Medical Engineering

Medical-engineering is one of the core competences at Fraunhofer IZM. Medical technology will continue to have significant impact on the quality of life in our modern civilization. The adoption of electronics and microtechnology has had tremendous impact on previously uncurable diseases. Also it influences the autonomy of patients and promises improvements for future treatment and diagnosis.

Neural trauma, chronic diseases and pain treatment count as main topics. Novel diagnostic concepts allow faster detection of the diseases‘ origin and faster development of new pharmaceutical agents. For more than a decade Fraunhofer IZM has served the medical industry with its technology portfolio adapted to heart pace makers, to retinal implants, to lab-on-chip platforms, to neuroprosthetic devices and hearing aids. We act as a one-stop-shop solution provider for customers from research and industry in search for miniaturized integration of microelectronic, microsensory, microfluidic and micro-optical systems.

E-pills: A new approach to diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal conditions

The gastrointestinal tract is of great importance to our health and wellbeing, but many patients are wary about the endoscopic exams that they often associate with considerable discomfort. And indeed, in many cases, the current methods require general anesthesia and…

RealIZM: Our top-5 posts by female scientists at Fraunhofer IZM

Even today, women remain underrepresented in science and in research-driven industry. At Fraunhofer IZM, women account for 29.3 % of all employees, with a greater proportion of women in non-scientific (50 %) than in science jobs (23.8 %).* To counter…

Adhesive-free fused silica fiber joints made possible by direct laser welding

Fused silica may be expensive and complicated to produce, but the laser welding process developed at Fraunhofer IZM, which uses it as a connection for photonic chips, is something of a revolution. Welding with a CO2 laser enables robust and…

Tracking Environmental Factors Affecting Lung Diseases with Sensor Armbands

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) are lung diseases that cause high mortality. The EU-wide REMEDIA project develops technologies for measuring environmental influences that have an impact on these diseases. Four Fraunhofer Institutes are part of the…

Skipping the Laboratory – Turbotesting with Lab-on-a-Chip for Point-of-Care Diagnostics

With Lab-on-a-Chip technology, testing becomes much faster and more efficient. Not only can these sensors replace reference laboratories, they can even communicate the results directly to a computer for validation and statistics. And, as our expert Manuel Bäuscher wants to…

Rechargeable Bees? The Surprising Uses of Miniature Batteries

Fraunhofer IZM is pushing the boundaries for extremely small lithium-ion batteries, with the tiniest battery coming in at only one square millimetre. These super-small batteries are used in tiny in-ear devices or, unexpectedly, on the backs of worker bees. Robert…

A Revolution for Neural Implants: Wireless Charging and Nerve Stimulation

The Moore4Medical project brings together no fewer than 66 companies, universities, and research institutes from more than ten countries. Their aim is to develop open technology platforms that offer revolutionary new opportunities for the medical sector and its patients. Fraunhofer…

Quantum Sensors Here, There, and Everywhere: From the Seabed to Your Pocket

Since antiquity, physics has tried to explain the world we live in. There are things that are easy to describe, such as the time it takes for a weight to drop from a certain height. Classical mechanics can calculate how…

How to Test Electronic Products for the Real World? Design for Reliability

Tom Dobs is an expert for the reliability of electronic systems at Fraunhofer IZM. In the video, he introduces different methods for testing and optimizing products concerning their reliability. Vibration measurement and test with electronic components, if required in combination…

Eco-Reliability: The New Approach towards Sustainable and Reliable Electronics

Driven by the digital and ecological transition, the term “eco-reliability” has gained increased popularity within the last years. The main objective of this article is to present this new approach from its complementary perspectives “ecology and reliability” and to highlight…