@williamlweaver: Actually, as Ann's article points out, the polyurethane is pyrolized before the CVD is carried out, so the tantalum is deposited on a carbon substrate. The resulting structure is said to be 99% tantalum and 1% carbon by weight.
I waited but it wasn't until the end they used the word "nano." I think this is key. To incorporate this material into the body permanently, it would seem that the merging of metal an tissue couldn't be on a surface only. It needs to be throughout the device just as the normal body parts are. Clever lads!
I hope this method also finds its way to other areas- broken bones, hips, etc. What a great idea!
Wow. The fact that the application is for spine implants is impressive enough, but I'm impressed by the manufacturing process. Using a polymer substrate as a vapor deposition mold is awesome. --- Sort of like metal-infused ceramic, cermet, but with a polymer substrate - a "polymet" if you will. As we continue to see a miniaturization of electronics components, perhaps bio-compatible materials such as this will benefit from an increasing availability of tantalum...
Perfect timing for the aging baby boomer generation which wants to stay active and fit, and is thus a regular fixture at the orthopedist. This type of implant seems like it could do wonders for the all hip replacements, knee replacements and other rites of passage this generation seems to be encountering given their commitment to staying youthful.
Andrew Morris designed a circuit that could detect a stroke victim's groan and convert the sound into a signal so caregivers would know when help was needed.
New disc magnet motors fit into the design trend of stepping up to closed loop performance while maintaining the cost advantage of stepper motor technology.
At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
On April 21, NASA launched a novel project, putting into orbit three satellites that employ an off-the-shelf commercial smartphone as the control system.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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