Hamburg/TU Ilmenau
Environmentally friendly respiratory masks: sustainable and biobased
10.07.2024
In view of the global challenges posed by environmental pollution and the need to make medical protective equipment efficient and sustainable, a team at Ilmenau University of Technology, led by Prof. Florian Puch, has developed an innovative solution: bio-based respiratory masks.
Chalabala
Sterile supplies: AI-based recognition of surgical instruments with Cir.Log
04.04.2024
The Cir.Log project between Charité Facility Management GmbH (CFM) and Fraunhofer IPK aims to increase the efficiency of sterile processing in hospitals and improve patient safety. Essentially, the aim is to create a smooth transition from current workflows to a more efficient, technology-supported system.
Mint Images
Disinfection in hospitals: textiles inhibit pathogens
14.02.2024
Antimicrobial textiles can curb the spread of pathogens in hospitals. On the one hand, they reduce the amount of disinfection required by staff and, on the other, they increase the protection of patients against infection. Empa in Switzerland has tested the coating of curtains with antimicrobial substances in a study.
University of Jyväskylä
Antiviral resin destroys COVID-19 from plastic surfaces
06.02.2024
Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland are pioneering the development of antiviral surfaces to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, particularly focusing on coronaviruses.
Empa
Antimicrobial hospital curtains - Bacteria, stay out!
01.12.2023
A coating process can be used to treat fabrics in such a way that bacterial and viral pathogens are killed or inhibited in their growth. In hospitals, the coated textiles could be used in future as antimicrobial curtains between patient beds, for example.
UConn photo
EPA testing shows the power of D-I-Y air filters to trap viruses
07.11.2023
There is a low-cost way for you to protect yourself and reduce your risk of respiratory diseases such as flu, RSV, and COVID-19. Build yourself a Corsi-Rosenthal box (CR box) in 30 minutes with just $60 worth of common hardware store supplies.
Joseph Puthussery
Biosensing: air monitor can detect COVID-19 variants
13.07.2023
Scientists are looking at ways to surveil indoor environments in real time for viruses. By combining recent advances in aerosol sampling technology and an ultrasensitive biosensing technique, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have created a real-time monitor that can detect any of the SARS-CoV-2 virus variants in a room in about 5 minutes.
StreetOncamara_From_Twenty20
NOVA project: next generation of antimicrobial coating technologies
07.07.2023
Researchers develop and test highly efficient, environmentally friendly and stable antimicrobial (antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal) coating technologies in the NOVA project.
Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum
Hygiene: monkeypox viruses relatively stable on surfaces
23.05.2023
A study conducted by the Department of Molecular and Medical Virology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has shown that temperature is a major factor in this process: at room temperature, a monkeypox virus that is capable of replicating can survive on a stainless steel surface for up to eleven days, and at four degrees Celsius for up to a month.
mvaligursky
Incubators: method to reduce alcohol absorbed from disinfectants used
22.03.2023
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba showed the association between the concentration of evaporated alcohol from alcohol-based disinfectants used for incubators and the amount of alcohol absorbed by premature infants.
Georgia Tech
New ultrafast water disinfection method is more environmentally friendly
27.02.2023
Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have found a way to use small shocks of electricity to disinfect water, reducing energy consumption, cost, and environmental impact.
Okrasyuk
Wound care: New spray fights infections and antibiotic resistance
07.02.2023
A group of researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden are presenting a new spray that can kill even antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and that can be used for wound care and directly on implants and other medical devices.
Empa
Watching viruses fail
20.12.2022
Using a new analytical method, Empa researchers have tracked viruses as they pass through face masks and compared their failure on the filter layers of different types of masks.
Freudenberg Performance Materials
ProQuIV optimizes the production of nonwoven masks
12.12.2022
Producing infection control clothing requires a lot of energy and uses lots of material resources. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a technology which helps to save materials and energy when producing nonwovens.
Safe and clean – Steelco S.p.A.
16.11.2022
Safe reprocessing of medical instruments is particularly important in laboratory or hospital operations. It is good to have a reliable partner who does not shy away from any challenge: Steelco S.p.A. offers efficient and versatile solutions for even the most specific customer requirements of equipment and systems for washing, disinfection, and sterilization. We learn more at MEDICA 2022.
Helpful hands redefined – Stäubli Tec-Systems GmbH
16.11.2022
Medical robots are on the advance: Highly precise, rigid or flexible, they also have to meet the criteria for sterile surgical conditions. At MEDICA 2022, we visit the stand of Stäubli Tec Systems and see for ourselves why robots can be the helping hand of surgeons.
In the name of hygiene and safety: modern hospital equipment
14.11.2022
In addition to the obvious medical care of patients, infection prevention in hospitals is also a major topic. Which devices are essential in the fight against bacteria, pathogens and co. and what actually happens to potentially contaminated medical waste?
FabrikaPhoto
Project: hospital construction
01.07.2022
In addition to medical care, the recovery of patients in the hospital is a key factor. In order for this to take place in the best possible way, the focus in the planning phase should also be on optimal workplace design for medical staff. How can the balancing act between design and functionality be achieved and what will the hospital of tomorrow look like?
