Visualization tools for bioengineering education

New visualization tools for bioenginering education are becoming available which have been made possible by the recent dramatic decreases in cost and increases in performance of computers and display systems. Computational systems with capability to present high resolution color displays were once restricted to research environments, but are now often part of normal clinical procedures. Currently available systems can generate computed images in close to real time as well as simply display them. The availability of desktop systems makes it feasible to develop computer assisted tutorial systems for bioengineering education. Such systems can supplement and enrich traditional educational delivery systems from the early undergraduate courses to the much more specialized advanced graduate courses. In addition, such systems can also contribute to continuing education efforts and provide expanded exposure to unusual cases or experiences which are rarely seen except at selected research centers. Two currently available systems and their preliminary evaluations are presented.