Interface is a trusted leader in providing sensor technologies to the medical and healthcare industry. Interface provides test and measurement solutions for research, medical device testing, equipment monitoring and for use in components. When safety matters, Interface provides the quality and accuracy the medical and health industry demands.
Medical device and health care product engineers and manufacturers turn to Interface because our measurement solutions are designed for precision test and measurement applications, in both quality and reliability. There is also a high demand for Interface’s ability to customize solutions to meet the exact requirements of these sensitive medical and healthcare applications.
Medical device manufacturers need to meet and be accredited before test equipment is approved for use. The medical devices being tested also must pass strict inspections and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations in the US before meeting the requirements necessary to bring a product, device, implant, or machine to market.
Interface offers various miniature beam and in-line load cell solutions with 10x overload protection to protect patients and devices against accidental shock loads. Our torque transducers provide rotary and reactive measurement to accurately track light movements required to control prosthetic fatigue testing, surgical equipment, knee or hip replacement, and other medical devices. Other Interface solutions include multi-axis sensors for multiple channels of measurement in one housing when you require measurements for two, three or six axis points.
Read more about healthcare and medical applications in our case study: Interface Ensures Premium Accuracy and Reliability for Medical Applications
In the medical and healthcare industries, the significance of precision and dependability grows immensely when lives are at stake. Medical devices and healthcare products, which rank among the most intricate and fragile technologies globally, must adhere to strict regulations and certification standards to ensure compliance. This begins at early R&D and testing, through production and distribution.
Throughout a pharmaceutical product’s life cycle, specialized equipment and sensor technologies are used by manufacturers, in both design and maintenance to provide unmistakable evidence of process quality and safety. Medical and health care product manufacturers, including pharmaceutical companies, turn to Interface because our high accuracy force measurement solutions are designed for reliable performance test and measurement projects. There is also tremendous demand for Interface’s ability to customize solutions that meet the exact measurement requirements of these sensitive applications.
Common Interface Products Used by Pharmaceutical Companies
Interface provides force measurement solutions for a wide variety of products and machines that help biotechnology and pharmaceutical product engineers to design, test and manufacture devices of all shapes and sizes. When it comes to equipment used in the manufacturing of medicine, Interface products are used to optimize production and reduce waste.
Weighing and Distribution: Load cells are commonly used in pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities for accurately measuring and dispensing ingredients during the formulation process. They ensure precise measurements of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients, which is crucial for maintaining the quality and efficacy of the final product.
Tablet Hardness Testing: Tablet hardness is an important characteristic as it influences factors like disintegration, dissolution, and overall drug delivery effectiveness. Load cells are used in tablet hardness testers to precisely quantify the force required to break or fracture a tablet.
Tablet Forming Machine Optimization: These machines need to be finely tuned to ensure consistent tablet quality, weight, and other critical attributes. Load cells play a vital role in this optimization process by providing real-time force and weight measurements during tablet compression.
Capsule Filling Machines: Load cells are used in capsule filling machines to measure the weight of the powdered or granulated material being filled into each capsule. This ensures that each capsule contains the correct amount of medication, contributing to accurate dosing.
Quality Control: Load cells are used in quality control processes to verify the weight and consistency of the final pharmaceutical products. This helps ensure that products meet regulatory standards and maintain consistent quality.
Mixing: In the pharmaceutical industry, proper mixing and blending of ingredients are critical to achieving uniformity in formulations. Load cells are used in mixing equipment to monitor the force exerted on the mixture, ensuring that ingredients are thoroughly and uniformly blended.
Packaging and Filling: Load cells are employed in packaging and filling processes to accurately measure the weight of the product being filled into containers such as bottles, vials, and blister packs. This helps prevent underfilling or overfilling of products, ensuring proper dosing for patients.
Bioreactors and Fermenters: In the production of biopharmaceuticals and vaccines, load cells are used in bioreactors and fermenters to monitor the weight of the culture medium and cells. This information is crucial for controlling and optimizing the growth conditions of microorganisms or cells used in the production process.
When it comes to product development in the United States, both medical devices and pharmaceuticals are required to not only adhere to stringent FDA regulations, but they must also be proven to safe and effective to doctors and patients. Similarly, these essential safety testing prerequisites are universally standard in most developed nations when seeking pre-release approvals.
