Biomedical Mfg and Design

Albert Shih

Professor

Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Gerontology

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Office: 3001E EECS

Office Phone: (734) 647-1766, Email: shiha@umich.edu

Mailing Address: Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125

Research Areas Journal Publications Conference Publications Patents

Current Students and Visiting Scholars Past PhD Students Professor Shih's Engineering Dictionary

Manufacturing is Professor Shih’s research and education focus. He is an active leader in biomedical manufacturing research - the application of science and technology in manufacturing to advance the safety, quality, and cost of healthcare services. His career goal is to apply science and technology in manufacturing to transform the quality-of-life in an aging society. He led the Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Lab (BMDL), which has built close collaborations with clinicians at Michigan Medicine. Over 10 innovations from BMDL have been licensed to the medical device industry and 4 start-up companies have been initiated. In the past years, he also investigated semiconductor manufacturing while on leave at National Tsinghua University in Taiwan. Dr. Shih was the manufacturing R&D engineer at Cummins Inc. for 7 years and an Associate Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University from 1998-2002. In 2003, he joined Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is the Editor-In-Chief of ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering.

Topics of his research include:

1. Cyber system and additive manufacturing of personalized assistive devices: Together with the Orthotics and Prosthetics Center (OPC) of Michigan Medicine, a cyber design and additive manufacturing service system is advancing to demonstrate the one-day visit concept - to complete the diagnosis, design, fabrication, and evaluation of the custom assistive devices within the same day of visit. Videos: 3D-Printed Orthotics. UM Manufacturing Seminar: Smart Manufacturing of Custom Assistive Devices

2. Cutting-based mechanical thrombectomy devices for clot removal: We work closely with neurosurgeons and basic science researchers to invent new mechanical thrombectomy devices for the complete and timely removal of arterial and venous clots.

3. Grinding: Abrasive machining in biomedical and industrial applications, including 1) Atherectomy - Diamond grinding to remove hardened calcified plaque in the artery, 2) Skull-base bone grinding - Endoscopic endonasal approach to the skull base in brain surgery, 3) Ceramic grinding - Precision grinding of engineering ceramics, such as the SiC fiber in SiC matrix composite for aerospace, and 4) Grinding thermal model and experimental measurements

4. Semiconductor manufacturing: Advanced semiconductor abrasive grinding and polishing processes and Cu-Cu joining in hybrid bonding.

5. Respiratory personal protective equipment (RPPE): Novel melt-blown nonwoven layer printing method for manufacturing of N95-quality RPPE.

6. Extrusion-based additive manufacturing of silicone: In close collaboration with Dow, the extrusion-based additive manufacturing of silicone has been innovated for custom contact interfaces, soft wearable assistive devices, sensors, actuators, and foams in healthcare as well as building structural seals/supports.

7. Novel medical devices: BMDL is studying new ventricular assistive devices, assembly of carbon fiber and microwire-based electrode arrays, ultrasound diagnosis, tissue cutting mechanics to design the cutting edge, and others.

Honors and Awards:

2024 ASME Manufacturing Engineering Division, Outstanding Service Award

2022-2023, Yushan Scholar, Ministry of Educatoin, Taiwan

2021, ASME William T. Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award

2021, The 20 Most Influential Professors in Smart Manufacturing, Smart Manufacturing, SME

2020, SME Education Award

2019-2020, Top Reviewer, International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture

2019, CIRP Fellow

2019, Creative, Innovative, or Daring, College of Engineering, University of Michigan

2019, Master’s Mentorship Award, Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan

2018, SME Frederick Taylor Research Medal

2017, ASME Blackall Machine Tool and Gage Award

2016, ASME Swanson Fellowship

2014, ASME Milton Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal

2014, Best Paper Award, International Conference of Manufacturing Technology Engineers (ICMTE 2014) Jeju, Korea

2013, Best Paper Award Finalist, 2013 ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference, MSEC2013, Madison, Wisconsin

2012, Best Paper Award, ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference, MSEC2012, South Bend, Indiana

2012, Best Paper Award, The 10th International Conference on Frontiers of Design and Manufacturing, ICFDM’2012, Chongqian, China

2011, Faculty Mentor Award, Graduate Student Council, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

2011, George Huebner Research Excellence Award, College of Engineering, University of Michigan

2010, NASA Technical Briefs - Create the Future Design Contest, 1st Place in Automotive Category

2010, Best Paper Award, International Conference on Engineering and Meta-Engineering: ICEME 2010

2010, Second Place in Outstanding Paper Award, 2010 NAMRI/SME

2010, Rackham Faculty Recognition Award, University of Michigan

2009, SME Fellow

2009, Fulbright Scholar

2007, ASME Fellow

2007, Outstanding Paper Award in NAMRI/SME

2006, Gilbert Whitaker Teaching Grant

2004, Best Paper Award, The 6th International Conference on Frontiers of Design and Manufacturing and the 6th S.M. Wu Symposium on Manufacturing Science, Xi’an, China

2004, SAE Ralph Teetor Education Award

2000, NSF CAREER Award

1999, ASME IMECE BOSS Award