Principles
BoneTag is a unique and universal device. Placed inside knee prostheses, BoneTag enables communication with all brands of surgical orthopedic implants by connecting them and making them smart. The BoneTag device provides traceability throughout the entire lifetime of the prosthesis, offering an unprecedented ability to evaluate in vivo au cours du temps. BoneTag solves a long-standing need for traceability, while also founding an international registry of surgical implants that is essential for improving prostheses.
Benefits
Technology
BoneTag is an electronic device that uses battery-free RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification), associated with pressure and temperature sensors.
BoneTag fulfills three key functions starting from the moment it is integrated into a knee prosthesis, during the surgical procedure:
- Accurate in vivo identification of the prosthesis
- Traceability over time
- Early detection of infection or loss of prosthesis adhesion with the bone

This passive RFID device is encapsulated within a completely sealed biocompatible casing, about the size of a SIM card. It is integrated directly into the prosthesis and may be queried remotely after the prosthesis is implanted, over its entire lifetime (20 years).
All the practitioner has to do is scan the patient’s knee from a distance of about 10 cm to read the information transmitted by the chip to the dedicated BoneTag software. In addition to identifying the prosthesis, the practitioner can also evaluate its adhesion to the bone at any time.
All of the data is collected in real-time via the Internet to contribute automatically to a worldwide registry of knee implants.
Power: the passive RFID chip is connected to its own integrated antenna. The chip and internal temperature and pressure sensors are powered only when being accessed by the reader.
Market
2.5 million knee prostheses are implanted every year around the world, including about 100,000 in France and 800,000 in Europe. Our R&D team is currently examining the adaptation of BoneTag to other types of implantable medical devices.
Industrial property
The innovative technology used in the BoneTag device is protected by several international patents.
Team
Stéphane Naudi
Orthopedic surgeon and founder of BoneTag
Arnaud Vena
Lecturer at University of Montpellier, Institute of Electronics and Systems
Brice Sorli
Lecturer at University of Montpellier, Institute of Electronics and Systems
Manon Chevalier
Quality assurance & regulatory affairs manager
Sylvain Dutrieux
PhD student in electronic engineering
Stéphan Cahuzac
Senior electronic technician
Dr Olivier May
Orthopedic surgeon, member of the French Society of Hip and Knee Surgery
Dr Nazim Mehdi
Oorthopedic surgeon, in charge of relations with international learned societies for foot surgery
Dr Nicolas Fouilleron
Orthopedic surgeon
Dr Elisabeth Baumelou-Torck
Former vice-president of the French National Commission for the Evaluation of Implantable Devices and Health Technologies
AxLR
- 950 Rue Saint-Priest
34090 Montpellier