Smart medical devices

The challenge

Implantable medical devices are getting smaller, smarter and more connected. Whether for drug delivery or physical intervention like defibrillation, manufacturers are looking to embed more sensors in the device to collect more data, that is increasingly shared with care providers via wireless technology. This helps to reduce risk, for example, by ensuring precise dosing or preventing unnecessary interventions.

The ultimate implantable device

Naturally, a key aim is to maximize the information while minimizing the number of times the patient must undergo procedures related to their medical implant. That means using the wireless link for feedback, maintenance and upgrades as well as data collection. Power is also a challenge. Can you provide all the functionality required within the limited power budget needed for multi-year battery lifetimes? Is wireless charging a viable option? And what about the actual sensor? How to modify an off the shelf sensor to become a miniaturized and biocompatible implantable?

Download our white paper that covers the vital technologies you need for the next generation of implantable devices.

By giving you access to the latest advances in chip technology, imec helps you address these challenges and reduce the size of implantable devices. We can custom design ICs to meet your specific requirements, and our state-of-the-art facilities for low-volume production are invaluable in the market of niche products. We can help to ensure you deliver implantable devices with maximum benefit for managing a person’s health with minimum disturbance to their daily life.