfaces. Designed to stick to the skin with a layer of adhesive and powered by a battery, the device enables high-resolution tracking of muscle function without invasive procedures. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Device Combines Multiple Sensors

A new device aims to detect acute exacerbations of chronic conditions. The wearable monitoring device contains multiple types of sensors, enabling faster and more accurate detection of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease and other inflammatory disorders. Read on to learn more about it.

Device Generates Electricity from Air

Researchers have developed a new method to pull moisture from the air and turn that water into electricity. The paper-based wearable device provides sustained high-efficiency power output through moisture capture. Read on to learn more about it.

Women Pioneers in Medtech: Innovators Who Have Transformed Healthcare

This article highlights four remarkable women — Dr. Patricia Bath, Rosalind Franklin, Dr. Helen Free, and Dr. Marie Curie — whose pioneering work has shaped modern medicine and continues to inspire future generations. Read on to learn more about them.

FDA Approves Medtronic's Adaptive DBS System for Parkinson's

FDA has approved Medtronic’s BrainSense™ Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) and BrainSense™ Electrode Identifier (EI) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Medtronic...

Panther Life Sciences Partners with BioForge to Accelerate Development and Manufacturing of Microarray Patches

Panther Life Sciences, which develops shelf-stable treatments to deliver better health for all, has formed a strategic alliance...

Cardiology

In 1952, what device was successfully implanted in a human, making medical history?

Mass 3D Printing in Space for the First Time

Auxilium Biotechnologies has successfully deployed its 3D bioprinter aboard the ISS. The platform is the first of its kind, making history by printing eight implantable medical devices simultaneously in just two hours.

Qosina Announces Collaboration with B. Braun

Qosina, a distributor of medical components, has announced a collaboration with B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun), a developer of smart infusion therapy and pain management. B. Braun customers can...

Intricon Announces Expansion to Boost Production

Intricon Corporation, developer and manufacturer of some of the world’s smallest, smartest medical devices powered by microelectronics, has announced a significant expansion at its St....

Insights into the State of the Plastics Processing Industry

In a time of evolving challenges and uncertainties, understanding the plastics marketplace has never been more critical for company leaders. A clear grasp of the industry’s current...

MMT to Showcase Catheter and Guidewire Manufacturing Solutions

Medical Manufacturing Technologies (MMT) (Booths #2701 and #2808) is showcasing its automation, catheter, and guidewire manufacturing technologies at MD&M West. The company...