“Additive manufacturing in prosthesis and implants” workshop, organised together with CataloniaBio, took place in March 2018. Our aim was to foster connections and opportunities of collaboration between photonics and healthcare.

The workshop consisted of: study visit to prosthesis and implants manufacture (AVIVENT – international leader in implantology), networking breaks and expert debate based on case studies and exchange of ideas and solutions between photonics and healthcare sectors. AVIVENT chose three main challenges to be addressed during the discussion: laser manufacture and improvement of surface finishing, data verification for the final inspection of products, 3D data capture and patient in movement.

Our participants represented companies, R&D institutions and public administration, such as ACCIÓ, ALBA Synchrotron, Althaia, AsorCAD Enginyeering, EURECAT, Global 3D Printing Hub HAMAMATSU Photonics, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Innovamed, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia, Micos Iberia, Neos Surgery, ON-LASER, ROFIN-BAASEL, Sensofar Medical, TEKNIKER and Ventura Medical Technologies.

We crossed boundaries of time and space, organising our meeting in two different localities. First, we went to AVIVENT headquarters to see the future (of implantology). Then we moved to the past and had a very fruitful and inspiring discussion in the medieval Benedictine monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. Want to see more?