Biomedical Design and Manufacturing

A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Regenerative Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 17867

Special Issue Editors

Mechanical Engineering Department, Francis College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Interests: advanced manufacturing; biomedical manufacturing; brain machine interface; medical devices
Biomedical Engineering Department, Francis College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Interests: biomedical optics; medical devices; computational modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomedical design and manufacturing includes the production of medical devices for diagnostics and treatment, engineered tissues and organs, microphysiological systems, cell- and protein-based therapeutics, and biomaterials, as well as the application of advanced devices and manufacturing technology in healthcare. This interdisciplinary research and development area sits at the intersection between design and manufacturing engineering and the healthcare sector, requiring the integration of expertise from both sectors. This Special Issue of Bioengineering aims to collect manuscripts that highlight new findings, concepts, designs, processes, and technologies advancing the state of the art in biomedical design and manufacturing. The topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

  • Biomedical manufacturing processes (both additive and subtractive) of soft constructs, metallic and ceramic implants, polymeric and composite materials, pharmaceutics and biomedicine, and other biomedical applications;
  • Biological tissue cutting, removal, ablation, and/or joining processes;
  • Design, manufacturing, and/or modeling of advanced medical devices, tools, surgical robotics, and medical simulators;
  • Micro- and multi-scale manufacturing for biomedical applications;
  • Design, characterization, and modeling of biomedical and biological materials and related manufacturing processes;
  • Application of machine learning and artificial intelligence in biomedical manufacturing and medical devices;
  • Reviews of the current state of knowledge and technology and of research needs in biomedical manufacturing.

Dr. Lei Chen
Dr. Walfre Franco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Bioengineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomedical manufacturing
  • engineering design
  • medical devices
  • surgical tool
  • biological tissues
  • manufacturing processes
  • biomedicine
  • bioprinting
  • bioengineering

