In this blog post, we explore how the convergence of medicine and engineering contributes to the advancement of medical technology and the resolution of health issues.
With science and technology advancing at a rapid pace these days, one of the biggest issues in the field is “future-oriented convergence technology.” Future convergence technologies refer to next-generation technologies that are gaining prominence across all sectors of society—including healthcare, energy, food processing, and even defense—by combining two or more fields rather than being limited to a single discipline such as biotechnology (BT), information technology (IT), or nanotechnology (NT). These technologies do not merely solve current problems; they also play a role in proposing solutions to new challenges that will arise in the future. In particular, as sustainability and human-centered technological development have emerged as major topics, a comprehensive approach that considers environmental, economic, and social values has become increasingly important in convergence technology.
As interest in these future-oriented convergence technologies, particularly in the medical field, has grown, medical technology has advanced through extensive research, leading to the emergence of the academic discipline of biomedical engineering, which deals with such medical technologies. Biomedical engineering is the technology and academic discipline that applies bioengineering techniques to the medical field. Based on the convergence of BT (Bio-Technology) and IT (Information Technology), it encompasses all areas ranging from basic medicine to materials and devices used in medical practice. Since biomedical engineering involves the application of various engineering fields to various medical fields, it can be classified in several ways; let’s examine a few examples.
First, there is biosignal processing technology, which detects and processes various types of signals generated by the body, then analyzes the results to provide information useful for medical diagnosis. Representative examples include electroencephalography (EEG), which indirectly detects fluctuations in electrical potential or the resulting brain currents in the brain through electrodes attached to the scalp to analyze changes, and electrocardiography (ECG), which detects the electrical activity generated by the heart muscle in response to heartbeats. This technology is advancing through research into how to measure various electrical, mechanical, and chemical signals within the body as simply and accurately as possible, as well as research into which analytical methods should be applied to derive appropriate and clinically useful results from the measured data. Advances in these technologies can be applied in the clinical field of medicine in the form of medical devices.
Next is technology that deals with medical imaging information, a field that conducts research on new imaging methods, as well as processing and analysis techniques. This technology enables the storage, transmission, and retrieval of images after processing, and allows for efficient interpretation of the output images to facilitate more accurate diagnoses. MRI, one of the most widely used medical imaging technologies in hospitals today, works by placing the body within a uniform, strong electromagnetic field and applying electromagnetic energy at a specific frequency to induce resonance; the energy emitted during this process is converted into a signal and used to construct cross-sectional images via a computer. Compared to CT scans using X-rays, MRI has the advantage of eliminating the risk of radiation exposure and allowing for the easy acquisition of cross-sectional images from any direction. Imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI are attracting attention not only from global corporations like Siemens, GE, and Philips but also from many other companies; in fact, it is rare to find a small or medium-sized hospital today that does not possess these technologies. Furthermore, advancements in image analysis technology are having a significant impact not only on diagnosis but also on the development of treatment plans. For example, image analysis tools combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology assist physicians’ experience and judgment, paving the way for more precise diagnoses and treatment methods.
Artificial organ technology is an indispensable field in biomedical engineering. When an organ has deteriorated or lost its function and cannot be restored by any means, the organ is removed and replaced with an artificial one. An example of this technology is peritoneal dialysis, in which a tube is inserted into the abdomen of a patient with kidney failure and clean dialysis fluid is infused to remove waste products from the body using osmotic pressure differences.
Additionally, for many people with hearing impairments whose inner ear hair cells remain intact, a cochlear implant can capture external sound signals via a microphone, process them into electrical signals, and stimulate the hair cells, thereby restoring the ability to hear. Other technologies include retinal implants, currently in the experimental stage, and deep brain stimulation, which treats patients with involuntary tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease by delivering electrical stimulation to specific areas of the brain. Furthermore, artificial organ technology is gradually evolving into personalized medicine. Personalized artificial organs, based on a patient’s individual genetic information and physiological data, have the potential to increase the accuracy of treatment and dramatically improve the patient’s quality of life.
Finally, there is a field focused on developing biomedical engineering technologies for clinical applications. Beyond the basic and core technologies of medical devices, systems with high clinical utility are developed by considering factors such as safety, accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. A technology currently gaining significant attention in this field is ubiquitous healthcare (U-healthcare), a telemedicine service that utilizes various IT tools to enable health management anytime and anywhere. A key feature of this technology is the ability to access medical services without limitations of time or space. By establishing networks with hospitals across the country, patients can receive personalized health management from their primary care physicians. Furthermore, when residents of remote island or mountainous regions face a physical emergency, they can visit a nearby health center equipped with video conferencing systems to receive real-time medical consultations and treatment from specialist medical staff at large urban hospitals. U-health care is a highly useful medical technology for our increasingly aging society and should be commercialized nationwide as soon as possible. Furthermore, such telemedicine services can play a significant role not only in simple diagnosis and prescription but also in continuously monitoring patients’ health conditions and preventing diseases through proactive measures.
Modern society is increasingly shifting toward prioritizing well-being and welfare. As a result, people are becoming more and more concerned about their bodies and health. Furthermore, as we gradually enter an aging society, the demand for medical services is surging. To meet this demand, research and development in medicine are needed more than ever, and many believe that biomedical engineering—a convergence of medicine and engineering—will be a key factor in this effort. If medicine and engineering—two distinct fields—can understand each other’s contexts and embrace each other’s characteristics to form a close collaborative relationship, we will be able to lead healthier lives through even more advanced technologies. As such convergence technologies advance, we will not only gain freedom from disease but also have the opportunity to pursue a better quality of life.
