Fascinating Presentations at the Compamed Innovation Forum 2022: How Medical Technology Combats Neurological Disorders

When man and machine become one – an overview of some of the current developments

For years, Messe Düsseldorf and the IVAM Microtechnology Network have been the joint hosts of the Compamed Innovation Forum. Each spring, with a different content focal point each year, there is a first look at the topics for the coming season of the internationally leading expert trade fair for suppliers of the medical technology industry, Compamed in Düsseldorf, which will be held this year from November 14 to 17, in parallel with the globally leading medical trade fair Medica. The 2022 Compamed Innovation Forum which is dedicated to “Innovative technology for neurological applications” was held virtually on June 2.

Presentations were focused on current products and their applications, some of which are still in the research and development phase, and some are already being put to use. In addition to implants, technical aids which are used to care for and assist people affected by neurological disorders play an important role. Addressing the participants of the forum, Christian Bigge, Senior Project Manager for Compamed at Messe Düsseldorf, was happy to pass on two messages: “We are planning for the event to happen in-person again and continue its success, enhanced by numerous digital services. Halls 8a and 8b, reserved for Compamed, will be completely booked out.”

Neurological and psychiatric disorders of the brain are not a rare phenomenon, but their frequency and their effects are still underestimated. These disorders affect the lives of many people and their families. According to an estimate by the Who, a billion patients worldwide suffer from disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), such as depression, dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, or the sequelae of a stroke. Treatment cannot solely consist of relying on medication alone. Innovative medical technology can also improve the quality of life of those affected. Unlike medication, which helps to regulate the chemical balance within the human body, neurological implants target the electrical neural pathways within the spinal cord and brain.

Advances in brain-computer interfaces

One important field of research for the Clinical Neurotechnology research section at the Charité university hospital in Berlin is the use of brain-computer or brain-machine interfaces (BCI/BMI) in combination with non-invasive brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial electric or magnetic stimulation (TES/TMS). Professor Surjo R. Soekadar, head of the Clinical Neurotechnology research section and head of the clinical department of Translation and Neurotechnology at Charité, reported on the current level of technological advancement. In 1999, Professor Nils Birbaumer had already proven that fully paralysed patients – without the ability to move or speak – could, by changing the electric activity in the brain, select individual letters on a screen and thus write a complete message. This approach has made enormous developmental progress over recent years, thanks to more powerful, faster computers and the increase in their memory capacities, as well as due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The Professor Soekodar’s research section, for example, focuses on the examination of neuroplasticity in the context of BCI applications. Here, BCI systems are combined with other forms of neurological technology, e.g. non-invasive brain stimulation. Brain stimulation techniques have been used in a clinical environment for decades, in order to effect targeted changes in brain activity and thus promote neuroplasticity. The goal of combining both methods is to better understand and influence neuroplastic processes. This approach aims to yield new and effective therapeutic methods that offer individual treatment of disorders of the CNS with as few side effects as possible. Development over the recent years has proven that assistive and regenerative BCIs are effective clinical instruments for regaining movement. The combination of BCI and neurological modulation, or non-invasive brain stimulation, can in this case illuminate the causal relationship between brain waves, brain function and behaviour. The path forward is also clear: “Right now, quantum sensors are the most promising technology for advancing non-invasive BCI applications. However, there are still some challenges that need to be overcome, such as shielding and isolation,” says Soekadar, speaking as an expert at the Compamed Innovation Forum.

Brain Interchange platform technology

A platform technology for a brain interchange system for neurological therapy has been developed by CorTec, in cooperation with clinical partners. The focus is on components and devices that can be used by industry, scientists and clinical professionals alike. The BIC consists of all components necessary to achieve an electric connection between the neuronal system and external information technology. The exchange of information is performed to modulate the nervous system. The completely implantable system is calibrated for both recording and stimulation using 32 channels. It is intended for long-term monitoring and electrical stimulation of the central and the peripheral nervous system. The CorTec Brain Interchange receives electric signals from electrodes attached to the nervous system, and reinforces, digitalises and transmits these signals to a computing unit through an external unit. “Data processing takes place outside the body,” explains Dr Martin Schüttler, CTO of CorTec.

