Module overview
Biomedical engineering brings together engineering, healthcare and the physical sciences to improve people's lives through innovative technologies. This module will introduce you to the process of designing safe, effective and sustainable healthcare technologies that respond to real clinical needs.
You will learn how engineers combine research evidence, creativity and user-centred design to develop medical devices and healthcare systems while considering professional responsibilities, ethical practice and regulatory requirements. Throughout the module, you will develop decision-making, critical evaluation and design skills that are essential for translating engineering ideas into practical healthcare solutions.
By the end of the module, you will have a greater understanding of the design process within medical engineering and the professional frameworks that ensure healthcare technologies are safe, reliable and fit for purpose.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Select and apply appropriate materials, equipment, engineering technologies and processes, recognising their limitations, especially in the context of engineering for health
- Select and critically evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to solve complex problems in medical engineering
- Formulate research questions and design experimental studies and data analysis methods for research in biomedical engineering that involve evaluating data (that may be uncertain or incomplete) and use mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles as well as engineering judgment and discussing the limitations of the techniques employed.
- Design inclusive solutions for complex medical engineering problems that evidence some originality and meet a combination of societal, user, business and customer needs with particular attention to healthcare and wellbeing, as appropriate.
- Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques to model complex problems in medical engineering, discussing the limitations of the techniques employed.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Explain and analyse research methods in healthcare research, including qualitative and quantitative approaches, study designs and the need for and basic concepts of statistical analyses, in order to reach substantiated conclusions.
- Outline benefit and importance of, as well as professional expectations in supporting equality, diversity and inclusion
- Outline biomedical engineering design methods, including patient and public involvement and engagement and co-design.
- Describe and explain regulatory frameworks and security and risk mitigation approaches for medical devices, their design and operation.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Plan and record self-learning and development as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD
- Communicate effectively in a multidisciplinary context on complex engineering matters with technical and non-technical audiences, evaluating the effectiveness of the methods used.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Develop design brief and evidence-based specifications for a healthcare technology design project.
Syllabus
1.Biomedical research methods, including
a.Study design
b.Statistical analysis
c.Mathematical modelling
2.Principles of professional and research ethics
3.Biomedical engineering design:
a.Inclusive design, including co-design, biodesign and patient and public involvement and engagement as well as usability assessment
b.Healthcare technology assessment
c.Product life-cycle, including sustainability and quality management
4.Regulatory frameworks, safety and security risk assessment and mitigation for medical devices
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Learning and teaching methods include
1)Lectures and presentations by academic staff, clinicians and users
2)Practial: research study
a.Mock ethics committee
b.Mathematical modelling
c.Data analysis
3)Interactive sessions with users and clinicians
4)Case studies
5)Design activity
a.Write project proposal
b.Peer review
6)Independent study
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Design development | 15 |
| Independent Study | 37 |
| Revision | 20 |
| Lecture | 20 |
| Seminar | 8 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 10 |
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Analysis and report
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback:
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: Yes
Design Report
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback:
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: Yes
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Exam | 50% |
| Assignment | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External