Medical Engineering and Imaging Core (MEIC)
Medical Engineering & Imaging Core (MEIC)
The Medical Engineering & Imaging Core (MEIC) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is an interdisciplinary research facility dedicated to enabling cutting-edge work in medical engineering, medical device innovation, and translational healthcare technologies. MEIC provides WPI undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty with access to advanced clinical imaging modalities, engineering fabrication resources, and biomechanical and physiological testing environments that support rigorous scientific inquiry.
MEIC’s mission is to lower the barriers to high-quality experimental research by offering shared access to sophisticated instrumentation, structured technical guidance, and hands-on training. Our staff collaborates closely with research groups to support imaging operations, mechanical and physiological testing, study design, protocol preparation, and safe, compliant execution of in-vivo and ex-vivo studies.
With capabilities spanning preclinical and benchtop model experimentation, MEIC provides a flexible platform for students and faculty to explore novel hypotheses, validate emerging medical technologies, and conduct multidisciplinary research that integrates engineering principles with real-world clinical environments.
What We Do
Prototype & Validation Testing
- Comprehensive design, prototyping, and validation of medical and biomedical devices
- Technical support for WPI-funded and faculty-led research projects
- Study design consultation, protocol development, testbed setup, and structured data-collection workflows
Medical Imaging
MRI
- SIGNA Premier 3T MRI with fMRI capability, advanced research sequences, and multimodal physiological monitoring integration
Surgical & Interventional Imaging
- Fully functional operating room (OR) equipped with endoscopy, C-Arm fluoroscopy, patient monitoring, surgical instruments, and an in-suite live-streaming AV system for training and research
Ultrasound
- GE ultrasound system with abdominal, musculoskeletal (MSK), and OB/GYN transducers
- Benchtop ultrasound training phantom for procedural practice and device testing
Navigation & Guidance Systems
- NDI Vega optical tracking system for image-guided instrumentation development, surgical navigation research, and robotic integration
Biomechanics & Human Performance
Motion Capture & Human Movement Analysis
- Vicon motion capture system for gait analysis, movement biomechanics, and sensor/algorithm validation
- Portable optical motion-tracking systems for use in flexible test environments
Human-Systems Testbeds
- Simulated apartment for home-health, remote-care, and aging-in-place technologies
- Integration of physiological and environmental sensors for real-world behavior evaluation
Performance & Sports Science Equipment
- High-end biomechanics and sports performance instrumentation including:
- Instrumented treadmill
- Rowing ergometer
- Stairs for mobility and rehabilitation studies
- Softball pitching net for sports biomechanics and motion-tracking
- Exoskeleton platforms for human–robot interaction and assistive technology testing
- AMTI force plates for balance, gait, and ground-reaction force assessment
Physiologic Sensing
- High-performance biosensing systems for ECG, EMG (Delsys) , bioimpedance (Analog Device), accelerometry, gyroscopy, and ultrasound
- Multimodal data-acquisition workflows supporting clinical, surgical, rehabilitation, and benchtop research applications
Medical Robotics Platform
dVRK Surgical Robotics Systems (Shared with AiM Lab)
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Two Da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK) platforms supporting advanced medical-robotics research, usability studies, and surgical-task development
- 4th Floor – RBE Shared Lab: fully accessible benchtop dVRK system for robotic control development, haptics, surgical simulation, and instrumentation prototyping
- 3rd Floor – Neural Tech Room: dedicated dVRK system integrated with imaging, sensing, and neural-interface hardware (fNIRS) for multimodal surgical-robotics research
Engineering, Fabrication & Technical Services
Electronics & Embedded Systems
- Custom flexible-circuit design, prototyping, and assembly
- Reflow soldering, SMD manufacturing, and electronics packaging
- Sensor integration, signal processing, and waveform generation
- PCB design support with Altium Designer and Cadence
- Bench-level debugging, characterization, and system verification
Advanced Manufacturing
- Bio-compatible, high-resolution 3D printing (≥25 μm)
- Broad selection of engineering-grade polymers and resins
- CNC machining for metals and high-performance plastics
- Laser cutting, textile processing, and precision fabrication
- Metal and carbon-fiber 3D printing capabilities
- Mechanical testing of biomaterial with Instron (varies load cells)
- Mechanical design consultation, rapid iteration, and prototype fabrication