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 4389 KiB  
Article
Design Optimization of a Phototherapy Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator for Treating Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
by Edidiong Etim, Anastasia Goulopoulos, Anna Fischbach and Walfre Franco
Bioengineering 2023, 10(8), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10080969 - 16 Aug 2023
Viewed by 850
Abstract
We designed a photo-ECMO device to speed up the rate of carbon monoxide (CO) removal by using visible light to dissociate CO from hemoglobin (Hb). Using computational fluid dynamics, fillets of different radii (5 cm and 10 cm) were applied to the square [...] Read more.
We designed a photo-ECMO device to speed up the rate of carbon monoxide (CO) removal by using visible light to dissociate CO from hemoglobin (Hb). Using computational fluid dynamics, fillets of different radii (5 cm and 10 cm) were applied to the square shape of a photo-ECMO device to reduce stagnant blood flow regions and increase the treated blood volume while being constrained by full light penetration. The blood flow at different flow rates and the thermal load imposed by forty external light sources at 623 nm were modeled using the Navier-Stokes and convection–diffusion equations. The particle residence times were also analyzed to determine the time the blood remained in the device. There was a reduction in the blood flow stagnation as the fillet radii increased. The maximum temperature change for all the geometries was below 4 °C. The optimized device with a fillet radius of 5 cm and a blood priming volume of up to 208 cm3 should decrease the time needed to treat CO poisoning without exceeding the critical threshold for protein denaturation. This technology has the potential to decrease the time for CO removal when treating patients with CO poisoning and pulmonary gas exchange inhibition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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18 pages, 4905 KiB  
Article
Effects of Tapered-Strut Design on Fatigue Life Enhancement of Peripheral Stents
by Li-Han Lin, Kuang-Lei Ho, Yu-Min Jian, Kuang-Hsing Chiang and Hao-Ming Hsiao
Bioengineering 2023, 10(4), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10040443 - 02 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1501
Abstract
Peripheral stent could fracture from cyclic loadings as a result of our blood pressures or daily activities. Fatigue performance has therefore become a key issue for peripheral stent design. A simple yet powerful tapered-strut design concept for fatigue life enhancement was investigated. This [...] Read more.
Peripheral stent could fracture from cyclic loadings as a result of our blood pressures or daily activities. Fatigue performance has therefore become a key issue for peripheral stent design. A simple yet powerful tapered-strut design concept for fatigue life enhancement was investigated. This concept is to move the stress concentration away from the crown and re-distribute the stresses along the strut by narrowing the strut geometry. Finite element analysis was performed to evaluate the stent fatigue performance under various conditions consistent with the current clinical practice. Thirty stent prototypes were manufactured in-house by laser with a series of post-laser treatments, followed by the validation of bench fatigue tests for proof of concept. FEA simulation results show that the fatigue safety factor of the 40% tapered-strut design increased by 4.2 times that of a standard counterpart, which was validated by bench tests with 6.6-times and 5.9-times fatigue enhancement at room temperature and body temperature, respectively. Bench fatigue test results agreed very well with the increasing trend predicted by FEA simulation. The effects of the tapered-strut design were significant and could be considered as an option for fatigue optimization of future stent designs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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29 pages, 44986 KiB  
Article
SenGlove—A Modular Wearable Device to Measure Kinematic Parameters of The Human Hand
by Jonas Paul David, Thomas Helbig and Hartmut Witte
Bioengineering 2023, 10(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10030324 - 03 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1601
Abstract
For technical or medical applications, the knowledge of the exact kinematics of the human hand is key to utilizing its capability of handling and manipulating objects and communicating with other humans or machines. The optimal relationship between the number of measurement parameters, measurement [...] Read more.
For technical or medical applications, the knowledge of the exact kinematics of the human hand is key to utilizing its capability of handling and manipulating objects and communicating with other humans or machines. The optimal relationship between the number of measurement parameters, measurement accuracy, as well as complexity, usability and cost of the measuring systems is hard to find. Biomechanic assumptions, the concepts of a biomechatronic system and the mechatronic design process, as well as commercially available components, are used to develop a sensorized glove. The proposed wearable introduced in this paper can measure 14 of 15 angular values of a simplified hand model. Additionally, five contact pressure values at the fingertips and inertial data of the whole hand with six degrees of freedom are gathered. Due to the modular design and a hand size examination based on anthropometric parameters, the concept of the wearable is applicable to a large variety of hand sizes and adaptable to different use cases. Validations show a combined root-mean-square error of 0.99° to 2.38° for the measurement of all joint angles on one finger, surpassing the human perception threshold and the current state-of-the-art in science and technology for comparable systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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13 pages, 1650 KiB  
Article
Visual Blood, a 3D Animated Computer Model to Optimize the Interpretation of Blood Gas Analysis
by Giovanna Schweiger, Amos Malorgio, David Henckert, Julia Braun, Patrick Meybohm, Sebastian Hottenrott, Corinna Froehlich, Kai Zacharowski, Florian J. Raimann, Florian Piekarski, Christoph B. Noethiger, Donat R. Spahn, David W. Tscholl and Tadzio R. Roche
Bioengineering 2023, 10(3), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10030293 - 25 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1620
Abstract
Acid–base homeostasis is crucial for all physiological processes in the body and is evaluated using arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis. Screens or printouts of ABG results require the interpretation of many textual elements and numbers, which may delay intuitive comprehension. To optimise the [...] Read more.
Acid–base homeostasis is crucial for all physiological processes in the body and is evaluated using arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis. Screens or printouts of ABG results require the interpretation of many textual elements and numbers, which may delay intuitive comprehension. To optimise the presentation of the results for the specific strengths of human perception, we developed Visual Blood, an animated virtual model of ABG results. In this study, we compared its performance with a conventional result printout. Seventy physicians from three European university hospitals participated in a computer-based simulation study. Initially, after an educational video, we tested the participants’ ability to assign individual Visual Blood visualisations to their corresponding ABG parameters. As the primary outcome, we tested caregivers’ ability to correctly diagnose simulated clinical ABG scenarios with Visual Blood or conventional ABG printouts. For user feedback, participants rated their agreement with statements at the end of the study. Physicians correctly assigned 90% of the individual Visual Blood visualisations. Regarding the primary outcome, the participants made the correct diagnosis 86% of the time when using Visual Blood, compared to 68% when using the conventional ABG printout. A mixed logistic regression model showed an odds ratio for correct diagnosis of 3.4 (95%CI 2.00–5.79, p < 0.001) and an odds ratio for perceived diagnostic confidence of 1.88 (95%CI 1.67–2.11, p < 0.001) in favour of Visual Blood. A linear mixed model showed a coefficient for perceived workload of −3.2 (95%CI −3.77 to −2.64) in favour of Visual Blood. Fifty-one of seventy (73%) participants agreed or strongly agreed that Visual Blood was easy to use, and fifty-five of seventy (79%) agreed that it was fun to use. In conclusion, Visual Blood improved physicians’ ability to diagnose ABG results. It also increased perceived diagnostic confidence and reduced perceived workload. This study adds to the growing body of research showing that decision-support tools developed around human cognitive abilities can streamline caregivers’ decision-making and may improve patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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14 pages, 14852 KiB  
