Dec 20 2011
The first high-performance, non-magnetic motor based on piezo technology is being developed by a strong, Danish consortium, where reliability and application solutions in high magnetic fields will be in focus.
It will provide clear improvements in hospital treatment and create new export opportunities. The project will receive funding of DKK 10M from the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation.
Powerful, accurate and controllable - and no gear is needed
The Piezo Actuator Drive (PAD) motors are ideal for use in treatment tables and infusion pumps, which no longer will affect or be affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Conventional motors and signals from e.g. cell phones and wireless networks emit electromagnetic interference, which disturbs and affects the performance of scanners, infusion pumps and other hospital equipment in the negative direction. The goal is to completely avoid this interference, and realize a number of design and cost advantages compared to conventional motor types.
This is done by transforming the linear motion of high-performance piezoactuators into a powerful, accurate and controllable rotation. Due to the design and construction of the motor, it requires no gear, making the motor simple and easy to integrate. It is scalable, stable in its rotation, has high performance and dynamics, and a high torque.
Save time and money at the hospital
Founder and Technical Director of Noliac A / S Bjorn Andersen foresees significant benefits for future patients:
- Hospital treatment will be faster, more accurate and of better quality. There will be an opportunity to operate and scan a patient simultaneously, and this will save time and give the doctor a better insight into the patient's immediate condition. There is no doubt that the total treatment time will be shorter - saving society money as well.
Patentable inventions and scientific publications
The technology has not only potential in treatment tables and scanners, but within a wide range of products. Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and IPU Technology Development (IPU) are partners in the project and predict great potential.
Professor at DTU Michael A.E. Andersen researches in power electronics, andpiezo transformers are an essential part of this research:
- Via the project, we expect that DTU achieves a significantly higher level of knowledge within the piezo-based power electronics, which we can build and expand within the research community. There will be patentable inventions and scientific publications in sight.
Precise surgery by robot technology
Head of Division of IPU Mogens Arentoft says:
- We work with complex processes for the manufacture of micro components in many modern products. We predict many systems where this technology will shape future solutions. It will be obvious to use it in robot technology. Motor rotation can be controlled so precisely that the use of robots in operations as biopsy and other surgical procedures is obvious. And who knows - there are many other applications requiring very high precision and reliability.
Source: Noliac