Biomedical engineers have an aptitude for design and a passion for healthcare. They look at a medical problem, analyse these problems in engineering terms and work to find a solution. If a body part is broken, a biomedical engineer will try to build a replacement by using ‘smart technologies’ to integrate it into the natural body systems.

The cochlear implant is one of the best examples of biomedical engineering, manufactured right here in Sydney, Australia. The device helps people with hearing loss, an ailment which affects about 1.1 billion people. UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering has long been involved in conducting research to improve the cochlear implant, particularly the interface between the electrodes and neurons. UNSW’s biomedical engineers also continue to be involved in a project to develop an implantable bionic eye. The revolutionary work could potentially restore sight to thousands of people with retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.