Materials Eng & Electrical Eng for Neural Prosthetics/Muscles

[QuantumNate]

I know and have known for a while now that I want to be involved with neural prosthetics, and artificial limbs and muscles. I eventually plan on getting a graduate degree in biomedical engineering, but for the sake of knowledge, experience, and security, I plan to get my undergrad degree in one of the more traditional engineering disciplines. For a long time I was fixed on EE but I've come to realize that a lot of the EE work for prosthetic area of the biotech revolution has been done, and that the biggest concern right now is making these developments compatible with our biology, i.e. biocompatibility. My two biggest areas of interest are creating artificial muscles/tissue that can handle and work with non-biological electrical signals, and then creating prostheses that directly link with the brain and nervous system. It will only be for two years as I am transferring from a community college, so keep that in mind when thinking about work load. The school I am looking at is UC Irvine, I have friends and family there already and would not be that far of a move. The two plans I have been looking at are an EE bachelors with a biomedical Eng minor, or a Materials Sci Eng with a specialization in biomaterials. They also have a Materials Sci specialization in electronic materials, so I have also thought about doing that with the biomed minor. But with only two years to complete the workload is an issue. Any feedback would be great thank you.
- Nate Boyle

 

[R.Mesri]

Both of your options are excellent choices for pursuing the field of neural prosthetics. The EE major with a biomedical engineering minor would give you a broad understanding of electrical and computing engineering, while the Materials Science Engineering major with a specialization in biomaterials would give you a good foundation for understanding the material properties of prosthetics and how they can interact with our biology. Ultimately, what you decide would depend on the specific area you want to focus on, and the courses that are available at the university. Speak with the academic advisors at UC Irvine to get their opinion on which degree would be best for you given your interests. Additionally, you might also consider taking some classes outside of your major to supplement your studies, such as classes in computer science, neuroscience, or other relevant fields.