Chapter12
Innovations in medical technology
I. Read and translate the text.
AbioCor Artificial heart.
The AbioCor is an artificial heart made of titanium and plastic. It is for patients with very serious heart problems who are waiting for a heart transplant.
It contains a hydraulic pump and a valve which lets the hydraulic fluid move from one side of the heart to the other. When the fluid moves to the right, blood is pumped to the lungs. When the fluid moves to the left, blood is pumped to the rest of the body.
The system has two batteries: one internal, inside the patient`s body, and one external. The external battery lasts up to forty minutes. This is long enough for the patient to have a shower or to change the external battery. The external battery lasts four to five hours.
The external battery provides power using a wireless energy transfer system. A coil on the patient`s skin induces power in a coil inside the body. This operates the controller and charges the internal battery.
The controller contains a microprocessor which decides the best heart rate for the patient at any time.
II. Before reading the next text discuss with your partner the possible answers to the following questions.
1) What is EAT? (A=Assistive)
2) Name three ways in which severely disabled people can operate equipment.
3) What are the three branches of engineering which make up mechatronics?
4) What does a page-turner do?
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How does a pneumatic switch work?
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Read the text and check your answers.
It`s my job.
My special area is electronic assistive technology, or EAT for short. I work for a company which makes equipment to help severely disabled people. I mean people who can`t walk, people who have very limited movement – perhaps they can move only their head.
We make equipment which helps these people to live as independently as possible. By moving their chin, by blowing down a tube, or simply by speaking, they can send an email, adjust the temperature in the room, or operate a TV.
In this kind of work, you need a knowledge of mechatronics. That`s where mechanics, electronics, and software engineering meet. Take a page-turner, for example. It`s a device which turns the pages of a book or magazine. The input can be a pneumatic switch – that`s a switch worked by air pressure. You operate it by sucking or blowing down a tube. These signals are interpreted by a microprocessor which controls the mechanism which turns the pages. That mechanism uses electrical and mechanical devices. All three branches of engineering combine to make it work.
It`s an exciting job. Each development in technology means new possibilities for disabled people.
Chapter13
I. Find the meaning of each word.
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1. способность 2. значение 3. повреждать 4. избегать 5. заслуживать 6. выбирать 7. выигрывать 8. отмена, упразднение 9. шахта 10. оправдывать
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a) opportunity, b) ability, с) difficulty, d) property a) understanding, b) beginning, c) meaning, d) opening a) to injure, b) to kill, c) to explode, d) to abolish a) to threaten, b) to expect, c) to avoid, d) to deserve a) to respect, b) to encourage, c) to occur, d) to deserve a) to choose, b) to offer, c) to develop, d) to install a) to grow, b) to need, c) to win, d) to build a) consideration, b) education, с) competition,d) abolition
a) site, b) mine, c) field, d) tube a) to justify, b) to threaten, c) to cause, d)introduce
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