The Institute of Man-Machine and Environmental Engineering (IMMEE) was established in 2004 for building a top-level discipline of Aeronautical & Astronautical Science and Technology at the time when the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University was created. It belongs to the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics Engineering.
Adhering to the development strategy of “Participating mainstream, developing features and elevating level”, the IMMEE focuses on demands of the national manned space engineering program in building disciplines around space medico-engineering. In this field there is a specified focus on high reliability and the IMMEE provides solutions for major national projects in integrated engineering of machine-electronics-software of concentrated embedded instruments. The products developed by the IMMEE to date include mass measurement for Astronauts, physiological signal test box, neuromuscular stimulator, as well as other products that have already been installed in Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 space stations. The mass measuring instruments for astronauts have been used to display mass measurements of astronauts in space for training astronauts for the Shenzhou X spacecraft.
The IMMEE has also applied highly reliable technologies in space medico-engineering. The IMMEE has developed a series of implantable neuro-stimulators and industrialized these products by cooperating with enterprise. In obtaining the registration certificates of medical products by Chinese FDA for Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) and Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS), this has resulted in the disruption of monopoly by American companies. The IMMEE has also made breakthroughs in an MRI compatible DBS, perceptive DBS, remote programming, and treatment with variable frequencies. These achievements have transformed the neuromodulation industry of China from a follower into a leader.
Currently, the IMMEE owns 1 national platform (National Engineering Laboratory for Neuromodulation, approved by NDRC in 2012, passed acceptance in 2016 and started in operation), 1 innovation team for key areas (Innovation team of brain modulation, approved in 2016), 1 school-enterprise cooperation platform (Joint Research Institute of Tsinghua University-PINS Medical, approved in 2016). Shouldering a series of national key projects, the IMMEE has primarily established an independent IPR system of neuro-modulation with approximately 200 patents as its core (among which 5 are American patents). In 2015, the IMMEE’s program “Key technologies, system and clinical application of DBS” was awarded the first-class prize in the Beijing municipal S&T Award. The program of “Research, development and industrialization of DBS” became the only winner of the first-class Award in the first Huang Jiasi Award for Biomedical Engineering given by Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering (CSBME).
As for teaching, the IMMEE actively participates in formulating a disciplined plan for studies of Aeronautical & Astronautical Science and Technology. The IMMEE offers undergraduate and graduate courses, such as Space Medico-engineering, Man-Machine and Environmental Engineering and Secrets of Aero-technics.
The IMMEE homes 9 faculties, including 1 Professor, 3 Associate Professors , 2 Senior Engineers, 2 Engineers and 1 Assistant Researcher. The IMMEE continually makes best use of its advantages to promote the integration of disciplines and pooling of resources to build itself into a world-class institute.
