This nitinol thin film actuator made by Acquandas with a film thickness of 50 µm can pull 550 times its own weight. [Image courtesy of Acquandas]
Acquandas is a thin-film device manufacturer that’s now partially owned by brain-computer interface developer Synchron.Rodrigo Lima de Miranda founded Acquandas in 2012 based on microsystem technology he developed for his doctoral thesis, where he was trying to develop a shape memory material made with thin-film deposition.
The Kiel, Germany-based contract manufacturer now uses the Nanolab cleanroom facilities at Kiel University and is growing its team of around 22 employees.
Beyond neurotech applications like Synchron’s Stentrode, the Acquandas technology has promising potential for cardiac ablation, renal denervation, opthamology, nerve stimulation, passive microimplants, microneedles, and smart actuators and springs, Lima de Miranda said …