From band aids to blood pressure measurement – everything will be "smart”

Can prosthetics be intelligent? Yes, they can. “Intelligent prosthetics are prosthetics that perceive their surroundings via sensors. Based on these perceptions, they then adapt their functions appropriately to meet the patients’ needs,” explains Prof. Arndt Schilling. He is the head of research and development at the clinic for trauma surgery, orthopedics and plastic surgery at the University Medical Center Göttingen and president of the German Academy for Osteology and Rheumatology Sciences and is one of the more than hundred international speakers at the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM. With over 5,000 exhibitors, MEDICA is the world’s leading medical trade fair held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany (November 12 - 15, 2018). The forum is an established part of MEDICA’s program and focuses on the latest findings, technologies and solutions to ensure interconnected and mobile healthcare. Top trends and innovative products are the topic of lectures and are presented in the exhibition area of the Forum in Hall 15.

On November 12 and 13, the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM will focus on personalized medicine for the treatment of chronic diseases and appropriate health monitoring, among other topics. ResMed, for example, offers solutions for sleep apnea as well as non-invasive ventilators for home use (mechanical ventilation). Thanks to sleep onset detection, these devices deliver a low pressure until the user falls asleep and then increase the pressure to the prescribed value. At the same time, integrated radio technology sends the therapy data to the caregiver. Users can change the device’s settings, check that the device is working properly and solve problems. This helps ensure the therapy’s quality. In particular, Andreas Grimm from ResMed will focus on how innovative CPAP can improve the mobility of patients with sleep apnea.
Mild electrical impulses counter depression

Korean company Ybrain uses neurostimulation to treat depression. Applied transcranial direct-current stimulation is recognized by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), for example. For this purpose, Ybrain has developed the “Mindd” headband. The device emits mild electrical impulses to the frontal lobe of the brain. This shocks the frontal lobe out of its depressive inactivity, so to speak. Depression is associated with inactivity in this region of the brain. The system is connected to a smart phone app which allows users to evaluate the intensity of their depression on a scale. This allows doctors to monitor the treatment’s progress. On November 12, Kiwon Lee, Managing Director of Ybrain, will explain these devices for non-invasive brain and nerve stimulation.

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