Image Credit: VeriMed VeriMed’s VeriChip is the only RFID tag that has been cleared by FDA for human implant. The concept behind the medical use of the VeriChip is that patients would have the tiny chip implanted just under the skin, in the back of the arm. Each VeriMed microchip contains a unique identification number that emergency personnel
CardioMEMS Miniature Implantable Wireless Sensors
CardioMEMS was founded by Dr. Jay S. Yadav and Dr. Mark G. Allen in Atlanta, GA in 2000 to develop implantable micro-electromechanical sensors to improve the management of severe chronic cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and aneurysms. The miniature wireless sensors can be delivered through a catheter. Once in place, they transmit cardiac output, blood
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NDI Medical’s Miniature MicroPulse Neurostimulator
Image Credit: SPR Therapeutics NDI Medical was founded in 2002 by Geoffrey B. Thrope to develop and commercialize neurodevice products. NDI Medical developed the MicroPulse neurostimulator, a thumb-sized, rechargeable pulse generator, that has been used for the treatment of incontinence and pain, as well as an implantable device for the restoration of function of paralyzed limbs. According to a 2006
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Leptos Biomedical’s Splanchnic Nerve Stimulation For Treatment Of Obesity (2002-2010)
Leptos Biomedical was founded in Fridley, MN in 2002 by Dr. John D. Dobak. Leptos intended to develop an implantable device to stimulate the greater splanchnic nerve, that was hoped would result in reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure. In February 2010 Leptos announced its closure. Reasons were not provided, but it has been suggested that the decision
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Palyon Medical’s Implantable Programmable Pain-Medicine Pump
Image Credit: Palyon Medical’s animation at www.biodigital.com Palyon Medical Corporation was founded in 2004 in New York, NY, but recently moved its operations to Santa Clarita, CA. Palyon is still operating stealthily. Palyon is developing a programmable implantable drug delivery system (IDDS) which delivers targeted doses of pain medication directly to the spinal area for the
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Neuros Medical’s Implantable Device to Alleviate Amputation Pain
Image Credit: Neuros Medical Neuros Medical was founded by Jon J. Snyder in Cleveland, OH in 2008 to develop a neurostimulation therapy to alleviate chronic pain. The company’s Electrical Nerve Block™ technology is based on research done at Case Western Reserve University. The company’s Nerve Block is an implantable device that delivers high-frequency stimulation to sensory nerves in the
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Reliability Analysis of Active Implantable Medical Devices
We conduct reliability analyses for our implantable devices on a continued basis. I’ve spent the last few days readying the data for this period’s analysis, and thought that a short primer on how this is actually done would be of interest to fellow engineers who may need it at some point. You surely have heard
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NeuroVista’s Implantable EEG for Seizure Prediction
Seattle-based NeuroVista was founded in 2002 by Dr. Daniel DiLorenzo to develop an implantable device for the early detection of epileptic seizures. The NeuroVista seizure advisory system is based on an implantable device that senses EEG irregularities that precede a seizure. Early warning allows patients to take medicine and find a safe place to lie down. Although some
Radiation-Hardened ICs for Implantable Medical Devices
Lately I’ve received many inquiries about the paper on radiation-hardness testing of implantable integrated circuits that I published with Dr. Larry Stotts (now Executive VP R&D at Biotronik), and the late Dr. John Prince. This is because the effects of medical diagnostic and therapeutic radiation are becoming an issue of concern to physicians who often encounter
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InControl’s Metrix Atrioverter (1990-1998)
InControl was founded in 1990 in Redmond, WA to develop an implantable device for treating atrial fibrillation. In November 1995, InControl announced the first human implant of its Metrix atrioverter. The implantable atrioverter system consisted of an implantable atrial defibrillator (model 3000 or 3020) connected to right atrial (perimeter right atrial model 7205) and coronary sinus (perimeter coronary sinus model 7109)
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Cactus/Freescale Semiconductor ICs for Implantable Medical Devices
Image Credit: Freescale Semiconductor, from “Integrated Circuits for Implantable Medical Devices” An article by Steve Taranovich in the December 15, 2011 issue of EDN discussed technologies that are expected to be hot in 2012. One of these is the implantable chipset being developed by a collaborative effort between Cactus Semiconductor of Chandler, AZ and semiconductor giant
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Victhom Human Bionics’ Neurostep Implantable Closed-Loop Stimulator for Foot Drop
Image Credit: Victhom Human Bionics Victhom Human Bionics was founded in 2002 in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Canada. The company’s Neurobionix business unit develops its implantable closed-loop system devices. The Neurostep® is a neurostimulator designed to be implanted into the patient’s leg. Electrodes are attached to the peripheral nerves responsible for sensing and stimulating the muscles that lift
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Spinal Modulation’s Neurostimulator for the Stimulation of the Dorsal Root Ganglion
Image Credit: Spinal Modulation Spinal Modulation was founded by Mir Imran in Menlo Park, CA in 2004. The company has developed an implantable neurostimulator to deliver signals to the primary sensory neurons located within the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The idea is that unlike dorsal column spinal cord stimulation, the Spinal Modulation system breaks the
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Why Do So Many Novel Implantables Use a “Boxy” Enclosure?
Active implantable medical devices are typically enclosed in a hermetically-sealed titanium housing which provides protection of the circuitry and other components. Commonly, Grade 1 titanium is formed into the enclosure using stamping. The pretty, rounded shapes of modern pacemakers and ICDs are achieved by having two enclosure halves shallowly stamped from sheet stock material,
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Nevro’s Senza Rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulator for Back and Leg Pain
Image Source: Nevro’s Website Nevro Corporation (formerly NBI Development) was founded in 2006 by Dr. Konstantinos Alataris. The Menlo Park, CA company developed a pain management concept that originated at the Mayo Clinic into a spinal cord stimulation system for back and leg pain. According to Nevro, their unique stimulation waveform achieves pain relief without paresthesia or uncomfortable stimulation. Few details
