Designing Medical Devices with the Future in Mind

Gavin Braithwaite, CEO of Cambridge Polymer Group, said that designers must take a next-generation mindset when developing devices. Braithwaite is set to host a session titled Don’t Develop Your Device Twice: Planning for the Next Generation, and the Next, and the Next….” at MEDevice Boston.

Designing Medical Devices for the Human Touch

Human factors engineering is a critical piece of medical device development that improves user experience and is required for regulatory clearance.

Advanced Thermal Solutions in OEM Medical Device Design

Medical Device Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly seeking sophisticated thermal solutions to improve medical device performance. How does the transition from traditional heaters to advanced, layered heater technologies impacts device design?

How the Shockwave Reducer implant is designed to treat refractory angina

After buying the Neovasc Reducer, Shockwave plans another attempt at FDA approval — and to explain how the implant treats refractory angina.

How Medtronic designed the PulseSelect pulsed field ablation system for AFib

Medtronic PulseSelect became the first pulsed field ablation (PFA) system to win FDA approval for treating atrial fibrillation (AFib) in December 2023.

High-Speed Microscale 3D Printing

3D printed microscopic particles — so small that to the naked eye they look like dust — have applications in drug and vaccine delivery, microelectronics, microfluidics, and abrasives for intricate manufacturing. However, the need for precise coordination between light delivery, stage movement, and resin properties makes scalable fabrication of such custom microscale particles challenging. Now, researchers at Stanford University have introduced a more efficient processing technique that can print up to 1 million highly detailed and customizable microscale particles a day.

Innovative Iteration for Medical Device Design

Part 2: Designing Piezo Handpieces for Ultrasonic Surgery

Ultrasonic handpieces are being used with growing frequency in medical applications, for example, with minimally invasive surgical procedures and in dentistry. These instruments, which include ultrasonic scalpels, phaco handpieces, and scalers, use acoustic waves to facilitate the processing of hard or soft tissue. Part 1 of this article, which ran in March 2023, looked at the general structure, design variants, and system design of ultrasonic medical handpieces. Part 2 now reviews driver design, special applications, drive electronics, and failure mechanisms.

Industry Voices: Is Micro-3D Printing the Future for Tiny Parts?

Unlocking Innovation in Small-Scale Fluid Control

Pump systems are ubiquitous in medical and life science products, from blood pressure monitors and drug-delivery devices, to pipettors and diagnostic instruments.