In this interview, News Medical speaks with Guido Gioberto, electrical engineering expert at Mesa Labs, about the role of electrical engineering in healthcare, the importance of calibration, and how accurate measurement systems can help protect vulnerable patient populations.
Please tell us about yourself and your role at Mesa Labs.
I have a PhD in Computer Science, as well as Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering. I’m essentially a hardware electrical engineer. Throughout my academic and professional career, I have focused on developing electrical and electronic solutions designed to monitor, protect, and improve human life.
That mission aligns perfectly with Mesa Labs’ vision of protecting the vulnerable. My team contributes to that vision by designing, maintaining, and continuously improving electronic systems used in critical monitoring and calibration solutions.
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What is electrical engineering? What is its range of applications?
Electrical engineering is about creating solutions that generate, control, and transmit electrical signals. How do we send electrical signals that result in desired outcomes or actions? Electrical engineers design, build, and test electrical systems to improve system performance and ensure compliance.
Consider how essential electrical and electronic systems have become to our lives today. Computers and various electronic solutions are everywhere, including in high-impact industries such as biopharmaceutical, medical, food, and beverage, where products cannot be produced or stored without monitoring by electrical systems and sensors.
For example, electrical systems can convert physical measurements, such as temperature, into digital electrical signals that are transmitted via radio or wireless communications such as Wi-Fi. It can then be converted back to an electrical signal at the receiving end and visualized on a display or stored in memory.
How does electrical engineering impact vulnerable patient populations such as dialysis patients?
Dialysis patients require multiple treatments per week. Electronic systems are involved throughout the process, from waking up with an alarm, to the dialysis machine itself, to the meters used to ensure the dialysis machine is working properly.
Dialysis machines are equipped with complex electrical systems that ensure the delivery of accurate dialysis prescriptions to patients. At Mesa, meters are used to calibrate these dialysis machines to ensure proper and accurate performance.
There’s even more at stake when a product ultimately impacts vulnerable patients, so my team and I work diligently to design electrical solutions that meet these needs with the highest level of precision. In addition, we provide manufacturing services and calibration support, and help plan the next generation of innovation through a culture of continuous improvement.
What is calibration from an electrical engineering perspective?
I define calibration as the process necessary to ensure that an electrical product operates as intended according to product specifications.
We follow ISO 17025. According to this standard, calibration determines how far a measurement deviates from a standard defined by an internationally recognized organization such as NIST.
Why is calibration important if the equipment appears to be working properly?
Calibration Calibration is essential for high-stakes electronic devices, such as meters, because without calibration you cannot be sure of the correct output.
Calibration is similarly meaningless since devices such as remote controls send coded commands and do not measure or report values. However, meters typically measure and report values through an analog-to-digital interface. When electronic measurement equipment is used for a long period of time, drift may occur.
Mesa recommends annual calibration and adjustment to ensure continued compliance with accuracy standards and regulatory requirements.
What types of equipment typically require calibration?
Any equipment that quantitatively measures physical parameters and produces numerical output must be calibrated. For example, equipment used to measure pressure or temperature requires calibration to ensure that the measurements displayed are accurate.
Imagine a temperature monitoring system where the thermometer reads 0 °C or -2 °C when the actual temperature is 2 °C. Customers who need to store their products at sub-zero temperatures rely on these measurements to ensure that their products are stored as intended. If those products are vaccines, inaccurate measurements can have a significant impact on patients receiving the vaccine.
Mesa Labs recommends annual calibration. How was that interval determined?
Electrical measurement devices such as sensors typically experience drift over time. Mesa Labs evaluates the drift characteristics of its devices and based on that evaluation recommends annual recalibration to ensure the most accurate results for the end user. This is a data-based recommendation designed to maintain performance and accuracy.
What is sensor drift?
Sensor drift refers to a gradual change in the measured output over time under certain conditions. This behavior is expected in electronic measurement devices due to normal component aging and environmental exposure. Controlled through defined calibration intervals to ensure continued accuracy.
How can environmental conditions affect electronic measurement systems?
