IMEX--a new knowledge platform for microsystems in medicine

The development of medical applications is driven in the context of steadily growing needs and the requirement of lowering the overall costs. Microsystems will have an extremely important impact on medical technology in the future. The great challenges for the wider usage of microstructures in health application are biocompatibility and mass production. Especially SME's need help to overcome these problems by free access to knowledge, availability of standards and contacts to partners. IMEX is a new knowledge platform funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany. In setting up an active network of institutes and companies IMEX sets up a knowledge base and starts standardisation.