Ultra-Low-Power ASIC Enables New Hearing-Aid Technology
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 ADVANCED IC TECHNOLOGY   Return to Article: System-on-Chip Solutions for Next-Generation Medical Applications AMI Semiconductor (Pocatello, ID) has developed a new application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for use in an extended-wear hearing device. The custom ASIC was developed in conjunction with InSound...
Real-Time X-Ray Technology for Inspecting Critical Medical Devices
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 MANUFACTURING   New x-ray technology offers medical electronics manufacturers a high-resolution, high-sensitivity imaging option for inspection of electronics and more. Gil Zweig Real-time x-ray inspection has gained worldwide use as a rapid and effective tool for quality assurance in highly technical industries such as electronic circuit...
Medical Imaging Systems: Ensuring High-Availability Performance
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 MEDICAL IMAGING   Balancing high performance, high reliability, and cost-effectiveness is possible with new switched-fabric-based technology. Justin Moll and Stephen Christo Medical imaging systems are requiring higher bandwidth. With the emphasis on real-time performance and higher resolutions, the amount of data processing needed may soon reach...
Increase Warehouse Throughput with Automated RF Data Entry
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 RF DATA ENTRY   A data-capture solution using radio-frequency data entry can increase throughput of a medical electronics distribution center. Connie Green The RF handheld captures information such as quantity, bin numbers, and serial numbers. A radio-frequency (RF) data-capture solution can dramatically boost throughput in medical...
Improve Battery Performance with Proper Charging Methods
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 BATTERY TECHNOLOGY   Understanding different charging methods is key to extending the life of batteries destined for medical electronics. Isidor Buchmann To a large extent, the reliability and longevity of a battery hinges on the quality of the charger. In a price-competitive market, chargers are often given low priority, especially for consumer...
Safety: Putting the Power in Medical Electronics
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2003 POWER SUPPLIES   Specifying the right power supply for the application is critical to ensuring the safety of medical electronics. Peter Blyth Medical equipment—used to diagnose, treat, or monitor—is designed to come into contact with the patient. Patients may be unconscious or hooked up to several different pieces of equipment. Patients...
An Embedded Recipe for Medical Imaging Systems
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2003 MEDICAL IMAGING   Many factors contribute to the selection of the platform architecture and the design of a medical imaging system. John Groezinger Medical equipment manufacturers have diverse requirements for electronic platforms of imaging devices. The detailed architecture usually varies widely between modalities because the end-product...
Designing the Internet into Medical Instrumentation
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2003 EMBEDDED SYSTEMS   With the Internet in nearly every household, it's no wonder that it's finding its way into the development of home healthcare medical devices. Howard A. Raphael Medical monitoring at home is more common than ever. The demand for remote monitoring has driven the development of devices and systems to fill this need. Moreover, the...
Exploring New Packaging and Memory Technologies for Medical Electronics
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2003 ELECTRONIC PACKAGING   From system-in-a-package to multichip packaging, the medical electronics industry is poised to take advantage of the latest packaging and memory advancements originally developed for wireless communications. Mike McCoy For decades, the medical electronics community has been challenging the limits of currently available...
Exploring a Wireless Future for Medical Electronics
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Wireless Technologies Exploring a Wireless Future for Medical Electronics A number of wireless options offer new possibilities for the future of medical electronics. Bluetooth technology takes the lead. William E. Saltzstein All new technologies follow a path from inception that includes hype and eventually arrives at wide-scale availability and...
Mechanical Design Guidelines for EMI Shielding
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 EMI Shielding Mechanical Design Guidelines for EMI Shielding Shielding problems with EMI gaskets can often be traced back to improper mechanical compression. Michael Keough and Jason Davis Portable wireless devices are being used to connect medical devices and patient information to hospital networks. As these devices grow more sophisticated,...
Electroluminescent Lighting for Compact and Portable Medical Applications
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Lighting Technology Electroluminescent Lighting for Compact and Portable Medical Applications New polymer chemistries have revived an old lighting technology, making it a viable option for the stringent requirements of medical electronics. D. G. Sime Thick-film electroluminescent lighting (EL) displays have become a mature technology providing cost-...
PC/104: Embedded Technology for Medical Electronics Development
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Embedded Architecture PC/104: Embedded Technology for Medical Electronics Development PC/104 architecture provides compact design and durability to meet the requirements of medical device manufacturers. Mike Southworth From infant respirators to linear accelerators, a growing number of today's medical devices use PC/104 embedded modules as their...