Dräger Medical Deutschland GmbH
Healing Environment: thoughtful design improves patient care
01.07.2022
Most people would not immediately consider hospitals places that create a "feel-good atmosphere". And yet, the environment plays a key role in a patient’s healing process and recovery. As a leading medical and safety technology product manufacturer, Dräger Medical Deutschland GmbH knows how to create a design that blends function with comfort.
Tom Bauer |TU Braunschweig
Architecture rather than antibiotics: patient room takes center stage
01.07.2022
Hospitals take many precautions – including hygiene concepts – to prevent the spread of infection but are still unable to eliminate all pathogens. Since 2016, an interdisciplinary research team has been studying how architecture and design can help prevent the spread of highly infectious and multidrug-resistant pathogens as part of the KARMIN project.
Prostock-studio
Hygiene and sterilization: Hightech for clean surfaces
02.05.2022
Due to the Corona pandemic, a lot of attention is currently focused on the protective effect of medical masks. But especially in medical work areas, the protection against aerosol transmission is not enough, because a lot of pathogens can be transmitted trough direct contact with people or surfaces. Hygienic measures against contact infections like these are very costly, though.
SOMI medical GmbH
Production hygiene: the packaging process from warehouse to logistics
02.05.2022
Applications of telemedicine surged in popularity in efforts to reduce the COVID-19 infection risk for both medical professionals and patients. Unfortunately, the services typically lack a proper diagnostic option.
karrastock
Disinfection: Solutions to stop pathogens from spreading
02.05.2022
Disinfection and sterilization are the most reliable and best way to ensure patient safety in healthcare settings. Whether it is at the point of care when the patient is either at the hospital or medical practice, or wherever medical devices are manufactured and packaged in a sterile environment – the transmission of pathogens and microorganisms can have severe health impacts.
Fraunhofer IST/Paul Kurze
Cold plasma: Contactless disinfection of surfaces
02.05.2022
One of the most time-consuming tasks in hospitals is the manual cleaning and disinfection of high touch points and surfaces such as door handles, buttons, and switches. These are areas where microorganisms are spread by direct skin contact. The “MobDi – Mobile Disinfection” research project is developing a robot that automatically cleans and disinfects these areas. It will use cold plasma.
Single-use catheter reprocessing in electrophysiology
01.03.2022
Catheter ablation is a way to treat irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, like atrial fibrillation. Although catheters are classified as single-use or disposable devices, the complex instruments can be reused multiple times thanks to extensive reprocessing.
PantherMedia/Valery Vvoennyy
Medical consumables: Will the pandemic inspire more sustainable practices?
01.03.2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a global increase in healthcare commodities and medical consumables: demand for face masks, gloves, protective apparel, and other personal protective equipment has soared as a result. This also applies to rapid tests, reagents, laboratory equipment and supplies. But all this sparked a myriad of problems.
PantherMedia / Fotofabrika
How to reduce plastic waste: innovative process promises recycling of single-use face masks
01.03.2022
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the use of disposable face masks. Discarding them has become an environmental challenge on a global scale. This has prompted the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT to develop an innovative recycling process for used plastics.
LMU University Hospital Munich
Room divider based on UV-C light inactivates SARS-CoV-2 aerosols
22.12.2021
Despite myriad precautionary measures, virus-contaminated aerosols still pose a serious problem indoors. An invisible protective wall of UV-C ligh could provide a solution and reliably curb the spread of viruses and other pathogens in rooms in the future while allowing total freedom of movement.
Gettyimages
Optimal usage time for face coverings
23.08.2021
Researchers from Surrey's renowned Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) explore two key questions: how long a mask should be worn; and when should it be discarded, recycled or washed to optimise its usage time.
Tom Bauer/TU Braunschweig
Patient room of the future comes to Braunschweig
22.06.2021
Architecture can prevent infections in hospitals. The walk-in model of a new type of patient room shows how this can be done. It was developed by a team from the fields of architecture, medicine and molecular biology in the KARMIN research project.
Mobile hygiene robot in the hospital – The cleaning force of the future
25.05.2021
One of the most time-consuming tasks in a hospital is the disinfection of often-used surfaces like light switches or door handles. This is especially important during the corona pandemic. The "DeKonBot" by Fraunhofer IPA could support hospital staff here in the future. Learn in our video interview with Dr. Birgit Graf how the robot works.
V. D'Alessandro, M. Falone, L. Giammichele, R. Ricci
Irradiating COVID-19 cough droplets with UV-C lamps
16.03.2021
Using supercomputer numerical modeling of saliva droplets' diffusion produced by coughs, researchers in Italy explore deactivating COVID-19 virus particles via UV-C light.
Disinfection: antibacterial coating on surfaces in the ICU
01.03.2021
All hospitalized patients are susceptible to contracting a nosocomial infection, with ICU patients being particularly at risk. The effects of these hospital-acquired infections are often more dangerous than the original reason for the in-patient hospitalization. The "PACMAN" project is now testing an antimicrobial coating for frequently used contact surfaces at high risk of pathogen transmission.
