Medical Electronics Event: Where Healthcare and Technology Meet

During the Medical Electronics event you will discover which technological developments will determine the healthcare of tomorrow. This year the event took place at a special location: the Experience Center of the Radboudumc. Here healthcare professionals, technologists and innovators came together to explore the latest technological applications in healthcare.

 Chairman Erik Gelderblom opens the day with a provocative question: what will the world look like in 2055? With a touch of humor, he reassures the audience: “Hopefully we will still be above sea level, Trump will definitely no longer be president and you will probably be retired.” But despite this light-hearted note, the underlying message is clear: technology will play an increasingly important role in healthcare, and those present will contribute directly to this.

Groundbreaking medical projector

Technical medical specialist Stefan Hummelink takes the audience into the world of plastic surgery and shows how technology and medicine come together using a clinical case. He shows how a plastic surgeon can move the body's own tissue from the abdomen to the chest to reconstruct it, for example after breast cancer treatment.

During this complex procedure, it is essential to keep the perforators – tiny blood vessels just one millimeter in size – intact, as they ensure the blood supply to the transplanted tissue. In order to better map these structures and facilitate the surgeon’s work, he has developed an innovative projector. This system projects anatomical data directly onto the patient, allowing the surgeon to see exactly where the vital blood vessels are located and operate with greater precision.

From loud problem to silent solution

MRI scanners are known for their deafening sound. PhD candidate and MRI specialist Thomas Roos looked for an alternative. With a clear explanation, he shows the audience how an MRI scanner works and why it makes so much noise. “An MRI scanner is basically a big loudspeaker,” he explains. He investigated ways to use higher frequencies, which are not within the human hearing range. The result? A quieter, faster and more efficient MRI experience for patients.

One of the challenges in his search was finding EMC filters that were resistant to inductive peaks. “The filters kept breaking after one or two scans, we ended up going through boxes of filters.” He found the solution two years ago at the Medical Electronics event, where he got into conversation with one of the exhibitors. “At the time, I didn’t expect to find a solution to that filter problem. It’s great to see what a simple conversation can lead to.”

The evolution of medical technology

Biomedical engineer Roland Loeffen takes the audience on a journey through the history of medical technology. He shows how innovations have developed through the generations. From the baby boomers who focused on realizing and maintaining medical instruments, such as the heart-lung machine and capnograph, to Generation X, where the focus shifted to advice and collaboration within hospitals.

Millennials saw strong growth in regulation and digitalization, while Digital Natives introduced the importance of system integration and continuous monitoring. The newest generation, Generation Alpha, is characterized by AI, digital twins and big data. They use technology increasingly smarter to make healthcare more accessible and efficient. Loeffen concludes with a clear message: medical technology continues to develop, and today's challenges form the basis for tomorrow's innovations.

The care of tomorrow

The common thread throughout the day? Technology and care are inextricably linked. The bridge between innovation and patient care is becoming increasingly stronger. The Medical Electronics event offers an inspiring look into the future and shows how science, technology and medicine come together to shape the care of tomorrow.