Automating Complex Electrical Safety Testing of Medical Devices
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Safety Testing Automating Complex Electrical Safety Testing of Medical Devices Improvements in test instrumentation help simplify the complex safety testing requirements for medical electronics. Jim Richards The medical electronics marketplace continues to undergo technology changes. Electrical safety test capabilities are evolving as well to...
Enabling Medical Devices for Network Connectivity
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Device Networking Enabling Medical Devices for Network Connectivity With many manufacturers deciding to network-enable their devices, here are five tips for medical equipment manufacturers selecting a networking-enabling technology partner. Tom Armbrust Network-enabled devices can provide seamless connectivity between medical...
A New Role for Medical Electronics in Health Resource Management
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Wireless Devices A New Role for Medical Electronics in Health Resource Management Health resource management can solve some key issues in the healthcare industry, but its success requires the development of wireless-based medical devices. Ashok Kapoor In the past 10 years, the intelligent use of data has been a driving force behind advances in...
Precision Manufacturing: A New Technology for Microdevice Fabrication
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Manufacturing Precision Manufacturing: A New Technology for Microdevice Fabrication Using computer-aided design, complex 3-D microdevices can be fabricated by electroplating multiple, patterned layers. Chris Bang Figure 1. Instant Masking provides a template for patterned deposition (a). A blanket of material is rapidly deposited...
A Critical Look at Embedding Windows into Medical Instrumentation Applications
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Operating Systems A Critical Look at Embedding Windows into Medical Instrumentation Applications Windows is the most widely available operating system for the PC platform, but what are its benefits and limitations for deterministic responsiveness? Kim Hartman Trade and business publications are full of articles about mission- and time-critical...
Decade of Dedication: MEM Marks 10 Years in Medical Electronics
  Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 10th Anniversary Decade of Dedication: MEM Marks 10 Years in Medical Electronics From component selection to advanced technologies, for 10 years the pages of MEM have been filled with the latest information and practical guidance on the development of medical electronics products. Sherrie Conroy This issue of Medical Electronics...
Making Medical Devices Smarter with CAN and CANopen Protocols
Originally Published MEM Fall 2002 Embedded Systems Making Medical Devices Smarter with CAN and CANopen Protocols Nearly all medical electronics can now use controller-area network technology for remote access via the internet. Olaf Pfeiffer Today's computerized world tends to distribute and to decentralize. This is true not only for the Internet (many of the hottest Internet...
Endoscopic Illumination Design with Metal-Halide Technology
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2002 LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY   Metal halide offers a new alternative to xenon and halogen in medical lighting applications. Ian K. Edwards A key illumination application in the medical setting is in the field of endoscopy. Supporting instruments cover myriad configurations for arthroscopy, urology, sinuscopy, laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy,...
Input Devices: Proper Selection Key to Long Life
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2002 KEYBOARDS   Key to an application's success are the right components and the right design—and, to ensure those things, a good supplier. Paul E. Knupke An environmentally sealed rigid metal dome keyboard with embedded LEDs. Both suppliers of input devices and original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that specify input devices have...
Moving to Lead-Free Solder for Medical Electronics
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2002 ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING   Microelectronics manufacturing worldwide is in a state of transition: from lead-based solder to lead-free solder. Tom Adams Over the next several years, microelectronics manufacturing will shift from the use of familiar lead-based solders to the use of lead-free solders. Although driven by legislation in Europe, the...
Automating Change via Web-Enabled Electronic Change Management
  Originally Published MEM Spring 2002 COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT   A system that coordinates the execution of change throughout the supply chain in real time gives a manufacturer a competitive edge. Michael Carroll Medical manufacturers and other FDA-regulated organizations with international reach can find coordinating business processes on a global basis distressingly complex, time-...
Achieving Simple, Precise Motion Control with Hybrid Step Motors
Originally Published MEM Fall 2001 MOTOR TECHNOLOGY Achieving Simple, Precise Motion Control with Hybrid Step Motors Hybrid steppers provide smooth operation in medical electronic equipment. Hasit Parikh Designers of medical equipment such as analyzers, diagnostic instrumentation, and laboratory automation systems often face the challenge of implementing...