Medical Electronics
Medical technologies is a long term game for UK electronic firms
From the systems required to treat infectious diseases to medical advancements, electronics is becoming increasingly important. John Boston looks at the role the UK can play in this burgeoning market sector
T
echnology is playing a crucial role in medical advancements. Scientists, engineers and clinicians are pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge supported by innovative devices. To do this, these groups must be supported by an electronics industry that is capable of delivering solutions to challenging innovations. Here in the UK, we are meeting this challenge. According to Government data, 3,000 companies operate within the UK medical devices sector, with a combined turnover of more than £13 billion. This is one of the sectors that I would argue allows the UK's electronics industry to showcase its true capability. The UK is
would not make it from the ideas laboratory. Electronic technology not only has to operate in conditions that present challenges, but often they also have to be small, compact, robust and in some instances a one shot disposable device. Due to the emergence of man portable devices which using low range RF links can communicate with the mobile phone 3G/4G network, patients are now able to be monitored remotely, reducing the need for considerable hospital attendance. This has also been aided by electronic miniaturisation and most importantly battery technology, enabling very complex devices to be carried by patients who can
idiosyncrasies and reaching a robust, workable prototype to enable the designers to take it through to the next stage of testing.
This is important in relation to LEDs being used in a medical application, especially if they are used in a high power application. LEDs are being used extensively in new product innovation and for a variety of uses. Many people perceived LEDs were only going to be used as illuminators, but due to their very high power they are now being used in a variety of medical devices and utilised in different ways. As well as high power they are also available in an ever increasing wavelength window, which now stretches from 270nm up to 850nm and beyond, and we currently are using up to 24 different wavelengths. LEDs of 850nm (Infra red) are increasingly used in combination with optical sensors to measure a number of factors including body heat and blood flow.
home to a great deal of innovation and when you add to that our engineering excellence it is easy to see why we would be a strong partner to aid medical advancements. This level of operational excellence and expert capability is where the UK excels and we're hungry to continue to push boundaries. In recent years there have been significant advances in the way surgery is carried out. For example, the move towards less invasive procedures, such as keyhole surgery, is a significant advancement and without the aid of the electronics industry, these innovations
26 October 2014
return home and be cared for remotely. These developments are becoming
increasingly relevant and we anticipate growth in this area of the market. At Custom Interconnect we are working with organisations to apply our RF knowledge and medical accreditation to a number of projects.
Untested designs Providers into this market have to deal with highly complex and in many cases, untested designs. As a result, being able to prototype the designs with the engineers and scientists is crucial in assessing design
Components in Electronics
At the other end of the spectrum, 365nm (Ultra Violet) and lower is now being trialled for purification to replace UV mercury lamps. These are relatively simple replacements to existing light sources. However, the really exciting work with LEDs is the exploration of its capabilities such as non-contact Tuberculosis diagnosis using LED light sources and fluorescence. Stem cell and cancer research is another area where LEDs and fluorescence is now at the forefront of research. The treatment of Acne and skin cancer using LED assemblies and photodynamic therapy (PDT) is now real and at Custom Interconnect we are now working with the same organisations that are looking to treat in-cavity cancers using the same solution.
Modern medicine no longer treats large
areas. Instead it is increasingly moving towards approaches that allow clinicians to target only diseased cells, leaving healthy cells intact. As a result, being able to monitor the movement of a patient while they are receiving this type of treatment is important in ensuring the treatment is being delivered to the right area. Technology exists to do exactly this, redirecting the treatment in line with movement. But there is no quick delivery from
prototyping to realisation. Operating in the medical devices market is a long-term game and a design can take in excess of seven years before it reaches full production. It starts with prototyping, followed by up to three pre-production batches and customer trials. This can then be followed by up to four years of clinical trials in the US and the whole process can take up to seven years or even more. Component obsolescence and supply chain knowledge is actually more important to a customer at this stage than actual assembly.
Custom Interconnect has been working in this market for eight years and during this time our engineers have worked with designers to come up with cutting edge technologies that are just beginning to enter the final stages of development. Medical advancement is amazing and to be part of that process is incredibly rewarding.
Custom Interconnect Limited |
www.cil-uk.co.uk
John Boston is Managing Director of Custom Interconnect
www.cieonline.co.uk
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