Definition of Biomedical Engineering

What is Biomedical

Engineering

Definition of Biomedical Engineering

A loose definition of Biomedical Engineering:

the application of engineering techniques and

analyses to problem-solving in medicine and

the biomedical sciences

Biomedical Engineering (BME)

• a growing and expanding interdisciplinary profession

• concerned with the application of

– engineering, – mathematics, – computing, and

– science methodologies

to the analysis of biological andphysiological problems

• produce technological advances in health

Biomedical Engineering (BME)

• Definition 1:

• “Biomedical engineering is a discipline that

– advances knowledge in engineering, biology and

medicine, and improves human health through cross- disciplinary activities that integrate the engineering sciences with the biomedical sciences and clinical practice.”

• It includes:

– The acquisition of new knowledge and understanding of living systems through the innovative and substantive application of experimental and analytical techniques based on the engineering sciences.

Biomedical Engineering (BME)

• Definition2:

The use of engineering technology, instrumentation and methods to solve

medical problems, such as improving our understanding of physiology and the

manufacture of artificial limbs and organs.

What is Biomedical

Engineering

• Biomedical Engineers apply engineering techniques and analyses to problem-solving in medicine and the

biomedical sciences

• Biomedical Engineers bridge the gap between clinical medicine and applied medical technology.

• Biomedical Engineers must be capable of defining a medical problem in engineering science terms and of finding a solution that satisfies both engineering and medical requirements

• This includes developing systems to:

– maintain and enhance life,

– designing replacement parts for people,

– creating systems to allow the handicapped to function, work and communicate

– Etc.

• Biomedical engineering is interdisciplinary, that is, biomedical engineers work with other medical health care professionals as members of a team.

• Exciting advances in medicine, such as the

artificial heart, pacemakers, medical imaging

techniques, lasers,life support systems, and

devices that help the paralyzed walk, are the

result of a team effort by biomedical engineers

and other professionals.

• Biomedical Engineers have expertise in:

– engineering science, – biological science

– medical science.

• Biomedical engineering is usually based on one of the traditional engineering disciplines, such as electrical or mechanical engineering.

• New fields of biomedical engineering include areas such as:

– medical electronics, – clinical engineering, – biomaterials,

– rehabilitation engineering.

• Applications of biomedical engineering is almost endless and is developing every day, it includes

– cardiac monitors to clinical computing, – artificial hearts to contact lenses,

– wheel chairs to artificial tendons,

– modeling dialysis therapy to modeling the cardiovascular system.

• Biomedical engineers are also integral in the management of technology in

hospitals and health care delivery.

Main Fields of Biomedical

Engineering

Medical Instrumentation:

• Medical instrumentation is the application of electronics and measurement

techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease.

• Computers are important and

increasingly essential part of medical

instrumentation, from the microprocessor in a single-purpose instrument to the

microcomputer needed to process the large amount of information in a medical imaging system.

• Examples of medical instrumentation include: heart monitors, microelectrodes,

Biomaterials

• Biomaterials is the use of materials, both living tissue and artificial materials, for implantation.

Understanding the properties of the living materials is vital in the design of implant materials. The selection of an appropriate

material to place in the human body may be one of the most difficult tasks faced by the

biomedical engineer. Certain metal alloys,

ceramics, polymers and composites have been

used as implant materials.

Biomaterials (cont)

• Biomaterials must be

– non toxic,

– non-carcinogenic, – chemically inert

(not reacting violently with the body's chemical composition),

– Stable

– mechanically strong enough to withstand the repeated forces of a lifetime of use.

• Newer biomaterials even incorporate living cells

Biomaterials (cont)

• Examples of biomaterials include

– Dental adhesives, – Bone cement,

– Replacement bones/joints, – Heart prosthetics,

– Heart replacement valves – Artificial lungs

– Artificial kidneys.

System Physiology and Modeling

• The use of scientific and

engineering principles to predict the behavior of a system of

interests.

• Systems of interest may include the human body, particular

organs or organ systems and

medical devices.

System Physiology and Modeling (cont)

• Modeling is used in the analysis of experimental data and in formulating

mathematical descriptions of physiological events.

• In research, modeling is used as a predictive tool in designing new

experiments to refine our knowledge.

• Examples are the biochemistry of

metabolism and the control of limb

movements

Signal processing

• Collection and analysis of data from patients or

experiments in an effort to understand and identify individual components of the data set or signal.

• The manipulation and dissection of the data or signal provides the physician and experimenter with vital

information on the condition of the patient or the status of the experiment.

• Biomedical Engineers apply signal-processing methods to the design of medical devices that monitor and

diagnose certain conditions in the human body.

• Examples include heart arrhythmia detection software and brain activity

Medical Imaging

• Medical Imaging combines knowledge of a unique physical phenomenon (sound,

radiation, magnetism etc.) with high-speed electronic data processing, analysis and display to generate an image.

• Often, these images can be obtained with minimal or completely non-invasive

procedures, making them less painful and more readily repeatable than invasive

techniques.

• Examples include Magnetic Resonance

Imaging (MRI), ultrasound and computed

tomography (CT).

Biomechanics

• Biomechanics applies both fluid mechanics and transport phenomena to biological and medical issues. It includes the study of motion, material deformation, flow within the body, as well as

devices, and transport phenomena in the body, such as transport of chemical constituents

across biological and synthetic media and membranes.

• Efforts in biomechanics have developed the

artificial heart, replacement heart valves and the

Career Opportunities

• Biomedical engineers are exposed to many fields of study in engineering,

medicine and biology. Due to this broad experience biomedical engineers find employment in:

– hospitals,

– government bodies, – industry or

– academic areas.

What do Biomedical Engineers do?

• Design of medical instrumentation

• Design prostheses;

• Contribute in the development,

manufacture and testing of medical products

• Manage of technology in the hospital

system.

• Biomedical engineers are employed in the industry, in hospitals, in research facilities of educational and

medical institutions, in teaching, and in government regulatory agencies.

• They often serve a coordinating or interfacing

function,using their background in both engineering and medical fields.

• In industry, they may create designs where an in-depth understanding of living systems and of technology is essential.

• They may be involved in performance testing of new or proposed products. Government positions often involve product testing and safety, as well as establishing safety standards for devices.

• In the hospital, the biomedical engineer may provide advice on the selection and use of medical equipment, as well as supervising its performance testing and

maintenance.

• They may also build customized devices for special health care or research needs.

• In research institutions, biomedical engineers supervise laboratories and equipment, and participate in or direct research activities in collaboration with other researchers with such backgrounds as medicine, physiology, and

nursing.

• Some biomedical engineers are technical advisors for marketing departments of companies and some are in