Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
100%
Δ
Emerging technology
Proven technology
0%
Time
Failures
Preventable failure
Figure
1.2
Hypothetical effect of preventable failure on overall advance of a new technology. Solid line is the technological
advance had the preventable failure not occurred. The delta () is the difference in technology development attributed to the
preventable mistake. Without the failure, the technological progress would be greater by delta.
Teachable
Moment:
The
Good
Engineer
The famous physicist Freeman Dyson (born 1923) said:
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that
works with as few original ideas as possible. There are no prima donnas in engineering.
He also said:
If we had a reliable way to label our toys good and bad, it would be easy to regulate technology wisely.
But we can rarely see far enough ahead to know which road leads to damnation. Whoever concerns
himself with big technology, either to push it forward or to stop it, is gambling in human lives.
Questions
1. Give two examples in bioengineering that demonstrate Dyson's first point and two emerging
technologies in which we presently need to heed the warning of his second quote.
2. What does this tell us about risk taking, especially the optimum between necessary and
irresponsible risks?
3. Give an example of when avoiding a risk leads to bigger problems than taking the risk.
