OSHER 188 - Bioelectronics and the Bionic Age: How Technology Touches Our Hearts

Barely a generation ago the stethoscope was the diagnostic sensor of choice. Now we have a tremendous array of electronic medical diagnostic and treatment tools that touch virtually every organ, system, fluid and action of our bodies. The promises of neural prostheses are helping the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and eventually the chair-bound to walk. We will discuss the history of bioelectronics, where the field is heading, and the implications for modern health care and beyond including an overview of bioelectronics and the bionic age and topics such as artificial retinas, the Utah Electrode Array, implantable micro devices, next generation MRI, and bio-materials.