Consult with our application engineers to see what type of products will meet your stringent requirements.
Pharmaceuticals_InfographicPosterThe medical industry is complex and diversified across many sectors from devices to hospitals, pharmaceuticals to therapy equipment. The medical device sector is one of the largest in medical device and healthcare, estimated at $500B in value globally and growing.
Interface understands the intricacies and dependencies of precision measurements for use in medical devices. Our products are used in life sustaining and saving equipment, across various classifications to measure force, weight, torque, and other critical parameters.
The dependence on accuracy and reliability increases tenfold in the med device world. Any design flaws or failures could present serious health risks or worse. Interface has been a trusted partner to medical OEMs and healthcare technology providers around the world for decades. Our strain gage sensors meet the demands of the medical device industry, as quality and precision are inherently designed and engineered into every transducer and instrument we build.
Medical Devices and Equipment Using Interface Measurement Solutions
From initial R&D, through design and prototyping, Interface products have a role. When testing any product used for medical purposes, there are many stringent standards and regulations defining the entire process. The quality, accuracy and durability of any testing sensor technology must withstand the rigorous protocols defined by the industry, product, manufacturer, and ultimate user.
Types of Interface Products Used for Medical Device Testing
Contact our experienced medical device sensor experts to help select the right solution for your testing projects and devices.
MedicalDevices_InfographicPosterIn-home healthcare involves providing medical and support services to individuals outside a medical facility. Medical industry innovations, including wearable devices, remote monitoring devices, pharmaceutical management tools, and therapy equipment, are driving the adoption of sensor-enablement technologies.
Interface’s load cells, torque transducers, and multi-axis sensors were designed to test medical devices and equipment used for in-home care, ensuring the efficacy and safety of this equipment before it reaches consumers. Our Mini Load Cells, including our WMC, S-Types, SSMs, and LBM models, are frequently used by healthcare device manufacturers due to their simple incorporation into existing and new products.
Interface sensor technologies are used for various medical devices in homes and care facilities, including lifts, beds, fluid management, and rehabilitation equipment. These products require extremely accurate measurements before they are approved for use. Interface knows the demands of providing reliable, quality, and durable solutions to meet these requirements.
Implementing Interface’s load cells in device design, R&D, and testing enhances precision, safety, and quality in developing in-home healthcare devices.
Interface Supports In-Home Health Care Applications
In-home healthcare devices are used for individuals recovering from surgery, managing chronic conditions, or those with disabilities who require assistance with daily activities.
Interface force measurement solutions are helping to improve patients’ home care and well-being. Interface continues to provide the medical industry with the most accurate and reliable force measurement products for research and development, at-home equipment testing, and embedding sensors for continuous measurement.
Interface engineers provide standard, custom, and OEM sensor products for testing and easy integration into in-home medical devices and equipment. Consult with our application engineers to find the right solution for your in-home healthcare product requirements.
InHomeHealthcare_InfographicThe medical industry turns to Interface for force measurement solutions for medical device and healthcare product design, development, and testing. This is especially true for rehabilitation equipment used in clinics, hospitals, nursing and home health care facilities, and sports treatment centers.
Rehabilitation encompasses a broad spectrum of conditions, aiming to restore function and improve the quality of life for individuals facing physical or cognitive impairments. Interface load cells, torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, and instrumentation provide highly accurate data that optimize or validate rehabilitation equipment for patient use.
Significant growth is occurring in the design, testing, and building of rehabilitation equipment, fueled by an aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and technological advancements in rehabilitation devices. Interface provides various sensor options for research, development, manufacturing, and performance monitoring, from miniature load cells to advanced multi-axis sensors.
The demand for home-based rehabilitation devices is also increasing rapidly. This trend is driven by patient preference, cost-effectiveness, and advancements in telehealth technologies. Many of these devices rely heavily on sensors to monitor patient progress, provide feedback, and ensure safety, which aligns well with Interface’s expertise in sensor solutions.