Article
Optimization Design of the Inner Structure for a Bioinspired Heel Pad with Distinct Cushioning Property
by Jianqiao Jin, Kunyang Wang, Lei Ren, Zhihui Qian, Xuewei Lu, Wei Liang, Xiaohan Xu, Shun Zhao, Di Zhao, Xu Wang and Luquan Ren
Bioengineering 2023, 10(1), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10010049 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1934
Abstract
In the existing research on prosthetic footplates, rehabilitation insoles, and robot feet, the cushioning parts are basically based on simple mechanisms and elastic pads. Most of them are unable to provide adequate impact resistance especially during contact with the ground. This paper developed [...] Read more.
In the existing research on prosthetic footplates, rehabilitation insoles, and robot feet, the cushioning parts are basically based on simple mechanisms and elastic pads. Most of them are unable to provide adequate impact resistance especially during contact with the ground. This paper developed a bioinspired heel pad by optimizing the inner structures inspired from human heel pad which has great cushioning performance. The distinct structures of the human heel pad were determined through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and related literatures. Five-layer pads with and without inner structures by using two materials (soft rubber and resin) were obtained, resulting in four bionic heel pads. Three finite element simulations (static, impact, and walking) were conducted to compare the cushioning effects in terms of deformations, ground reactions, and principal stress. The optimal pad with bionic structures and soft rubber material reduced 28.0% peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) during walking compared with the unstructured resin pad. Human walking tests by a healthy subject wearing the 3D printed bionic pads also showed similar findings, with an almost 20% decrease in peak vertical GRF at normal speed. The soft rubber heel pad with bionic structures has the best cushioning performance, while the unstructured resin pad depicts the poorest. This study proves that with proper design of the inner structures and materials, the bionic pads will demonstrate distinct cushioning properties, which could be applied to the engineering fields, including lower limb prosthesis, robotics, and rehabilitations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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13 pages, 6637 KiB  
Article
3D Printed Skull Cap and Benchtop Fabricated Microwire-Based Microelectrode Array for Custom Rat Brain Recordings
by Dongyang Yi, Jeremiah P. Hartner, Brian S. Ung, Harrison L. Zhu, Brendon O. Watson and Lei Chen
Bioengineering 2022, 9(10), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9100550 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1984
Abstract
Microwire microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have been a popular low-cost tool for chronic electrophysiological recordings and are an inexpensive means to record the electrical dynamics crucial to brain function. However, both the fabrication and implantation procedures for multi-MEAs on a single rodent are time-consuming [...] Read more.
Microwire microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have been a popular low-cost tool for chronic electrophysiological recordings and are an inexpensive means to record the electrical dynamics crucial to brain function. However, both the fabrication and implantation procedures for multi-MEAs on a single rodent are time-consuming and the accuracy and quality are highly manual skill-dependent. To address the fabrication and implantation challenges for microwire MEAs, (1) a computer-aided designed and 3D printed skull cap for the pre-determined implantation locations of each MEA and (2) a benchtop fabrication approach for low-cost custom microwire MEAs were developed. A proof-of-concept design of a 32-channel 4-MEA (8-wire each) recording system was prototyped and tested through Sprague Dawley rat recordings. The skull cap design, based on the CT-scan of a single rat conforms well with multiple Sprague Dawley rats of various sizes, ages, and weight with a minimal bregma alignment error (A/P axis standard error of the mean = 0.25 mm, M/L axis standard error of the mean = 0.07 mm, n = 6). The prototyped 32-channel system was able to record the spiking activities over five months. The developed benchtop fabrication method and the 3D printed skull cap implantation platform would enable neuroscience groups to conduct in-house design, fabrication, and implantation of customizable microwire MEAs at a lower cost than the current commercial options and experience a shorter lead time for the design modifications and iterations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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14 pages, 5360 KiB  
Article
A Novel Design Method of Gradient Porous Structure for Stabilized and Lightweight Mandibular Prosthesis
by Renshun Liu, Yuxiong Su, Weifa Yang, Kai Wu, Ruxu Du and Yong Zhong
Bioengineering 2022, 9(9), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9090424 - 30 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1752
Abstract
Compared to conventional prostheses with homogenous structures, a stress-optimized functionally gradient prosthesis will better adapt to the host bone due to its mechanical and biological advantages. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the damage resistance of four regular lattice scaffolds and proposed a [...] Read more.
Compared to conventional prostheses with homogenous structures, a stress-optimized functionally gradient prosthesis will better adapt to the host bone due to its mechanical and biological advantages. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the damage resistance of four regular lattice scaffolds and proposed a new gradient algorithm for stabilized and lightweight mandibular prostheses. Scaffolds with four configurations (regular hexahedron, regular octahedron, rhombic dodecahedron, and body-centered cubic) having different porosities underwent finite element analysis to select an optimal unit cell. Meanwhile, a homogenization algorithm was used to control the maximum stress and increase the porosity of the scaffold by adjusting the strut diameters, thereby avoiding fatigue failure and material wastage. Additionally, the effectiveness of the algorithm was verified by compression tests. The results showed that the load transmission capacity of the scaffold was strongly correlated with both configuration and porosity. Scaffolds with regular hexahedron unit cells can withstand stronger loads at the same porosity. The optimized gradient scaffold showed higher porosity and lower maximum stress than the target stress value, and the compression tests also confirmed the simulation results. A mandibular prosthesis was established using a regular hexahedron unit cell, and the strut diameters were gradually changed according to the proposed algorithm and the simulation results. Compared with the initial homogeneous prosthesis, the optimized gradient prosthesis reduced the maximum stress by 24.48% and increased the porosity by 6.82%, providing a better solution for mandibular reconstruction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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Review

