Boston Scientific

Wireless in Biotechnology

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcutaneous_Implantable_Defibrillator_(S-ICD)

Technology has advanced remarkably fast over the past few decades specially in the medical field. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to see in person the a defibrillator developed by Boston Scientific that makes use of such advances in technology to help pace the heart.

This state of the art defibrillator is smaller than the average person's palm making it lightweight and easy to implant.  The patients that the device is implanted into are able to freely move without much discomfort.  Compared to the older model (which weighed at least 2 ponds) the new device weighs less than half a pound, which is a bring improvement I'd say.

The way a defibrillator works is that it sends an electrical shock to the patient's heart muscles when it senses an irregular heartbeat. This helps to restore the heart rhythm.  What makes the defibrillator deveoped by Boston Scientific so advanced is that it is able to wirelessly communicate with other devices. Now this may not seem much since we have had wireless phones, internet, and even electricity. But having wireless capabilities in the device helps to keep the patient as safe as possible.
After the device is implanted, it monitors the activity of the patient at all times and keep a log. When the patient goes for a regularly scheduled appointment, the doctor is able to extract the log file and see the data.  If there are any anomalies, then they could be addressed.  One of the most important uses of the wireless technology is being able to wirelessly update the software on the device without needing to do any surgery.  There are only a handful of devices that you can modify after implantation and this defibrillator is one of them.

Aside from the defibrillator, Boston Scientific produces countless medical devices that use state of the art technology to find solutions to sickness around the world. Boston Scientific is also one of the largest medical devices companies in the world and has several corporate branches in California. If you would like a career in Boston Scientific I suggest you see their career page.  If you are a student and you want to intern for them (which will look very good on a resume) click here.