What is Bioinstrumentation?
What is Bioinstrumentation?
Bioinstrumentation is one of the well established branches of biomedical engineering. The term “instrumentation” refers to the science of measurement and control. In other words, it is the study of instruments. Bioinstrumentation is the application of these measurement and control techniques to the field of biology.
Computers are becoming very important in the field of bioinstrumentation. Almost every new biomedical instrument makes use of computers in one way or another. Computers offer many advantages like fast processing speeds and large data storage capabilities, which make them very useful in the field of biomedical engineering.
Basically, our body is a electrochemical system. The brain controls all parts of the body through electrical impulses that travel to and from the brain to the organ. The heart beats rhythmically and pumps blood to all parts of the body because of its electrical conduction system. Muscles of our body contract and relax because of electrical impulses. These clearly indicate that our body is an electrical system and its electrical activity can be measured with the help of suitable instruments.
Various diseases and disorders of the body affect the electrical activity of the body or are a consequence of changes in it. Thus, by measuring the electrical signals it is possible to diagnose the disease. For example, heart diseases are diagnosed with the help of an electrocardiogram, which is a recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Similarly, various diseases of the nervous system can be diagnosed from electroencephalogram.
A lot of research is being conducted in the field of bioinstrumentation and as a result this field is seeing rapid developments. Newer technologies like nanotechnology and quantum are being integrated into newer devices. This will not only make medical instruments extremely fast, but also very economical to use.
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