Wearable Technology Is the Next Megatrend, Credit Suisse Analysts Say

Wearable technology such as smart watches, fitness monitors, shoes and headsets is the next big trend, say Credit Suisse analysts in a report published last week. Companies need to pay attention to this field because it will have a “significant and pervasive impact on the economy”, the authors say. The market will grow rapidly in the next three to five years, from about US$3-5 billion today to US$30 to 50 billion. Read more…

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Mauna Kea Shines Spotlight on Optical Biopsy Technology at Digestive Disease Week

Paris-based Mauna Kea Technologies presented 41 abstracts on optical biopsies performed with its probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) system at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2013. Seven of those presentations focused on needle-based optical biopsies, the newest application of Mauna Kea’s Cellvizio technology. The procedure allows physicians to see cellular structures inside cysts in the digestive tract in real time. The video embedded in this article shows how the Cellvizio system works. Read more…

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Surfing Inspires Aerosol Delivery Device

For many people, breathing in fresh sea air seems to have a therapeutic effect. It turns out that’s clinically true for people suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). Scientists observing surfers with CF discovered that the inhaled mist of seawater has a beneficial effect on lung problems associated with the disease. Those findings have been applied by pharmaceutical company Parion Sciences and product development firm Cambridge Consultants (Cambridge, UK) to the development of a new aerosol delivery system. It enables CF sufferers to get the benefits of saltwater treatment overnight while they sleep. Read more…

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Bio-Patch Measures Bio-electrical Signals and Communicates Wirelessly with Smart Phones

A patch that measures EKG, EEG and EMG and communicates wirelessly with a smart phone could help make home healthcare more comfortable. The device, called Bio-patch, also measures body temperature. When bio-patch is placed on the chest, it measures EKG. Placing the device on the skull measures EEG, and attaching the device to the underarm measures EMG, according to a press release from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH). The device was created by three researchers: Geng Yang (KTH), Matti Mäntysalo (Tampere University of Technology, Finland) och Li Xie (KTH).

Bio-patch, developed by researchers at KTH in Stockholm and Tampere University of Technology, Finland

Focusing on comfort is important when designing next-generation medical devices, says Yang the press release, adding that the device is designed to be flexible, easy to attach to the skin and comfortable. The battery in the patch is as thin as a sheet of paper. The sensors on the patch are inexpensive so that a patient can throw away the patch after using it, says Yang.

A patient can track his or her own health by transferring the information to a smart phone. The data can also be transferred to the hospital so that a physician can analyse it further.

Wireless technologies was the centre of the conversation at the Wireless Connectivity in Medical Devices conference, taking place in Munich this week. The conference was organised by UBM Canon. Those who were not able to attend the conference can purchase conference presentations online at http://bit.ly/14Ncigo.

By: Camilla Andersson

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Third-World Lessons for First-World Medical Technology

Peter Blair Henry, dean of the NYU Stern School of Business, recently published a book titled, Turnaround: Third World Lessons for First World Growth, that got a fair amount of media attention. His thesis is that emerging economies are applying economic policies nurtured in the developed economies and prospering in the process. Meanwhile, western economies have lost their moorings, and are suffering as a consequence. The book has gotten mixed reviews, but it did start me thinking about other lessons that emerging economies can teach us, specifically in the medical technology space. I bounced the idea off Gunjan Bagla, founder and CEO of Amritt Inc., a global innovation consultancy that has worked with the likes of Covidien, Becton Dickinson, J&J and Roche Diagnostics. He will be speaking at MD&M East during the Globalization, Compliance and Commercialization track. He agrees that emerging markets are rife with teachable moments. Read more…

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Google Glass Hack for Doctors Announced; Google I/O Conference Encourages Developers to Hack Glass

Google made several health-related announcements at the Google I/O conference this week in San Francisco, but the most interesting development related to medical technology happened a few days earlier. Computer programmer Lance Nanek announced on his blog that he and a team of programmers had developed a Google Glass hack for physicians. The open source hack MedRef uses facial recognition technology to enable physicians to locate files related to specific patients. The app can also be used to create and store patient files using voice and adding voice notes. Read more…

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Researchers Conducting Animal Testing Are Often Threatened, Investigation Finds

The use of animal experiments is the elephant in the room in medical research. Among the many questions asked on the floor of a medical trade show, one is usually whispered: “Do you do animal research?” But people avoid the conversation not only because it’s an uncomfortable topic. Researchers conducting animal experiments at companies and universities are used to threats and scared of talking about it or reporting them to police, according to a recent article published on Life Science Sweden’s website (in Swedish). Read more…

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PM Abe Pins Japan’s Economic Recovery on Medical Industry; MEDTEC Japan Validates Strategy

The timing could not have been better for MEDTEC Japan 2013. Just one month before the show, which was held on 24 and 25 April 2013, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed that he would aggressively promote the medical device industry, which he characterised as one of the few sectors that can shore up the nation’s failing economy. The resounding success of MEDTEC Japan confirmed his analysis.

As part of his initiative, Abe announced that he intends to launch a Japanese version of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help create advanced medical devices and drugs. A growth strategy, which includes the NIH plan, may be announced as soon as June.

Growth was a theme at this year’s MEDTEC Japan, as well. Held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre, the event welcomed 383 exhibitors, of which 167 were newcomers. Exhibitor numbers were up 27% from 2012. More than 13,200 attendees, compared with 10,500 last year, clogged the aisles. Read more…

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Air-Monitoring System for Surgical Suites Garners Innovation Prize at MEDTEC France

A device that monitors air quality in operating rooms in real time was named the winner of the first Innovation Awards at MEDTEC France in Lyon. Developed by STS Industrie (Besançon, France) in collaboration with the University Hospital of Besançon (Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Besançon; CHRU) and its associated clinical research centre, the Screenair device continuously tracks and measures air purity. Typically, the air quality in surgical suites in France is measured twice a year and is done when the operating room is not being used. According to STS Industrie, biocontamination of the air can be as much as 200% higher when the operating room is in use. Read more…

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Pert UDI Seeks Compatible Database for Harmonised Relationship

Last month, we reported on progress in setting the foundations of a harmonised unique device identification (UDI) system. US FDA seems to be on track to present its final draft of a UDI system to the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) in November 2013, and a consensus has formed on the value of a harmonised approach. That said, there are a number of speed bumps slowing the drive towards harmonisation. Read more…

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Medtech Industry’s Reputation Has Improved, PatientView Survey Finds

The medical device industry maintains a good reputation among patient groups, a global survey by PatientView has found. Despite a few high-profile scandals last year, such as the Pip implant and hip implant controversies, 40% of respondents said the industry’s reputation improved in 2012, according to a press release from PatientView (pdf). 68% of the 400+ respondents said that the industry has an excellent or good reputation. The medical technology industry outperformed the pharmaceutical and other healthcare sectors—only the retail pharmacy sector had a better reputation. Read more…

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Haughton Design, University Hospital Form Medical Devices Alliance

Haughton Design (Stafford, UK) has teamed up with the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and two other businesses to found the Medical Devices Alliance, an initiative designed to accelerate medical device development for customer companies. University Hospital staff and patients will benefit by being able to offer input on the look, feel and function of products under development, according to hospital R&D Manager Darren Clement. Read more…

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