I am seeing a lot of stories in the medical press about new developments in diagnostic devices and point-of-care analytical systems. New microfluidic devices seem to be announced regularly. Imagine a future whereby you could deposit a small sample of your own blood or urine onto a microfluidic slide, insert it into a reader attached […]
The Leading Edge of Medical Device Design 07/06/2017
The PocketECG system from MEDICALgorithmics is a good example of where medical device design is headed. The PocketECG is essentially a Holter monitor combined with a physical activity tracker. What is significant is that, with data being collected on both heart rhythm and physical activity, it allows correlates to be established that can provide a more […]
From the Safety of Your Own Home 06/21/2017
Will visits to the doctor’s office be a thing of the past? In late 2016, TytoCare received FDA clearance for its device that enables physical examinations to be done remotely. From their press release: “TytoCare’s modular exam tools and fully integrated telehealth platform enable a remote examination of the heart, lungs, heart rate, temperature, throat, skin […]
Accuracy of Medical Wearables 06/14/2017
A story at Medgadget presages an issue that is going to be of increasing concern for health and medical wearable devices. It appears that some approved devices now on the market are not as accurate in detecting physical events as initial testing had indicated. FDA approval was granted based on study test results, but now […]
Hearables 06/07/2017
Wearable technology has advanced quickly in just the few years that it has come to be known as a category. The next wave in this progression is going to come from smart technology that uses the ear as its interface. Valencell is a company that is pioneering advancement in biometric sensors. Their newsletter pointed me to […]
Outer Space, Inner Space 05/31/2017
One of the biggest problems with catheters is that they get clogged with biomaterial after a time, requiring intervention to replace the catheter. Researchers at Purdue University are looking at a way to use a magnetically-powered device to clear implanted drainage catheters. They have been able to place a device inside the lumen of a […]
Graphene Hope Springs Eternal 05/18/2017
One of the potential uses for graphene – the super-material that has yet to live up to its promises – is as a capacitor for storing electrical energy. I wrote back in 2013 about Ric Kaner’s lab at UCLA being able to produce sheets of graphene flakes. They found that the material could quickly gain […]
Hacking the Brain 05/11/2017
The past several years has seen a new emphasis on medical and scientific research delving into how our minds work. As we learn more about the brain and become adept at translating the electrical impulses that characterize thought patterns, we will see more and more interfaces that use thought to manipulate computers and machines. This […]
Hydrogels in Medical Device Development 04/26/2017
I have predicted that hydrogels are going to be a significant topic in medical device development in 2017, and recent news out of Duke University supports this. Duke researchers have been able to develop a “double-network” hydrogel that combines two different hydrogel materials and can be formed to shape using a 3D printer. Significantly, the material […]
Starting a Medical Device Company 04/19/2017
Follow the highlighted link to a good article from Medical Design & Outsourcing that explains some of the critical things a start-up medical device company should be aware of. Designing, developing, and bringing a medical device to market is a complex undertaking. Both the design process and the means of production are regulated to ensure […]