Biomedical engineering (BME) is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment.

Biomedical engineering has only recently emerged as its own discipline, compared to many other engineering fields; such an evolution is common as a new field transitions from being an interdisciplinary specialization among already-established fields, to being considered a field in itself.

Speciality Areas:

* Bioinstrumentation- This area specialization application of electronics and measurements techniques to develop devices for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Specialists in this branch make newer and better instruments for X-rays and MRI, etc, as also cameras and other devices to help medical practitioners get a better look at the body.

* Tissue Engineering- Nowadays, tissue substitutes are being developed to restore or improve the functions of diseases or damaged human tissues. To give one example, cells from an individual's healthy kidney are used and put in the diseased kidney to grow healthy tissue.

* Biomechanics- This involves application of mechanics to biological or medical problems and study the flow of bodily fluids in order to decide the specifications for the various devices such as artificial joint replacements, pacemakers, etc.

* Clinical Engineering- Biomedical engineers also develop and maintain computer database of medical instruments and equipment records in hospitals.

* Orthopedic Bioengineering- Here, engineering is used to understand the function of bones, joints and muscles and for the design of artificial joint replacements. They analyse the friction, lubrication, and wear and tear of naturaljoints to develop artificial limbs. Further, they also research new technologies and materials that make up bones, joints and tooth implants which are almost as good as nature's version. One of their latest responsibilities include developing and looking after fully programmed robots for use in operating rooms for reaching vital organs that may get damaged permanently, due to human error.

* Navigation Systems- In this specialized branch, biomedical engineers use software tools and specialized imaging equipment to create a digital picture of the insides of a human patient's body. This helps the surgeons in determining the best possible way to go about an operation. They help in developing new laser technologies for applications in routine and specialized operations, dental surgery and slim-related disorders. The biomedical engineers also help in enhancing the capabilities and improvement in the quality of life for individuals with physical impairments. They are involved in development of homes and workplaces in such a way so as to make such people's lives easier.