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It isn’t hard to see that as technology has advanced, the everyday devices we use at work and at home have become more lightweight, transportable and easier to carry. Similar to the way phones, laptops and the other electronics we depend upon have shrunk in size while increasing in capabilities, medical technology has also undergone a reduction in stature while experiencing a gain in sophistication.
A major reason for this is due to manufacturers building the internal parts of these devices at such a miniaturized scale that many electronics have a mobility they didn’t possess in earlier incarnations. This manufacturing process, micro molding, is able to create tiny, intricate parts. Here we’ll look at some examples of how micro molding technology is reshaping the medical world through new approaches to creating medical instruments. Consequently, these new, more compact devices are setting new standards for preventing disease and saving lives.
The Latest Revolution
Throughout the history of medicine, certain innovations have revolutionized the industry. Antibiotics, the X-ray and the sterilization of equipment and instruments expanded our knowledge and gave us new methods for making treatments more effective. The use of micro technology in the manufacturing of medical instruments is the latest step in this endeavor. Here are some examples of micro molding at work in the medical field:
- Endoscopes:
- Cameras:
- Sensors and medical chips:
Going a step beyond what X-rays can do, endoscopy provides a means for effectively gathering information and then treating a condition by enabling doctors to view activity within the human body. A team of engineers at Stanford is currently in the process of designing an endoscope that provides greater clarity and detail at the cellular level. Although it’s years away from being finalized, the device could be an asset in treating cancer and in quickening the time of treatments.
How tiny can a camera be? A German research institute may have answered that question with a camera that is a cubic millimeter in size, smaller than the end of a match. Its miniscule size gives it the ability to reach organs and areas within the body that other cameras haven’t been able to access. It’s also so affordable to manufacture that it will be a disposable instrument.
The term “wireless” has become common. People use it to describe Internet connections, yet it also applies to a tiny medical chip that doctors can use within the body to diagnose problems and even perform surgeries. It does this wirelessly and can operate within the bloodstream to locate targeted areas. Comparatively, a U.S.-based company called Endotronix has developed a wireless sensor in collaboration with NASA to monitor a person’s blood pressure and heart rate without the need for attaching wires to the patient’s body. The potential uses of the sensor could extend to bone and spinal checks as well.
Micro Molding’s Contribution to Medicine
These new innovations lead to greater care and more effective treatments that will have life-saving benefits and provide a better quality of life for people in need. As such accomplishments in medical technology grow, the demand for micro molding is increasing in the scientific and medical industries, as the advantage it provides is to gather information without the need for invasive surgery. The medical field isn’t the only one benefiting from micro molding, and likely more technological advances will take place as hardware for computers and electronic devices becomes smaller and more powerful.
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