The company has announced further developmental progress. For example, preclinical trials and developmental milestones have recently been successfully concluded. During the next phases, the technology is to be fine-tuned and ultimately prepared for the first-in-human studies. The American bureau of regulations for medical products, the FDA, is currently looking into approving the brain interchange platform technology. The spectrum of possible applications is large, for example if a range of differently designed electrodes are used, and ranges from applications for Parkinson’s and epilepsy to treating chronic pain and movement disorders, which can result from major strokes, injuries to the spinal cord or progressive muscular dystrophy (ALS).

New mobility through brain waves and use of exoskeletons

The French company Statice is a developer and contract manufacturer focusing on specific solutions in microtechnology and medical technology, including neurology. Injuries to the spinal cord above cervical vertebra C8 carry a large risk of the patient becoming tetraplegic and being unable to use their arms and hands. Statice is aiming to restore mobility in such cases by combining the interpretation of brain waves with an exoskeleton. Towards the end of 2019, the medical journal “The Lancet” published results from the clinical study of a BCI project, in which French scientists from the CEA research centre and Statice have proven the feasibility of control of an exoskeleton for tetraplegics. Wimagine neurological prosthetics play a crucial role. These are long-term implants placed on the dura mater, which record brain activity. The implantable matrix consists of 64 electrodes.

In September 2021, two patients with a C5 lesion of the spinal cord received such implants. To determine the stability of the signal during implantation, special metrics were used to evaluate the signal. The time-frequency charts obtained from task-focused instances of motor activation were also evaluated to monitor the long term activity of the electrodes. “It was possible to prove the long term functionality of the Wimagine implants for chronic implantation. With the help of up-to-date tools for signal analysis, we can record good stability of ECoG signals for each patient, which looks promising for clinical examination with epidural recordings.” says Benoit Studlé, CEO of Statice, summarising the results. These are to be confirmed in further patients. The next step follows naturally: a wireless bypass of the damaged spinal cord for paraplegics. The impulses of motor intention transmitted by the brain are to be deciphered via Wimagine and then translated to impulses sent directly to the nerves that control the legs, for example.

Materials for implants and neurostimulation

Highly specialised devices and systems used in medical technology always need better and more highly functional materials. One supplier of such solutions is Sandvik. The company has a Medicine business unit, which focuses specifically on delivering materials for the cardiovascular, neurostimulation, remote monitoring and electronics fields. For example, Sandvik manufactures coated stainless steel fine wiring for the electrode arrangement, as well as cable and coil configuration for transmitting signals, and ball electrodes in hearing implants (cochlea). They are also working on is deep brain stimulation (DBS). This is a neurosurgical procedure which implants a neurostimulator to treat movement and neuropsychiatric disorders. “To stimulate nerves, we produce wires made of a platinum-iridium alloy and high quality conductive wires with a prolonged operating life,” explains Dr Cacie McDorman, Process Engineer Manager at Sandvik Materials Technology.

Order components the size of a grain of sand

For 40 years, Valtronic has been a global full service licensed manufacturer of electronic products with a wealth of experience in ready-to-use production, microelectronic assemblies and miniaturisation. “Active implantable medical products are a challenge, from the design to manufacturing; just imagine the extreme miniaturisation, for example our DBS probes with a length of only 400 mm and a diameter of just 1.3 mm,” says Michael Fink, Consultant Business Development at Valtronic. Another example of this trend is the development of a thumb-sized device that sends programmable electric impulses to patients suffering from chronic pain, urinary incontinence and functional disorders of the limbs. The solution consists of minimised circuit complexity, and components reduced to the size of a grain of sand.

Mobile seizure detectors for recognising epilepsy

Epilepsy is a collective term for a group of functional disorders of the brain, which arise from the interaction of pathological excitation and lack of inhibition of excitation in the neuronal clusters of the CNS. Between 2 and 4 percent of all people suffer a single, isolated epileptic seizure. Between 0.5 and 1 percent develop manifest epilepsy, meaning that they have more than one seizure. Epilepsy is therefore one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting around 50 million people worldwide, with 800,000 in Germany alone. This considered, the Centre for Epileptology at the neurological clinic at the University Hospital of RWTH Aachen is researching seizure detection devices for affected patients. “The risks for epileptic patients are injuries, early death and damage to neurons, including the development of cognitive deficits over time,” says Prof Yvonne Weber, head of the epileptology section at the neurological clinic. Quite often, these risks lead to a lack of integration into social and working life, as well as to stigmatisation.

