The significance of 3D-circuits in the fields of healthcare and wearable technology

This article originally appeared in the January'25 magazine issue of Electronic Specifier Design – see ES's Magazine Archives for more featured publications.

The capacity to engineer enhanced solutions has been a primary catalyst for these advancements, which in turn, have led to improvements in patient longevity and quality of life. This encompasses not only the development of electronic health records, self-serve portals, and assistive AI, but also the integration of these technologies into existing healthcare infrastructure. The hardware advancements are also contributing to these new 21st-century outcomes.

3D-Circuits drug delivery implant

Medical equipment and the design process

In essence, these 3D-Circuits integrate the electrical and mechanical functions and components of systems that can be incorporated into medical devices and other applications. As we continue to explore and refine the substrate, we can achieve results that enable manufacturers to pursue design freedom. This, in turn, enables manufacturers to engineer efficiencies and transform the potential of what is possible within a healthcare setting.

A retrospective analysis of the past designs of most medical equipment reveals their unnecessary 'bulkiness' and clumsiness with regard to implementation and use. This phenomenon can be linked to the evolution of headphones, which, in their early iterations, necessitated a substantial physical space. However, advancements in technology have facilitated the development of compact, Bluetooth in-ear headphones.

The promise of miniaturisation

This compactness is one of the most significant value propositions for a new generation of circuitry components. A parallel can be drawn here with the evolution of wearable equipment such as headphones. However, in the medical field, the consequences are of a much more significant nature. The capacity to miniaturise hardware and equipment fundamentally alters the requirements for a wide range of inpatient and outpatient daily procedures, encompassing surgical operations and vital signs monitoring, among others.

The importance of miniaturisation

To comprehend the objective of miniaturising medical devices, it is necessary to explore the underlying principles. One perspective posits that it enhances the functionality of a specific application. Alternatively, it could be argued that miniaturisation leads to the  creation of efficiencies. However, perhaps the most compelling explanation for the pursuit of miniaturisation in medical devices lies in its potential to facilitate less invasive care.

Consider, for instance, the internal implantation of a pacemaker, or the utilisation of an endoscope for internal procedures.

In both cases, the reduction in size of the technology has a significantly positive effect on the clinical workflow. This is not merely a trivial detail; rather, it is a substantial and significant development. The reduction in size of pacemakers, for instance, facilitates less invasive surgical procedures. Moreover, the miniaturisation of endoscopes and analogous instruments has the potential to obviate the necessity for certain costly procedures, such as anesthesia. The impact of these technological advancements is anticipated to be far-reaching, manifesting in various aspects of healthcare, including the operating room and patient consultations. Consequently, patients can expect to experience a substantial reduction in the financial burden associated with their treatment.

This represents a significant development in the field of medicine, with the potential to enhance the quality of life for patients. The benefits of reduced recovery times following minimally invasive procedures, and the consequent minimisation of disruption to patients' lives, are significant.

The integration of functions and the three-dimensional routing of circuit tracks allows for the optimised utilisation of the design space for the electronics of hearing aids

Wearable technology in the medical domain

A considerable number of clients have exhibited a keen interest in the domain of innovation in wearable technology. HARTING's 3D-Circuit technology has the potential to transform the domain of wearable medical devices, resulting in devices that are smaller, smarter, and more comfortable for patients. The 3D-Circuits technology is focused on three key areas: functionality, miniaturisation, and trust. The technology is poised to significantly influence the future of healthcare.

The potential for 3D-circuits to significantly reduce the size of wearable devices is considerable. For instance, 3D-Circuits facilitate in-ear designs that are almost imperceptible and comfortable to wear, as demonstrated by hearing aids. Despite their reduced size, 3D-Circuits can incorporate a greater number of features into a single device. This can result in enhanced performance in hearing aids, including improved sound quality and reduced power consumption.

What is 3D-MID?

3D-MID, otherwise known as Mechatronic Integrated Device, is also referred to as 3D-Circuits. This technology is a manufacturing technology which integrates circuits directly into three-dimensional thermoplastic substrates. To illustrate this, consider the case of the housing for a hearing aid, which is necessary regardless, and how it can be repurposed to support the circuitry internally, thereby eliminating the requirement for a separate circuit board. This technology facilitates the integration of electronic and mechanical
functions within a unified component, thereby eliminating the requirement for additional connecting points for the antenna. The elimination of these requirements enables the fabrication of in-ear devices with dimensions that are as compact as possible, rendering them almost invisible to the user while concomitantly enhancing performance and comfort. This is achieved through customer-designed shapes for a perfect fit to the ear, improving sound quality and minimising power consumption by reducing the weight of the entire component.

3D-Circuits hearing aid shell. The circuit tracks are directly applied to the shell, thus saving space and weight