This year, Compamed & Medica, the world’s largest trade fair for medical technology - attracted over 120,000 visitors and 5,000 exhibitors.

The trade fair showcased a range of innovations from across the entire spectrum of the medical technology industry.

In Compamed, miniaturised components proved to be a popular topic. With nearly two-thirds of micro-technology companies in Europe supplying products to the medical technology and healthcare sectors, the show represented a large market for suppliers.

MPN got a chance to chat to TTPVentus, a company that has developed a silent micro-pump for use in medical applications such as a breathalyzer to help diagnose cancer and a device that can help treat sleep apnoea. The company was pleased to tell us about why the technology inside of such devices is just as interesting and important as the devices themselves.

The rise of virtual reality technologies for use by healthcare professionals was widely displayed at Medica. Technology giant Sony was at the show demonstrating its virtual reality environment that placed the wearer directly in the operating room alongside surgeons. The sometimes too immersive experience highlighted virtual reality’s shift over to the medical industry and its potential for educating surgeons and indeed patients about surgical procedures.

Wearables had an extensive showing at Medica with products covering a variety of applications for healthcare purposes. Biovotion was promoting its medical grade quality physiological monitoring product whilst the German company Humotions was presenting a new sensor system which is integrated into fabric.

A range of discussions and conferences took place over the course of the show such as the Medica Health IT Forum and the Medica Connected Health Forum. The discussions concluded that digitisation is making its way into all sectors of medical care and the easy handling of medical devices are top priorities for ensuring sales with tablets and smartphones examples of this.

Speaking about the show, Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf, said: “Medica and Compamed have always had a high degree of international impact, and this remains their trump card. Top decision makers from around the world come together here and see the huge breadth of what we have on offer, which is the international frontrunner and has yet to be beaten.”