Ultrasonic piezo transducers can be used in a wide variety of applications, including medical devices. Because there is no one-size-fits-all solution, transducer manufacturers need to provide flexibility in materials and mechanical design.

Stainless steel in its different varieties, including 304, 316, 316L, and others, is the material that forms the backbone of the medical device industry. However, other metals are important and are becoming even more so. That’s because as science progresses, it also pushes the boundaries of metallurgy — clearing the way for both the creation of new applications and the use of more specialty metals for components in medical devices.¹

Staying competitive calls for medical equipment OEMs to constantly keep pace with the speed of innovation. Better medical treatment and care can be achieved with fast, accurate results from advanced imaging applications such as CT scanning and MRI that process and analyze large amounts of data, requiring developers to build devices that deliver ever-increasing computing performance. Supporting this demand, high-performance embedded computing platforms that use the latest faster and more efficient processors are essential in helping OEMs keep up with these enhanced performance requirements.

FDA’s introduction to its rules for medical device regulation states: “Medical devices are classified into Class I, II, and III. Regulatory control increases from Class I to Class III. The device classification regulation defines the regulatory requirements for a general device type. Most Class I devices are exempt from Premarket Notification 510(k); most Class II devices require Premarket Notification 510(k); and most Class III devices require Premarket Approval.”¹

The medical device industry, driven by innovation and new technologies, has become one of the biggest markets in healthcare. The explosion in sophistication and application of devices makes it possible to help improve human health in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Over the last decade, this unprecedented growth has resulted in the development of state-of-the-art health and medical instruments that range from simple tongue depressors and bedpans to complex programmable pacemakers with microchip technology and laser surgical devices.

Surface mount solid tantalum capacitors are a well-established technology and have been broadly employed in medical devices for decades. There are many reasons to choose tantalum, including their inherent reliability, self-healing capabilities, absence of any known wear-out mechanism, and their ability to pack the highest capacitance values into the smallest case sizes. This article describes the differences between ceramic and tantalum technologies, as well as the different design approaches for commercial and medical-grade capacitors.

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa, Israel
www.technion.ac.il

Researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Germany have demonstrated for the first time the phenomena of shape memory and self-healing in gold micro-particles. Achieved through defects-mediated diffusion in the particle, the discovery could one day lead to the development of micro- and nanorobots capable of self-repair, mechanically stable and damage-tolerant components and devices, and targeted drug delivery.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been described as the interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data. This article takes IoT one step further and explores this connected world as the Identification of Things. The progression from two-dimensional (2D) UPC codes to a radio-frequency identification (RFID) EPC code is equivalent to putting barcodes on steroids. PaladinID calls these RFID EPC codes smart codes, and here’s why. RFID technology is now beginning to advance the efficacy of medical devices as never before.

A revolution is upon us. Dispense pump technology innovation is quickly bringing improved accuracy, capability, and versatility to medical device manufacturers. This revolution not only opens the doors to creating production processes that were once unimaginable, but also increases the scope of chemistries that manufacturers can consider for these applications. The end result? Greater flexibility in achieving accurate results for small deposits of fluid with the option to choose rapid curing adhesives that reduce work in progress while improving bond strength.

For years, anatomical models have played important roles in hospitals and healthcare facilities. From educational aids to practice dummies, these models serve many functions for patients, students, and medical professionals. Producing them isn’t always an easy process though, as designers and engineers balance the need for accurate, aesthetic models with the demand for quick deliveries and production. Not to mention that the customized nature of models — they are representations of patients’ unique body parts and organs, after all — means they can be cost-prohibitive to build in low volumes via traditional manufacturing methods. But 3D printing helps overcome those challenges.