Digestion Simulation
Biomedical researchers test how compounds interact with the body, which often involves simulations. For example, these small cell culture systems enable researchers to simulate digestion and nutrient absorption in a lab.Copyright Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct10/nutrition1010.htm?pf=1 http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/aug99/iron0899.htm
To reinforce students' understanding of the human digestion process, the functions of several stomach and small intestine fluids are analyzed, and the concept of simulation is introduced through a short, introductory demonstration of how these fluids work. Students learn what simulation means and how it relates to the engineering process, particularly in biomedical engineering. Students can practice their understanding by using the associated activity to model a digestive process. The teacher demo requires vinegar, baking soda, water and aspirin.
Biomedical engineers develop medical devices that aid doctors, pharmacists and other medical professionals in their work. Some of these devices directly help the injured and infirm, such as prosthetic limbs or insulin pumps. In other cases, these devices help indirectly by simulating different life processes so that researchers can better understand what occurs naturally inside the human body and experiment with new treatment ideas.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define "simulation" and explain its importance in the science and engineering fields.
- List several ways in which engineers can help people with medical problems.
- List several of the fluids our bodies use to digest food and understand how engineers simulate these fluids to perform experiments.