1.1 The design process Engineering disciplines offer powerful analytical techniques which are applicable in a wide range of problem solving applications. As an emerging field, biomedical engineering draws on the tools of the classical engineering fields, such as mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering, to address problems originating in complex biological or clinical systems. The real art of biomedical engineering comes in the creativity it takes to reframe these ill-defined biological or clinical problems into ones which can be addressed using the tools offered by classical engineering disciplines. Because the range of clinical and biological problems is so broad, it is impossible to give examples of every possible problem and their appropriate solution sets. However, developing a general framework in which complex, multilevel problems can be addressed can help formalize the process by which these problems are conceptualized and prevent them from becoming overwhelming in their complexity. This framework consists of the 5 following steps: 1. Identify a precise, well-defined problem (may be a sub-problem of a much larger problem) 2. Identify desired endpoint/solution to problem 3. Identify a set of reasonable assumptions based on current knowledge of the field 4. Based on the problem statement, desired endpoint, and assumptions, use engineering tools to design potential solutions 5. Identify optimal solution based on desired endpoint and the pros/cons associated with each solution 6. Repeat as necessary By way of example, we will walk through these steps, demonstrating how it can be applied to neural prosthetics to see how it generates a new and promising approach to solving problems currently preventing progress in this field. The use of neural prosthetics is complex, involving many different therapeutic goals and technical approaches to achieving them. The above process will be repeated several times as we re-frame our biological problem and think through possible solutions, but it will differ slightly each time as it is used to address new problems arising at each decision point in the design process.