It was remarkable to observe at CES 2018 how many wearable devices have been developed for health and lifestyle applications. Many of these devices use adhesives to stick to people’s skin, sometimes for an hour, sometimes for a day, or even a week or longer. Also, there are developers out there that want implantable devices that need adhesives.
3M is arguably a leader in the field of adhesive materials. The company’s products, anything from Tegaderm to Ioban to various medical tapes, have been used extensively in hospitals and clinics for many years. Over a long period of time, the company has acquired significant knowledge on adhesives, and it wants developers of wearable devices to collaborate with 3M to assure reciprocal success. You develop the device, and 3M will make sure that it sticks well not only for your particular device, but also for a specific patient population and time it has to remain attached to the body.
While at CES 2018, we had a chance to talk with Dr. Diana Eitzman, who is leading Agile Commercialization for 3M’s Critical & Chronic Care Solutions Division. According to Dr. Eitzman, finding a proper adhesive will improve the success of a device, as well as improve patients’ compliance and satisfaction, and that is a no small matter.
There are various adhesives out there: synthetic rubbers, silicon adhesives, and acrylate polymer adhesives. They all work for different clinical scenarios: some for short term, others for longer term. Some people have thin skin, others sweat a lot, and so on. To find the best adhesive for your particular application, the company came up with a new website containing useful information about their adhesives and contact information to reach people that can offer specialized advice.
Link: 3M’s Find My Adhesive…