Medical Device Link.

EDITOR'S PAGE

The Future of Healthcare is Everywhere

COVER STORY

Learning from Failure
David Warburton

Failures in the prototype lab can provide engineers with valuable information for preventing new product disasters.

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Using Innovation Mapping to Encourage Breakthrough Product Development
Paul Fearis

Coming up with effective new-product ideas may be an art, but a number of techniques can bring form and structure to the process.

STERILIZATION

Medical Device Sterilization: What Manufacturers Need to Know
William Leventon

THERMOPLASTICS

Polyurethane Thin-Film Welding for Medical Device Applications
Tilak Shah

Sidebar: Polyurethane Film as an Alternative to PVC and Latex

WASHINGTON WRAP-UP

Battle Brewing over Third-Party Inspections
James G. Dickinson

As public trust in corporate leaders wanes, legislators may frown on reforms allowing private-sector alternatives to FDA inspections.

R&D DIGEST:

• Deciphering the Protein-Transport Mechanism of Cells
• Complex Biomedical Research Funded
• Shape-Memory Alloy Could Enhance Prostheses Performance
• Bioengineered Heart Muscle Developed to Aid Cardiac Research
• Goggles Improve Vision Impairment in Stroke Victims

BULLETIN BOARD

Thermally conductive plastic enhances performance of heat-measuring devices; cyclic olefin copolymer chosen for vascular catheter manifold; technical booklet highlights Ricon, SMA, and Poly bd resins; and more!

NEWS & ANALYSIS

• Nondestructive Package Tests Lure Device Manufacturers
  
• Movie Theater Meets Surgery Theater
  
• Medical OEMs Wake Up to Encouraging Sleep Statistics
  
• Baby Boomers Driving Graft Market Growth
• Document Offers Guidance on Resorbable Adhesion Barriers
• Agency Calls for Comments on Opened-But-Unused Single-Use Devices
• U.S.–Cuba Conference Planned for 2003