Biomedical Engineering

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Biomedical engineering, also known as “bioengineering”, is a branch of engineering that combines the design and problem solving techniques of engineering with biological and medical sciences to improve health-related and medical problems. Bioengineers have made many positive changes in many lives today. By designing live-saving objects such as artificial hearts, dialysis machines, and surgical lasers bioengineers have helped save many lives.

Biomedical engineers dates back to over 3000 years with the Egyptians. Egyptians created a wooden prosthesis to replace the big toe. Since then, bioengineering has developed a great deal. A big improvement this century has been the development of artificial lungs. When polio hit the states, many patients were put into a respirator made of two vacuum cleaners and an iron box. This invention, designed by Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw, was nicknamed the “iron lung”. The iron lung pumped air into and out of the patient, allowing the patient to breathe. Iron lungs are replaced today with artificial lungs, which are more advanced and are p...

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