NEWS TRENDS

The editors of MD&DI learn quite a lot from contributing authors. Andrew Dallas was the first to introduce the significant topic of static analysis to MD&DI readers. He has since proved an invaluable resource on software analysis and other related topics. The editors are pleased to welcome Dallas to the MD&DI Editorial Advisory Board.

“I think it is a really exciting time to be part of the industry,” Dallas says. “New technologies are taking advantage of software and hardware to develop some pretty amazing tools.”
At the same time, he says, companies need procedural help to ensure safety and efficacy. “I'm glad FDA is taking an interest and looking into static and run-time analysis tools.”

Adoption of such parameters could help OEMs accept software as a part of development. “Right now, a lot of companies look at software as a necessary evil to satisfy hardware requirements,” Dallas says.

As Dallas explains, many tools allow software engineers to create product quickly, but what they produce is often low quality and not maintainable. “People have to be able to select the right tools, and part of that skill includes knowing what tools and techniques are available.”
Dallas is president and chief technical officer of Full Spectrum Software (Southborough, MA). He is a member of AAMI and MassMedic, and he is a Microsoft certified professional. Dallas is an authority in the medical device software field and has published numerous articles on the subject. He has more than 18 years of software engineering and executive management experience. Copyright ©2009 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry