Well, that does make telemedicine sound scary. AFAIK, hospitals have long been one of the biggest users of massive, high end UPS systems, at least since the early 80s when I worked in the UPS industry. OTOH, when the Northridge quake struck L.A., Santa Monica Hospital lost electricity and a lot of people got hurt.
There are a variety of motion suppliers that are providing miniaturization solutions at different levels which are being implemented in medical applications. This is one of the exciting areas for motion development. Some piezo technology solutions are integrating micro-mechatronic modules (combining controls, drives, sensors) that are ideal for use in medical devices, robotic surgical tools and precision analytical instrumentation. It also can be used to create non-magnetic motion systems for safe operation in MRI environments.
Telemedicine must be seen from a different angle I guess rather different scenarios. In a country like India or some part of Africa where there are many villages without even a primary health centre, leave alone speciality hospitals. But if one can set up a telemedicine centre, it will make the necessary medical services available to the needy. Well that does not take away the risks involved in telemedicine procedures but it is better than that of the scenario where there is no medical service at all.
It's easy to read through this article and skim right past one amazing bit of information: "Motor sizes of 1.9 mm in diameter..." That's a motor diameter of about 1/12th of an inch! I'd be curious to see how a motor of that size is manufacturerd.
I understand the surgical aspect of these small motors but I'm missing the point as to why they are advancing developments of such surgical tools with batteries.Maybe not for the surgical tools, but for post surgical implants-?Guessing batteries would be needed for a prosthetic, perhaps where tiny motors move finger joints? But I'm not clearly envisioning the application.It's different from say, a pace-maker with a 5 year battery sending a micro-pulse to a heart muscle – no moving parts in that App. -- So, why batteries-?
The advantages of medical minaturization are obvious. What I still don't get is how telemedicine. which in terms of its technological heritage is certainly related, is widely applicable. It can work in certain situations but what happens when something goes wrong? An unexpected emergency (bleeding out), power outage, or some physical movement which takes the patient out of the operational window (like falling off the operating table; I guess that's why they strap you down).
Medical surgical robots will change the face of surgery in the future. Miniature medical actuator systems used in minimally invasive surgery need to be as compact as possible. These miniature medical actuator systems will definitely be of help in applications where there is a need for precise positioning.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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