TABLE OF CONTENTS Alfred M. Dolan
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
No discussion of what is now referred to as clinical engineering can begin without considering first the development of biomedical engineering and, in turn, engineering. In the past engineering was defined as the facility to direct the sources of power in nature for man s use and convenience. 1 Today, modern engineering involves the application of scientific techniques, theories, and technology for the solution of societal needs. This definition has implications that all engineers, and clinical engineers in particular must address.
As professionals who wish to consider society s problems, engineers must first address three issues. It is essential that engineers must possess skills that are appropriate to the problem being addressed or else exempt themselves from that work. Second, engineers must ensure that the solutions they propose do not impose new and more serious problems on society. Third, engineers must meet the real needs of society and must be instrumental in defining those needs. These issues are of particular relevance for biomedical engineers and clinical engineers, as we shall see.
Biomedical engineering, rather than limiting the range of engineering brought to bear on a societal problem, limits the range of problems addressed to those in the medical and biological area. Indeed, we increasingly recognize the field more as the integration of engineering...