EEGs have been used to detect epileptic seizures up until this point. However, in recent years, the heart rate, which is increased in 60 to 70 percent of all cases, the variability of the heart rate, and also oxygen saturation and respiration levels have provided new measurands to detect epilepsy. In the Monikit (“monitoring kit”) project, the University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, the Kleinwachau Centre for Epilepsy and the University Hospital of Tübingen University are developing a mobile seizure detection device for automatic detection and documentation of epileptic seizures that occur during daily activities. The comprehensive monikit system consists of a sensor array and an innovative algorithm. The sensor device is attached to the chest with adhesive electrodes or by belt, and picks up ECG and motion data. These data form the basis for the monikit algorithm and are transmitted to the patients’ mobile phone. “The small size of the sensor allows it to be worn underneath clothing. It has to be removed before taking a shower, though,” says Weber. The monikit algorithm recognises special patterns of both generalised and focal epileptic seizures from the ECG and motion data. This is made possible by machine learning methods, for example neuronal networks, which are trained on thousands of hours of patient data, which enables them to detect new digital biomarkers. The algorithm can differentiate between epileptic seizures and every day activities, like sports or stress. The monikit app automatically documents and evaluates any detected seizures. The app also sends messages in the event of a seizure, determines access rights, and collects statistical data about seizures.

Thus, doctors involved in treatment receive adequate and objective information about seizures during patients’ everyday activities for the first time. This makes optimum adjustment of the therapy possible. Once doctors have been legitimised and given access by the patient, they receive insight into seizure information through their internet browser, including evaluations of the course, type of seizure and other information – secured and encrypted according to standards. The project receives 1.86 m Euro in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), through the operating company Life Science Inkubator GmbH.

The market for neurostimulation is growing by more than 10 percent per year

There can be no doubt that the possibilities and possible applications for neurostimulation are increasing. According to findings by Allied Market Research, the global market volume for corresponding systems was estimated at around 4.4 billion US dollar in 2018, and is expected to expand to approximately 11.3 billion US dollar by 2026. This corresponds to annual growth of 12.5 percent. Factors such as an increase in lifestyle diseases like depression and chronic pain, the growing number of neurological disorders, and investments in neuroscience and neuroscientific development are regarded as the drivers behind the growth. Other factors are the rising demand for minimally invasive surgery, the introduction of technologically advanced products and the rising age of populations, which makes them more susceptible to neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and chronic pain. According to statements by GlobeTech, neurological applications account for approximately 24 percent of the total market for active implantable medical devices (AIMD). The largest segment belongs to spinal cord stimulators (SCS) with a 35 percent share in the market, followed by inner and middle ear stimulators (cochlear and BAHA) with 21 percent, deep brain stimulators (DBS) with 14 percent and sacral nerve stimulators (SNS) with just under 10 percent.

Compamed: The most important industry meet-up is back, live in Düsseldorf

The technological progress in combating neurological disorders is quite remarkable, as proven by the Compamed Innovation Forum 2022. More advanced products from the innovation-driven supplier industry for medical technology will be presented at Compamed 2022, which will take place in mid-November again, in halls 8a and 8b of the Düsseldorf trade fair centre. The main themes will be: Micro and micro system technology, new materials, processing them and functional surfaces, additive manufacturing/3D printing, manufacturing and packaging as well as a wide range of services. These themes also provide the content framework for the two integrated expert forums: the Compamed High-Tech Forum by the IVAM Microtechnology Network and the Compamed Suppliers Forum by the Devicemed professional medium.

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Medica Labmed Forum Presents Innovations From the World of Laboratory Medicine

Presenting the newest trends in in-vitro diagnostics for discriminating stages of disease, monitoring the course of disease and therapy, and for prevention

Since 2017, the field of laboratory medicine has been represented by a scientific event of high-calibre experts at internationally leading trade fair Medica in Düsseldorf. The event takes place in the trade fair area featuring laboratory equipment and diagnostics, where several hundred exhibitors participate each year. In spite of, or maybe especially because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Medica Labmed Forum has been enjoying growing recognition within both academia and the industry. During Medica 2022 (14 – 17 November), the newest scientific findings from across the broad spectrum of diagnostic medicine will be presented again in Hall 1. As part of the programme by the specialist forum for laboratory medicine, renowned experts will be holding highly up-to-date lectures here on stage.

