Eli Fromm

An integrative and holistic engineering education

The several reports and papers of the past decade suggesting paradigm shifts in engineering education are shown to reveal a common theme, to wit: engineering is an integrative process, and thus engineering education, particularly at the baccalaureate level, should be designed toward that end. Suggesting a change in intellectual culture, the roots of contemporary collegiate education in the United States are traced to their origin and attention is given to discussing the current emphasis on reductionism vis-à-vis integration or, said another way, a course-focused education compared to a more holistic approach in which process and knowledge are woven throughout the curriculum. A new construct for systemic change in baccalaureate engineering education is suggested in terms of a taxonomy of intellectual components connected holistically with a core focus on developing human potential, as opposed to the present system in which students are passed serially through course filters.

Report of an IEEE Task Force-An IEEE Opinion on Research Needs for Biomedical Engineerng Systems

MORE than 200 years ago, our forefathers made note of mans inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To the engineering community (applied science in the service of man), these may be coincident with applications to medicine and biology (biomedical engineering), defense, and entertainment. Biomedical engineering research has the distinction, among these three missions, of not only contributing to the quality of human life through the industrial economy but also to life itself - the most fundamental concern of all people. It is through biomedical engineering research that we have been able to learn much concerning the functioning of living systems, and it is through such knowledge that we have been able to develop improved clinical diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment, including life-sustaining devices and aids to the handicapped. Each step represents an improvement in the quality of life, and each step forms the foundation upon which to gain new knowledge to improve upon earlier developments.

Silicon Force Transducer for Extraluminal Measurement of Oviduct Contractile Activity

A miniature, implantable force transducer has been developed for the extraluminal measurement of segmental smooth muscle contractility and has been applied to the oviduct in the Macaca mulatta. The force transducer makes use of a commercially available piezoresistive silicon strain sensor bonded to a flexible metal strip. The device is housed in a tissue compatible, gas sterilizable tubule upon which are placed sutures for subsequent extraluminal attachment to an organ.

A Thick-Film Hybrid Implantable Telemeter

The evolution from simple discrete component to integrated circuit transmitters is currently feasible. The availability of commercial sources for IC chips in easy-to-handle packages coupled with a modest hybrid facility now make this possible. While the work of our laboratory traditionally encompasses system design and fabrication as well as physiologic applications, this paper has presented only the former without reference to its application studies. The latter involves reproductive tract smooth muscle activity, pressure measurements, and cardiovascular dynamics. It has been the objective herein to describe a hybrid transmitter to which a resistive transducer, either as a single element or several bridge circuit elements, may be mated. Further, a wide latitude of input resistance is available and fabrication in hybrid form is possible within a modestly equipped facility. The system will operate with two channels of 1,000 ohm input at 145 ¿A, transmitting about 10 feet when implanted. Higher input resistance or larger silver oxide cells will extend the life.

Gateway coalition: bringing it together

Using the combination of an informal panel structure and multimedia short clips (computer and/or video based) to introduce/illustrate topics and examples, the Gateway Engineering Education Coalition describes and engages the audience in discussion of the issues, efforts, and successes of its program as it is moving into the phase of bringing the parts together to address the engineering educational enterprise broadly. Within its primary foci of curricular development, human potential development, and education technologies and methodologies are many sub-unit issues for consideration as a group of ten institutions, and their faculties, work together across institutional boundaries to develop models and implement institutional change. The Coalition describes a number of these efforts, illustrates how these are brought together to affect institutional change, the difficulties as well as the means to address these hurdles and engages the audience in a discussion which is intended to support the efforts of others who may wish to follow similar paths of educational change. The concepts and subject matter of the session are linked with the Coalitions exhibit displaying projects and products in electronic and hard copy formats.

Coalescing a coalition [engineering education]

The Gateway Engineering Education Coalition is briefly described. The Gateway Coalition addresses the educational program structure beyond course content; stresses circular integration across disciplinary units; employs design as both as motivator and driver of curriculum, students, and faculty with individual and team challenges; invests in the developing human capital to increase the successful transition from high school; increases sensitivity to multicultural environments, mentoring, and retention; incorporates leading technology into the educational environment to serve development, delivery and motivation; and experiments with quality assurance methods in the educational component of the university.<<ETX>>

Computer Simulated Analysis for Assessment of Ovarian Function

Endocrine related anovulation is one of the leading causes of reproductive failure. Incorporating modifications and scaling to an earlier model of the human ovarian cycle, a clinically applicable computerized system is developed relating hormonal status to ovarian state, having predictive value for ovulatory condition as well as offering insight to morphological causes of anovulation. Hormonal data of ovulatory and anovulatory patients are evaluated against established decision criteria to elucidate the causes of anovulation in nondiseased subjects.