Electronics development today is faster than twenty years ago, but also more demanding in terms of accuracy, integration and technology selection. Miniaturization, connectivity and reliability are no longer an advantage, but a standard that every new project must meet.
Looking back on more than 25 years of EGMedical, we can see how our work has changed. Today we develop and manufacture custom electronics for medical, industrial and research applications. But we started out differently.
The first technical challenge that changed the direction of the company
The company EGMedical s.r.o. was dedicated to the production of non-woven stretchers at the very beginning.
For this purpose, we had an automatic production line custom-made. However, it had one major problem: the manufacturer had not solved the synchronization of the motors, so the line only lasted for several minutes at a time. The manufacturer’s back was turned on the problem, industrial automation was still in its infancy and out of financial reach, so we were saved by our own electronic controls – programmed by a PIC16F84 microcontroller.
It was the year 2000 and we had taken the first step towards turning our originally textile company into an electronics development company. Through our “textile” contacts, it was first the modification of single-purpose machines, then later separate development contracts, and by 2007, electronics activities already accounted for approximately 40% of the company’s turnover.
Years of growth: from new laboratory to first medical projects (2011-2020)
2011 was a crucial year for the company. We built a new laboratory in the former weaving mill in Křenová Street in Brno and for the first time in ten years we concentrated development, workshop and production in one place. This opened the way for more ambitious projects.
The first major medical and industrial projects began to arrive: control electronics for underground mines, electronics for medical HD imaging units in gynaecology or electronics for continuous glucose monitors, which validated our capabilities in wearable technology.
We have also solved tasks of a more research nature, for example a control unit for a nine-metre autonomous airship, and projects that are, let’s say, peculiar: for example, a self-tipping toilet seat.
During this period we also developed electronics for controlling public lighting, solar systems, our own tablet or for example aerial vaccination of foxes. Another interesting application was LED boards with public transport departures or electronics of wirelessly controlled cars and turntables for theatres in Pilsen and Wroclaw. Our 4G/5G coverage measurement devices, developed for a Swedish customer, are used worldwide.
As 2020 approached, it was clear that the original small electrical department had grown into a modern development centre capable of designing, testing and manufacturing complex electronic devices. It was this stage that laid the foundation for our further growth in medicine, industry and cooperation with foreign partners.
2020-2025: technological expansion, exciting projects and international cooperation
What we built between 2011 and 2020 allowed us to embark on more technologically demanding embedded and IoT projects after 2020.
Among the medical projects, the cooperation with scientists from Masaryk University, for whom we developed and manufactured a wearable device for measuring physiological functions, was important for us – apart from many commercial projects, which we are not allowed to write about. It has been tested in the extreme conditions of Antarctica and is now the basis for the ISS T-shirt project, which is due to head to the space station.
We also continued to provide smart solutions for public spaces, such as complete electrical equipment and cloud-based management of Alfa3 parcel boxes.
Other important projects include long-term cooperation with one of the world’s largest sewing machine manufacturers on the development of HW and FW for their top model series, software development for FM transmitters or the production of elements for drones and military training.
This stage confirmed EGM’s shift from conventional electrical manufacturing to modern embedded and IoT systems. It demonstrated our ability to respond quickly to customer needs and deliver solutions that stand up to real-world use. More details can be found on our blog.
What characterises EGM to this day?
Whether we were solving a dysfunctional textile line or developing medical and industrial devices today, the approach remains the same: we take a technical problem as a challenge to find a solution, not as an obstacle. This is helped by development and production under one roof, which enables us to quickly prototype, test and prepare products for series production.
Our work is based on quality, efficiency and a wide technological range: from simple products such as units for controlling pool shutters to projects using embedded Linux, the cloud or connection to various applications or other devices. We are always looking for a technically and economically sensible way forward.
From a company that started with textile machinery, we have grown into a development and manufacturing partner for medicine, industry and research. And it’s still true: we find solutions where other options fail.
