Biomaterials and Sensitivity

I’m sensitive and I’d like to stay that way – Jewel

Biomaterial: a non-living material used that interacts with a biological system (like the human body).
The study of biomaterials is called biomaterials science, and is an interdisciplinary field encompassing elements of medicine, biology, chemistry, tissue engineering, and materials science.
List products that biomaterials are used in
List biomaterials

How to characterize materials [Making Things Move Chp 2]

• Material Properties: yield strength, ductile vs. brittle, density
• Material Failure: Tension, Compression, Shear, Torsion, buckling, fatigue
• Types of Materials: Metals, Ceramics, Polymers, Composites, Semiconductors

Other:
Hydrogels- water-swollen, cross-linked polymeric structures (contact lenses, artificial skin and cartilage, etc.)
Bioresorbable Materials (sutures, bone screws, bone nails)
Natural Materials (silk, hair)
Thin Films, Grafts, and Coatings (coating on hip implants)
Fabrics (gauze)

Biocompatibility: the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific application

Material allergies

• Metal: up to 17% of women and 3% of men have nickel allergies

J. P. Thyssen and T. Menné, “Metal Allergy—A Review on Exposures, Penetration, Genetics, Prevalence, and Clinical Implications,” Chem. Res. Toxicol., vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 309–318, 2009.

• Polymer: 2-12% of population allergic to latex
• Fabric: 1-6% of population allergic to wool

Senses and Sensitivity

Exteroceptive sense: perception of external stimuli

Five traditional senses

Five additional senses:

1. nociception (pain)
2. equilibrioception (balance)
3. proprioception and kinaesthesia (joint motion and acceleration)
4. sense of time
5. thermoception (temperature differences)

Interoceptive senses: stimulated from within

Thermoception
thermal issues – how hot is tolerable for electronics to get near the body? How to insulate? What parts of the body get the hottest during movement?

Heat is Energy
energy consumption, energy vs. power, metabolism

ITP Materials Site
Materials Connexion