All articles by Staff Writer
Staff Writer
MGS Unifies Global Expertise with Full Integration of Design & Development Team
Technolution becomes MGS Design & Development, accelerating healthcare innovation for global teams.
Tracking carbon, tracing change
To track and verify embodied emissions through every stage of the supply chain, leading OEMs are piloting blockchain-anchored digital product passports (DPPs). Ellie Philpotts talks to Chris Taylor, sustainability lead for Philips Healthcare, UK and Ireland, and Professor Sabu Thomas of Mahatma Gandhi University, to find out how these immutable records trace material origin, processing emissions, assembly data and end-of-life recycling steps – providing regulators, purchasers and end users with transparent proof of progress towards net-zero targets.
Go with the flow
As medical device manufacturers develop smaller, more accurate diagnostic tools, understanding the capabilities of micropumps has become essential, explains Associate Professor Xiaoyun Ding from the University of Colorado Boulder to Natalie Healey.
Harnessing automation
Automation is revolutionising how medical devices are packaged, driving speed, precision and compliance from factory floor to patient. Emma-Jane Batey speaks to consultant packaging engineer Jan Gates and Dr Ihor Huk, former director of the Vascular Laboratory at the Medical University of Vienna, to find out more.
How smart can it be?
Smart packaging is revolutionising medical device logistics by integrating tamper-evident features, blockchain-based traceability and QR code-enabled user engagement. Jim Banks explores how such innovations are effectively transforming traditional packaging into interactive platforms that bolster security, traceability and user engagement in the medical device industry.
Killer nanopatterns
Medical devices are often treated with chemical coatings, such as silver and copper, to give them antimicrobial properties. While these coatings can work well, they aren’t without risk; for instance, microbes can develop a resistance to them. Inspired by nature, engineered nanopatterned surfaces are a potential alternative, using their physical topography to kill and repel bacteria. Monica Karpinski explores the potential of these surfaces with Professor Elena Ivanova of RMIT University, University College London’s Dr Martyna Michalska and Professor Bo Su of the University of Bristol.
Built to disappear
Custom-tuned polyesters, including PLA, PGA and PLGA copolymers, are being used to form scaffolds and temporary implants that match native tissue mechanics and degrade inside the body, eliminating the need for explant surgery. Monica Karpinski investigates efforts to create reliable, safe and effective resorbable polymer implants, with insight from Associate Professor Reece Oosterbeek, engineering science at the University of Oxford, and Professor Paul Hatton from the University of Sheffield’s School of Clinical Dentistry.
Shape-shifting futures
From self-healing polymers and shape-memory alloys to stimuli-responsive hydrogels, a new generation of materials is redefining what medical devices can achieve. Yet as Sarah Harris explores – with an outlook from Professor Ipsita Roy, deputy director of research and innovation at the University of Sheffield’s School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering – the promise of smart and functional materials will only be realised if the industry can reconcile their unique properties with the demands of sterilisation and mass production.
Additive manufacturing’s expansion
Bioprinting is progressing towards clinical success. Liam Critchley speaks to Professor Jianfeng Zang of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology to explore how additive manufacturing is transforming tissue engineering and personalised implants.
Micromachining matters
Laser micromachining is driving the next generation of minimally invasive medical devices. Liam Critchley speaks to Dr Nazeer Basha of GE Healthcare about how ultrafast lasers are enabling smaller, more precise implants, stents, catheters and diagnostic platforms, and how this technology is shaping the future of surgical innovation and bio-integrated devices.