Environmental conditions can have a significant impact on electronic systems. For example, high humidity, high temperatures, and chemicals such as cleaning agents present in manufacturing environments can stress electronic equipment and cause output distortion.
Electromagnetic sources such as televisions, radios, and other electronic devices can also interfere with the measurement signal and cause instrument distortion. Harsh conditions can also affect the overall health of your hardware and shorten the lifespan of your electronics.
What is the difference between calibration and adjustment?
According to ISO 17025, calibration is the process of measuring a device’s performance and determining how close it is to a recognized standard.
Adjustments, on the other hand, are corrections applied to bring a device into line with its standards. This is typically applied to specific components of the system rather than the entire system and is intended to compensate for measurement drift.
Although many people use the terms interchangeably, they are not the same. Adjustments can only be performed accurately by someone who understands the exact system design and programming of the device, such as the OEM.
Mesa first calibrates the device to determine if it is within specifications and then adjusts for drift in measurements if necessary. When I refer to proofreading services, I usually mean both proofreading and adjustment.
Once I adjust my device, is the fix permanent?
No: An adjustment is a modification made at a specific point in time. Device drift occurs continuously and is affected by environmental conditions, so adjustments must be made periodically to maintain accurate results. This is one reason why annual calibration and adjustment services are recommended.
What is the difference between OEM and non-OEM components?
There is a big difference between the two.
OEM components are certified, reliable, and quality tested. Non-OEM components may only approximate the manufacturer’s specifications. For example, OEM smartphone batteries are designed with the correct cell chemistry and protection circuitry to ensure safe charging and accurate battery reporting, whereas non-OEM replacement batteries may degrade faster or pose safety risks.
Even when OEM and non-OEM parts have identical specifications on paper, hidden differences can affect the validity and long-term stability of measurements. These differences may include manufacturing controls, material quality, calibration methods, and lot-to-lot consistency.
For example, non-OEM sensors may meet initial accuracy specifications, but differences in aging characteristics may result in higher drift, increased noise, or decreased temperature stability.
What advice can you give users on how best to care for their calibration devices?
Use, care for, and store your device according to OEM recommendations.
These recommendations are based on extensive testing and data. Customers using metering meters should also periodically calibrate their devices according to the OEM’s recommended schedule.
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About Guido Joberto
Guido Gioberto is an electrical engineer and technical specialist whose work focuses on electronic systems, sensing technology, data acquisition, and measurement accuracy. He is a subject matter expert in electrical engineering at Mesa Labs, where he supports the development and continuous improvement of electronic systems used in monitoring and calibration solutions that help protect vulnerable populations.
Dr. Jobert holds a PhD in computer science from the University of Minnesota, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in electrical and communications engineering. Throughout his career, he has combined expertise in hardware design, embedded systems, signal processing, and human-centered sensing technologies. His published research investigates wearable sensing systems, body area networks, electronic measurement techniques, and innovative approaches to collecting physiological and environmental data.
His interdisciplinary background allows him to bridge the gap between advanced electronics, software systems, and real-world medical applications. At Mesa Labs, we apply this expertise to support the development of precision measurement and calibration technologies that help ensure compliance, reliability, and patient safety across critical healthcare and life sciences environments.
About Mesa Labs, Inc.
Mesa Labs leverages technical expertise and innovation to improve the quality of life for patients, workers, and consumers around the world. Our products and services directly impact critical environments that advance medical advances, keep industries moving, and ensure the safety of the products we use every day.
who are we
Our business encompasses a group of niche brands, including Agena Bioscience, Gyros Protein Technologies and Mesa Labs, serving highly regulated markets. We seek opportunities at the cutting edge of biomedical science and quality assurance in research and clinical settings.
how we work
With over 700 employees around the world, we are passionate about connecting our skills to a greater purpose. Every day, we work with a unique customer-centric vision to protect vulnerable populations by empowering every employee to make a real difference.
what we make possible
Our multinational businesses have a long history of outperforming the market and compounding financial returns while positively impacting global health and safety. Mesa’s high-growth strategy prioritizes application leadership and customer-first solutions.
