Benjamin Terry

Dr. Terry’s research has focused on surgical tool design, swallowable mechatronic devices, and the biomechanical characterization and modeling of gastrointestinal tissue. A few examples of outputs of his research are:

· A swallowable mechanical pill that enables the oral delivery of systemic biological drugs. This is important because most biologics are destroyed by the stomach and therefore must be subcutaneously injected. Biologics in swallowable form could enhance the quality of life of those who have chronic diseases that require them.

· A colonoscopy robot that is autonomous, fast, and requires little expertise to operate. This is important because it could make colonoscopies safer, quicker, and partially automated.

· A laparoscopic trocar that detects entry into the abdominal cavity. This is important because most injuries to abdominal organs during laparoscopic surgery occur from overinsertion during initial trocar placement. Our device senses the precise moment of entry into the abdominal cavity, preventing overinsertion.

Dr. Terry received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from BYU, an M.S. in Engineering Systems from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado. Following his M.S. degree, he spent 9 years as both a software and mechanical engineer in the medical device research and development industry. After his time in industry, he spent 10 years as an Assistant and then Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at BYU.