BIOE 301Lecture 7

How are new technologies developed?

02.02.07Jenni Greeson

Four Questions

• What are the problems in health care today?

• Who pays to solve problems in healthcare?

• How can we use science and technology to solve healthcare problems?

• Once developed, how do new healthcare technologies move from the lab to the bedside?

Unit 3: How can technology be used to solve health care

problems?

• Where do innovations come from?• Three case studies showcasing the

development and refinement of health care innovations– Prevention of infectious disease– Early detection of cancer– Treatment of heart disease

Today’s Focus:

The process of developing a new medical technology

Goals:• Describe the scientific method• Describe the engineering method• Contrast the two• Take-apart activity

Science vs. Engineering

Science

1. A branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences.

2. Systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.

3. The underlying goal or purpose of science to society and individuals is to produce useful models of reality.

www.dictionary.com

www.wikipedia.org

Engineering

1. The art or science of making practical application of the knowledge of pure sciences, as physics or chemistry, as in the construction of engines, bridges, buildings, mines, ships, and chemical plants.

2. The design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes.

3. Engineers use their knowledge of science, mathematics, and appropriate experience to find suitable solutions to a problem.

www.dictionary.com

www.wikipedia.org

Science

• Seeks to explain the world around us

• Inquiry based• No practical

goal necessary• Scientific

method

• Seeks to solve a specific problem

• Need based• Must be practical

– Constraints• Time• $$• Performance• Reliability

• Engineering design method

Engineering

Scientific Method Steps

Example

Pose a question Why do cut apples turn brown?

Generate a hypothesis

Cut apples turn brown because of an interaction between something in the air and something on the inside of the apple.

Design experiments to test the hypothesis

Place uncut and cut apples in two different environments

1. Control2. Vacuum (air-free)

Carry out experiments; analyze data

Results:

Revise the hypothesis if

necessary

Our hypothesis was correct, but we can now extend it to learn more about what “things” are involved in the interaction.

UncutVacuum

UncutAir

CutVacuum

CutAir

In case you’re curious …• Apples (and other produce) contain

an enzyme called tyrosinase.• Tyrosinase reacts with phenols

(also found in the apple) and with oxygen when the fruit is exposed to produce a form of rust.

• Ways to prevent or slow the reaction:– Inactivate the enzyme with heat– Reduce the pH on the apple’s surface

(lemon juice)– Reduce the amount of available

oxygen (vacuum pack; submerge in water)

Engineering Design Method

Identify a need

Define the problemGenerate design specifics

Gather information

Develop solutions

Evaluate solutions

Communicate results

Engineering Design Method

Example – Hearing Aids

October 18, 2006 – The World Health Organization (WHO)and WWHearing (World Wide Hearing Care forDeveloping Countries) agreed to work together toencourage and enable provision of affordable hearing aidsand services on a massive scale, especially in developingcountries and underserved communities.

Example - Hearing AidsStep 1: Identify a need• Hearing loss can greatly impact quality of life

– Adults: productivity loss– Children: delayed development

• Most prevalent, yet preventable, disability in the world

• 80% of deaf and hearing-impaired people live in low- and middle-income countries

• Current production of hearing aids is 1/10th of global need; only 25% are distributed to developing countries

• <1 in 40 people in developing countries have the hearing aids they need

• 50% of deafness and hearing impairment is avoidable through prevention, early diagnosis, and management

Example – Hearing Aids

Step 1: Identify a need (cont’d)• Causes of hearing impairment before or during

birth:– Genetic– Premature birth – Rubella, syphilis or certain other infections in a woman

during pregnancy– The use of ototoxic drugs (gentamicin)– Jaundice

• Other causes:– Infectious diseases (meningitis, measles, mumps and

chronic ear infections)– Use of ototoxic drugs at any age, including some

antibiotic and anti-malarial drugs– Excessive noise

Example – Hearing Aids

Step 2: Identify a need • Ways to prevent hearing loss

– Improve antenatal and perinatal care– Immunize children (measles, meningitis, rubella and

mumps)– Immunize women of child-bearing age against rubella

before pregnancy– Test and treat syphilis and certain other infections in

pregnant women– Avoiding the use of ototoxic drugs unless necessary and

closely monitored – Refer jaundiced babies for diagnosis and treatment– Reduce loud noise exposure

• Ways to treat hearing loss– Increase availability of affordable, fitted hearing

aids

Example – Hearing AidsStep 2: Define the Problem & Determine

SpecificationsProblem: Increase availability of affordable, fitted hearing aids

WHO Initiative Specifications:• Priority given to children (21-80 dBHL) followed by adults

(41-80 dBHL)• Behind the ear aids preferred• Aids must meet minimum performance specifications• Manufacture or assembly of aids should be feasible in

developing countries• Batteries should be zinc air or rechargeable• Ear molds should be custom made and easily replaced at

recommended intervals• Keep costs low

Example – Hearing Aids

Step 3: Gather Information

• What current hearing aid designs are available?

• Where do the current designs fail (in developing countries)?– Too expensive– Inappropriate design– Ear mold customization– Batteries

Example – Hearing AidsStep 4: Develop Solutions

• Engineer a better way to customize ear molds– Need a better way of creating negative ear mold– Current method uses plaster of Paris; imprints must be

delivered in days to avoid shrinkage– Difficult in underdeveloped areas that are far from mold

manufacturing facilities

New method might use an engineered material that does not shrink

New method might enable delivery of “mold” electronically, eliminating travel time

Example – Hearing Aids

Step 5: Evaluate Solutions

• How well are product specifications met?• In our case, new technologies to produce

ear molds must conform with overall specifications for success in delivering hearing aids to developing countries.

Step 6: Communicate Results

• Optimal solution is selected

Scientific Method

• Pose a question• Generate a

hypothesis• Design

experiments to test hypothesis

• Carry out experiments

• Revise hypothesis; if necessary

• Identify a need• Define the problem

– Generate specifications

• Gather information• Develop solutions• Evaluate solutions• Communicate

results

Engineering Design Method

References

• General hearing loss statisticshttp://www.wi-shhh.org/hearing_loss_statistics.htm

• Specifics on the WHO and WWHearing initiativehttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/index.htmlhttp://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2004/9241592435_eng.pdf

Take-apart Activity

• Project task I due today• Project task II due 02/08

• HW 4 due next time 02/06