MEDTEC 2006
Exhibitor News
CANopen Provides Network Standard for Medical Devices
Originally developed by Robert Bosch GmbH in 1985 for the automobile industry, the Controller Area Network (CAN) replaced point-to- point wiring systems in cars with in-vehicle networks. Used for applications such as airbags, antilock brakes, and emissions systems, the CAN protocol quickly became an international standard, eventually gaining status as ISO 11898 in 1993. The protocol was eventually implemented for applications ranging from aircraft navigation systems to x-ray machines.
Implementing the CAN protocol for complex medical applications was initially problematic, however, prompting med-tech manufacturers to develop proprietary higher-layer protocols. “With proprietary protocols, component manufacturers found themselves facing the problem of implementing a number of communication protocols, even though basically the same functionality was being used,” explains Don Medlar from Siemens Medical Solutions.
“There used to be a multitude of proprietary networks that couldn’t communicate with each other,” says Holger Zeltwanger, managing director of the CAN in Automation international users group.
The CANopen protocol from CAN in Automation (CiA; Erlangen, Germany) was developed for motion-oriented machine control networks, but was later found to be suitable for medical device applications. “CAN networks are useful for manufacturers of medical devices because of the technology’s flexibility, robustness, reliability and, most importantly, reasonable cost,” Zeltwanger explains. “CANopen allows the simple integration of medical devices from various suppliers.”
The network protocol allows vendors to establish profiles for specific uses, expanding the range of its potential applications to include dosimeters, injection pumps, and x-ray generators and collimators. “CANopen is an enabler for the standardization of component interfaces,” says Wim Spaak from Philips Medical Systems.
Enabling device manufacturers to concentrate on their products rather than different communication standards, CANopen allows med-tech professionals to apply one network standard to an array of applications. Representatives from CAN in Automation will be present at MEDTEC to answer questions and further explain the benefits of the technology to interested medical device manufacturers.
