As we look back on the medtech developments of 2015 there’s definitely a sense that we’re living through revolutionary times. Nearly every day exciting and fascinating technologies are being unveiled by small and large companies, universities, and even tiny independent groups. Empowered by high-powered computers, 3D printers, and other technologies, researchers, scientists, and engineers are coming up with novel solutions to age-old medical problems. Everything from treating gunshot wounds to how fetuses inside the womb are monitored is going through change thanks to technologies developed by thousands of independent minds around the world.
• Manage all product design and development functions from conceptual design through to successful product launch.
• Develop and design products to conform to customer requirements and specifications, within time constraints and budgets.
• Provide design support at all stages of the design process, and resolve any design issues that arise.
• Use engineering tools, including 3D modeling software and other basic analysis tools, to produce models of parts and assemblies for initial design reviews.
• Produce engineering drawings of parts
• Liaise with vendors to produce injection moulding and vacuum casting prototypes. Keep in regular contact to ensure feasibility of product concepts and to make changes to suit manufacturing where necessary.
Hospital rooms beep and flash with many devices that are increasingly getting infected with malware (see “Computer Viruses Are ‘Rampant’ on Medical Devices in Hospitals”). But for several reasons, these gadgets are often incompatible with commercial security software.
Now, new technology developed by academic researchers could catch most malware on the devices just by noting subtle changes in their power consumption. This could give hospitals a quick way to spot equipment with dangerous vulnerabilities and take the machines offline. The technology could also apply to computer workstations used in industrial control settings such as power plants.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could control your PC with your brain? Well, this sort of thing may be closer than you think.
Brain-computer interfaces that can translate thoughts into actions will change how stroke patients, paraplegics and other people with limited mobility interact with their surroundings. But so far, these devices have involved bulky corded equipment inside research labs, requiring patients to be tethered to a computer. Now researchers at Brown University have built the first wireless version. Like a cellphone embedded in the brain, their new implantable brain sensor can relay broadband signals in real time from up to 100 neurons
A handheld optical scanner to detect skin cancer, “bladeless” cataract surgery, and an amazing new headache treatment are among the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2013 selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic scientists and researchers.
A surprising government program also made the list, unveiled at the clinic’s Medical Innovation Summit. To qualify, a breakthrough had to offer a major improvement in patient care, have a high probability of success, and must either be on the market now or be close to being introduced.
Here’s a look at the remarkable therapies and game-changing technologies expected to dramatically reshape healthcare—and save lives—over the next year:
FDA reviewers expressed concern over the long-term safety of what could be the first retinal prosthesis device despite evidence that it helps improve the vision of some nearly blind patients.
Members of the FDA’s Medical Devices Advisory Committee will vote Friday on whether to recommend approval of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis device. Members of the ophthalmic panel also will discuss and recommend possible post-approval study requirements should the device ultimately gain FDA clearance.
The Argus II is designed for use by patients with severe to profound retinitis pigmentosa, who experience progressive vision loss, often leading to blindness.