In rehabilitation, Interface’s load cells are embedded within exercise equipment and wearable devices to measure the force exerted by a patient during therapy. Therapists can use the Interface wireless instrumentation to monitor and record patient progress. They can track improvements in muscle strength and movement patterns across different exercises and activities while measuring performance using sensor technologies.
Rehabilitation Equipment and Device Use Cases for Interface Solutions
Interface sensor technologies are used in equipment to treat various conditions ranging from neurological events like stroke and traumatic brain injury, where patients require assistance regaining motor skills, balance, and coordination, to musculoskeletal injuries such as fractures and sprains, where the focus is on restoring strength, mobility, and range of motion.
Application: Treadmill Rehabilitation
Interface-designed force sensors are used in rehabilitation treadmills for patients with pelvic mobility difficulties. For example, patients who have had strokes tend to have trouble walking. The goal is to measure the forces applied on the pelvis when the patient walks on the treadmill and catch any pelvic deviations. The treadmill had a special harness with two actuators on either side of the patient. Interface suggests installing two WMC Sealed Stainless Steel Miniature Load Cells on the actuators to measure the forces applied to the patient’s pelvis. The SI-USB4 4-Channel USB Interface Module graphs and logs the results using supplied VS3 software. Using this solution, the rehabilitation equipment maker has a solution to catch different pelvic deviations in their experimental rehabilitation treadmill using Interface’s products.
By integrating advanced sensor technologies like those offered by Interface, you can create devices that are more effective, safer, and more personalized. Force measurement solutions, for example, can provide valuable data for gait analysis, prosthetic fitting, and robotic exoskeleton control, enabling precise monitoring and optimization of treatment. Similarly, torque sensors can enhance the functionality of isokinetic dynamometers and rehabilitation robots, facilitating accurate measurement of strength, endurance, and range of motion. By embracing these technologies, manufacturers can differentiate their products, improve patient outcomes, and drive innovation in the rapidly evolving field of rehabilitation.
Emotional Support Robots (ESRs) are an emerging segment within the field of robotics. These machines are designed for companionship, emotional interaction, and psychological support.
ESRs are increasingly found in elder care facilities, hospitals, educational settings, and private residences. Their primary purpose is to provide comfort, reduce loneliness, and promote mental wellness by engaging users through touch, speech, and motion.
How Interface Sensor Technologies Support Advancements in ESRs
Interface’s precision force measurement technologies are utilized throughout the design, structural engineering, testing and functionality monitoring of emotional support robots.
Interface provides measurement technologies, when integrated into the robot, enable ESRs to sense touch, grip, motion, and physical feedback in real-time. These sensors are integral to touch sensitivity and human interaction, safe physical feedback and actuator and limb controls.
For example, miniature load cells and multi-axis sensors are embedded in the robot’s hands, torsos, or any part that manages sensory responses. These sensors allow the robot to detect human touch. This tactile feedback is essential in making the robot’s reactions feel natural and emotionally intelligent.
Types of Emotional Support Robots
Interface integrated sensors are primarily used to ensure the safety of physical interactions. Force-sensitive components regulate the pressure a robot applies when engaging with users, particularly vulnerable individuals like the elderly, children, or those with cognitive impairments. These sensors monitor contact force in real time, preventing the robot from exerting too much pressure and thereby protecting users from accidental harm.
Interface is a trusted partner in this sector because of its commitment to engineering sensors that meet the unique demands of human-centric robotics. Interface sensors are designed to perform reliably in applications where both safety and sensitivity are paramount.
As ESRs continue to evolve, the need for lifelike interaction will only grow. Interface’s sensor technology empowers these machines to understand and respond to human presence in a way that is both safe and emotionally meaningful.
The global prosthetics and orthotics market is experiencing significant growth and is projected to reach US$12.6B by 2033. This expansion is fueled by technological advancements, an aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and a strong focus on enhancing patient mobility and well-being.
Innovations such as 3D printing, AI-driven prosthetics, and neural interfaces are revolutionizing the field, enabling customized devices that improve the fit and functionality. While orthotics currently hold a larger market share, prosthetics are the faster-growing segment due to rapid technological innovations, including myoelectric limbs and advanced sensory feedback systems.
