Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
treatment. Often, these images can be obtained with minimal or completely
noninvasive procedures, making them less painful and more readily repeat-
able than invasive techniques. With the incorporation of the digital scan con-
verters in real-time instruments, the computer has assumed an expanding
role in diagnostic imaging. Imaging for medical and biological purposes has
expanded tremendously due to advances in instrumentation and computa-
tional mechanisms. Bioengineers play a critical role in designing, construct-
ing, and/or analyzing medical imaging systems.
Rehabilitation engineering,
as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
means the systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop,
adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to prob-
lems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas, such as
mobility, communications, hearing, vision, and cognition, and in activities
associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration
into the community. Rehabilitation engineers are involved in prosthetics; the
development of home, workplace, and transportation modifications; and the
design of assistive technology that enhance seating and positioning, mobil-
ity, and communication. Rehabilitation engineers also develop hardware and
software computer adaptations and cognitive aids to assist people with cog-
nitive difficulties. These careers require additional training beyond the bach-
elor's degree in bioengineering.
Physiology models
(Chapter 10) deal with developing strategies, techniques,
and models (mathematical and physical) to understand the function of living
organisms, from bacteria to humans. Computational modeling is used in the
analysis of experimental data and in formulating mathematical descriptions
of physiological events. Bioengineering creates knowledge from the molecu-
lar to the organ systems levels. Physiological models play a significant role
in the development and implementation of computational models of physi-
ological systems; development of new diagnostic procedures, particularly
those requiring engineering analyses to determine parameters that are not
directly accessible to measurements; development of strategies for clinical
decision making based on expert systems, such as a computer-based system
for managing the care of patients or for diagnosing diseases; and the design
of computer systems to monitor patients during surgery or in intensive care.
Frequently, these specialized areas are interdependent. For example, the design
of an artificial hip is greatly aided by studies on anatomy, bone biomechanics, gait
analysis, and biomaterial compatibility. The forces that are applied to the hip can
be considered in the design and material selection for the prosthesis.
1.3
History of Bioengineering
Bioengineering has evolved into a field of its own as a result of contributions from
a number of disciplines. From the historical perspective, the revolutionary changes
