(Time can be reduced by assigning research of the problem as homework and not allowing any redesign time) 4 ($20 per class)

Students are introduced to the concept and steps of the engineering design process and taught how to apply it. Students first receive some background information about biomedical engineering (aka bioengineering). Then they learn about material selection and material properties by using a provided guide. In small groups, students learn of their design challenge (improve a cast for a broken arm), brainstorm solutions, are given materials and create prototypes. To finish, teams communicate their design solutions through class poster presentations.

Biomedical engineers who specialize in biomaterials, test and develop new materials that can be safely implanted in the body. Engineers who work in biomechanics apply principles from physics to biological systems. They develop artificial organs, such as the artificial heart. A strong background in material science is required to be able to design these these implants. bioengineerign biomedical engineering design process engineering design proceses materials science poster prototype rehabilitation Learn about different engineering disciplines. Use the engineering design process to solve a specific design task. Learn how to evaluate and choose materials based on material properties. Explore the concept of a prototype. Sketch and build a prototype of their design including a cross-section. Explore the field of biomedical engineering. Develop methods for communicating their design solutions to a larger group. boxes to hold recyclable materials half can of Play-Doh™ 4 Popsicle™ sticks 6 to 8 recyclable materials: fabric, cotton batting, egg cartons, toilet paper or paper towel rolls, toothpicks, plastic bottles, milk cartons cut in pieces, rubber bands, straws, plastic tubing poster board markers digital scale Introduction to Biomedical Engineering (attached handout) Student Activity Worksheet (attached) There are many engineering disciplines. Do you know what I mean by "disciplines"? I mean "types" of engineers - the area or specialty that they focus on and become experts in. Can you think of some? (Listen to student ideas; examples: electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, environmental, aerospace, civil, computer science, industrial, materials, agricultural, rehabilitation, tissue or cellular, genetic, and many more.) Well, one of these disciplines is biomedical engineering or bioengineering. Biomedical engineers use their understanding of science and math to solve human health problems. Within the field of biomedical engineering are many specialties. (Pass out to students the attached Introduction to Biomedical Engineering handout, which provides background information on the types of problems biomedical engineers help solve. Then review the material properties information provided in the same handout. Then review the steps of the engineering design process, also covered in the same handout, as practiced by engineers around the world.) A discipline of engineering that applies math and science to health problems. A model or actual working version of a design concept. Factors that describe a material and how it will behave under certain conditions. Materials that can be safely implanted in the human body. An engineer who improves the quality of life of people with disabilities. An engineer who develops cells outside of the body in order to create artificial tissues/organs with the same properties as the real body part. A bioengineering discipline in which an organism's DNA is altered so that different proteins will be produced. After the Introduction/Motivation, divide the class into teams of four students each. Hand out the Student Activity Worksheets, which contains the problem (in the form of a letter to the student engineers), a cast design worksheet (five questions about the problem, materials, brainstorming ideas, best solution and sketch) and poster session requirements. The Challenge: Have students read the problem as presented in the letter to the engineers at Casts R Us. Require each team to construct a prototype with a mass of less than 300 grams. Emphasize that in addition to solving the problem, the design must be stable enough to hold the "broken bone" in place. Show students the provided materials and remind them that the materials in the box may represent any materials they would like, even ones that have not been developed yet, and they should be prepared to describe the properties of the materials they choose for their casts. In addition, each group may bring in one additional material from home. Brainstorming: Give teams 20-25 minutes to brainstorm what the problem with the cast could be and how it can be solved. Have them answer the worksheet questions to aid in their solution development process. Construct Prototypes: Using the provided materials and sketches, have students construct their prototype casts. See Figure 1 for an example prototype cast. Test and Evaluate Solutions: Since the materials the students are using could feasibly represent any materials, the only physical test to determine whether or not the project is successful is to measure the mass of the prototypes. Have students use the digital scale to calculate the mass of their designs. Also evaluate the designs based on their stability: Do they bend or move from side to side? Do they solve the given problem? Also, require students to design tests for their prototypes that proves that the problem has been solved. Communicate Solutions: A very important skill for engineers is the ability to communicate ideas and solutions to an audience. Communicating the solution is Step #7 of the engineering design process. The audience may vary; communication may be with co-workers, superiors or customers. In this section of the activity, challenge students to communicate their solutions through poster presentations. This gives the teams the opportunity to clearly articulate their design concepts. Remind students that good presentation skills are very necessary for a wide variety of professions (including teaching!). Poster Presentation Development: Have students refer to the "poster session" page of the student worksheet so they understand the content that must be covered in their presentations. Besides containing the required information, posters must clearly explain the designs and be neat. Expect students to be prepared to speak for 3-5 minutes on their design process and results. Encourage classmates to ask questions and provide feedback. Redesign: As time permits, give teams the opportunity to redesign their casts based on feedback and suggestions for improvement from the class. Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Handout (doc) Introduction to Biomedial Engineering Handout (pdf) Student Activity Worksheet (doc) Student Activity Worksheet (pdf) What is biomedical engineering or bioengineering? What are material properties? Prototype sketch, stability and mass Presentation clarity, content and style Poster detail and neatness Have students create digital slide presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint or other software application. Exploring the Material World Three Classroom Teaching Modules. http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/module_index.html It's a Materials World Student magazine from Virginia Tech. with information on different types of materials http://www.mse.vt.edu/academics/news/MW_v1n1.pdf Bioinspired Materials and Systems, Materials Science & Engineering, Cornel University People are always looking for new materials to make life easier, safer, and more efficient. This site has some examples. http://www.mse.cornell.edu/research/bioinspired_materials.cfm Learn more about the engineering design process at http://www.teachengineering.org/engrdesignprocess.php