How Sensor Tech is Used in Prosthetics
Interface sensor technologies are pivotal in developing, designing, and testing modern prosthetics, enabling a more natural and intuitive user experience. By capturing biological signals and mechanical forces, they provide crucial feedback for interpreting user intent and offering immediate data on pressure, touch, temperature, and limb position. This real-time information enhances prosthetic proprioception and dexterity, allowing devices to adjust to user movement and environmental conditions dynamically. Furthermore, sensor data aids therapists in refining movements, informs device improvements, and facilitates remote monitoring of rehabilitation progress.
Test and Measurement Applications in Prosthetics
Interface Products for Design, Test, and Use of Prosthetics
Interface specializes in high-precision force measurement solutions, making them highly relevant for integration into advanced testing of prosthetic systems. Interface’s miniature load cells, universal low profiles, torque transducers, and multi-axis sensors are well-suited for testing and integrating prosthetic devices, particularly in meeting the requirements for varying measurement capacity, accuracy, durability, and compact size. Interface products used in prosthetic applications include:
Interface’s precision force and torque sensors are crucial for advancing prosthetic technology across various applications. Our miniature load cells enhance lower limb prosthetics through real-time gait analysis, while micro force sensors in upper limb devices improve dexterity with precise grip feedback.
Interface sensors are also essential for monitoring prosthetic socket fit and comfort, preventing tissue damage with accurate pressure mapping. Additionally, our torque transducers facilitate smooth, natural movements in robotic prosthetic joints. In research and development, high-accuracy Interface load cells are vital for biomechanical analysis and validating new prosthetic designs, ensuring their safety and effectiveness.
Interface excels in providing products that support the prosthetic medical sector’s growth, advancement, and customization. The extensive range of applications in prosthetic R&D, testing, and feedback is perfect for Interface’s highly accurate, reliable force and torque measurement solutions.
Load cells and sensor technologies play a foundational role in biomechanics, enabling precise measurement of the forces and torques acting on the human body during movement. These sensors are essential for advancing research and development related to joint mechanics, rehabilitation, prosthetics, ergonomic design, and other life sciences.
Interface’s multi-axis load cells are instrumental in biomechanics research because they can measure complex force vectors and torques simultaneously, providing a complete view of mechanical stress on the body. This level of accuracy is essential when studying asymmetrical movements, joint loading patterns, and muscular compensation strategies in both healthy and rehabilitative settings.
Whether integrating Mini Load Cells into robotic exoskeletons and prosthetic testing rigs, or using load cells for gait analysis systems and therapeutic equipment, Interface offers measurement devices that deliver precision data used to drive innovation in human performance, injury prevention, and the development of assistive technologies.
Interface’s force sensors convert mechanical force, such as that experienced during walking, lifting, or jumping, into electrical signals. These signals are then analyzed when connected to DAQ systems and instrumentation to understand how the body responds to various physical demands. In biomechanics, load cells are often integrated into:
By measuring forces in multiple directions, including vertical, horizontal, and shear, load cells allow researchers to calculate overall joint loads and rotational forces acting on specific body segments.
Applications in Biomechanics Using Interface Sensors
Interface is a global leader in force measurement technology used in medical devices, healthcare systems, and general R&D. Our multi-axis sensors and miniature load cells are engineered with the highest test and measurement standards, delivering the accuracy and responsiveness required for complex applications related to advanced biomechanics.
Continuum Robot Testing Dental Handpiece Torque Check DNA Replication Emotional Support Robots (ESR's) Hospital Bed Weighing
Interventional Guidewire Quality Inspection
Medical Bag Weighing Patient Hoyer Lift 
Prosthetic Foot Performance Radiosurgery Robot
Robotic Surgery Force Feedback Smart Floors Specimen Research
Stent and Catheter Testing
Surgical Stapler Force Verification Syringe Needle Twist Force Syringe Plunger Force Measurement Tablet Hardness Testing Tablet Machine Hardness Calibration Treadmill Force Measurement Treadmill RehabilitationWe use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you consent to our use of cookies.
