Features

Advances in Polyimide Tubing for Next-Generation Medical Devices

Minimally invasive and interventional platforms increasingly demand smaller profiles, tighter tolerances, and components that maintain performance under thermal, chemical, and mechanical stress. Polyimide (PI) has emerged as a workhorse within these parameters. Read on to learn why.

Built to Adapt: Rethinking Contract Manufacturing for a New Era

In this Q&A, Brian Semcer, president of MICRO, talks to Medical Design Briefs about how the next generation of contract manufacturers is redefining agility, quality, and partnership in the medical device ecosystem. Read now!

Elevating Antimicrobial Coatings to a New Standard: Introducing Surface-Active Systems

There are two main product ranges: Surface-active therapeutics and surface-active materials. Read on to learn more about them.

OEM Toll Processing Advances High-Value Products

Toll processing (or toll manufacturing) involves a manufacturer processing customer-supplied materials or parts for a predetermined fee. The customer retains ownership of the materials, while the toll provider applies specialized technologies, equipment, and expertise to deliver the finished components. Read on to learn more about it.

Mitigating Leak Failures Using Radial Grinding Equipment

The development of the grinding machine was a complex task, requiring ample hours and engineering trials to complete. Read on to learn more about it and what it can do.

Automation: How Custom Motion Control Transforms Medical Equipment Design

In today’s medical equipment market, reliability is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Every adjustment, every movement, and every interaction with the equipment must be performed flawlessly to ensure patient safety, caregiver efficiency, and long-term service life. Behind this design and precision are highly engineered motion control components. Read on to learn more.

Mitigating Biocompatibility Risks from Material and Supplier Changes in Medical Devices

In this Q&A, Audrey Turley, director of lab operations – biosafety at Nelson Laboratories, spoke with Medical Design Briefs about the critical importance of monitoring and managing material changes in medical devices. Read on!

From The Editor: Charting the Technologies That Will Shape Medtech in 2026

As the medtech ecosystem braces for another year of rapid transformation, the need for clarity, adaptability, and technical depth has never been greater. The Winter 2025 Medical Design Briefs Resource Guide continues our mission to provide expert-driven insights into the components, materials, and manufacturing strategies shaping next-generation devices. Read on to hear more from Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content.

2025 Product of the Year

Voting for Medical Design Briefs’ 2025 Annual Readers’ Choice Product of the Year Awards is now closed. Winners will be announced in the March issue of Medical Design Briefs magazine.

Navigating the Ebb and Flow of the Global Electronics Supply Chain

To better understand both the historical ebb and flow of electronics availability and the outlook for the years ahead, Medical Design Briefs spoke with Ross Valentine, Anal Dharamshi, and Srinivasan Kandaswamy, experts in supply chain and design engineering at Arrow Electronics and its subsidiary eInfochips. Read on for insights that highlight strategies medical OEMs can adopt to balance cost, resilience, and innovation in an increasingly complex supply environment.

Autonomous Surgery: Engineering the Next Generation of Surgical Robots

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University recently demonstrated the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), completing eight consecutive gallbladder removal procedures on ex vivo tissue without human intervention. Medical Design Briefs spoke with Axel Krieger, PhD, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Johns Hopkins and senior author of the study, about the system’s architecture, safeguards, and future applications.

The Promise and Challenge of On-Body Biosensors: A Perspective on Clinical Utility and Commercial Viability in Patient Management

On-body biosensors have crossed the threshold from technological novelty to clinical tool driving medical decisions. The most successful devices share common traits: They provide clinically actionable information, reliably measure rapidly changing biomarkers, account for confounding variables, and utilize established reimbursement pathways. Read on to learn more about them.

MEDevice Silicon Valley, an MD&M Event

Returning to the Santa Clara Convention Center this November, MEDevice Silicon Valley 2025 is where the world’s most forward-looking medtech professionals will gather to exchange ideas, explore new technologies, and accelerate product development. Read on to learn all about it.

AI in Medical Imaging: Diagnostic Challenges and Key Technology Considerations

AI in medical imaging means embracing a paradigm shift from manual, perception-focused interpretation to technology-enabled, data-augmented diagnosis. A balanced approach of high computation with federated learning and generative augmentation could offer tangible benefits. Read on to learn what this means.