After having taken place on a completely digital platform due to the pandemic in 2020, the Medica Labmed Forum returned last year as an in-person meeting-point for international guests. The two scientific organisers, Prof. Dr. med. Georg Hoffmann and Prof. Dr med. Stefan Holdenrieder, both laboratory doctors at the institute for laboratory medicine at the German Heart Centre of the Technical University of Munich, have put together a total of eight sessions for this year and created an inviting, multi-faceted programme about notable trends within in-vitro diagnostics (IVD).

The motto of the opening day will be “Regulations and quality “. The second day of the event is dedicated to short lectures and interactive stage discussions about the newest trends in laboratory medicine. On 16 November, recently discovered biomarkers take central stage. The closing day on 17 November will showcase innovative developments within the life sciences.

Day 1: Regulations and quality

The event is opened on 14 November by a session organised by Prof. Dr. Astrid Petersmann, Medicine and Health Sciences at Oldenburg University, on the current challenges posed by regulations within laboratory medicine. This day of the forum is dedicated in particular to the European In-vitro Diagnostics Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR), which aims to markedly improve the standards of quality within the area of diagnostics to increase patient safety. As of May 2022, these regulations now apply to laboratory diagnostics as well and pose enormous regulatory challenges not only to manufacturers, but also to medical laboratories using proprietary assays – for example for specialised parameters – in practical patient care. “A statement such as ‘We’ve always been doing it like this’ will be unacceptable in the future,” says Prof. Petersmann.

In the same sense, this applies to quality assurance methods which have been established for many years, but the requirements of which have so far been formulated more from a perspective of technical feasibility than from a perspective of medical necessity. This is to change in the future, and Prof. Dr. Matthias Nauck, Greifswald University Department of Medicine, will present the first steps that have been established. For example, the analytical requirements for the parameters for diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus were already substantially increased for the benefit of patients. This approach will also be the foundation for further development of the guidelines issued by the German Medical Association . Other than that, information about the quality of the examinations carried out by medical laboratories must become more transparent and concrete for the attending doctors. This aspect will be discussed in the part of the event titled “Quality assurance in patient-oriented laboratory medicine”. The session leader is certain that her referents will present and discuss a number of important innovations in the auditorium.

Day 2: Trends in laboratory medicine

Referred to as liquid biopsy or liquid profiling, diagnosis through nucleic acids circulating in the blood (CNAPS) has been talked about now for years. According to Prof. Dr. Stefan Holdenrieder, who will lead the session on “New insights in circulating nucleic acid diagnostics” on 15 November, this diagnostic technique is quickly taking the leap from a scientific research method to clinical practice – from “bench to bedside”. While already standard in non-invasive pre-natal tests, there are now large studies available on its use in tumour patients, including the selection and monitoring of targeted therapies, detection of minimal residual disease and early diagnosis of multiple types of tumours. CNAPS diagnostics are also coming into focus for the detection and classification of sepsis, as well as in monitoring after a transplantation. One important reason for this progress in development, other than the availability of sensitive high-throughput technologies, is a deeper understanding of the biology, structure and function of nucleic acids in the blood. For example, epigenetic and fragmentation patterns of DNA are being increasingly used not only to detect disease, but to trace the origin of the tissue. Dr. Abel Bronkhorst from the Technical University of Munich will offer an introduction to the newest discoveries within the basic science of circulating nucleic acids, the varied uses of which for clinical diagnostics will be then presented and discussed by proven experts.

