Get the latest from Ultralife, Accutronics & SWE

~ How new batteries make transportable MedTech more fit-for-purpose ~

For over five decades, with the help of battery power, medical devices on wheels have been a cost-effective and invaluable option for hospitals. Every year new devices are introduced to the market. Fortunately, to ensure that all these old and new devices can fit around the patient's bedside, the technological advancement of various components, such as batteries, means it is now possible to design effective functionality into smaller footprints. Here, we look at MedTech on wheels throughout the decades and how new battery technologies have emerged to better serve the need for compact size and higher performance.

Ultralife manufacture Thin Cells® for CGM sensors and rechargeable batteries for handheld receivers, plus Thin Cells® can be used in insulin pump patches

~ How RFID can help healthcare maintain an effective working environment ~

~ Remote patient monitoring could grow by 128 percent but is the power sufficient? ~

Robots for military, medical, surveillance and logistics purposes are all assisting humans by undertaking dangerous or monotonous tasks but can still have very different power needs, based on the legislations they are subject to and their reliance on battery power.  Here we examine the vital functionalities of bomb disposal robots, drones, surgical robotics and logistics robots that can influence the power solutions they require.

For large medical devices, battery power is mainly used as a backup in case of mains failure.  For handheld and wearable devices however, they are the primary power supply.  Any downtime could threaten the well-being of the patient, which makes the efficacy of the batteries just as vital as the monitors or sensors they might be powering.

According to PR Newswire, the wearable medical devices market is expected to be worth $14.41bn by 2022.  Developments in technology are paving the way for smaller, lighter devices with an increasing range of features.  However, OEMs must rely on compact batteries to power them.

Funding for the Department of Health has slowed by around 3% compared to historical trends.  As a result, hospitals are likely to assess cost savings in their purchasing decisions, which will have a knock-on effect on the prices that medical device manufacturers (OEMs) are able to charge.  Therefore, OEMs may consider reducing spending on parts such as the battery.  Accutronics’ range of Entellion pre-engineered batteries are an excellent low-cost option, as they have no tooling or qualification costs and are certified to comply with medical legislation.  The range includes VR series, CMX series and credit card batteries.

Are you seeking a medical battery solution to be incorporated in a ventilator, anaesthesia workstation, dialysis machine or other medtech equipment?  Take a look at our six factors to help you make the right choice: