News
Healthy Aims for the Materials Department
10 January 2006
The Department of Materials is working with a new EU Framework VI Project, involving 26 partners across nine EU countries, which hopes to develop a range of medical implants to help the aging population and those with disabilities.
The Healthy Aims project is funded under the IST Microsystems programme and combines experts from a wide range of disciplines, from corporate partners to research institutions.
Professor Pankaj Vadgama, Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, is leading the Queen Mary Team. He explained: "The project's corporate partners are electronics companies who are developing smarter implants such as an artificial cochlear and retina, a brain pressure monitor, nerve stimulating devices and an electronic sensor which measures eye pressure to help in the diagnosis of glaucoma.
"It's a large consortium, and each university partner has a different function. My team is looking specifically at how to improve the biocompatibility of these devices, by protecting the microelectronic structures from body fluids. Related to this, we are developing polymers that resist water and which can be used to encapsulate the devices. Lab testing to asses safety of these materials with cells is also an important part of work."
Healthy Aims is developing key microsystem technologies and communication methods that bring intelligence directly to the human, in the form of medical implants and ambulatory measurement systems. Medical applications have been chosen that will have a direct positive impact on the health of EU citizens and also contribute significantly to economic growth and intellectual capability.
Some of the industrial partners have already commenced clinically usable devices, e.g. cochlear implants. the overall objective is to produce intelligent medical devices that have communication capability and exploit the full range of advanced technologies in design, materials, processes and manufacturing. Professor Vadgama and his team hope their expertise can contribute to the long term reliability of these systems.
The Healthy Aims project is funded under the IST Microsystems programme and combines experts from a wide range of disciplines, from corporate partners to research institutions.
Professor Pankaj Vadgama, Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, is leading the Queen Mary Team. He explained: "The project's corporate partners are electronics companies who are developing smarter implants such as an artificial cochlear and retina, a brain pressure monitor, nerve stimulating devices and an electronic sensor which measures eye pressure to help in the diagnosis of glaucoma.
"It's a large consortium, and each university partner has a different function. My team is looking specifically at how to improve the biocompatibility of these devices, by protecting the microelectronic structures from body fluids. Related to this, we are developing polymers that resist water and which can be used to encapsulate the devices. Lab testing to asses safety of these materials with cells is also an important part of work."
Healthy Aims is developing key microsystem technologies and communication methods that bring intelligence directly to the human, in the form of medical implants and ambulatory measurement systems. Medical applications have been chosen that will have a direct positive impact on the health of EU citizens and also contribute significantly to economic growth and intellectual capability.
Some of the industrial partners have already commenced clinically usable devices, e.g. cochlear implants. the overall objective is to produce intelligent medical devices that have communication capability and exploit the full range of advanced technologies in design, materials, processes and manufacturing. Professor Vadgama and his team hope their expertise can contribute to the long term reliability of these systems.
Updated by: Victoria Wells