The “perpetual issue” of Covid-19 will again have its own session this year, titled “Covid-19: The challenge remains”. Current challenges include the ongoing, astounding evolution of perpetually new virus variants and the resulting necessity for adapting diagnostics, therapy and the development of vaccines accordingly. Therefore, the first presentations will focus on detecting new virus variants, on immune response assays using antibodies and t-cell tests, and on approaches to developing a universal Covid-19 vaccine. As another challenge both for individuals and for society as a whole, long-Covid syndrome is also slowly beginning to gain attention. To better understand and treat this slowly spreading “disease after the disease” which affects millions of people worldwide – including those who had a mild course of acute illness – and which can cause long-lasting physical and psychological disability, a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology, new molecular diagnostic tests and specialised treatment centres for affected patients are necessary. Prof. Dr. Uta Behrends of the Chronisches Fatigue Centrum für junge Menschen (MCFC), the centre for chronic fatigue for young people at the Technical University of Munich, already has many years of experience with fatigue syndromes following various viral diseases. She will report on her work with an interdisciplinary team of specialists caring for children and adolescents with long Covid and ME/CFS.

Day 3: Rising stars: Emerging biomarkers in laboratory medicine

The two last days of the forum will take a look at the future of laboratory medicine and the life sciences. On 16 November, Dr. Verena Haselmann from the University Hospital Mannheim and a team of young, dedicated scientists will shine a light on the “rising stars” among the new biomarkers on the scientific stage. What is new and which methods are on the way to becoming standard care – both of these questions will be the focus of lectures and discussions.

The morning will be dedicated to technologies the potential of which for medical diagnostics and therapy is still under evaluation. This includes new methods of sequencing genomes and detecting complex epigenomic changes. Another topic is the application of these methods on single cells (single-cell omics) and the examination of blood samples by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); a method which so far has only been routinely used for diagnostic imaging. All these methods have in common that their analysis produces immense volumes of data. Their evaluation poses the real challenge here. During the morning session, Prof. Dr. Jonathan Schmid-Burgk of the Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology of the University Hospital Bonn will provide an introduction to high-throughput sequencing and novel applications in his lecture „Next-generation sequencing – what´s new?“. There will also be a discussion on the benefits of functional genetic mapping of hotspot genes.

In the afternoon, on the forum event stage in Düsseldorf, there will be an introduction of methods which are already closer to being ready for the market, but still subject to heavy discussion. This is where, for example, we will hear about detecting genetic aberrations of the embryo in the maternal blood (NIPT) or immune response assays on the cellular level, which are of importance right now when assessing the status of immunity during the Covid-19 pandemic. In his lecture “LDTs in the light of the IVDR – still an option for standard care?”, Dr. Maximilian Kittel of the Institute for Clinical Chemistry at the University Medical Centre and Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University will ask the critical question whether and under which conditions lab-developed testing procedures will still be usable for routine diagnostics once the new IVD guidelines are wholly in place. Here one focus lies on the conflict inherent between personalised medicine and hospital performance records. The day will end with contributions to the evaluation of data through expert systems and proprietary laboratory developments (LDT = lab-developed tests), which need to pass the new IVDR regulations in order to become routine procedures.

Day 4: Innovative developments in the life sciences

On 17 November, Dr. Peter Quick, head of the Life Science Research work group at VDGH e.V., the German association of the diagnostics industry, will bring researchers and developers on stage whose work on RNA technologies, highly important for the development of vaccines, has gained widespread recognition.

Dr. Christian Dohmen, Ethris GmbH, Senior Director Formulation & Aerosol Research, will present the mRNA Therapeutics for Lung Diseases project, one of the RNA technologies discussed. The project advocates for a novel class of mRNA products to be used as therapeutics in the treatment of respiratory and infectious diseases. The Ethris technology platform will pave the way for a protein replacement therapy for rare lung diseases and for antiviral therapies.

In her lecture, Dr. Janine Altmüller, MDC for molecular medicine and head of the Genomics Core Berlin Institute of Health at the Charité, will look beyond to even more advanced, revolutionary research technologies in life sciences: single-cell and spatial omics. As all living processes in organs and organisms rely on the functions of their basic building blocks, single cells and their interactions, these methods are of immense value for research into the physiology of health and disease. Dr. Altmüller will offer a broad introduction of technological concepts for single-cell and spatial analysis, present advantages and limitations, and illustrate their effects by presenting several highly impressive case studies.

Gene therapy, genome editing and diagnostics – where does the journey lead? Toni Cathomen, professor for cell and gene therapy at Freiburg University and director of the Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy at the University Medical Center, will also take a look at the future. Programmable nucleases like CRISPR-Cas have hailed a new era within personalised medicine. Prof. Cathomen will explain the principles of gene therapy and genome editing, present examples of successfully applied gene therapies for diseases of the blood and the immune system, and discuss new technologies for editing the genome, which have noticeably enlarged the application spectrum of gene therapy. He will end his presentation with a closer look at diagnostic assays used to assess, and where appropriate ameliorate, the risks of genotoxicity. The audience is invited to share his vision of the future of this field.

Though the topics are complex, it is a hallmark of the four-day event that all presentations are short, precise and easy to understand, and that rewarding discussions with the audience can be held on stage. This concept has contributed significantly to the success of the Medica Labmed Forum as one of the highlights of the programme at Medica.

Medica Deep Dive: Diagnostics of infectious diseases

And for all those who would like a “warm-up” in the sense of a more in-depth preparation for their visit to Medica, the digital, English-language talk rounds “Medica Deep Dive” are ideal. They will start shortly and focus on particularly relevant trend topics in the healthcare sector. They will start on 22 September with a topic from the field of laboratory medicine: “Diagnostics of infectious diseases”, with a focus on current innovations and developments in the field of point-of-care diagnostics.

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Medica Health It Forum Focuses on Sustainability – The Value of Health It in Fighting Climate Change

Future hybrid health networking as the ideal joining of digital processes and the “human factor”

When it comes to current developments within international health IT, there is no way around the world’s leading medical trade fair at Düsseldorf and its accompanying programme, which offers further professional insights. Apart from the new products of the more than 4,200 participants from about 70 nations at Medica 2022, many of whom showcase health IT solutions, the Medica Health It Forum (in Hall 12), an integrated part of the trade fair, will from 14 to 17 November once more offer an overview of top trends in data-driven medicine, brought to you by highly acclaimed speakers hosting presentations and talks. “The focus this year is especially on how health IT can contribute to more sustainability in health care, and on optimising treatment workflows through improved interlocking of digital processes and the human factor,” says Christian Grosser, Director Health & Medical Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, looking forward to this year’s agenda of the long established professional forum.

With the “Digital Patient Journey”, for example, an important topic is presented right at the start of Medica 2022 on Monday, 14 November, on the programme stage of the Medica Health It Forum. Moderator Prof. Felix Hoffmann, from the Apollon University for Health Care Management in Bremen, has already emphasised that processes in health care need improving. For example, a fracture of the lateral malleolus (ankle bone) usually would only need standard treatment. But if a patient arrives at the hospital late in the evening, it could happen that rather less experienced doctors have to carry out treatment, says Hoffmann. In this case, software-based check lists could render valuable support – for example those offered by Kumi Clinical. With the help of this software, clinical teams can plan, organise and synchronise treatment following a digital check list. From their arrival to check-ups in the aftermath of inpatient care, patients follow a digital treatment path, which is based on medical standards (SOPs) and can be flexibly adapted. All roles that share a part of the treatment process are integrated: doctors, care givers, service staff, hospital occupancy and discharge management, as well as medical controlling. This is to ensure that all participants are kept current at all times regarding the latest information, and the entire treatment path is followed correctly. The digital voice recognition software “voize” strives to contribute to the optimisation of these processes using digital speech assistants, and will also be represented at this forum’s symposium.

Therapy plans “powered by AI”

In a further symposium on Tuesday afternoon, 15 November, there will be a discussion of therapy plans based on artificial intelligence (AI). Alfa AI, for example, uses AI to create a therapy plan. The inherent intuitive application follows patients throughout the entire process, offers transparency as well as the prescribed training plan, including video lessons. In this way, Alfa AI brings together medical knowledge, long-term experience with sports and fitness, insights about proper nutrition and state-of-the-art technology.

There are, however, misgivings concerning “check list medicine”. According to Prof. Felix Hoffmann though, these are more a matter of the proper mindset. “How do I approach treatment?”, “When is a customised form of treatment really necessary?”, and “When can treatments be standardised and carried out following previously defined paths?” are important questions in this context. Hoffmann himself is a trauma surgeon, holds a chair at the Apollon University and is head of the staff unit for medical process development at the Klinikum Darmstadt hospital complex. For him, it is a given that digitalisation alone does not improve processes. The processes themselves also need improving. As a bad example, he cites the electronic prescription, which would in theory be unnecessary if medicines could be accessed directly, without going through a pharmacy. The pharmacists, however, probably beg to differ on this.

