Assessment of Technology and Manufacturing Readiness Levels

Abstract

Any attempt to pursue translational research requires adopting a truly interdisciplinary approach by integrating the ideas drawn from multiple disciplines such as Mechanical engineering, Materials Science, Biological sciences and Biomedical engineering. While emphasizing the need to develop a scalable and commercially viable strategy to fabricate biomedical implants, this chapter will discuss the concepts of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs). In discussing various TRLs, the different aspects of property measurements or process control are emphasized. The maturation of technology can be realized once one travels across different TRLs. Two illustrative examples are provided so that one can judge how to assign various TRLs at different levels of technology development in research on bone tissue engineering .