Frank Stam

Background

About Frank Stam

Coming from a Mechanical Engineering background I started with product development for various industries. Moved then into the computer industry working for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in Galway, Ireland in 1988 in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) group, focusing on Tape Automated Bonding of electronic packages onto Multi Chip Units for mainframe computers. I joined the National Microelectronics Research Centre (now Tyndall National Institute) in Cork, Ireland in 1992, to develop advanced interconnect and packaging technologies for plastic, ceramic and bare die devices. This involved reliability testing & characterisation of various solder and conductive adhesive type joints. Over the years these joints were becoming smaller and the use environments harsher. The substrates on which the devices were assembled started to become thinner and at one point Tyndall's own Radiation monitoring devices (Radfet's) were assembled in an array format on a flexible substrate which could be wrapped around an arm and be used for radiation therapy dose monitoring. Other biomedical applications were explored with medical consultants and it became clear that a multi-skilled Biomedical Microsystems team was needed. A typical team project example was the development of a swallowable capsule to detect disease in the gastrointestinal tract, which incorporated sensing technology, control circuitry, data transmission & processing, and capsule integration. Most projects involve minimal invasive diagnostic or therapeutic systems like an endoscopic catheter enhancement with a micro-electrode based gene therapy device for oesophageal cancer treatment. Implantable systems require more emphasis on the biocompatibility, durability and robustness of the device. For instance the near-hermeticity of the encapsulation of a drop foot stimulator or the controlled degradation of an electro-active hydrogel for a cardiovascular occlusion. Main technology drivers are further miniaturisation and adding more sensor functionality and capacity, while utilising new enhancements in flexible/ stretchable circuitry.