<PAGE>   1

      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 27, 1997

                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 333-

================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                               -------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               ------------------

                               SEAMED CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Washington                                    91-1002092
    (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                      Identification No.)

                           14500 Northeast 87th Street
                         Redmond, Washington 98052-3431
                                 (425) 867-1818
    (Address, including ZIP code, and telephone number, including area code,
                  of registrant's principal executive offices)

              SEAMED CORPORATION 1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                              (Full title of plan)

              Edgar F. Rampy                                 Copy to:
        Vice President, Treasurer                      Mark R. Beatty, Esq.
       and Chief Financial Officer                   Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
            SeaMED Corporation                         5000 Columbia Center
       14500 Northeast 87th Street                       701 Fifth Avenue
      Redmond, Washington 98052-3431              Seattle, Washington 98104-7078
              (425) 867-1818                              (206) 623-7580
   (Name, address and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===================================================================================================
  Title of securities     Amount to be     Maximum offering    Maximum aggregate       Amount of
    to be registered     registered (1)    price per unit(2)   offering price(2)   registration fee
<S>                       <C>                  <C>                 <C>                  <C>
Common Stock, no par
value per share           70,000 shares        $20.625             $1,443,750           $437.50
===================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1)  Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be
     necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to
     such plan as the result of any future stock split, stock dividend or
     similar adjustment of the outstanding Common Stock of the Registrant. In
     addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
     registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to
     be offered or sold pursuant to the 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
     described herein.


<PAGE>   2

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and,
     pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Act, based upon the average high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of the Registrant on the Nasdaq Stock Market on
     June 24, 1997.


<PAGE>   3


                                     PART II
                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents heretofore filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") by SeaMED Corporation (the "Company") are
incorporated herein by reference:

         (a) The prospectus dated November 18, 1996 (the "Prospectus") with
respect to shares of the Company's Common Stock, having no par value per share
(the "Common Stock"), filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, that contains audited financial statements from the Company's
latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed.

         (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") since the end
of the fiscal year covered by the Prospectus.

         (c) The description of the Common Stock that is contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 10 filed pursuant to Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, as updated by the description of the Common Stock that is
contained in the Prospectus, including any amendment or report filed for the
purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of
filing of such documents (such documents, and the documents enumerated above,
being hereinafter referred to as "Incorporated Documents").

         Any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
Incorporated Document modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable.



<PAGE>   4


ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Legal matters in connection with the securities registered hereby were
passed upon by Preston Gates & Ellis LLP, Seattle, Washington. As of June 27,
1997, partners and attorneys employed by such firm beneficially own 29,550 
shares of Common Stock of the Company.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 23B.08.510 of the Revised Code of Washington authorizes
Washington corporations to indemnify their officers and directors under certain
circumstances against expenses and liabilities incurred in legal proceedings
involving such persons because of their being or having been an officer or
director. The Company's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws require
indemnification of the Company's officers and directors to the fullest extent
permitted by Washington law. The Company also maintains director's and officer's
liability insurance.

         The Company's Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation provide that the
Company shall, to the full extent permitted by the Business Corporation Act of
the State of Washington, as amended from time to time, indemnify all directors
and officers of the Company. In addition, the Company's Articles of
Incorporation contain a provision eliminating the personal liability of
directors to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages arising out of
their conduct as directors. Under Washington law, this provision eliminates the
liability of a director for breach of fiduciary duty but does not eliminate the
personal liability of any director for (i) acts or omissions of a director that
involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (ii) conduct in
violation of Section 23B.08.310 of the Revised Code of Washington (which section
relates to unlawful distributions) or (iii) any transaction from which a
director personally received a benefit in money, property or services to which
the director was not legally entitled.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

   EXHIBIT                       DESCRIPTION
     4.1    --   SeaMED Corporation 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as 
                 approved by the Company's Shareholders on July 23, 1996
     5.1    --   Opinion of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
    23.1    --   Consent of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP(see Exhibit 5.1)
    23.2    --   Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Auditors
                 




                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

          (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to
include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement;
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly authorized and has duly
caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Redmond, State of
Washington on this 27th day of June, 1997.

