In this blog post, we will look at how the convergence of medicine and engineering contributes to the development of medical technology and the solution of health problems.
As science and technology are advancing at a very rapid pace, one of the biggest issues in the field of science and technology is “future convergence technology.” Future convergence technology is a next-generation technology that is gaining attention across society, not only in the medical, energy, and food processing sectors, but also in the defense sector, as a convergence technology that combines two or more fields, rather than being limited to one field, such as bioinformatics (BT), information technology (IT), and nanotechnology (NT). These technologies do not simply solve current problems, but also serve to provide solutions to new problems in the future. In particular, as sustainability and human-centered technological development have emerged as major topics, convergence technologies are becoming important for a comprehensive approach that takes into account environmental, economic, and social values.
As interest in these future convergence technologies, especially in the medical field, has increased, many studies have been conducted to develop medical technologies, and a discipline called biomedical engineering has emerged to deal with these medical technologies. Biomedical engineering is a technology and discipline that uses biomedical engineering in the medical field, and it covers all areas from basic medicine to materials and devices in the medical field based on the convergence of BT and IT technologies. As bioengineering is the application of various fields of engineering to various fields of medicine, it can be classified in various ways. Let’s take a look at some examples.
The first is biosignal processing technology, which detects and processes various types of signals generated in the body, analyzes the results appropriately, and provides useful information for medical treatment. Typical examples include electroencephalography (EEG), which analyzes changes by indirectly detecting fluctuations in the electric potential in the brain or the brain currents that occur as a result of them through electrodes attached to the scalp, and electrocardiography (ECG), which detects the action currents that occur in the myocardium in response to the heartbeat. This technology is being developed through research on how easily and accurately various electrical, mechanical, and chemical signals in the body can be measured, and research on what kind of analysis method should be applied to obtain appropriate and useful results for medical treatment from the measured results. This technological advancement can be used in the clinical field of medicine in the form of medical devices.
Next is the field of medical imaging technology, which is the study of new imaging methods, processing and analysis methods. This technology enables the storage, transmission and retrieval of images after processing, and allows for more accurate diagnosis through efficient reading of the output images. MRI, one of the most commonly used medical imaging technologies in hospitals, is a method of constructing a tomographic image through a computer by converting the energy emitted when a biological body is placed in a uniformly strong electromagnetic field and exposed to electromagnetic wave energy of a certain frequency into a signal. Compared to CT using X-rays, it has the advantage of not exposing the patient to radiation and of being able to easily obtain a cross-sectional image in any direction. Imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT and MRI are attracting attention from global companies such as Siemens, GE and Philips, as well as many other companies, and recently, there is no small or medium-sized hospital that does not have these technologies. In addition, the development of imaging analysis technology is having a significant impact not only on diagnosis but also on the establishment of treatment plans. For example, video analysis tools combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology are helping doctors make more accurate diagnoses and suggest treatment methods by assisting their experience and judgment.
There is an indispensable technology in biomedical engineering, artificial organ technology. When an organ that has been damaged or lost its function cannot be restored by any other means, the organ is removed and an artificial organ that can replace its function is implanted. An example of this technology is peritoneal dialysis, in which a tube is inserted into the stomach of a kidney failure patient who is unable to function and clear waste products from the body using the osmotic pressure difference by injecting clean dialysis fluid. Also, if the hair cells in the inner ear of many deaf people are not damaged, they can hear sounds by using a cochlear implant to read the external sound signals into micro-signals, process them, and stimulate the hair cells with the electrical signals. Other technologies include an artificial retinal implant currently in the experimental stage and deep brain stimulation, which can treat involuntary tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease by electrically stimulating certain areas of the brain. In addition, artificial organ technology is gradually developing into personalized medicine. Customized artificial organs based on individual genetic information and physiological data of patients have the potential to improve the accuracy of treatment and dramatically improve the quality of life of patients.
Finally, there is a field that develops medical bionics technologies for clinical purposes. In addition to the basic and core technologies of medical devices, they develop systems with high clinical utility in consideration of safety, accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. A technology that has recently been in the spotlight in this field is ubiquitous healthcare, which is a telemedicine service that allows people to receive health care anytime and anywhere using various IT. The technology’s feature is that it allows people to receive medical services without time and space limitations. By building a network with hospitals across the country, it is possible to manage personalized health care by a primary care physician, and when residents of remote areas in the mountains and islands are in a physically urgent situation, they can go to a nearby health center equipped with a video system to receive real-time medical consultation and treatment from professional medical staff at a large hospital in the city. U-health care is a very useful medical device technology for the aging modern society, and it should be commercialized nationwide as soon as possible. Furthermore, such telemedicine services can go beyond simple diagnosis and prescription to play a major role in continuously monitoring the health status of patients and preventing diseases through preventive measures.
Modern society is gradually transforming into a society that values well-being and welfare. At the same time, people are becoming increasingly interested in their own bodies and health. And as we gradually enter an aging society, the demand for medical services is skyrocketing. To meet this demand, research and development in medicine is needed more than ever, and many people believe that biomedical engineering, a fusion of medicine and engineering, will be a major key to this research and development. If two different fields, medicine and engineering, can cooperate closely while understanding each other’s situations and accepting each other’s characteristics, we will be able to lead healthier lives through more advanced technology. As convergence technology advances, we will not only be able to be free from disease, but also have the opportunity to pursue a better quality of life.
