May 3 2013
Valtronic can now offer Glass Encapsulation to medical device companies who produce active implants. Our first customer application for this product is for an ingestible pill.
Glass Encapsulated Electronics. (PRNewsFoto/Valtronic)
Glass encapsulation has been used in other high-tech industries and is a proven technology. Hermetic glass encapsulation provides a totally leak-proof housing for an implant. Glass-sealed packages are used mostly in critical components and assemblies solving several problems in the development and manufacture of active implants due to its strong properties and extended life.
Active implants are Class III electromechanical medical devices functioning in the human body. Challenges of active implants include: electronic autonomy, the size, its imperviousness to body fluids and biological interfaces. To address these challenges active implants require a battery or power system, miniaturization of electrodes and encapsulation of the components to protect and preserve the properties and functions of the implant.
"This new capability provides Valtronic with a unique opportunity to reduce an implant's power consumption and increase its functionality while reducing its size," states Jim Ohneck , Valtronic's Chief Marketing Officer. "We have exclusive rights to this technology for the medical industry worldwide and are excited about this great opportunity."
In the past year as Valtronic has been developing this technology for use in implants we have identified some significant advantages. A few of these advantages include high density feed-through reliability, radio frequency transparency advantage vs a metal enclosure and greater opportunity for package miniaturization. It is an excellent alternative encapsulation for long term implants.