                                        SeaMED CORPORATION


                                        By         /s/ W. Robert Berg
                                           -----------------------------------
                                                       W. Robert Berg
                                                  Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on this 27th day of June, 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              SIGNATURE                                     TITLE
              ---------                                     -----

<S>                                          <C>
         /s/ W. Robert Berg                  President, Chief Executive Officer and
------------------------------------         Director (Principal Executive Officer)
             W. Robert Berg

         /s/ Edgar F. Rampy                  Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial
------------------------------------         Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
             Edgar F. Rampy

         /s/ Richard P. Munoz                Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
------------------------------------
            Richard P. Munoz

         /s/ R. Scott Asen                   Chairman of the Board, Director
------------------------------------
             R. Scott Asen

                                             Director
------------------------------------
          Stephen J. Clearman

                                             Director
------------------------------------
            William D. Ellis

         /s/ Richard E. Engebrecht           Director
------------------------------------
         Richard E. Engebrecht

                                             Director
------------------------------------
         William H. Gates, Sr.

         /s/ Richard O. Martin               Director
------------------------------------
           Richard O. Martin
</TABLE>




                                      -1-
<PAGE>   7



             INDEX TO EXHIBITS TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   EXHIBIT                              DESCRIPTION                                  PAGE
   -------                              -----------                                  ----
    <S>           <C>                                                                <C>
     4.1     --   SeaMED Corporation 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as 
                  approved by the Company's Shareholders on July 23, 1996
     5.1     --   Opinion of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
    23.1     --   Consent of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP (see Exhibit 5.1)
    23.2     --   Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Auditors
                  
</TABLE>






                                      -2-
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15113}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SEAMED CORP", "cik": "0000937289", "assigned-sic": "3845", "irs-number": "911002092", "state-of-incorporation": "WA", "fiscal-year-end": "0627"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-30245", "film-number": "97631937"}, "business-address": {"street1": "14500 N E 87TH STREET", "city": "REDMOND", "state": "WA", "zip": "98052-3431", "phone": "2068761818"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "145 00 N E 87TH STREET", "city": "REDMOND", "state": "WA", "zip": "98052-3431"}}
1

      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 27, 1997

                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 333-

================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                               -------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               ------------------

                               SEAMED CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Washington                                    91-1002092
    (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                      Identification No.)

                           14500 Northeast 87th Street
                         Redmond, Washington 98052-3431
                                 (425) 867-1818
    (Address, including ZIP code, and telephone number, including area code,
                  of registrant's principal executive offices)

              SEAMED CORPORATION 1996 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                              (Full title of plan)

              Edgar F. Rampy                                 Copy to:
        Vice President, Treasurer                      Mark R. Beatty, Esq.
       and Chief Financial Officer                   Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
            SeaMED Corporation                         5000 Columbia Center
       14500 Northeast 87th Street                       701 Fifth Avenue
      Redmond, Washington 98052-3431              Seattle, Washington 98104-7078
              (425) 867-1818                              (206) 623-7580
   (Name, address and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
===================================================================================================
  Title of securities     Amount to be     Maximum offering    Maximum aggregate       Amount of
    to be registered     registered (1)    price per unit(2)   offering price(2)   registration fee
Common Stock, no par
value per share           70,000 shares        $20.625             $1,443,750           $437.50
===================================================================================================
(1)  Together with an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be
     necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to
     such plan as the result of any future stock split, stock dividend or
     similar adjustment of the outstanding Common Stock of the Registrant. In
     addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
     registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to
     be offered or sold pursuant to the 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
     described herein.
2

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and,
     pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Act, based upon the average high and low
     prices of the Common Stock of the Registrant on the Nasdaq Stock Market on
     June 24, 1997.
3

                                     PART II
                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents heretofore filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") by SeaMED Corporation (the "Company") are
incorporated herein by reference:

         (a) The prospectus dated November 18, 1996 (the "Prospectus") with
respect to shares of the Company's Common Stock, having no par value per share
(the "Common Stock"), filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, that contains audited financial statements from the Company's
latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed.

