TZM GmbH receives innovation award from the district of Göppingen
The challenge when networking medical devices is to ensure the various systems are compatible with one another and they all “speak the same language.” TZM, a member of the Steinbeis Network, offers a product called the Universal Medical Gateway (UMG), which has become a key link in the field of medical technology for connecting different devices. The UMG makes it possible for a variety of medical institutions to connect equipment as required and quickly link it across networks. It acts like an interpreter in the world of technology, allowing systems to communicate with each other despite different “mother tongues.” TZM was partly set up in 2014 because of the introduction of the UMG, and it has now been honored in the startup/succession category of the innovation award bestowed by the rural district of Goppingen.
Medical device manufacturers used to have to integrate new system connections directly into their medical products. Because of this adaptation requirement, manufacturers faced the costly process of re-certifying their medical systems. The financial burden they faced was enough to put off some manufacturers, and many a connection project failed as a result. The solution provided by TZM provides an answer to this problem. The Goppingen-based company is considered a hidden champion and it can point to a number of detailed and complex medical device development certifications. Leading European and American pro- ducers now turn to the experts at TZM for support. Last year the team implemented more than 150 connection systems.
“The UMG is an ultra-smart device capable of communicating with a broad variety of medical systems. There’s no widely accepted communication standard in medical technology, so the UMG has to demonstrate that it’s as versatile as possible. It’s a highly challenging starting point but despite this, we’ve managed to develop a lean and agile system that’s also inexpensive,” explains TZM managing director Edgar Grundstein. TZM has invested approximately half a million euros in developing the gateway over the last two years, and since delivering the first system last year the product has become established in the market.