All articles by antonica jones
antonica jones
The future of implants: smart, electronic implanatables
In 1958, the first pacemaker fully embedded in the human body began its work. No one believed the technique would be a success. But today, in Germany alone, about 130,000 patients each year receive such an implant, giving them a significantly improved quality of life. CEO of IVAM Thomas Dietrich explores the future of this pioneering technology.
Chip off the old block: organs-on-chips
Lined with living human cells, USB-stick-sized organs-on-chips mimic the tissue structures and mechanical motions of human organs, promising to accelerate drug discovery, decrease development costs and reduce animal testing. Natalie Healey speaks to Professor Donald Ingber, founding director of the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, about the impact the device – which recently won Design of the Year – could have on the future of medicine.
Turn a blind eye: building a bionic eye
A novel retinal prosthesis could enable blind patients to see again. Natalie Healey speaks to Robert J Greenberg, chairman of the board at Second Sight, about how one goes about building a bionic eye.
Smart patch: the wearable insulin needle
A tiny wearable insulin patch made from extremely biocompatible materials could have huge impacts on diabetes patients’ quality of life within the next decade. Elly Earls meets the man behind the invention, Zhen Gu, to find out more.
A helping hand: the soft robotic glove
A new robotic glove could soon help people suffering from loss of hand motor control to regain some of their strength. Oliver Hotham speaks to project head Conor Walsh and mechanical engineer Kevin Galloway about how silicone elastomers are helping medical device designers develop products that are more comfortable and can better mimic nature, and what the research means for the business of medical devices.
Cardio scaffolds stand trial at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics is an annual symposium and the world’s largest educational meeting for interventional cardiovascular medicine, bringing together interventional cardiologists, radiologists, vascular surgeons and more to showcase the latest advancements in the field. Held on 11–15 October in San Francisco, GlobalData’s Jennifer Ryan reports from the front lines.
The superelastic solution: nitinol
Since its discovery in the 1960s, the nickel-titanium alloy known as nitinol has been used for its shape-memory properties in the design of components such as thermal actuators. It has since found more widespread use, however, in the biomedical industry. Dr Bernd Vogel from Endosmart explores its advantages and disadvantages in the implant and instrument sector, and looks at the latest research on the material.
Mesh dangers: The health risks of transvaginal meshes
Transvaginal meshes may be a preferable alternative to surgery for some women, but reports of their damaging effects on patients’ health have been worryingly prevalent in recent years. Sophie Peacock speaks to Dr Blayne Welk, a urologist practicing in Canada, about the increasing medico-legal concerns regarding meshes, and whether medical device companies can avoid such regulatory failures in the future.
Regulation and process planning: a package deal
Validation of the packaging process is an important step in ensuring that the machinery used to form, seal and assemble a sterile barrier system is suitable for the task at hand. Putting a robust test plan in place is therefore essential, as this guarantees that the end user receives a sterile device while mitigating the risk of discovering design failures late in the development process. Dan Burgess, principal packaging engineer at Boston Scientific, explains how to most effectively carry such a plan out.
Straight from the source: outsourcing and contract manufacturing
If an OEM chooses to outsource some aspects of its business, it needs to ensure the returned aspect meets the objectives necessary for its success. Jack Sandahl, adjunct professor in the manufacturing operations management programme at the University of Minnesota, and fellow, supplier and materials management at Boston Scientific, explores the current contract manufacturing landscape and shares his five-step process for driving performance excellence.