Hygiene and disinfection: innovations against Covid-19
01.03.2021
When urgently needed products such as masks become scarce or conventional disinfection processes reach their limits, inventiveness is called for. And there is usually plenty of it in times of crisis. What innovations has the current corona pandemic already produced? How can they supplement or even replace existing products and processes?
Necessity is the mother of invention – innovations in the corona pandemic
01.03.2021
Keeping your distance, washing your hands, wearing a mask – such protective measures have been the order of the day since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic began. But appropriate products or procedures are not suitable for everyone, are often unavailable or, despite everything, carry a residual risk. The need for new, better solutions is high. But necessity is the mother of invention.
Miama: transparent face mask uncovers facial expressions
01.03.2021
Over 50% of our communication is made up of facial expressions and gestures. Nonverbal communication is especially important to deaf or hearing-impaired people or people with dementia. A conventional mask makes this more difficult, may promote miscommunication and contribute to medical errors in extreme cases. Yet it is paramount to use a mask amid this pandemic. Miama helps solve this problem.
Tel Aviv University
Ozone effective against coronavirus
25.02.2021
Studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 remains active on aerosols and surfaces for between several hours and several days, depending on the nature of the surface and environmental conditions.
PantherMedia/sielemann
Medical devices: hygienic design combats pathogens
03.02.2021
Medical hygiene does not just play a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventing the transmission of infectious diseases and especially the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms is paramount even in non-pandemic times. While hygiene practices in hospitals and medical offices are essential, the industry can also make an important contribution with hygienic product design.
Fraunhofer IBP
Covid-19: protective canopy prevents infection
19.01.2021
The risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 is particularly high indoors. This is because, in addition to smear and droplet infection, infection via aerosols that accumulate and spread in the air is also possible there. Sufficient air exchange or air purification help to prevent this. The protective canopy developed by Fraunhofer IBP also follows such an approach.
PantherMedia/Jakub Mrocek
Reviewing the evidence for cloth mask use among health care workers
13.01.2021
A rapid, evidence-based review summarizes the effectiveness of cloth masks in protecting health care clinicians from respiratory viral infections, such as COVID-19. Nine studies were included in the review, and all but one were conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Disinfection: let mist do the work
02.11.2020
Healthcare settings require sharp weapons to fight both hospital-acquired infections and pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. Besides protective equipment, regular room disinfection is one of them. But they require time and are also prone to error if done manually. Fully automated solutions are needed to relief hospital staff from this exhausting work and perform it reliably. So, why not fog the room?
Sustainable Nonwoven Solutions Improve Hygiene
02.11.2020
Whether it is hospitals or care homes - the right hygiene tools are crucial for process efficiency. These products can be composed of a wide variety of materials. NORAFIN offers a sustainable solution with products made from nonwoven fabric.
Disinfection: a robot nips viruses in the bud
02.11.2020
Hospitals are considered to be a primary route of disease transmission. That is why patient rooms, operating rooms, and waiting areas should be disinfected regularly and thoroughly - and not just during the coronavirus pandemic. At the virtual.MEDICA trade fair, ICA Traffic GmbH will showcase the HERO21 robot, a disinfection unit that uses UVC radiation.
virtual.MEDICA 2020: Experience medicine online
02.11.2020
This year is completely different! Normally, we would offer you an advanced peek into the MEDICA’s halls in Dusseldorf at this point. But due to the corona pandemic, the trade fair takes place online as virtual.MEDICA. We nevertheless took a look at this year’s topics of special interest.
Laboratory safety: infection prevention in the work area
01.04.2020
What goes in, must not come out - and must also not cause harm to anyone working inside the lab. That's perhaps a nice way of summing up "laboratory safety" in one sentence - at least wherever pathogens are handled in biological and medical settings. The necessary laboratory safety precautions primarily depend on what is waiting "inside".
The safe laboratory – protection through technology
01.04.2020
When biomedical researchers or diagnosticians work with potentially contagious materials like cell cultures, blood or tissue, they need absolute protection from pathogens. Both safety measures in the workspace and the correct tools and materials are key here. Learn in our Topic of the Month what is important for protection in the lab and what a safe laboratory looks like.
Disinfection methods of hospital drinking water - Fully automatic legionella prevention
31.03.2020
Besides hand hygiene, drinking water hygiene is also on the to-do list of every hospital. A lot of money is invested to clean water pipes and to destroy legionella germs. An alternative solution for mechanical and thermal control is water disinfection using an automatic machine.
by UVentions
Hygiene: Smart protection against pathogens like the coronavirus
23.03.2020
Germs such as bacteria, viruses or pathogenic fungi can spread from one person to another through direct contact when we shake hands or touch objects. People touch door handles and push elevator buttons in public places and constantly move in and out of spaces. Regular manual high-level disinfection is practically impossible. UVentions GmbH has found an intelligent solution for this problem.
Hightech solutions for hygiene, disinfection and sterilisation
21.11.2019
Hightech solutions for hygiene in the medical sector have been getting better and faster. There are not only machines that can disinfect everything by themselves, but there are portable and handy sterilisation solutions as well. At MEDICA 2019 you can find everything that is up-and-coming around medical hygiene.