BME Longitudinal Design TeamsBME Longitudinal Design Teams

Freshmen to Senior BME students working Freshmen to Senior BME students working together in teams to solve problems together in teams to solve problems

involving biomedical engineering design, involving biomedical engineering design, culminating in an culminating in an end productend product

To the client, the To the client, the end productend product is a prototype is a prototype system or process that achieves the goals and system or process that achieves the goals and

performs the functions they specified.performs the functions they specified.

To the engineering educator the To the engineering educator the end productend product is: is:

Students understanding the design processStudents understanding the design process

Obtaining hands on experience early in their educationObtaining hands on experience early in their education

Promotion of critical thinking & creativityPromotion of critical thinking & creativity

Sharpening of oral and written communication skillsSharpening of oral and written communication skills

Fostering teamwork & appreciating th value of teamworkFostering teamwork & appreciating th value of teamwork

Students developing interpersonal skillsStudents developing interpersonal skills

Having fun doing all of the aboveHaving fun doing all of the above

Six (6) Freshmen, Four (4), Upperclassmen mentors and One Six (6) Freshmen, Four (4), Upperclassmen mentors and One (1) Team Leader(1) Team Leader

Designed that underclassmen develop relationships with Designed that underclassmen develop relationships with upperclassmen, and vice versaupperclassmen, and vice versa

Team Leader and Upperclassmen teach freshman the material Team Leader and Upperclassmen teach freshman the material

they have gained in their coursework with BME applicationsthey have gained in their coursework with BME applications

Faculty meet with the Team Leaders to discuss, leadership Faculty meet with the Team Leaders to discuss, leadership skills, project descriptions, problems that are being skills, project descriptions, problems that are being encountered encountered

Grading within the course is done by student peers and facultyGrading within the course is done by student peers and faculty

First Semester:First Semester:

The purpose of the initial assignment is to have students learn to interact and The purpose of the initial assignment is to have students learn to interact and work with each other to solve a given problem. work with each other to solve a given problem.

““Totally Awesome Squares”Totally Awesome Squares”

Reverse Engineering ProblemReverse Engineering Problem

The purpose of the second assignment is to have students use knowledge The purpose of the second assignment is to have students use knowledge gained in their first year physics, calculus classes and material given within the gained in their first year physics, calculus classes and material given within the team meetings and apply that knowledge to biomedical problems. team meetings and apply that knowledge to biomedical problems.

“ “Changes in Heart Rate and Gravitational Stresses on Roller Coasters”Changes in Heart Rate and Gravitational Stresses on Roller Coasters”

Second Semester:Second Semester:The purpose of the second semester is to have the teams work for clients The purpose of the second semester is to have the teams work for clients on their medical/biological problems which are amenable to an on their medical/biological problems which are amenable to an engineering design solution.engineering design solution.

AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

The teams have been successful in delivering The teams have been successful in delivering medical device prototypes for their respective medical device prototypes for their respective sponsors, which has culminated in: sponsors, which has culminated in:

one (1) startup company, one (1) startup company,

one (1) licensing agreement, one (1) licensing agreement,

four (4) full patent applicationsfour (4) full patent applications

seven (7) provisional patent applicationsseven (7) provisional patent applications

$75,000 in external support$75,000 in external support