Development of an hemodialysis simulator for interdisciplinary learning

Approximately 58,000 patients are receiving hemodialysis in Taiwan, with an increase of about 8,000 patients per year. Hemodialysis accounts for the largest proportion of expenditures for severe illnesses under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. The hemodialyzer has become the most important healthcare appliance in the medical electronics industry. With limited budgets and practical considerations, this study developed an inexpensive; easy to learn hemodialysis simulation system by simplifying hemodialyzer design while creating an inexpensive hemodialyzer, which typically cost more than 20,000 USD. This system could be used for demonstration and education in Electrical/Electronic Engineering departments or medical schools to improve the quality of engineering-related education.