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11 pages, 622 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in the Development of Bioreactors for Manufacturing of Adoptive Cell Immunotherapies
by Irina Ganeeva, Ekaterina Zmievskaya, Aygul Valiullina, Anna Kudriaeva, Regina Miftakhova, Alexey Rybalov and Emil Bulatov
Bioengineering 2022, 9(12), 808; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9120808 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4598
Abstract
Harnessing the human immune system as a foundation for therapeutic technologies capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells has been the central objective of anti-cancer immunotherapy. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in improving the effectiveness and accessibility of this [...] Read more.
Harnessing the human immune system as a foundation for therapeutic technologies capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells has been the central objective of anti-cancer immunotherapy. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in improving the effectiveness and accessibility of this technology to make it widely applicable for adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) such as chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells, and many other. Automated, scalable, cost-effective, and GMP-compliant bioreactors for production of ACTs are urgently needed. The primary efforts in the field of GMP bioreactors development are focused on closed and fully automated point-of-care (POC) systems. However, their clinical and industrial application has not yet reached full potential, as there are numerous obstacles associated with delicate balancing of the complex and often unpredictable cell biology with the need for precision and full process control. Here we provide a brief overview of the existing and most advanced systems for ACT manufacturing, including cell culture bags, G-Rex flasks, and bioreactors (rocking motion, stirred-flask, stirred-tank, hollow-fiber), as well as semi- and fully-automated closed bioreactor systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Design and Manufacturing)
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