Company insight Wearable medical devices
While wearable medical devices have carved their place within the medtech industry, there still remain challenges when it comes to designing new devices. ATL Technology gives some of its suggestions on what to consider when developing new wearable medical devices.
T
he wearable medical device market is projected to hit $89.45bn by 2027, according to Precedence Research. An estimated five million individuals will be remotely monitored by healthcare providers in 2023. Patients and healthcare professionals now rely on medical wearables for early diagnosis, medical adherence, remote patient monitoring and even treatment of illnesses. When designing a new wearable medical device, there are several important elements to consider.
Flexible printed circuits Medical device designers can capitalise on substantial benefits by utilising flexible printed circuits (FPC) along with their corresponding cables and connectors, as these innovative technologies outshine traditional circuit interconnect methods. With the capability to craft circuits in three-dimensional formats, designers can unlock unparalleled opportunities. As a result, the surface area of a healthcare wearable technology can be reduced, leading to more comfortable experiences for patients.
Power
The primary purpose of wearable medical technology is to relay patients’ health data quickly and accurately to healthcare providers. Enhanced feature sets incorporated into wearable medical devices result in higher power consumption. A microcontroller unit (MCU) used for data processing and management, lies at the heart of the medical device wearable and must balance power requirements with the integration of a high number of peripherals. The continued miniaturisation trend in wearable medical technology, with smaller and more tightly integrated packages, requires advanced power management systems and, in many cases, the employment of some form of energy harvesting.
Wearable medical devices have become instrumental in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of illnesses. Biocompatibility
Skin-worn devices pose unique challenges when it comes to biocompatibility. Some areas of the body are more prone to sensitivity, for example the face or eye areas versus feet, while some age groups naturally have more fragile skin, such as seniors and infants. Natural rubber-based or latex compounds, nickel in metal alloys and plasticizers are commonly known skin allergens and irritants. All these factors should be taken into consideration when choosing materials for sensors, adhesives and any other components that may come into contact with the skin.
Data collection and security It is essential to determine how intuitive the medical device wearable will be, and if the device will manage data on its own. How will the physician or clinician be included in data analysis? Consider how to incorporate the doctor throughout the design process, possibly designing the device to utilise different user and doctor interfaces and documentation. While the growing number of connected medical devices may be a net positive for patients and providers, the fact is each one represents a potential
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
entry point for malware. Cyber-attacks on connected medical devices continue to increase. An article in Harvard Business Review (HBR) said “medical systems hacks are scary, but medical device hacks could be even worse.” While Wired wrote, “medical devices are the next security nightmare.” Privacy and security measures for wearable devices should be built-in and manufactured with a ‘security by design’ approach.
Partnership
Bringing wearable medical devices to market in a highly competitive and cost-conscious environment is exceptionally challenging. It is critical to work with experienced, multi- functional product development teams to avoid the many pitfalls of developing a truly unique, useful and successful medical device wearable. ATL Technology can help. The company’s engineers have a proven track record of bringing complex devices to market with leading medical device manufacturers worldwide, making it the perfect choice as a trusted partner. ●
www.atltechnology.com 81
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