Events
The future of healthcare and the evolving role of sensor technology
Name: COMPAMED 2023 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany Date: 13–16 November Web:
www.compamed-tradefair.com Report: Series
T
he cost of healthcare is rising the world over, in many countries faster than their ability to keep up. Modern technologies can mitigate this development while ensuring the quality of care does not suffer. This is especially true within the developing area of electronic sensors, which play an increasingly important role in making medical devices both safer and more powerful, as well as simplifying their operation. How to achieve this and how high-tech sensor technology can also contribute to innovative prevention and personalised treatment was discussed at the COMPAMED Innovation Forum 2023, held on 12 June. This digital forum, organised by Messe Düsseldorf and the international microtechnology business network IVAM, is held every year and, according to Dr Thomas R. Dietrich, managing director of IVAM, its purpose is to be “a platform for research and entrepreneurship, to form partnerships and drive innovations forward”.
“The global market for medical sensors was estimated at $6.02bn in 2021 and will reach $10.28bn by 2027, a growth rate of almost 10% from 2022 to 2027.”
The importance of this topic can be demonstrated by the numbers alone. According to market research institute Mordor Intelligence, the global market for medical sensors was estimated at $6.02bn in 2021 and will reach $10.28bn by 2027, corresponding to a growth rate of almost 10% from 2022 to 2027. The development of new devices, which guarantee a faster analysis, potential savings and easy usability, all contribute to this growth for medical sensors. Chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and asthma can be efficiently monitored using modern sensors, so that deviations can quickly be recognised, and treatment can be adapted to a specific goal. During presentations at the COMPAMED Innovation Forum, leading
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international experts showed actual examples of how modern sensor technology can be integrated into medical aids, diagnostic or treatment devices.
Multi-functional sensor nodes to reduce nosocomial infections Hospitals and care institutions are not only places of healing and maintaining health; again and again they become sources of infection themselves. These so-called nosocomial infections happen in all outpatient and inpatient areas of care. According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in American hospitals alone, 1.7 million people are directly affected by such infections every year, and result in 100,000 deaths. The situation is no better in Europe: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimated the annual total number of nosocomial infections in Europe at 8.9 million as early as 2018, of which 4.5 million occurred in hospitals, 4.4 million in long-term care institutions. In the EU, every year more than 90,000 people die from the six most common nosocomial infections in the healthcare sector: urinary tract infections (32%), infections at the operation site (22%), pneumonia (15%) and bloodstream infections (14%).
Piezo technology for ultrasound sensors Piezo technological components are already fulfilling important functions within diagnostic imaging; with minimally invasive devices, such as needle-tip tracking; as flow sensors, for example for detecting air bubbles and speed; for the detection of fill levels; as pressure sensors and status monitors for devices; and in microscopy or for changes of position, including in use in wearables. In different situations, automatic monitoring of medical processes becomes a matter of life or death. Using devices for monitoring patients, staff can continue to check vital signs and evaluate them to make a correct diagnosis and instantly react in the case of possible abnormalities. Non-contacting, gentle monitoring is important in this context as well. Ultrasound sensors based on piezo components,
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
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