The Medical Engineering (MedEngg) Group takes a systems-level engineering approach to understand the functioning of the human body and develops technology and devices to assess, treat, and enhance human functioning. While bioengineering as a field generally involves applications of engineering principles to biological phenomena, the MedEngg Group focuses principally on human physiological functioning, addressing the organ, systems, and whole-body levels in health and disease. Towards this, we pursue a rigorous engineering-driven ground-up approach to fundamental research directed at obtaining a quantitative understanding of a) human physiological functioning at the organ-level upwards and b) how engineered systems (such as ultrasound, lasers, and electrical stimulators) interact with and impact the human body. The group’s fundamental research pursuit is further complemented by its translational efforts employing a deep-tech approach to the development of novel protocols, technology, and devices.
The MedEngg group’s research presently spans four thematic areas: i) Medical Instrumentation and Imaging; ii) Medical Signal and Image Processing; iii) Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation Engineering; and iv) Computational Modeling of Physiological Systems. These four verticals complement and naturally feed into each other, resulting in creation of new knowledge and the development of innovative protocols, devices, and technologies such as non-invasive imaging systems, surgical instrumentation, IoT and wearables for healthcare monitoring, non-invasive medical sensors, electrophysiological systems (EEG, ECG, EMG, non-invasive brain stimulation systems), biomechanical systems (cardiovascular and musculoskeletal biomechanics), assistive technology, orthotics, prosthetics, exoskeletons, rehabilitation robotics, cognitive systems, engineering-informed data-driven clinical decision-making models, and protocols for space rehabilitation.
In order to realize the above objectives, we bring together and train Engineers (e.g., Biomedical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical, Civil, and Computer engineers), Physicists, Mathematicians, Data-scientists, Neuroscientists, Physiologists, and Clinicians (e.g., Physicians, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Pharmacologists). The group’s vision of advancing core medical engineering knowledge and its translational efforts are aimed at impacting and enhancing the full spectrum of human well-being and engagement across various domains, in addition to health and disease, such as aging and longevity, disability, sports, and functioning in extreme environments such as defence and space applications.
