UL researchers design new metal alloy to improve X-ray visibility

Scientists and engineers from the Materials and Surface Science Institute at the University of Limerick (UL) say they have come up with a new metal alloy to construct medical devices that are placed in the body, such as stents and valves, and make them more visible under X-ray.

Covidien funds non-profit to develop mobile tech for heart disease patients

Medical device firm Covidien is to fund non-profit Heartbeat Trust to support R&D into the use of mobile technology to allow remote monitoring of heart patients.

Big data could mean big health cost savings and better outcomes

Picture a scenario where, by collecting the right data and using analytics, our health system could predict when a patient with chronic conditions might get very ill and require hospitalisation, and intervene before that happens, thus saving the health system millions, and improving the outcomes for patients.

Delivering the goods for new therapeutics

Getting therapeutics to their site of action in the body is a key step in successful treatment. Claire O’Connell talked to Prof Sally-Ann Cryan about her work to deliver the therapeutic goods.

Film Welcome to the Machine reveals technology is what it means to be human

The impending arrival of filmmaker Avi Zev Weider’s triplets as a result of IVF inspired him to explore the nature of technology and what it means to be human in a new film, Welcome to the Machine.

Cardiovascular device design course targets Ireland's med-tech sector

Scientists, designers, engineers and manufacturers working in the medical-devices sector are taking part in a cardiovascular device design programme that kicked off in Galway with the aim of helping such professionals apply principles of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology to the design of cardiovascular devices.

Dubliner launches crowdfunding campaign to bring emergency ID device to market

Telecoms professional Jan Bosch has come up with a new concept for an emergency identification device that could be used in hospital A&E departments to identify patients with conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes.

New wireless prototype to monitor comfort of patients in wheelchairs

The WiSAR Lab at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) is tackling a new wireless project to monitor patients in wheelchairs who may be susceptible to pressure sores.

Dublin health-tech start-up secures €650k investment

Zinc Software, a Dublin-based company that is developing next-generation heart sensors, has secured €650,000 in an investment round to bring its first product to market.

Tech start-up of the week: Portable Medical Technology

Portable Medical Technology Ltd develops accredited and trusted apps for medical specialists to reduce medical errors, improve efficiencies and progress patient communication.

DocMorris launches app to remind customers when to take their prescriptions

Pharmacy chain DocMorris has invested €200,000 in a new app that could improve medicine administration and cut down on the Irish State’s healthcare bills.

200 new jobs as medical-device player Nypro locates in Waterford

The Waterford region is to benefit from 200 new jobs as medical-device player Nypro Healthcare revealed plans to establish a state-of-the-art facility in the south-east of Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland pumps €1m into DkIT med-tech research project

Dr Fergal McCaffery of Dundalk Institute of Technology and researcher with Irish software engineering research centre Lero has been awarded €1m in Enterprise Ireland grants to commercialise his research and potentially reach a global market.

Cot-side technology working to detect seizures in infants

A new international trial led by University College Cork (UCC) will evaluate cot-side technology to monitor brain seizures in high-risk newborns.

Irish-made next-generation coronary stent system implanted in Dublin

A next-generation drug-coated coronary stent made in Ireland has been successfully implanted for the first time worldwide in Dublin. Boston Scientific in Ballybrit, Galway, is the manufacturer of the Promus PREMIER Stent System.

Cork med-tech player Lincor secures €7.3m investment from Edison Ventures

Cork-based medical-technology company Lincor has secured a €7.3m investment (US$9.5m) from Edison Ventures, a US venture capital firm specialising in healthcare IT investments. The investment will pave the way for 30 new jobs.

Irish app certified by CE as a medical device

An app developed specifically for oncologists by an Irish software company has just received CE certification – the third app in the world to do so.

Making the German connections in med tech

In Germany, med tech is thriving. In fact, it’s one of the largest markets in the world for medical devices and technology. And, as exhibitors at the Medtec Europe expo in Stuttgart, Germany, found out recently, there is scope for high-quality Irish companies to connect to it.