Professor Niels Benson of the University of Duisburg-Essen presented new communication options for implants at the COMPAMED Innovation Forum. His start-up airCode develops wireless communication technologies for medical implants that can interact with smartphones via Bluetooth, for example to give status updates. These technologies use proprietary antenna modules in combination with data management software for application integration. “We make communication possible even in the most challenging environments, for example in the vicinity of water or metal”, said Professor Benson. To date, conventional smartphone communication methods are not compatible with medical implants, which is why medical experts and special equipment are required to run updates and manage device interaction.

Glass-to-metal seals are crucial to ensure the reliability and durability of implants. Schott, a glass manufacturing specialist, has been developing hermetic glass-to-metal seals for more than 80 years. This technology is particularly suited for the next generation of active medical implants and batteries, as outlined by Julia Hütsch, Product Manager Medical Electronics at Schott, in her talk at the Forum. Glass-to-metal seals and hermetic housings have compelling advantages, for example in terms of biocompatibility, extreme impermeability and “cardio-friendliness”. This means that they can also be used for pacemakers and neurostimulators, which is a big advantage on the growing market for implants.

Dr. Martin Schüttler, co-founder of CorTec, reported on the further development of the company’s Brain Interchange System at the Forum: “The system is able to exchange information between biology and technology, between the brain and a computer. Our system provides the technological tools needed to develop new therapies and brain-computer interface applications.” The Brain Interchange System has potential applications for a wide range of brain disorders as neuromodulation implants are now a proven technology. Currently, a clinical study is investigating a new procedure for stroke rehabilitation that uses cortex stimulation to improve brain plasticity.

Medical polymers for intelligent neuronal implants

Medical polymers for intelligent neuronal implants are a further advancement. Professor Vasiliki Giagka from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM) held a talk on this subject as part of the Innovation Forum. IZM’s expertise ranges from material selection and miniaturization technology to reliability testing and risk assessment on a technical and biological level. The Institute cooperates with leading companies and research institutions worldwide Thanks to innovative biocompatible technologies for active neural interfaces, stimulating electronics, for example, can be embedded in soft and biocompatible polyurethane substrates in order to stimulate the peripheral nerves using gold electrodes. Overall, neuronal implants require a large number of different components in order to function permanently as a closed system. They are challenging to manufacture due to the flexible substrates and the high reliability and safety standards for implantations. This is why special development expertise such as IZM’s is in high demand in several areas.

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