Biomedical Engineering: Teacher Links
Third Edition
This Biomedical Engineering unit is part of SEPUP’s Issues and Science three-year Middle School program. Each unit of the program incorporates science and engineering concepts and practices with current issues.
Biomedical Engineering
Learning Pathway Diagrams for this unit:
MS-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-3, MS-ETS1-4
Activity 3
Bionic Bodies
Midnight Three & Six
Amazing documentary about type 1 diabetes in teenagers.
Raising a Teen with Type 1 Diabetes
Article about raising a teenager with type 1 diabetes.
The Incredible Bionic Man
Smithsonian TV series about roboticists attempting to create a bionic human.
Improving Hip Replacements
Learn about a biomedical engineering issue related to hip replacements and how scientists solved the problem.
Activity 4
Artificial Bone Model
Video of How to Make the Bone Model
This 22 second video clip shows how a dowel can be used to roll up a piece of paper into a bone model.
Activity 5
Artificial Heart Valve
Options for Heart Valve Replacement
A description of different options for having a heart valve replacement.
Deciding Between Mechanical or Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Replacement
A scientific paper on the differences between a mechanical and bioprosthetic heart valve.
Video: Blood Flow through the Human Heart
This video shows a simulation of how blood flows into and out of the heart.
Activity 6
The Work of an Engineer
Tongue Driven Wheelchair
The challenge of improving usability.
Creating a Inexpensive High-Tech Diagnostic Device
Michelle Khine used “Shrinky Dinks” to create diagnostic microfluidic chips that usually cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Video on the Discovery of Penicillin – with closed captions
In this video segment from A Science Odyssey on PBS LearningMedia™, learn what led British researcher Alexander Fleming to the chance discovery of antibacterial properties in a mold extract he later named penicillin. Download Video on the Discovery of Penicillin (no captions) to save. It is recommended that you have the latest version of QuickTime installed to properly view this video.
Video on Producing Penicillin – with closed captions
In this video segment from A Science Odyssey on PBS LearningMedia™, learn about the team of scientists from Oxford University that conducted tests on penicillin, in addition to the mass production of this new drug. Download Video on Producing Penicillin (no captions) to save. It is recommended that you have the latest version of QuickTime installed to properly view this video.
Rankings of Univerity Biomedical Engineering Programs
U.S. News and World Report has ranked Universities based on the Biomedical Engineering programs.
Famous People who Majored in Biomedical Engineering
A list of famous people who studied biomedical engineering in college.
What is Biotechnology?
A broad resource for understanding the field of biotechnology from an independent, non-profit organization.
Activity 7
Energy Bar
Food and Nutrition Information from the USDA
An expansive site supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA that provides general information on food and nutrition.
Calories from Exercise – Table
This site provides a table of calories burned for various activities.
What’s In Food?
Resources to learn about nutrients in the foods you eat.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Health.gov report on the appropriate amount of physical activity to improve health.
It Costs More to Eat Healthy
A Harvard press release that found that unhealthy diets cost about $1.50 less than health diets.
Activity 9
Get a Grip
SFU Researchers Build a Better Hand
An article about researchers at a Canadian University who developed a better robotic arm prosthesis.
Using a Balloon and Ground Coffee to Make an Ideal Robotic Gripper
An article and video about designing a “universal robotic gripper”.
Robots learn to sweat to stop overheating
Roboticists design a three-fingered gripper stays cool by sweating.