How medical networking can help save energy

Improving processes in health care could also help fight climate change – for example through beneficial use of information technology. “How can Healthcare become more sustainable with digital help? ” is a question that Armin de Greiff, technical director at the university hospital in Essen will ask during the expert panel at the Medica Health It Forum on Wednesday, 16 November, which is wholly dedicated to the issue of “Green Health & Sustainability”. “You cannot quite align furthering modern data-driven medicine with saving energy”, says de Greiff. However, he emphasises that using medical networking does save energy, for example by helping to avoid repeat examinations. Images and findings should not be printed, faxed, sent by post and above all not be transported by taxi. Rather, it should be possible to access them anywhere, at any time.

Armin de Greiff further describes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for the generation of “virtual contrasts”. With appropriate training, networks are said to be able to predict different contrasts from simple data sets and thus save on time intensive examinations. AI could also help to reduce or eliminate the need for contrast agents during CT examinations. Saving on examination time while reducing radiation and contrast agents could be viewed from a sustainable perspective. On the other hand, this also means, according to de Greiff, that the persistent wish for the newest end user devices runs counter to sustainability. He goes on to explain in this context that the ever shortening product cycles serve to improve performance more than to reduce energy consumption. At the same time, he warns: “We are facing a paradigm shift.” With this, de Greiff calls attention to the fact that a higher energy consumption in data centres is not necessarily the same as overall higher consumption of energy. Virtualisation of the work place, e.g. through mobile working and by outsourcing applications with high processing demands to servers at a data centre, leads to a concentration of consumption, but not necessarily to raised levels of consumption overall.

Hospitals have room to improve when protecting the climate

Dr. Anna Levsen from the Deutsches Krankenhaus Institut, the German hospital association, also strives to improve processes. Her tech talk centres on “Circularity in the Healthcare Industry” on Wednesday, 16 November at 12:00 noon. Expanding on her presentation at the forum, Levsen calls attention to the strict limitations that hospitals face in their actions for sustainability and protection of the climate. However, she insists: “There is a big lever we can use here.” Levsen, too, sees the more sustainable use of, for example, large equipment as a chance. Outdated technical equipment is rather wholly renewed than repaired and kept in the system, as a circular economy would do. One solution could be a service contract with a manufacturer for medical technology, who could maintain the device in good working order. “Hospitals then would not own a device which they would have to throw away in the end, but they would own a contract according to which the company would provide the device, which would be kept usable as a high-quality product”, Dr. Levsen describes this approach. In this approach, manufacturers of medical technology would retain control over their devices.

The view must stretch to the entire energy and resource cycle

Auch There is also room to improve for many hospitals when it comes to food, reducing the number of surplus meals and avoiding waste. From a clinical perspective, technologies used in telemedicine within radiology for example, also offer options to reduce the need for resources. If patients must be taken care of at home while receiving telemedical treatment, they also need the appropriate devices and need training in how to use them – and this is often difficult to achieve as Dr. Levsen summarises: “A lot of things aren’t thought through.” Circular economy means that all processes from beginning to end would have to be thought through, and even single-use products could offer a more sustainable solution than expected, especially where hygiene is an issue.

We talk a lot about reducing carbon emissions, but we also have to talk about keeping resources in the system”, Dr. Levsen emphasises. For her, it is clear: “There is a need for action.” The main hindrance from the perspective of the hospital association are a lack of funds for urgently needed investments to protect the climate, which could also help to make the entire energy and resource cycle more efficient. Considering the current gas crisis, Levsen hopes that this will now set things into motion. Another challenge is to get hospital staff “on board”. As a rule of thumb, about ten percent of energy consumption can be saved by the users. Even taking the stairs instead of the lift or bringing your own coffee cup to work could help save resources.

On the final day, 17 November 2022, the forum will focus on general developments and their possible relevance with regard to health IT. Some of the topics in the programme are “Gender-sensitive medicine” and “New work & occupational health” as well as new developments in the area of artificial intelligence.

