TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Artificial Heart Design Challenge
Students are presented with a hypothetical scenario in which they are biomedical engineers asked to design artificial hearts. Using the engineering design process as a guide, the challenge is established and students brainstorm to list...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Invention of the Week: Robert Jarvik: Artificial Heart
Read about Robert Koffler Jarvik, the "inventor of the first permanently-implantable artificial heart." This article provides a biography of the inventor, the reasons why he became interested in creating an artificial heart, and his...
PBS
Nova: Electric Heart
NOVA chronicles the story of a handful of brilliant surgeons and researchers who have pursued the target of a practical artificial heart for decades. The website contains a wonderful map of the human heart, amazing heart facts,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Heart of Our Cardiovascular System
Young scholars learn about the heart and its role at the center of the human cardiovascular system. In the associated activity, students play out a scenario in which they are biomedical engineers asked to design artificial hearts. They...
CNN
Cnn: Patient Gets 1st Totally Implanted Artificial Heart
In July 2001, a major advancement in medical science was made. Find out about the first completely implanted artificial heart that totally replaced the function of the human heart. Read about what the AbioCor is and view a video on the...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Heart of the Matter
Students learn about artificial heart valves and the engineering design process used in mechanical heart valve designs. The objective of the lesson is to develop an understanding of the interface between man and machine and the impact of...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Saving a Life: Heart Valve Replacement
Students use their knowledge about how healthy heart valves function to design, construct and implant prototype replacement mitral valves for hypothetical patients' hearts. Building on what they learned in the associated lesson about...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Model Heart Valves
Students use provided materials to design and build prototype artificial heart valves. Their functioning is demonstrated using water to simulate the flow of blood through the heart. Upon completion, teams demonstrate their fully...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Engineering the Heart: Heart Valves
Students learn how healthy human heart valves function and the different diseases that can affect heart valves. They also learn about devices and procedures that biomedical engineers have designed to help people with damaged or diseased...
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: Willem J. Kolff, m.d., ph.d.
A biography and profile of Willem Johan Kolff, an internist who developed artificial organs and limbs and the first heart-lung machine for use in open-heart surgery. Also includes a profile of the artificial heart surgeon he collaborated...
PBS
Pbs: Scientific American Frontiers: Searching for a Substitute
This article on the history and development of the artificial heart examines past attempts at artificial heart transplant and looks at future research and development.
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: Denton A. Cooley, m.d.
This article, on the life and achievements of Dr. Denton A. Cooley, focuses on his contributions to cardiovascular surgery. Read about how "Cooley's fame spread throughout the 1960s," through his work on infants with congenital heart...
University of California
University of California: Otis Boykin: Inventor
Otis Boykin (1920-1982 CE) is attributed with developing twenty-six electronic inventions, including devices for guided missiles, IBM computers and a control unit for an artificial heart stimulator.
National Academy of Engineering
Health Technologies Timeline
Find a timeline of important medical inventions of the 20th century. Inventions include the first electrocardiograph, the first kidney dialysis machine, the first plastic contact lens, and the first artificial heart.
American Heart Association
American Heart Association: Pacemakers [Pdf]
The American Heart Association provides a general overview of pacemakers. Content includes a focus on what an artificial pacemaker is.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Do You Have the Strength?
In this activity, students squeeze a tennis ball to demonstrate the strength of the human heart. Working in teams, they think of ways to keep the heart beating if the natural mechanism were to fail. The goal of this activity is to get...
University of Texas Libraries
Denton Cooley
Brief biography of Texas heart surgeon Dr. Denton Cooley. Details the cardiologist's professional career quoting his personal reflections in the development of cardiovascular surgery.
National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame: Willem J. Kolff
Read a brief bio on Willem J. Kolff, inventor of the artificial kidney dialysis machine, and learn the extent to which this invention is being used in the U.S.
American Academy of Achievement
Academy of Achievement: Michael E. De Bakey, m.d.
Learn about the influential Dr. Michael E. DeBakey known as the "Father of Modern Cardiovascular Surgery". Read about his background and myriad of achievements, listen to an interview, and view a gallery of pictures.
Curated OER
Kids Health: Cpr: A Real Lifesaver
Learn how artificial respiration can help save a life. This website includes definitions terms "artificial respiration," "rescue breathing," and "chest compressions" and lists the emergency situations that would require someone to use...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Scientific American: Body Building: One Way Valves
Investigate biotechnology design by creating a model of a one-way valve from plastic tubing. Describe the mechanical action of the valve.
A&E Television
History.com: 7 Groundbreaking Inventions by Latino Innovators
From entertainment devices to lifesaving medical technologies, Latino inventors have advanced humankind through their contributions. Latino inventors have created revolutionary devices that have transformed our everyday world - and often...
PBS
American Experience: Technology Timeline: 1752 1990
Short descriptions of important technological innovations produced in America and the date of their introduction.
A&E Television
Biography: Michael De Bakey
A biography of Michael DeBakey (1908-2008), a pioneering doctor and cardiovascular surgeon. He invented a number of revolutionary devices and surgical procedures.