Clinical Application Driven Physiology in Biomedical Engineering Laboratory Course Education

Abstract

An innovative biomedical engineering (BME) laboratory course was developed to integrate wireless biotechnology with a hands on learning approach. In recent years the need for biomedical engineers in research and industry has increased dramatically. This requires novel strategies for training BME students in both engineering principles and clinical applications. BME students should be prepared with an appropriate skill set for real-world problems. BME education requires hands on learning with cutting edge technology to produce students ready to solve clinical problems in both research and industry. Including a wide range of BME clinical and rehabilitation applications increases student interest. A wide range of BME laboratories was designed to encompass both the basics of physiological signals and how to effectively utilize them in clinical applications. These clinical application interfaces are critical for students to understand how physiological signals may be manipulated to extract meaningful benefits for various medical disorders and rehabilitation needs. The biomedical engineering laboratory course presented in this paper was implemented and evaluated at several universities. Utilizing a virtual environment for practical applications bridges the gap between fundamentals and real world designs.