In-Depth with Hypertronics
By Jenny Bieksha, Bishop & Associates Inc.

Hypertronics, based in Hudson, Massachusetts, has designed, manufactured, and distributed specialty connectors for the electronics industry since 1970. Its Hypertac® technology is used in high-reliability applications in the medical, military/aerospace, test and measurement, and industrial market segments.

Anthony Kalaijakis, Hypertronics’ global industry director, medical, tells us how Hypertronics is positioned to respond to evolving developments in the medical marketplace. 

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Jenny Bieksha, CS.com: Aging populations, rising health care costs, and the need for portable medical diagnosis and treatment are just a few of the trends we see today. Some of the key concerns medical electronics manufacturers face are miniaturization, connectivity, safety, data security, quality, and reliability. How is Hypertronics positioned to respond to these trends?

Anthony Kalaijakis, Hypertronics: Hypertronics is responding to these market needs in many ways, which also have corresponding technology challenges. The miniaturization trend is driven by a few factors, including the movement of therapy and/or monitoring from the clinic setting to the home, as well as treatment for chronic conditions. The natural progression is to miniaturize the interconnect so that it resides in the body, which will require biocompatible materials.

To meet these needs, Hypertronics developed the biocompatible ImplanTac contact system, based on the ultra-reliable Hypertac contact system. ImplanTac allows surgeons to easily mate implanted leads into devices without misalignment, damage to the system, or risk to the patient. Using the ImplanTac solution minimizes the number of set-screw connections required and eliminates the risks associated with these procedures. They are designed for implantable medical devices, where reliability, dependability and ease-of-use are critical, such as pacemakers, ICDs (internal cardiac defibrillators or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators), neurostimulators, metabolic controls, circulation pumps, bone growth simulators, and pain management devices.

To meet the miniaturization needs, Hypertronics recently introduced two new product extensions for the D Series and HyperGrip circular connectors that shrink the form factor by 30 percent. Within this mini form factor, Hypertronics is able to provide five signal contacts while maximizing pin density. The new design maintains the same reliable electromechanical performance characteristics of all Hypertac contacts: high cycle life, low insertion resistance, low insertion/extraction force, and resistance to shock and vibration. This was accomplished by reducing the contact to 0.3mm. The mini HyperGrip and D series products are ideal for use in medical equipment such as monitors, therapeutic devices, imaging, and invasive probes. As the size of medical systems become smaller, the size of the connector must also shrink, creating an overall smaller device that presents patients with more comfort and portability. 

CS.com: Increasing performance expectations in the medical industry demand electronic products that run at higher speeds, while offering higher density, smaller footprints, and lower profiles. How are you responding to these challenges?

Kalaijakis: Hypertronics’ R&D activity is centered on decreasing the form factor without degradation of performance. For example, Hypertronics is developing an extension to the HyperGrip product line to offer shielding for higher speed applications (PACS, digital imaging), where traditionally medical connectors did not require high data rates.

CS.com: Are you encountering new applications that drive the miniaturization of connectors?

Kalaijakis: We have seen many new applications that require miniaturization. Hypertronics’ new “mini” connectors will eventually be replaced by “micro” connectors, which are pushing the envelope of the existing connectors. These newer micro connectors are already under development at Hypertronics. Concurrently, we are seeing interconnect for probes becoming more invasive, specifically, temporary insertion or long-term implantation.

CS.com: What opportunities do you see in the global marketplace?

Kalaijakis: Emerging countries offer opportunity for growth, however, this is tempered by the fact that there may not be an understanding of total cost of ownership—the focus is on price. The other considerations are social and political external forces that can make or break expansion. Regardless of what developing country you target, it is critical to understand that market’s idiosyncrasies and reevaluate your position accordingly.

CS.com: What trends do you think will affect the medical market in the next three to five years? How are you prepared to react to these trends?

Kalaijakis: The macro trends will be smaller, lighter, and implantable. Neurostimulation devices are a huge growth market in medical devices and the market is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2012. Neurostimulators are increasingly being used for patients with conditions that range from chronic pain to epilepsy to Parkinson’s disease. Neurostimulator devices relieve symptoms with electrical nerve impulses, and will have a great impact on the medical market in the future. These devices need to be discreet and small so they can be easily carried and concealed. We work directly with customers at the design stage as devices are developed. With our customers in mind, we have designed our Implantac contacts for the IS-1 and draft IS-4 form factors as set forth by the International Organization of Standards (ISO), and they are also available for 1.27mm probe diameters, as well as custom sizes and configurations. Customization is a key element when working with medical device manufacturers, and we see this trend continuing in the future. Our business model provides the customization that our customers need, including in-house design engineers who work with customers on their unique requirements, and an online, 3D configurator in which customers can design their own custom product.

CS.com: Due to the recession, healthcare providers may delay the purchase of new medical equipment. Has this affected your sales?

Kalaijakis: The availability of capital has had some effect on the purchase of “big metal” equipment. However, the demographics of an aging population and increasing access to medical services keeps pushing growth. In addition, you cannot underestimate the political influences, like Medicare and reimbursement policy, that affect what, where, and when companies decide to make a move.

Director, Renewable Energy, Medical, and Test, Measurement, and Instrumentation, Bishop & Associates Inc.
Jenny Bieksha joined Bishop & Associates in 2008 as its market segment director for the renewable energy, and the test, measurement, and instrumentation markets. She is currently a management consultant specializing in strategic business planning, with an emphasis on the development of program, market, and product plans. Bieksha has more than 20 years of experience in the electronics industry, with a background in market management, business development, channel sales, product management, and operations for ITT Corporation, Delphi Connection Systems, and Hughes Aircraft Company.

Bieksha has a bachelor of science degree in marketing from the University of Wyoming, and has since received her certificate as a project management professional.