Features

MD&M West Show Preview

Previously known as Informa Markets Engineering (IME) West, hosting five co-located shows — MD&M West, ATX West, D&M West, Plastec West, and WestPack — these related industry sectors are now merging into a single unified show: MD&M West. The focus of the conference and trade show is not changing. Read on to learn more.

Inside the OEM: Johnson & Johnson MedTech Maintaining Its Edge

Johnson & Johnson continues to advance its leadership in medtech and innovative medicine by focusing on high-growth, high-innovation markets. Recent strategic acquisitions have strengthened its cardiovascular portfolio, contributing to significant sales growth. Read on to learn more about the company, which is well positioned for sustained growth in 2025 and beyond.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Biointeractions' surface-active therapeutic coating for medical devices, AstutePlus®. It's an advanced antithrombogenic designed specifically to stop fibrin sheath formation as well as thrombus formation in blood-contacting devices. Read on to learn more.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including an IEC connector from Schurter; Raltron's series of electromagnetic buzzers; Midwest Interventional Systems' extrusion ordering system; SGS' expanded spray drug-delivery testing capabilities; Prima Power's latest addition to its 2D laser technology portfolio; ANCA's peel grinding platform designed to reduce cycle time; and more.

Product Focus: Motors and Motion Control

See where the product focus is: motors and motion control, including a high-performance linear DC motordriven stage by Moticont; Novotechnik's 44-turn magnetic encoder with IO-Link output interface; a series of motorized elevator stages released by Optimal Engineering Systems; and PI Americas' several new families of motorized linear and rotary stages.

Nanofiber Patch for Psoriasis

Researchers have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases. The dry patch contains active ingredients for treatment of psoriasis reduces the frequency of use to once a day. Read on to learn more.

Bedside Blood Test

A new handheld, sound-based diagnostic system can deliver precise results in an hour with a mere finger prick of blood. The researchers used tiny particles they call functional negative acoustic contrast particles (fNACPs) and a custom-built, handheld instrument or acoustic pipette that delivers sound waves to the blood samples inside. Read on to learn more.

DNA Origami Sensor

A team has developed a general, modular strategy for designing sensors that can be easily adapted to various target molecules and concentration ranges. The new modular sensor has the potential to significantly accelerate the development of new diagnostic tools for research. Read on to learn more.

Device Detects Cancer in An Hour

Researchers have created a portable device that can detect colorectal and prostate cancer more cheaply and quickly than prevailing methods. The team believes the device may be especially helpful in developing countries, which experience higher cancer mortality rates due in part to barriers to medical diagnosis. Read on to learn more.

Toroidal Micro Robot Swims Autonomously

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in soft robotics. Their study introduces the first toroidal, light-driven microrobot that can move autonomously in viscous liquids, such as mucus. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Laser Monitors Brain Blood Flow

Researchers have developed a laser-based device that can be placed on the head to noninvasively monitor changes in brain blood flow and volume. The new device could one day help save lives by offering a direct and simple way to assess stroke risk based on physiological markers rather than indirect markers like lifestyle factors. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor - Bipartisan Legislation Could Fast-Track Breakthrough Medical Devices

The U.S. Senate's bipartisan legislation to expedite Medicare coverage of FDA-breakthrough-designated medical technologies and diagnostic tests could significantly impact the medical device industry and manufacturers, streamlining processes for breakthrough devices, enhancing patient access, and reducing barriers to market entry. Read on to see what Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content, thinks about the matter.

Soft Microelectronics Enable Wearable AI for Digital Health

A research team has introduced a groundbreaking wearable in-sensor computing platform. This platform is built on an emerging microelectronic device, an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), invented explicitly for bioelectronics applications. Read on to learn more about it.

Factors and Requirements for Adhesive Selection in Medical Devices, Part 1

Part 1 of this article examines adhesive bonding of plastics in medical devices. The set of desired properties for medical-grade adhesives ultimately depends upon the specifics of the application and the kind of sterilization process that will be used. Read on to learn more.