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3-Component Allrounder Cube: Compact and Efficient Cube-Mould Technology

At the K 2022 trade fair, a particularly innovative application in terms of cube-mould technology can be seen at Arburg stand 13A13, where an automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800 will be producing a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using an 8+8+8-cavity cube mould from partner Foboha. The finished moulded part is produced directly in the mould thanks to assembly injection moulding. Mould filling, cooling, part removal by a six-axis robot and other assembly steps including capping in the gripper take place synchronously.

The K exhibit is a current customer project and a successful example of how maximum output can be achieved in a minimal footprint.

Compact cube, new turning technology
The compact Allrounder Cube 1800 three-component cube machine with a clamping force of 1,800 kN is particularly well suited to smaller cavity numbers. The exhibit works with three injection units in sizes 70, 170 and 70. At its heart is a compact cube from partner company Foboha, which is easily accessible from above. The 8+8+8-cavity tool with two index platens on each side of the cube features the new CITI technology. CITI stands for „Cube with Integrated Turning Inserts“, an index technology patented by Foboha.

Eight functional components can each be produced with the 8+8+8 cavity cube mould in a cycle time of around 9.5 seconds. First, a frame made of PP is injected on the moving nozzle side. The cube rotates 90 degrees, then the pre-moulded parts are turned 180 degrees by the CITI technology and, after another 90-degree cube rotation, a TPE seal is applied on both sides and a functional element made of POM is moulded on.

Final assembly directly in the gripper
A six-axis robot integrated in the control system removes all eight parts from the mould at the same time. Final assembly takes place directly in a gripper from Arburg’s partner Kiki in a five-step process that takes just four seconds, with no effect on the cycle time. The ready-to-use products are finally deposited on a conveyor belt.

Innovative cube-mould technology from Arburg
Depending on the circumstances, one Allrounder Cube can replace several conventional injection moulding machines and reduce the overall footprint by up to 75%. Innovative cube-mould technology significantly reduces cycle time. In addition to efficient high-volume production in the packaging and medical technology industries, compact cube machines such as the Allrounder Cube 1800 are also increasingly being used for the production of technical parts and smaller quantities.

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Photopolymer Film for Next-Generation AR Displays

Bayfol HX is used in Sony’s prototype 360-degree holographic display

The Bayfol HX photopolymer film of Covestro helps the R&D of Sony Group Corporation to realize the prototype of a transparent display. This display delivers novel and fascinating visual experiences, as the images holographically generated within it appear to float freely in a transparent cylindrical column. Viewers can walk around the 360-degree display and look at the displayed image from all angles. Since the holographically evoked image is very bright – but the display is transparent at the same time – the image and background merge almost seamlessly. In the spirit of an augmented reality (AR) system, this transparent 360° holographic display expands reality. Because whatever is displayed in it seems to actually be there for the observer. Covestro is presenting this application of Bayfol HX at the K 2022 plastics trade fair, which will be held in Düsseldorf from October 19 to 26.

Bayfol HX consists of a transparent film as a substrate and a photoreactive layer that is optimized for the specific customer requirements. Bayfol HX gives designers the greatest possible design freedom. For example, it is flexible enough to be bent – as in the Sony application – so that it can completely enclose a cylinder. It has tailor-made optical properties to produce high-quality holographic images. Both the very high transparency of the photopolymer film and the image brightness it enables were key factors in Sony’s decision to use Bayfol HX for its development project.

“We spent a long time looking for the right material to realize our idea,” said Sony’s Yutaka Imai. The R&D General manager continues, “The project showed that Bayfol HX has excellent performance for AR applications.” It is imaginable that the prototype display technology will be used, for example, in museum showrooms and corporate presentation rooms – or in the home, for example, to accompany music with 360-degree videos.

“We are pleased that digital image information can now be presented floating in space rather than just presented in a frame, as it were, thanks to Bayfol HX and Sony’s innovative screen concept. In addition to automotive head-up displays (HUD) and head-mounted displays (HMD), this is another extremely promising AR application for our holographic films,” says Yuen-Ling Lok, Head of Commercial Operations Holographic Lightguiding at Covestro.

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