Resource: Biomechanical Engineering
Media Type:
MPEG 4 Video
Length: 6m 46s
Size: 17.0 MB
In the Engineering Your Future video series, a wide range of engineers give you a behind-the-scenes look at the work they do every day. You'll learn about the challenges they face, why they find it so exciting, and what they did to prepare for their careers. In this video episode meet Kim Edginton, a biomechanical engineer. Her job is to learn as much as she can about the human body and about physiology, so that she can help develop new ideas and create new products that are ergonomically designed to promote the good health and well being of those who use them. She tells us, "One of the products I helped develop was a set of track and field starting blocks for the Japanese Olympic track team that measured start efficiency. Knowing the products we make are being used by people who are at very elite levels of competition is very rewarding."
Supplemental Media Available:
Chapter 1 - Biomechanical Engineering (MPEG 4 Video)
Chapter 2 - A Day On The Job (MPEG 4 Video)
Chapter 3 - High School Studies (MPEG 4 Video)
Chapter 4 - Learning About Engineering (MPEG 4 Video)
Chapter 5 - A Passion for Engineering (MPEG 4 Video)
Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, Biomechanical Engineering, published September 25, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/odc08.careers.engfut.biomechanics/
- Background Essay
- Standards
Print Background EssayBiomechanical engineering, also referred to as biomechanics, is the research and analysis of the mechanics of living organisms and the application of engineering principles to and from biological systems. The study of biomechanics ranges from the inner workings of a cell to the movement and development of limbs, to the mechanical properties of soft tissue, and bones.
Some simple examples of biomechanics research include the investigation of the forces that act on limbs, the aerodynamics of bird and insect flight, the hydrodynamics of swimming in fish, the anchorage and mechanical support provided by tree roots, and locomotion in general across all forms of life, from individual cells to whole organisms.
Biomechanics as a sports science, kinesiology, applies the laws of mechanics and physics to human performance in order to gain a greater understanding of performance in athletic events through modeling, simulation, and measurement.
Aristotle wrote the first book on biomechanics, "On the Movement of Animals." He not only saw animals' bodies as mechanical systems, but pursued questions such as the physiological difference between imagining performing an action and actually doing it.
As we develop a greater understanding of the physiological behavior of living tissues, Biomechanical engineers are able to advance the field of tissue engineering, as well as develop improved treatments for a wide array of injuries, and design and create products that are ergonomically designed to promote the good health and well being of those who use them.
We assign reference terms to each statement within a standards document and to each media resource, and correlations are based upon matches of these terms for a given grade band. If a particular standards document of interest to you is not displayed yet, it most likely has not yet been processed by ASN or by Teachers' Domain. We will be adding social studies and arts correlations over the coming year, and also will be increasing the specificity of alignment.Source: Engineering Your Future
To hear other engineers talk about their careers, go to the Engineering Your Future website.
Resource Produced by:
Collection Developed by:
Collection Funded by:
The Ohio Digital Classroom helps students and educators succeed through the educational use of media-on-demand.