2024 Create the Future Design Contest: Honorable Mentions

See the honorable mentions from the 2024 Create the Future Design Contest, including the Vivally System, the only FDA-cleared, closed-loop, athome, noninvasive neuromodulation device system; PyrAmes, a digital health company focused on fundamentally transforming healthcare delivery through continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring that is accurate, wireless, and noninvasive; Battelle's platform for the discovery of novel polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) delivery vehicles; and more.

Innovators in Healthcare: Cancer-Fighting Immunotherapy Wins Grand Prize

The 22nd annual Create the Future Design Contest for engineers, students, and entrepreneurs worldwide, sponsored by COMSOL, Inc., and Mouser Electronics, drew innovative product ideas from engineers and students more than 55 countries from around the world. A competition among the finalists from all categories took place November 15, at which the judges selected NETrolyze: A Novel Immunotherapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer as the grand prize winner.

Contract Manufacturing: Accelerating Product Development

The expertise of CDMs that have dedicated space for innovation are focused on accelerated development cycles, DfM, and the optimal application of materials science for their OEM partners. Read on to learn more.

2024 Create the Future Design Contest: Medical Grand Prize Winner - NETrolyze

Learn more about the 2024 Create the Future Design Contest Medical Grand Prize Winner: NETrolyze, a Novel Immunotherapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Advancing Implantable Medical Device Reliability with Enhanced Laser Joining Technology

Laser joining is essential for creating reliable, high-performance implantable medical devices that enhance patient safety and device longevity. The precise control and reproducibility offered by laser joining, particularly through keyhole management, ensures strong, clean joints with minimal heat affected zones. Read on to learn more.

2024 Create the Future Design Contest: Medical Category Winner - A Smart Contact Lens for Glaucoma Management

Learn more about the 2024 Create the Future Design Contest Medical Category Winner: A Smart Contact Lens for Glaucoma Management.

Product Showcase

See the product showcase, which includes Accumold All-Plastic Molded Cannula technology; Arnold Magnetic Technologies' thin metals and flexible composite solutions; the OmniCure® S2000 Elite; Omnetics’ Nano-D connectors; the Lee Company’s Full Isolation Dual Seal Precision Dispense Pump; and much more.

Medical Podcasts

Listen to some medical podcasts, including one on the transformative journey of drug-delivery devices; one on the drug-delivery innovations that will shape the landscape of drug delivery and improve therapeutic outcomes for patients in the future; one on pens and autoinjectors as drug-delivery options; and one on designing drug-delivery pumps, and, particularly, the drive assembly of modern drug pumps.

Creating a Fabric-Based Touch Sensor

A recent study combines three-dimensional embroidery techniques with machine learning to create a fabric-based sensor that can control electronic devices through touch. Read on to learn more.

Microdisplay Monitors Brain Activity

A thin film that combines an electrode grid and LEDs can both track and produce a visual representation of the brain’s activity in real time. The device is designed to provide neurosurgeons visual information about a patient’s brain to monitor brain states during surgical interventions to remove brain lesions including tumors and epileptic tissue. Read on to learn more.

Biohybrid Robotic Hand Research Platform

Researchers have developed a novel biohybrid neuroprosthetic research platform comprised of a dexterous artificial hand electrically interfaced with biological neural networks. Read on to learn more.

Smart Contact Lens for Glaucoma Detection

Researchers have been testing ways to continuously and more comfortably detect these tiny fluctuations in pressure. A prototype smart contact lens measures eye pressure accurately, regardless of temperature. The contact lens wirelessly transmits real-time signals about eye pressure across a wide range of temperatures. Read on to learn more.

High-Efficiency Hollow-Core Fiber Optic Cable

Researchers have designed a six-hole micro-structure antiresonant air-core fiber (AR-HCF) with a large core diameter of 78 μm. The researchers say it is the first time that 2.79 μm high energy pulsed laser has been transmitted with good efficiency at room temperature. Read on to learn more.

New Process Means Faster 3D Printing

Researchers have developed a printing process that prints strong nonmetallic materials in record time — five times faster than traditional 3D printing. The process, called SWOMP, which stands for Selective dual-wavelength Olefin metathesis 3D printing, uses dual-wavelength light, unlike the traditional printing process. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor - FDA’s Final Rule on LDTs Raises Concerns for Personalized Medicine

Hear directly from Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content, about the FDA's final ruling on LDTs and why that is raising concern.