MECH 4650

Engineering analysis of biological systems provides novel insight into evolutionary design of animals and plants and into the intelligent design of medical devices. This course examines the structure and function of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal systems using tools from solid and fluid mechanics. Topics include the heart as a pump, blood flow, arterial pulse propagation, the mechanics of breathing lung elasticity, muscle contraction, tissue mechanics, basic skeletal design, locomotion, and engineering of surgical implants.