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Discovering Bending Beam Load Cell Use Cases
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface bending beam load cells are versatile and cost-effective sensors for weighing and force measurement applications. Bending beam load cells can be embedded directly into a product or used in a test lab for analysis and evaluation. Get Interface’s Bending Beam Cheat Sheet to learn key terms and specification information to help in the selection process. Interface bending beams are compact in size and reliable, leading to innovative, data-driven solutions across various industries, from medical to industrial automation.
Load Cell Contribution to Accurate Medical Scales
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassScales using load cell technology to convert applied force into a precise electrical signal improve the accuracy of weighing. Medical scales use Interface’s load cell technology for pharmaceuticals, rehabilitation, patient mobility, lifts, medical devices, and general health monitoring.
Data Logging for Validation, Analysis, and Compliance
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassData logging indicators are the essential bridge that converts raw physical sensor signals into actionable, traceable intelligence. Interface’s extensive line of advanced data logging indicators captures load cell data vital for validation, compliance, and optimization. Neglecting data logging can result in costly blind spots. In critical aerospace, energy, automotive, medical, infrastructure, and R&D projects, logging data is fundamental to modern test and measurement.
Integrating Sensors in Virtual Reality for a Superior UX
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassVirtual reality’s success is now contingent upon its ability to replicate the physical world flawlessly, making the integration of force measurement sensor technologies a universal necessity throughout the entire VR hardware lifecycle. From the initial design and prototyping stages to rigorous testing and final manufacturing, these sensors are no longer optional. They are the critical components that provide the precision data essential for creating compelling haptic applications and delivering a truly authentic user experience, whether the end product is a device for gaming and entertainment or a highly specialized tool for complex surgical simulations.
Measuring Minute Force with Interface’s Ultra Low Capacity Mini Load Cell
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface’s Ultra Low Capacity Load Cell, the ULC, is designed to measure forces as minute as 0.1 N to 5 N. Part of Interface’s Mini Load Cell series, the ULC is engineered for applications demanding unparalleled accuracy in measuring extremely light forces such as robotics, medical devices, consumer products, and electronics.
X-Y-Z Robots and Multi-Axis Sensors are Advancing Automation
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassX-Y-Z robots offer exceptional mechanical precision and rigidity for movement, and Interface multi-axis load cells provide real-time sensory input about force and torque. The powerful combination of the inherent mechanical precision and rigidity of X-Y-Z robots with the tactile intelligence provided by load cells represents a significant leap forward in industrial automation.
Adopting Sensor Technology for Prosthetic Advancements
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface load cells and multi-axis sensors are utilized in the development, design, and testing of modern prosthetics, resulting in a more natural and intuitive user experience. By accurately measuring weight, forces, and torque, these sensors provide essential real-time feedback to help in design, customization, durability testing, material tests and analysis. Miniature load cells in a prosthetic hand design test can detect the amount of force being applied, preventing objects from slipping or being crushed. Prosthetic limbs must be tested for extreme loading that can occur during falls, accidents, and sports movements.
Smart Floors Gain Intelligent Data Using Interface Sensor Technologies
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface provides sensor technologies, including load cells, wireless telemetry system devices, and instrumentation that integrate easily into smart floor systems, offering invaluable insights for various IoT applications for healthcare, energy savings, building management, retail traffic monitoring and safety.
How Precision Sensors are Driving the Robotic Revolution
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface measurement sensor technologies provide crucial data that enables robots to function correctly in various environments. Load cells, torque transducers, and multi-axis sensors act as the sense of touch, quality controller, articulation master, and fail-safe robot monitors in robotics. From industrial arms to mobile autonomous robots, Interface sensors are fundamental in design, test, and performance monitoring.
Load Cells are The Force Multiplier in Precision Gripping Applications
/in Blog /by Jamie GlassInterface load cells measure the applied force of grips used in robotics, industrial machines, medical devices, aerospace and drone applications, lifting, and research. Sensors must be selected based on capacity, size constraints, environmental conditions, and measurement requirements. Interface load cells measure the applied force of grips used in robotics, industrial machines, medical devices, aerospace and drone applications, lifting, and research. Sensors must be selected based on capacity, size constraints, environmental conditions, and measurement requirements. Learn about our gripping measurement products, including multi-axis sensors, miniature load cells, buttons, S-type load cells, low profiles, and wireless sensors.