2017-10-31
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Electronic Engineering
this new knowledge to extend to individuals, whether to predict their susceptibility to disease, to diagnose the nature of diseases or to treat them by genetic means. For example, successful therapy may require the delivery of healthy genes into the individual cells within the patient's body. A bioengineering technique that promises to make this possible involves localized exposure to ultrasonic waves in the presence of tiny precision encapsulated gas bubbles which can make the cell walls temporarily porous to the ingress of the genetic material. A deeper understanding of the structure and function of the human body will be assisted by the development of more and more powerful computers joined together by vast telecommunications networks. Using such an extensive and powerful computer system will enable the development of a conceptual model of the entire biological continuum of the human organism (that is, physiological systems, organs, cells, proteins and genes) based on imaging and visualization information.
In addition to imaging models, other engineering methods, such as systems theory, control theory and signal processing, will be used to build models of, for example, how cells communicate and how they regulate the production of different proteins. Once the way in which cells function is known, it may be possible to grow replacement organs and other body parts from an individual's own genome. This would be a much more effective approach than current forms of tissue engineering.
Imaging techniques are aimed at seeing inside the intact human body. Generally, except for simple X-ray equipment and ultrasonic scanners, the machinery is large and expensive and in almost every case, the images can only properly be interpreted by medical experts. All are serious limitations. Current research is concentrated in the areas of optical, electrical and magnetic imaging approaches, as well as in seeking to extend the capabilities of the mainstream technologies, making them more efficient, cheaper and easier to use. In current technology, the images are usually displayed as two-dimensional cross-sections or as three-dimensional volumes. An important use of three-dimensional body imaging is in incorporating biomechanical models of muscles and bones, enabling simulations of planned surgical procedures. Thus, two particularly challenging possibilities for engineers are that a compact ultrasonic scanner could be developed to fit in every doctor's pocket, alongside the stethoscope, and that the current visual displays might be replaced by pictorial representations of what would be seen under direct vision.
Another challenge for the future biomedical engineer is to bring all diagnostic procedures and the-
rapies to noninvasive or minimally-invasive procedures. Less invasive techniques and devices will lead to more comfortable recovery for patients, as well as faster rehabilitation and shorter stays in hospitals, all of which also lead to a reduction of health care costs. The achievement of these objectives will require the development of better techniques for accessing the diseased joint and performing the surgery, more reliable fixation of the artificial joint and better
mechanical reliability.
The intelligent systems and technologies in rehabilitation engineering represent a dynamic field which is evolving tremendously. These rehabilitation systems are essential components in increasing the well-being of people with disabling conditions around the world. The challenge for bioengineering will be to further develop these technologies, which will include telemedicine, aids for people with visual, hearing and speech impairments, artificial limbs, wheelchairs, tissue engineering for repairing brain damage after stroke and for regenerating nerves after spinal cord injuries, and electrical devices for the maintenance of continence.
While health care advances so quickly in the developed world, engineers must also address the issues of the developing world. In addition to long-distance communication via telemedicine, a great potential exists to improve diagnosis and therapy and to increase access to appropriate medicine and technologies. The mainstay of diagnosis will likely still be simple X-ray and ultrasonic imaging, both of which are relatively inexpensive but which need to be adapted for the local environment. The challenge is to take present technology and create an affordable in-field version for greater ease of access.
Biomedical engineering has come a long way since Leonardo da Vinci drew his revolutionary pictures of the skeleton and its musculature and studied the mechanics of the flight of birds. The modern era has seen the application of engineering in almost every branch of medicine, so much so that the practice of medicine is now completely dependent on the work and support of engineers. The introduction of electronic patient records, complex and extremely powerful electromedical equipment and devices, and minimally invasive technologies is just the beginning. The future holds new possibilities of providing telemedicine and e-health services, new ways of home self-care, sophisticated new sensors, and new ways of heath care for older persons. In the preceding paragraphs, only some of the fields of growth for the next generation were discussed; tremendous challenges lie ahead for engineers working in this field. There seems to be no limit to what engineering could do further to revolutionize medical practice. In fact, the next generation of biomedical engineers will probably develop things we can’t even yet imagine.
http://www.caets.org/?ID=7349
