• Question: what inspired you to research this artificial limbs?

    Asked by Candice to Andrew, Lizzie, Nick, Sonia on 14 Jun 2015. This question was also asked by 478artc49.
    • Photo: Elizabeth Kapasa

      Elizabeth Kapasa answered on 14 Jun 2015:

      I was inspired to help people through medicine, but I also love using my hands to make things. I read this book called ‘The Gecko’s Foot’ by Peter Forbes which is about looking at nature and trying to use the principles behind how they work to invent new technology. I thought that was really amazing and so I decided to study materials engineering but more specifically biomaterials and tissue engineering, which is making things that can repair or replace parts in the body.

      I’d recommend reading ‘The Gecko’s Foot’ by Peter Forbes
      http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/0007179898

    • Photo: Andrew Phillips

      Andrew Phillips answered on 14 Jun 2015:

      Although I did civil engineering for my undergraduate degree I was given the chance to do a PhD in orthopaedic engineering. I really enjoyed finding out about the structure of the musculoskeletal system, but I knew I wanted to create something. Artificial limbs and implants seemed like a really good way of helping people while being creative. There are lots of challenges and unanswered questions in medicine, so it’s an area where engineering and engineers are vital in making progress.

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