         (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") since the end
of the fiscal year covered by the Prospectus.

         (c) The description of the Common Stock that is contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 10 filed pursuant to Section 12 of the
Exchange Act, as updated by the description of the Common Stock that is
contained in the Prospectus, including any amendment or report filed for the
purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement
and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of
filing of such documents (such documents, and the documents enumerated above,
being hereinafter referred to as "Incorporated Documents").

         Any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
Incorporated Document modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable.
4

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Legal matters in connection with the securities registered hereby were
passed upon by Preston Gates & Ellis LLP, Seattle, Washington. As of June 27,
1997, partners and attorneys employed by such firm beneficially own 29,550 
shares of Common Stock of the Company.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 23B.08.510 of the Revised Code of Washington authorizes
Washington corporations to indemnify their officers and directors under certain
circumstances against expenses and liabilities incurred in legal proceedings
involving such persons because of their being or having been an officer or
director. The Company's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws require
indemnification of the Company's officers and directors to the fullest extent
permitted by Washington law. The Company also maintains director's and officer's
liability insurance.

         The Company's Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation provide that the
Company shall, to the full extent permitted by the Business Corporation Act of
the State of Washington, as amended from time to time, indemnify all directors
and officers of the Company. In addition, the Company's Articles of
Incorporation contain a provision eliminating the personal liability of
directors to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages arising out of
their conduct as directors. Under Washington law, this provision eliminates the
liability of a director for breach of fiduciary duty but does not eliminate the
personal liability of any director for (i) acts or omissions of a director that
involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (ii) conduct in
violation of Section 23B.08.310 of the Revised Code of Washington (which section
relates to unlawful distributions) or (iii) any transaction from which a
director personally received a benefit in money, property or services to which
the director was not legally entitled.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

   EXHIBIT                       DESCRIPTION
     4.1    --   SeaMED Corporation 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as 
                 approved by the Company's Shareholders on July 23, 1996
     5.1    --   Opinion of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
    23.1    --   Consent of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP(see Exhibit 5.1)
    23.2    --   Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Auditors
                 

                                      -4-
5

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

          (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to
include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement;
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      -5-
6

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly authorized and has duly
caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Redmond, State of
Washington on this 27th day of June, 1997.

                                        SeaMED CORPORATION

                                        By         /s/ W. Robert Berg
                                           -----------------------------------
                                                       W. Robert Berg
                                                  Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on this 27th day of June, 1997.
SIGNATURE                                     TITLE
              ---------                                     -----
/s/ W. Robert Berg                  President, Chief Executive Officer and
------------------------------------         Director (Principal Executive Officer)
             W. Robert Berg

         /s/ Edgar F. Rampy                  Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial
------------------------------------         Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
             Edgar F. Rampy

         /s/ Richard P. Munoz                Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
------------------------------------
            Richard P. Munoz

         /s/ R. Scott Asen                   Chairman of the Board, Director
------------------------------------
             R. Scott Asen

                                             Director
------------------------------------
          Stephen J. Clearman

                                             Director
------------------------------------
            William D. Ellis

         /s/ Richard E. Engebrecht           Director
------------------------------------
         Richard E. Engebrecht

                                             Director
------------------------------------
         William H. Gates, Sr.

         /s/ Richard O. Martin               Director
------------------------------------
           Richard O. Martin
-1-
7

             INDEX TO EXHIBITS TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8
EXHIBIT                              DESCRIPTION                                  PAGE
   -------                              -----------                                  ----
4.1     --   SeaMED Corporation 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as 
                  approved by the Company's Shareholders on July 23, 1996
     5.1     --   Opinion of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
    23.1     --   Consent of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP (see Exhibit 5.1)
    23.2     --   Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Auditors
-2-