Associate Professor University of Virginia Department of Biomedical Engineering Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
Introduction: Given biomedical engineers’ (BME) significant impact on healthcare and society, teaching BME students to think beyond the technical and consider the full spectrum of factors involved in solving complex biomedical problems is critical. The use of problem-based learning activities has been shown to improve students’ ability to solve complex problems using a wide range of considerations. Incorporating factors such as sustainability and empathy into these problem-based learning activities not only demonstrates the importance of these factors in the BME field but has also been linked to the improved ability to integrate factors when solving problems, enhanced empathy and consideration of end users, and even improved retention for students, especially those that are socially inclined.
This work describes a problem-based learning activity employed in a physiology course in a BME undergraduate program. The activity asks students to work in teams to propose a design for a brain-computer interface (BCI) that helps a patient regain a lost sense. Students are additionally tasked with explaining how their proposed design can be made with sustainable materials that reduce waste and made equitably available to all patients.
Materials and
Methods: This assignment was given after students had completed the neurophysiology module in class. The assignment asks students to put themselves in the place of budding entrepreneurs looking for some funds and space to work on a unique BCI design. The deliverable for this assignment is a 7-minute oral presentation in class that includes an introduction of the physiology knowledge needed to understand the design approach, a summary of what’s been done before in this space, any gaps in knowledge or technology that still exists, how their proposed design fills one or more of these gaps, and the specific aims that would need to be addressed to prove their design works. Additionally, students were asked to summarize their sustainability approach, a summary of any potential disparities or societal impact that might results from their design, and a description of how they will work to ensure their design is equitably available to all, including cost control and plans for availability in resource-starved communities.
The effectiveness of this approach to teaching neurophysiology and the integration of multiple factors in solving complex problems was assessed using pre- and post-semester surveys, under IRB approval from the institution. The survey included 18 Likert-scale questions and 2 open-ended ones. Likert scale questions were designed to measure comfort level with neurophysiology topics, factors students consider important when approaching a biomedical problem, and the potential benefits of the BCI project. Open-ended questions focused on lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.
Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: A total of ten teams, each consisting of five students, completed the BCI project. Proposed designs included individual BCIs, BCIs that tackled multiple impaired senses, and adaptations of limb BCIs with sensors for touch, heat, and pressure. Medical issues tackled included hemianopsia, congenital deafblindness, amputated limbs, spinal cord injuries, ageusia, and stroke.
Analysis of the pre- and post-semester survey results show between 51% and 75% increases in the number of students feeling comfortable with neurophysiology topics at the end of the semester compared to the beginning. Approximately 97% and 96% of students, respectively, strongly or somewhat agreed that the BCI project helped them better understand these topics and how BMEs apply this knowledge to solve problems.
Results also revealed small increases in the number of students rating users’ needs, empathy, cultural sensitivity, and sustainability as extremely or very important when approaching a biomedical problem. A large majority of respondents strongly or somewhat agreed that the BCI project helped them better understand the role of BMEs in addressing disparities and sustainability through their designs (97% each).
The biggest lessons learned from completing the project include how to research a new area in neurophysiology (26% of respondents), how to apply knowledge learned in class to a real problem (19%), and a stronger comprehension of neurophysiology (19%). The biggest improvements for the project suggested in the survey results include no changes (41%), a better description of expectations for the deliverable (18%), more check-ins with teams throughout the project (12%) and providing a deeper background on BCIs in class (12%).
Overall, the primary goals of the BCI project were met. Students developed a deeper understanding of neurophysiology topics, a better understanding of how physiology knowledge is applied to biomedical problem-solving, and an improved appreciation for the non-technical aspects of biomedical problems, including empathy and sustainability. Future iterations of this assignment will include continuous support throughout the project and a clearer explanation of what is expected from student teams.
