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Truly innovative entities

Switzerland is known for producing high-quality, high-precision products, but it also has a long history of innovation in many fields, whether Henri Nestlé’s powdered milk, Maurice Müller’s artificial hip implant, and the more noncommercial work of a certain Bernese patent clerk, Albert Einstein. The phenomenon is self-reinforcing, because innovative individuals and companies are continually drawn to Switzerland by its pro-business attitude, ample financial resources, multicultural and multilingual environment, world-renowned infrastructure and highly educated and skilled workforce. Innovators make use of these resources, but also contribute to them and the result is impressive: the World Economic Forum recently named Switzerland as the world’s most competitive economy.¹ This is a remarkable accolade for a tiny landlocked country with virtually no natural resources and a population smaller than Chicago or Paris.

Of course, innovation is not unique to Switzerland. But the Swiss model is remarkable because of the sheer diversity of innovative, specialty companies and the network effect this provides for “cross-fertilisation” of product concepts, manufacturing techniques, design and marketing. A small number of Swiss companies have taken this phenomenon to the extreme and exist as “Innovationshäuser.” An Innovationshaus is a small company that helps its clients by creating and developing innovative advantages for their products and services. In some cases, these innovations have many potential applications and can form the kernel of a separate startup company. This link between innovation and commercial success is exemplified by the recent developments from one Innovationshaus, Creaholic SA, as described below.

Bone bonding technology

Innovation consists of more than improving existing products. A good idea will temporarily dominate an existing market; a great idea will create a new one. The aim of an Innovationshaus is to develop platform ideas that in turn create whole new markets and fields. One example of this type of platform idea is a patented anchoring technology called WoodWelding or BoneWelding (Wood Welding SA), which uses ultrasonic energy to infuse thermoplastic polymers into the pores and voids of porous materials such as wood, concrete and human bone. The technique can take many forms, but in its most basic medical implementation, it is used to bond a thermoplastic pin (or a thermoplastic-coated metallic pin) into bone. The pin is pressed gently into a pre-drilled hole while ultrasonic energy is applied; the vibrations cause a small volume of thermoplastic material on the pin’s surface to melt and penetrate into the existing spaces in the bone. The volume of melted material is low, therefore, the temperature change in the bone from the bonding process is minimal, far less than the temperature change that occurs while drilling the hole. The resulting composite bond is stronger than either of the two original materials. The technology is adaptable. For example, simple bonded pins can be used to replace the screws traditionally employed in plate-and-screw fragment fixation, and bioabsorbable thermoplastic coatings can be applied to provide initial stability for metallic implants, which later osseointegrate while the polymer degrades. Several new medical applications are under development, but the plate-and-pin fragment fixation application has already had a successful market introduction with the KLS Martin SonicWeld RX craniofacial surgery system.² The basic technology can be adapted for a variety of time-tested biocompatible and bioabsorbable thermoplastics. In certain types of bone or with certain implant designs, the bond can be accomplished without predrilling, and other more radical applications are currently being researched.

Micromechanics

Another innovative “platform technology” is called miniswys (Miniswys SA). This new approach to creating micromechanical movement uses electronically stimulated piezo crystal vibrations to drive miniature motors. Its name refers to a basic technology rather than a specific product and it can be adapted for a variety of applications. Piezo motors are well suited to micromechanical applications and several designs already exist, but these require high voltage, they are complicated to produce and are not durable, because the piezo crystal itself usually comes into contact with the stator. With the novel technology the piezo crystal is incorporated into a metal chassis, which the piezo vibrations cause to resonate. The resonant vibrations cause tiny “stepping” movements in the motor’s internal parts and advance the moving element (the rotor or shuttle) smoothly and precisely. The concept works for rotational and linear motors. Changes in the input frequency can be used to alter the characteristics of the vibration and therefore create different resonances, which can operate the motor forwards or backwards, and at different speeds. The precise characteristics of this type of motor, that is, its input voltages, torque (or force) and speed, depend on the exact design, but all designs require comparatively low voltage, they can be built with inexpensive stamped metallic parts, have high holding force when stationary and are highly durable. The technology has obvious potential in the consumer electronics market, but it is interesting for medical applications such as endoscope equipment and microsurgery. Its developers are researching applications in the medical industry.

Idea generation

As these examples show, the Swiss tradition of innovation is alive and well.

Switzerland continues to provide the resources for idea creation and the network for turning innovations into commercial success.

Marcel Aeschlimann is Partner at Creaholic SA and President of WoodWelding SA, André Klopfenstein is Partner at Creaholic SA, Elmar Mock is Founder and Partner at Creaholic SA, Evan Labuzetta is assistant to the board Creaholic SA, a Swiss Innovationshaus, Rue Centrale 115, CH-2503 Bienne, Switzerland, tel. +41 32 366 6444,
e-mail: info@creaholic.com, www.creaholic.com

In 2000, Creaholic teamed with Swiss equity firm GPI SA to create the startup company WoodWelding SA, which won the Swiss Economic Award in 2006.