Biomedical engineering is a field traditionally associated with high-tech gadgetry and bulky, expensive equipment; but what about emerging nations, which often lack widespread, reliable access to electricity to power those machines? A biomedical engineer from California has developed an ingenious way to build a centrifuge that operates with manpower—literally. A trip to Uganda, where he saw an expensive centrifuge being used as a doorstop, inspired this researcher to modify the whirligig toy. The whirligig is a simple, non-electrical toy that features a disk with holes. Two handles are attached to loops of string that extend through the holes. The twisted string stores energy, and when the handles are pulled, the energy is released. The researcher and his team used this concept to create the paperfuge—a device made out of paper that costs less than 20 cents to make, yet works as well as a pricey centrifuge. One of its many uses is diagnosing malaria—a disease that infects millions annually.
How will you change the world as a biomedical engineer? Click on the Request More Information button to find out. Grand Canyon University encourages inquisitive, Christian-minded students to apply for our Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree program from the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.