Medical electronics in good health also because of Covid-19

The medical technology sector in Europe is healthy and continues to grow. One of the most obvious trends is the collection and use of data through advanced devices. Hafeez Najudmudeen, European Distribution Manager at Omron, talks about this.

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medical electronics Omron Avnet

of Giacomo Mussari | Business Development Manager of Avnet Abacus

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the real economy, in Italy as well as the rest of the world. Some sectors, however, more than others, have managed to maintain stable operating results (Mediobanca data): among these iselectronics (+5.6%), which has benefited from the increase in the global level of digitalisation, including in the medical field.

Hafeez Najudmudeen, European Distribution Manager in Omron Electronic Components Europe, explains: "There is evidence that the rate of innovation in the medical sector is very high; three of the top ten technical patent fields are related to this area: medical technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. In patent terms, medical technology is surpassed only by digital communications.In addition, Europe has a positive trade balance for medical devices. The main trading partners are the US, China, Japan and Mexico. This indicates that the medical technology sector in Europe is healthy and continues to grow. One obvious trend is the increase in the collection and use of data via advanced devices. This data not only supports healthcare professionals and patients, but also helps the design of new devices, making them increasingly efficient. Recent events have shown how important it can become to shorten the development and approval cycle for these products; in this sense, the insights provided by data are helping a lot."

What are the key technologies that enable advanced functionality in healthcare equipment?

New sensing technologies are constantly being introduced and evaluated, both to facilitate novel applications and to improve the functionality of existing medical equipment. Historically, sensors used in medical applications have always been based on mechanical principles, but embedded technologies have allowed Mems sensor manufacturers to redefine this application space. For example, many companies are now looking at how pressure sensors can be used to enhance applications such as inhalers to automatically detect a patient's breathing. Environmental sensors are now being exploited to monitor conditions in the patient's environment, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, Voc and air quality. Along with advanced sensing solutions, traditional e-mech components such as Mosfet relays , signal relays, touch switches and Fpc connectors are still needed in these applications. Nevertheless, it is clear that new technologies are helping to reduce the overall size of medical equipment, while the level of functionality continues to increase.

Is there any trend suggesting the adoption of medical electronics functionality in other areas?

Standard healthcare practices, such as frequent and vigorous hand washing, use of antibacterial solutions and symptom monitoring, are also becoming commonplace outside the medical field. This is where solutions such as light reflection sensors, useful in contactless automatic opening doors or soap dispensers, can be used. Other sensors are used in medical devices to measure body temperature without the need for physical contact; an elevated temperature can be a sign of potential fever. These and similar sensors are now being used to automate processes designed to promote hygiene, such as dispensing water and soap or opening doors. The same technology is already being used in automatic hand sanitisers. We can foresee other such applications in the future.

 

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