MEDICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY FOCUS
DUSTRIAL METAVERSE: SHAPING VICE AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT
of a new medical device enables engineers to simulate and predict multiple aspects of device performance, such as heating or power consumption, to ensure reliability and safety. Likewise, digitalisation is a boon to the development of surgical robotics that are highly precise and robust, enabling surgeons to perform delicate tasks with confidence. For medical device and pharmaceutical
companies, the necessity for safety and minimising risks, and the high regulatory standards with which new devices and drugs must comply, have prevented them from embracing digitalisation on the same timeline as others, such as the automotive and consumer electronics industries. For manufacturers of medical devices and drugs, the potential benefits of a new technology or methodology must be sufficiently evaluated and proven to displace a legacy process due to the importance of preserving product quality and patient safety. So, how can engineers and designers expect
digitalisation and the digital twin to advance in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries to further adoption?
THE INDUSTRIAL METAVERSE Continued investment in digitalisation will open new opportunities for the application of the digital
updates whether used by a medical provider or by a patient, must undergo rigorous certification and risk assessment to ensure patient safety and efficacy. Furthermore, smart medical devices, software as a medical device and even wellness devices such as a smart watch, all produce or manage highly sensitive patient data. Manufacturers must therefore adopt rigorous data security and risk management protocols with the same attention and investment paid to traditional innovation pathways for medical products and therapies.
DIGITALISATION AND DIGITAL TWINS Digitalisation and digital twins are being adopted by the medical industry for their ability to improve underlying engineering, design and data management processes. This becomes particularly important as devices become more complex, smart and software-defined. Medical devices are an especially good fit
for advancing the digitalisation of design, engineering, testing and production as many are discrete-manufactured products, created in the same way as cars or smartphones – two examples of industries that are viewed as leaders in digitalisation. The comprehensive digital twin
twin, automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and the industrial metaverse with respect to the development of medical devices, implants and pharmaceuticals. The application of these technologies will be crucial for increasing the productivity of healthcare systems and improving the remote delivery of care. The pharmaceutical industry is already taking
advantage of AI to better understand how the body absorbs different medications. The regulatory approval of a new pharmaceutical requires multiple stages of testing in both laboratory and clinical settings. These trials typically produce large data sets on the drug’s efficacy, side effects, risks and patient data. AI is
being used to examine extremely large data sets, looking at biomarkers to characterise the complex interactions between individual anatomy, genetics and the chemistry of the drug being administered. By considering results from multiple studies involving several drugs, biologists and physicians can use the power of AI to uncover interactions that may not be obvious in any individual study, resulting in drugs that are safer and more effective. Looking further into the future, the industrial
metaverse may be used to reduce the time patients spend in care facilities. A typical doctor visit may transition to a remote consultation in which the physician can examine a digital twin of some part of the patient’s anatomy, helping both the provider and patient better understand the patient’s specific disease and treatment options. Furthermore, the work already being done with AI and pharmaceutical development may enable physicians to customise a drug or therapy to the patient’s anatomy, genetics and condition, accentuating health benefits and mitigating side effects. Routine wellness visits may also be more effective at catching conditions early, preventing lengthy and expensive hospital stays and improving patient outcomes.
A DIGITAL FUTURE As medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers emerge from a disruptive and uniquely challenging period, they face a future of growing complexity, speed and innovation. Medical device makers are managing the development of devices that are smarter, increasingly complex and more user friendly, but this places additional strain on traditional design and engineering methods. Meanwhile, the need for speed of innovation in both device and pharmaceutical spaces has elevated, driving manufacturers to seek process improvements that
can accelerate development cycles while preserving safety, efficacy and data security. Digitalisation and the digital twin are
relatively nascent in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. Yet, with a commitment to digitalisation and the application of powerful technologies like the digital twin, AI and the industrial metaverse, manufacturers of medical devices and pharmaceuticals can build a foundation for transformative capabilities that will enable them to develop new generations of devices and therapeutic drugs.
Siemens Digital Industries Software
www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/
JULY/AUGUST 2025 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 43
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