Biomedical Engineering
The application of engineering techniques to the understanding of biological systems and to the development of therapeutic technologies and devices. Biomedical engineering is is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment.
It improves the quality of life by developing and advancing medical care and technology. It combines design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences.
Medical monitoring uses electronic devices to measure patients vital signs. Medical monitors are used continuously during surgery and also in intensive care units following surgery or traumatic incidents such as road traffic accidents. Recent advances in computing have seen the development of digital signal acquisition, which allows ambulatory monitoring of patients during recovery or pre-operatively.
In addition, as modern engineered materials used in biomedical applications in humans are often composites, it is important that all materials used do not interact together to elicit a harmful physical or a cellular response. The materials used should not stimulate an immune response2. The materials used should also not be specifically toxic. In the case of implantable devices, the materials used should be able to be moulded/shaped into shapes which are compatible with the specific site of anatomical implantation.
Major Areas
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
◦ Use biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof.
◦ Tissue Engineering
Ability to take cells out of a person and keep them alive in culture for an extended period of time in order to create artificial organs. One of the goals of tissue engineering is to create artificial organs (via biological material) for patients that need organ transplants. Biomedical engineers are currently researching methods of creating such organs.
◦ Genetic Engineering
Direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly. Genetic engineering uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter the structure and characteristics of genes directly.
◦ Pharmaceutical Engineering
Development of pharmaceutical products such as drugs
◦ Neuro Engineering
• Neuro engineering is a discipline that uses engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, or enhance neural systems. Neural engineers are uniquely qualified to solve design problems at the interface of living neural tissue and non-living constructs.
Medical Devices
◦ Used in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease
◦ Medical imaging enables clinicians to directly or indirectly view things not visible in plain sight
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Projection radiography such as x-rays and CT scans
Ultrasound
◦ Bioinstrumentation uses electronics (computers) and measurement principles
Nervous System: EMG – muscle / EEG – brain
Cardiovascular: ECG – heart/blood pressure
Biomechanics
◦ Uses mechanics applied to biological or medical problems
Joint or limb replacements
Design ergonomic devices
Study disease mechanisms
Artificial Organs and Implants
These are used to replace and act as a missing biological structure
Pacemaker
Artificial heart
Corrective lenses
Ocular prosthetics
Cochlear implants
Dental implants
Clinical Engineering
◦ Deals with actual implementation of medical equipment and technologies in hospitals and other clinical settings
◦ Health care systems management
◦ Overall hospital planning and development
◦ Safety and risk management
Advantages
The application of engineering techniques to the understanding of biological systems and to the development of therapeutic technologies and devices. Biomedical engineering is is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. This field seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment.
It improves the quality of life by developing and advancing medical care and technology. It combines design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences.
Medical monitoring uses electronic devices to measure patients vital signs. Medical monitors are used continuously during surgery and also in intensive care units following surgery or traumatic incidents such as road traffic accidents. Recent advances in computing have seen the development of digital signal acquisition, which allows ambulatory monitoring of patients during recovery or pre-operatively.
In addition, as modern engineered materials used in biomedical applications in humans are often composites, it is important that all materials used do not interact together to elicit a harmful physical or a cellular response. The materials used should not stimulate an immune response2. The materials used should also not be specifically toxic. In the case of implantable devices, the materials used should be able to be moulded/shaped into shapes which are compatible with the specific site of anatomical implantation.
Major Areas
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
◦ Use biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof.
◦ Tissue Engineering
Ability to take cells out of a person and keep them alive in culture for an extended period of time in order to create artificial organs. One of the goals of tissue engineering is to create artificial organs (via biological material) for patients that need organ transplants. Biomedical engineers are currently researching methods of creating such organs.
◦ Genetic Engineering
Direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly. Genetic engineering uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter the structure and characteristics of genes directly.
◦ Pharmaceutical Engineering
Development of pharmaceutical products such as drugs
◦ Neuro Engineering
• Neuro engineering is a discipline that uses engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, or enhance neural systems. Neural engineers are uniquely qualified to solve design problems at the interface of living neural tissue and non-living constructs.
Medical Devices
◦ Used in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease
◦ Medical imaging enables clinicians to directly or indirectly view things not visible in plain sight
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Projection radiography such as x-rays and CT scans
Ultrasound
◦ Bioinstrumentation uses electronics (computers) and measurement principles
Nervous System: EMG – muscle / EEG – brain
Cardiovascular: ECG – heart/blood pressure
Biomechanics
◦ Uses mechanics applied to biological or medical problems
Joint or limb replacements
Design ergonomic devices
Study disease mechanisms
Artificial Organs and Implants
These are used to replace and act as a missing biological structure
Pacemaker
Artificial heart
Corrective lenses
Ocular prosthetics
Cochlear implants
Dental implants
Clinical Engineering
◦ Deals with actual implementation of medical equipment and technologies in hospitals and other clinical settings
◦ Health care systems management
◦ Overall hospital planning and development
◦ Safety and risk management
Advantages
- Medical devices can be engineered with new materials.
- Medical devices can be developed for use by non-experts.
- New materials can be integrated with electronic components.
- Products can be engineered to mimic human organs.
- New jobs will be created in industries using biomedical engineering.
- Regulatory barriers mean new products take a long time to get to market4
- Large investment is usually required to develop new products
- Current lack of a skilled and trained workforce
- Can be used to carry out both simple and complex procedures.
- Are easy to use.
- Do not contain infectious material.
- Can be easily sterilised, used and then re-sterilised, before re-use.
- Can be used in a range of environments.
- Can be used by practitioners with a range of skills from semi-skilled to highly skilled.
- Can be used in a wide variety of medical areas.