Biomedical Engineering 101
Developing Processes and Systems to Help the Human Body Function
Jan 9, 2009
Biomedical engineering is a discipline that combines many features of other branches of engineering to study and improve the function of the human body. This cross-disciplinary industry combines many basic engineering functions to understand how living things work and to improve devices used to diagnose and treat medical issues.
Biomedical Engineering Education
Students in a biomedical engineering program often have a curriculum that includes a solid base of biology and chemistry courses. Depending on the specific discipline within biomedical engineering that the student chooses to pursue, other courses may include engineering mechanics, fluid dynamics, materials engineering, or other specialties.
A variety of laboratory courses are standard for this curriculum. Students who achieve a degree in biomedical engineering often enter employment in the health care industry or in biomedical research positions. Students commonly move on to advanced degrees, specifically those interested in research positions.
Branches of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering can be broken down into the following branches:
- Biomaterials - The development of medical devices and processes that are compatible with human tissues and physiology. This can include the design and development of replacement parts such as hip joints, components to correct physiological abnormalities, and the development of specific materials that are accepted by the human immune system.
- Biomechanics - The use of engineering mechanics to understand the performance of the human body, including static forces, dynamic forces, and fluid mechanics.
- Biomedical Imaging - The development and improvement of systems to image different functions of the human body. This can include the study and improvement of older imaging methods such as x-ray devices and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, or the design and development of new and novel imaging systems.
- Biosensors and Instrumentation - The development of sensors and data collections systems to monitor and/or provide feedback on human body processes. This can include things like blood flow sensors and electrodes to components such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, or mechanical respirators.
- Tissue Engineering - The development of methods and mechanisms to grow or regrow tissues for transplant. This can include the bioengineering of tissue cells, mechanical and material properties of scaffolding, or developing processes to more effectively grow tissue.
To keep biomedical professionals in line with these branches, there are a number of professional societies that cater to them.
Biomedical Engineering Professional Societies
The primary professional society for the biomedical engineering industry is the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). Other professional societies that cater to facets within the biomedical engineering industry include the Society for Biomedical Materials (SBE), the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
The biomedical engineering profession combines many facets of basic engineering branches, such as mechanical, chemical, and even electrical to provide measurable benefits to the medical field through bio-engineered products and innovative medical devices.
Sources
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Biomedical Engineering Department Website
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