Microstructure technologies and their potential in medical applications

One of the major fields of application of microstructure technology and microsystems technology will probably be centered in medical engineering. Above all in neurosurgery, highly sophisticated surgical instruments featuring high functionality combined with high reliability are needed. Products fabricated by conventional manufacturing technologies can fulfill these demanding requirements only to a limited extend. At the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center first prototype components such as microspectrometers, microturbines and microfluidics structures are presently fabricated and tested which can be used in future microendoscopes as sensors or actuators. Combined with adequate information processing and suitable interface technology, it will be possible to create microsystems for various medical applications.