You might find the connection between engineering and treating biological conditions to be a curious and unlikely mix, but in reality technology is developing so many ways to assist and cure disorders in humans that the field of bioengineering and its related disciplines is surging forwards at an ever-increasing pace. In a nutshell, bioengineering applies engineering principles of design and analysis to human and living biological systems, as well as associated biomedical technologies.
What once sounded like science fiction is today a reality. The terms biotechnology, biomedical technology, biomedical engineering and bioengineering refer to a host of related technologies. Understanding the relationship, depth and extensive application of these disciplines really means looking more closely at the all the areas of medicine and medical solutions that have opened up new possibilities for the future of healthcare.
Terms and Traits
Seen as technically-orientated and primarily concerned with manufacturing, engineers seem out-of-place in hospitals, clinics, and other care facilities, but today biomedical engineers are indispensable members of a healthcare team.
- Biomedical technology uses basic science discoveries and translates these into technically advanced methods to improve patient health. This often leads to novel ways to detect or treat illnesses previously considered untreatable.
- The field is very broad, encompassing a variety of approaches that have developed through time. Some approaches are scientific in nature, requiring rigorous scientific research to support their validity. Others are based upon the application of knowledge from other disciplines that hold great importance in modern day bio-medical practices. The field continues to expand as advances in knowledge occur.
- The uses of the discipline spill over into many areas. As more methods are proven successful, and people experience better health and longer lives, the costs of medical care can be reduced.
- Biomedical informatics is a further branch of these disciplines which brings the field of computer science into the mix, and includes information science, bio-informatics, statistical computing and computer network security, all of which work with clinical decision-making, diagnostic applications, and ultimately improved disease prevention and care. This field is growing and expected to create enormous demand in the future.
- Clinical informatics is another related field. Mathematical and computer principles are applied to solve problems in clinical medicine; a mathematical algorithm is used to analyse clinical images to detect diseases using a large set of image processing algorithms. This can help a researcher to detect possible disease earlier than through manually conducted analysis.
- Integration of different sources of data such as radiology data, clinical documentation, surgical outcome reports and outcomes, along with patient information such as demographics and clinical histories, means making use of knowledge management and data mining on a broad scale to improve healthcare practices and improve the quality of healthcare.
Bioengineering/biomedical technologies are solving problems
Biomedical engineers can work on any number of tasks, such as developing artificial organs, building machines to aid in diagnosis, providing technical support for medical technology, and even studying the engineering aspects of biological systems, such as the endocrine system, in humans and animals. Bioengineering promises a longer life as people are less likely to succumb to the many diseases of the past.
- Artificial limbs: One area that presents a major cause of disability and death is that of losing limbs. Developers of new prosthetic limbs are achieving amazing methods of fixing these problems, designing artificial limbs that work almost 100% like human limbs. It is work that gives those with missing limbs another chance at living a normal life.
- Pacemakers: The development of ultrasonic systems such as pacemakers is another area of success. Using ultrasonic waves, they are able to send signals to the brain, which can then send messages to the pacemakers through the simple process of thought.
- Regenerative medicine: Another offshoot of bioengineering is the study of nature’s ability to repair its own cells, and an understanding of the underlying cellular mechanisms, making treatment of diseases arising from these cells more successful. Other areas include the study of cancer, diagnosing and treating diseases that currently have no cure, development of genetically modified food, energy distillation systems, and nanotechnology. The field reflects fully the advantageous mix of engineering and biology; engineering cells and developing suitable materials to restore health and function to patients with severe diseases.
- Diabetes: Glucose monitoring technologies have changed the lives of diabetics in that they are now able to measure sugar levels accurately and daily as a result of the development of glucose monitoring technologies. With improved diagnosis comes a better prognosis for treatment and recovery. Research in the biomedical sciences and bioengineering field has generated a wealth of new discoveries that are improving our health, extending our lives and raising our standard of living.
- Heart disease: In the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator has been developed as a small device implanted for those at risk of sudden cardiac death. Patients now have a 98% chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, compared with only 5% without the implantable device. Heart stents in the case of coronary heart disease, have halved the number of those dying from heart attacks or suffering heart failure.
Your career in Bioengineering
Those interested in becoming biomedical engineers must show proficiency in maths and science from a young age, and have proven logical problem-solving skills. At the very least, biomedical engineers require a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering. Courses in biomedical engineering encompass chemistry, including organic and biochemistry, and molecular biology, as well as a good knowledge of mechanics, including mechanical drawing and drafting.
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