The year 2021 will be turbulent and many of us will be happy to look behind the scenes - but in the midst of uncertainty and constant change, it has resulted in new ways of working for countless people and industries around the world. Against this background, medical device organizations need to prepare for deadlines and adapt to new technologies. Looking to the future, busy times don't seem to go away every hour.

Earlier this month, We expected a sharp increase in organizations that are feeling the pressure of the upcoming IVDR in May 2022. Here, technology is proving its worth again and is on hand to give a digital hand to businesses that have not yet done so to progress towards compliance. We've seen artificial intelligence (AI), 3D rendering, and cloud systems take their place in the medical device industry - and we predict they could become valuable assets for industry organizations around the world.

Artificial Intelligence goes under the medical device microscope 

Medical device organizations have long relied on craftsmanship - but the very nature and high risk of human error, along with continuing costs, have forced companies to rethink how they perform certain processes. Part of this thinking returns in the form of artificial intelligence - the art of equipping a machine to perform tasks or make decisions in a way that reflects human intellect and behaviour.

Artificial intelligence, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has witnessed the transition from "concept" to reality in recent years. Think, for example, of the space of dermatology. Artificial intelligence is involved in the treatment and diagnosis of patients, where their ability to read body images leads to an earlier and more accurate discovery of cancer cells. 

In the past, artificial intelligence was only used in simple operations, but because it is primarily used in more critical procedures, technology regulations have become primary and central to governing bodies. The main reason is to protect patient safety. Artificial intelligence combined with human intelligence can reduce errors compared to human work alone. 

People are naturally prone to error, but in a highly regulated industry, such as medical devices, it is essential to reduce as many risks as possible. Many believe that artificial intelligence exists to replace human intelligence, but it is most effective when the two come together, as in the case of medical facility management, where it can bring significant benefits over better error management. and performance management. 

Thanks to its predictive power, artificial intelligence can read and visualize text, language, symbols, and other features associated with a medical device label. Now you can fill this data into a spreadsheet - autonomously speeding up lengthy tasks that take a long time for people. But the amount of data it generates will strongly depend on the quality of the software or technology used.

3D rendering helps organisations go the full 360°

Another emerging technology that is increasingly used in 2022 is 3D rendering - a software solution designed to capture user-generated 3D models and place them in fully implemented 3D rendering. environment or images. In the label and artwork space, 3D rendering can create labels that are placed on a product and create a 360-degree view of what it will look like on a bottle, product, or even on a shelf before being marketed. The software is traditionally used only in retail outlets, but recent interest in medical devices has seen a huge increase in applications from marketing teams in these organizations.

The request comes again in terms of time. With 3D rendering, marketing teams have more free time to edit streams for different types of presses - instead of just attracting someone else to do the work themselves. But as in the AI story, 3D rendering works best in combination with human labour - relying on a computer is inefficient. For example, an artist should choose the best colour for materials and also define the right lighting elements to render as realistic as possible.

Cloud takes operational efficiency to new heights 

Finally, my third and final prediction is increased adoption of cloud technologies, where statistics really speak for themselves. TechJury research suggests that by 2025, the global public cloud computing market will be worth more than $ 800 billion, with more than 70% of companies already using the cloud to increase their budgets in the future.

Now, with little time spent on manual upgrades, team members can focus on future technologies and prospects that will be critical to business operations in the years to come.

A digitally focussed future for medical devices in 2022

With the new year comes new regulatory deadlines and countdowns by which organizations must meet compliance deadlines. With the upcoming IVDR date of May 2022, along with the proposed MDR date of September 2022, healthcare organizations will need to look at technology and software if they are to comply in a timely manner.

Fortunately, technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D modelling and cloud solutions are ready and waiting for help - and especially when I see these three trends gaining ground in the medical space. equipment next year. They are never here to replace human intelligence, but only to improve it in areas such as productivity, error reduction and speed.