BME Seminar Series: C. Ross Ethier, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Professor Ethier will present "The role of biomechanics in glaucomatous optic neuropathy and VIIP syndrome."

Presentation Title:

The role of biomechanics in glaucomatous optic neuropathy and VIIP syndrome

Abstract:

The design challenge presented to the Department of Design was to design a two-stage trigger mechanism that needed to be sequentially engaged in order for the spray mechanism to function. The spraying mechanism needed to automatically return to a locked state after each use without requiring the user to consciously apply a locking feature. The design team designed the two-stage trigger mechanism successfully but the product has not been a success in terms of commercialization. The design challenge may have been too narrow from the beginning of the project and the design team discarded potential solutions that may have been more successful in terms of commercial applications because they didn’t fit within the original problem frame.  

Bio:

Professor Ethier holds the Lawrence L. Gellerstedt, Jr. Chair in Bioengineering and is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Georgia Tech he was Head of the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College, London for 5 years. He received his Ph.D. from MIT in 1986, his S.M. from MIT in 1983, his M. Math. from Waterloo in 1982 and his B.Sc. from Queen’s in 1980. His research is in the biomechanics of cells and whole organs. He has published more than 130 refereed journal articles, and received both Steacie and Humboldt Fellowships. He has received the title of Fellow from the following organizations: American Society of Mechanical Engineers; American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering; International Academy for Medical and Biological Engineering; Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; The City and Guilds Institute.