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Dr Debbie Munro

Contact

Department: Mechanical Engineering

Email: debbie.munro@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3690446

Office: Civil Mechanical Rm E547A

Languages: English, Japanese

Developing medical devices, diagnostic sensors, sports equipment, and new biomaterials with the aim of improving people's lives
About
Research / Creative works
Supervision
Networks
Projects
Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

  • Sport, rehabilitative, and occupational biomechanics
  • Orthopaedic implant and instrument design
  • Implantable, wireless MEMS sensor design and fabrication
  • CAD, CAM, and FEA
  • Medical device design
  • Medical regulatory compliance and risk assessment
  • Spinal cord injury repair
  • Global healthcare outreach

Researcher Summary

My research revolves around medical devices, biomechanics, and diagnostic sensors for improving people's lives. For much of my career, I worked in the orthopaedic implant industry, designing implants and instruments for hip and knee replacement surgeries. Returning to university later in life to obtain my doctorate, I studied Biological Systems Engineering and designed and patented a wireless, implantable sensor system to measure the progress of spinal fusion. The system is battery-free, so all power and communication is supplied via an external reader. My areas of current research on this are developing a new MEMS fabrication method for the sensor and a new encapsulation material that will be both waterproof and transparent to electromagnetic waves.

Collaborating with the Auckland Bioengineering Institute's As/Prof David Budgett, I am currently working to commercialise this research. We have seed funding through the MedTech CoRE and KiwiNet for this work.

My other research interests include smart climbing holds for improving athlete performance in sport climbing, optimizing the materials and geometry for spinal cord injury repair scaffolds, investigating gait biomechanics for stroke patients using a force-plate instrumented treadmill, prosthetics and their cognitive load on the wearer, neck braces for MND patients, and means of improving the system for design, donation, repair, and disposal of medical devices in developing countries.

I am the Lead for the Minor in Biomedical Engineering, serve as faculty advisor for the bioengineering club, and also run a ten-week work experience for bioengineering students in the Pacific Islands, where we assist the Ministries of Health improve the quality of healthcare in their countries.

Subject Area: Disciplines

  • Engineering and Technology: Bioengineering; Design; Manufacturing; Materials; Mechanical; Nanotechnology & Solid State Devices

Resources

  • LinkedIn
  • Author Website
  • LinkedIn

Prizes and Awards

    Distinction
  • Distinguished Mechanical Engineering Alumni Award ( 1989 )
  • Fifteen Year Service Award ( 2013 )
  • Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society ( 1988 )
  • Third Place Award, ASME Arthur L Williston Medal ( 1989 )
  • Winner of novel publishing contract for APEX, a hard science thriller ( 2016 )
  • Winner of Vernier Software and Technology Engineering Contest ( 2014 )

