ABSTRACT
The need for new and improved materials for human health care and other biotechnological purposes has driven a vast amount of research. As the average life span increases in modern societies, the need for implants to replace or supplement natural body tissues has grown markedly. Knee and hip implants are now routine surgical procedures, and many other devices and procedures save lives or restore function and comfort. Perhaps less spectacular but in numbers by far the most frequent biomedical devices, contact lenses are used by millions of wearers to compensate for impaired vision.