Innovators in Healthcare: Spotlight on the Medical Finalist

The 23rd 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 from countries from around the world. The Medical category itself received many innovative entries from 21 countries; this article introduces its finalist.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including TechniQuip's solid-state fiber optic unit for multi-channel fluorescence microscopy and life science applications; PI's expanded piezo stack actuator series with the launch of encapsulated actuators; Turbo Fil's standalone, servocontrolled ceramic vial filler system; and more.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Evonik's clinical-grade version of its recombinant collagen-like protein platform for medical device development. Read on to learn more about it.

Product Focus: Assembly/Manufacturing Equipment

See where the product focus is this month: On assembly/manufacturing equipment, including Air Turbine Technology Inc.'s tools with cutting speeds of 60,000 and 80,000 RPM for Swiss lathes; Nordson EFD's jetting system designed for precision fluid applications in medical device assembly; Right-angle M12 connectors for through-hole reflow soldering are available from Phoenix Contact; and Sunnen Products Company's honing oil for precision machining and medical device manufacturing.

The Impact of Wearables on Healthcare

Listen to the new season of the Medical Design Briefs podcast. These four episodes focus on the impact of wearables on healthcare.

Infant Wearable Uses Artificial Intelligence for At-Home Assessments

During the first two years of life, the motor development of children is monitored closely, as motion is the natural base for their other development and interaction with the environment. Current methods do not allow accurate developmental monitoring throughout early childhood. MAIJU (Motor Assessment of Infants with a Jumpsuit) is designed to solve these problems. Read on to learn more about it.

AI Detects Dizziness, Balance Disorders Remotely

Most current AI models are based on static datasets, limiting their adaptability and real-time diagnostic potential. To address this gap, researchers have developed a novel proof-of-concept deep learning model that leverages real-time data to assist in diagnosing nystagmus — a condition characterized by involuntary, rhythmic eye movements often linked to vestibular or neurological disorders. Read on to learn more.

3D Printed Smart Pen Helps Diagnose Parkinson’s

Researchers have developed a smart, self-powered magnetoelastic pen that could help detect early signs of Parkinson’s by analyzing a person’s handwriting. The highly sensitive diagnostic pen features a soft, silicon magnetoelastic tip and ferrofluid ink — a special liquid containing tiny magnetic particles. Read on to learn more about it.

Noninvasive Optical System for Skin Cancer Diagnosis

A noninvasive imaging system combines two advanced techniques to examine both the structure and chemical composition of skin cancers. This approach could improve how doctors diagnose and classify skin cancer and how they monitor treatment responses. Read on to learn more about it.

Self-Cleaning Sweat Sensors Offer Comfortable Monitoring

Researchers have developed novel ISM-based sweat sensors that feature enhanced signal stability and performance and avoid skin contact, while also being reusable, making them practical for daily use. Read on to learn more.

Technology Makes ‘Shape Memory’ Dental Aligners

Researchers are testing a new technology that incorporates shape memory material for clear plastic dental aligners, an alternative to traditional metal braces. The clear aligners still need to be improved to the point that there are two materials — clear aligners and metal braces — that are as good as each other. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor: Steady Growth, Shifting Pressures in Medtech

The 2025 Pulse of the Medtech Industry report from EY offers a clear snapshot of where the medtech sector stands — and where it’s heading. The primary message is one of a mix of steady growth and mounting pressures. Read on to learn what Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content, thinks about the situation.

3D Printed Diamond–Titanium Device Could Lead to Longer-Lasting Implants

RMIT researchers have created an experimental 3D printed diamond–titanium device that generates electricity from flowing liquid and receives wireless power through tissue making it possible to remotely sense changes in flow. Read on to learn more about it.

The Power of the Plasma Pen

Plasma pens integrated into production lines provide targeted plasma treatments that reduce failure rates by improving adhesion and bonding in various critical applications. Read on to learn more about their powers.

Shaping the Future: Honoring the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Medtech - Debbie Teodorescu

The 2025 Medical Rising Star Award recognizes Dr. Debbie Teodorescu, a physician-engineer whose career bridges patient care and technology development. Read on for a full interview with her.