The primary aims of the journal are to provide a means of communicating the advances being made in the areas of biomechanics and biomedical engineering, and to stimulate interest in the continually emerging computer based technologies which are being applied in these multidisciplinary subjects. The journal will also provide a focus for the importance of integrating the disciplines of engineering with medical technology and clinical expertise. Such integration will have a major impact on health care in the future. High quality research articles form the main body of the journal. These contributed papers will cover both the engineering and clinical aspects of computer methods in biomedical engineering. Topics covered include the mechanical response of bone and bone/tissue/ implant analysis, modelling of biomaterials, material identification, human body impact, computer assisted surgery, surgical simulation, computer animation, and medical imaging. Dental mechanics, biofluids, cardiovascular mechanics, soft-tissue modelling, and joint/ ligament mechanics are also topics of primary importance. As well as providing a forum where advances in these complex areas can be published and discussed in open academic debate, the journal also contains review and feature articles, technical notes and short communications and a news and reviews section.