EEEN30180 Bioinstrumentation

Academic Year 2020/2021

This module covers the fundamental principles of measurement andinstrumentation as applied in biomedical device design. The vast majority of medical devices that serve diverse diagnostic and therapeutic functions are based on a single core design framework, involving a) transduction of key physiological variables into electrical signals, b) conditioning of those signals, and c) forging output variables that readily guide medical decisions. The goal of this module is to provide the theoretical and practical foundations that will enable students to tackle bioinstrumentation design problems within this framework.

There is no required text for the module, but the following are recommended for supplemental reading:
Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design. J. G. Webster. Wiley.
Principles of Applied Biomedical Instrumentation. L.A. Geddes & L.E. Baker. Wiley.
Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. Enderle, Blanchard & Bronzino. Elsevier.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:
- apply the principles of electrical circuit theory and analyses to the use and design of instrumentation in the biomedical area;
- explain the operating principles of biomedical transducers for themeasurement of biopotentials (ECG, EMG, EEG, EOG) and other critical physiological variables such as blood pressure, flow, and temperature;
- design and build analog signal conditioning circuits that provide reliable biopotential measurements, e.g. ECG;
- explain the physical principles underlying the function of biopotential electrodes;
- demonstrate knowledge of electrical safety considerations in the medicalenvironment;
- demonstrate programming skills through the use of MATLAB for back-end data acquisition and elementary digital signal processing.

Indicative Module Content:

Below is a rough list of topics covered when the class was delivered in Spring 2019.
* Intro/outline
* Sensor static characteristics
* Sensor calibration
* Revision of electrical engineering (up to opamps and phasors)
* Passive conditioning circuits (RC filters, Bode plots)
* Active conditioning circuits (active (opamp) filters)
* Bioelectricity (membrane potentials, equilibrium (Nernst), voltage gated channels, action potentials, myelin, volume conduction)
* Electrophysiology (examples of EEG, ECG, EMG, EOG,...)
* Electodes (oxidation/reduction, electrolytes, electrode electrical models)
* Advanced conditioning circuits (noise, interference, shielding, active shielding, driven right leg active ground)
* Sensing displacement (strain gauges, LVDTs, piezocrystals, MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes, optical sensors)
* Bridges (no bridge; 1/4, 1/2, full bridge)
* Electrical safety
* Revision

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Practical

12
Specified Learning Activities

10
Autonomous Student Learning

60
Online Learning

30
Total

112
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
- Due to the covid pandemic, lectures will be replaced with pre-recorded topic-focused videos and an indicative schedule to follow.
- Handwritten notes from the videos are made available on Brightspace.
- Additional supporting typeset notes/slides are also available for further study.
- Tutorial and/or "office hours" sessions will be delivered over Zoom in which students can bring questions and further consolidate their understanding of the course content.
- Laboratories will be performed individually, in-person and on campus. The module coordinator and demonstrators are on hand to assist during labs. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

A basic prior knowledge of electric circuit theory and probability theory are important. Prior background in signal processing is also useful.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
MEEN30040 - Measurement & Instrumentation


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: Midterm Exam Varies over the Trimester Yes Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

20
Lab Report: Labs Throughout the Trimester n/a Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

30
Examination: Final 2 hour End of Trimester Exam Yes Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No

50

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Labs: Students can seek feedback when preparing laboratory reports from the demonstrators (during the lab session) or the module coordinator. Written post-assessment feedback if lab reports will be given on Brightspace when the lab mark is released; the extent of this feedback depends on the number of deficiencies found in the lab report. Midterm exam: During course revision, general feedback will be given on where most common errors occured in the midterm exam.

Name Role
Dr Emer Doheny Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Stephen Redmond Lecturer / Co-Lecturer