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Authored Books
  • Munro D. (2019) DIY MEMS Fabricating Microelectromechanical Systems in Open Use Labs. Springer. 188.
Conference Contributions - Published
  • Munro D. and Gupta M.. (2016) Correlation of Strain on Instrumentation to Simulated Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion in a Sheep Model. In 3(Biomedical and Biotechnology Engineering): 5. ASME Digital Collections. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2016-65696.
  • Munro DS., Tsai EC., Lingley AR. and Khbeis MT.. (2016) Development of a Microfabricated Sensor System to Measure Lumbar Spinal Fusion. In 3(Biomedical and Biotechnology Engineering): 7. ASME Digital Collections. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2016-65703.
  • Lulay K., Dillon H., Doughty TA., Munro DS. and Vijlee SZ.. (2015) Implementation of a design spine for a mechanical engineering curriculum. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin(122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Makin).
  • Munro D., Tsai E., Khbeis M. and Lingley A.. (2015) Design of Sensor System to Measure Lumbar Spinal Fusion. In.
  • Munro D., Tsai E., Khbeis M. and Lingley A.. (2015) Development of Sensor System to Measure Lumbar Spinal Fusion. In.
  • Munro D.. (2013) Development of an automated manufacturing course with lab for undergraduates. In Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE: 496-501. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2013.6684873.
  • Munro DS.. (2012) Work in progress: Hands-on biomechanics lab for undergraduate universities. In Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2012.6462235.
  • Schenberger D.. (2008) Mainstreaming MEMS: Microfluidic Drug Delivery Systems are Now a Market Reality. In.
  • Schenberger D.. (2008) Putting a Charge in Healing: Electrical Stimulators Show Great Promise, Especially for Spinal Fusions. In ASME 2008 3rd Frontiers in Biomedical Devices ConferenceASMEDC. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/biomed2008-38030.
  • Munro D.. (2006) Design of MEMS Sensor System. In.
  • Munro D.. (1994) Wind Tunnel Testing for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. In NASA Technical Reports Server. Document ID 20010114136.
  • Schenberger D.. (1994) Wind Tunnel Testing for the SOFIA Project. In.
  • Schenberger D.. (1990) Cycle Life Machine for AX5 Spacesuit. In NASA Technical Reports Server, Document ID 19900012764.
Additional Publications
  • Clarke J., Brown C. and Munro D. (2020) Engineering students’ experiences of learning in a New Zealand university in the fast transition to online learning due to COVID-19. Advances in Engineering Education(Special Issue: The Impact on Engineering Education).
  • Munro D. (2019) Drill Press Review: These Basic Principles Can Benefit Design for Manufacturability. BONEZONE(February 22 2019).
  • Munro D. (2019) Learn to Incorporate Sensors Into Your Next Design Idea. BONEZONE (Editor's Choice Award).
  • Munro D. (2019) The Lathe: Engineers Take Note of Dimensions When Designing Components. BONEZONE(July 2019).
  • Munro D. (2019) The Mill: What Design Engineers Need to Know about This Important Orthopedic Tool. BONEZONE(06 May 2019).
  • Munro D. (2019) Ambition. ESCAPE!: A Writing Bloc Anthology (1st ed.): 313.Writing Bloc Cooperative.
  • Munro D. (2019) Picture Perfect. DECEPTION!: A Writing Bloc Anthology (1st ed.): 371.Writing Bloc Cooperative.
  • Munro D. (2018) Orthopaedic Product Development: Forecasting Changes to Come. BONEZONE(November 05 2019).
  • Munro D. (2018) Sensors: Conducting MEMS Research and Fabrication in Open-Use Facilities. BONEZONE (Editor's Choice Award).
  • Munro D. (2017) Entrepreneurial Engineering: Start with the Problem. BONEZONE.
  • Munro D. (2017) Examining Methods to Determine Sample Sizes. BONEZONE (Editor's Choice Award).
  • Munro D. (2017) Your EU Medical Device Regulation Guide. BONEZONE.
  • Munro D. (2014) Correlation Between Induced Posterolateral Fusion and Strain in Spinal Instrumentation--Development of a Microfabricated Sensor System. Boston, MA: World Congress for Biomechanics, 6-11 Jul 2014.
  • Munro D. (2009) Patents in fiber-optic sensing. SPIE j.
  • Munro D. (2008) Patents: Movies Raise the Curtain on Digital Cinema Projectors. SPIE j.
  • Munro D. and Bafan M. (2008) Bioceramics: The Future of Joint Healing. MedTech Precision.
  • Munro D., Bafan M. and Prsha J. (2008) Convergence, Collaboration, Commercialization: Tomorrow’s healthcare marketplace will belong to companies that can collaborate effectively to produce next-generation combination products. MX Magazine (MD&DI Online).
  • Munro D., Lloyd S., Mayott C., De Fazio P. and Burke J. (2008) Challenges to International Device Reimbursement: Manufacturers must prepare themselves with a thorough understanding of international nuances. MD&DI Online.
  • Munro D. (2007) Insulin Delivery Microfluidic Systems Have Potential to Help Millions of Diabetics. 738917.

Student Supervision

Displaying all items.
    Current
  • PhD - Flint SJ: Microfabricated MEMS Sensor for Spinal Fusion
  • PhD - Ishii MM: Spinal Cord Injury Repair Scaffolds
  • PhD - Pernus N: Smart Holds for Sport Climbing
  • PhD - Rackerby RE: Prosthetics and the impact of cognitive load
  • Masters - Jones S: Modelling of Spinal Fusion in a Sheep
  • Honours - Blue S: Novel materials for a spinal fusion sensor
  • Summer Student - Blue S: Novel materials for a spinal fusion sensor housing (2020)
  • Summer Student - Brough J: Temperature sensor for sterilisation trays in an autoclave (2020)
  • Completed
  • Summer Student - Flint S: Spinal fusion sensor system development (2020)

Affiliations

  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) (Professional Organisation): Professional Member

Future Research

  • Wireless implantable sensors for monitoring bone healing
  • Biomechanics lab for analysing human gait and motion performance
  • Biomaterial testing and analysis

Key Methodologies

  • SolidWorks and PTC Creo CAD software
  • ANSYS and Autodesk Simulation finite element analysis software
  • MATLAB software
  • CNC Manufacturing and MasterCAM software
  • Motion capture with cameras, forceplates, EMG, high-speed photography
  • Material testing, including biological tissues and biomaterials
  • Hands-on and experiential learning (i.e. work experience in Tonga)
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