BIO-ELECTRICITY IN HUMAN BODY: SYSTEMS AND CONTROL

The course aims to drive the students in the acquisition of the basic concepts of body bio-electricity processes, focusing the attention on the aspects related to the system theory and automatic controls field. In this context, it will be also presented different methods for bio-signals acquisition and analysis.

The course includes lectures for the acquisition and knowledge required and the carrying out activities aimed at their application. If the teaching is carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

BASIC KNOWLEDGE REGARDS:

•  Advanced-level on physics and math
• Intermediate-level on linear systems theory and control
• Intermediate-level on programming languages

No preparatory requests for passing other courses are required.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

Attendance is not mandatory, although strongly recommended to carry out adequately the final project.

1. Bioelectrical model and signals

•  Structures and Functions of the Nervous System: the neurons, the action potential, the neuron communication and the synaptic integration, the neuron electrical models and the axon transmission model, the volume conductor field, system to record neuron activity, the muscle action potential.
•  Peripheral Nervous System and Skeleton-Muscle System: electro-neurogram (ENG), electro-myography (EMG).
•  Vision System: electro-rethinogram (ERG), electro-oculogram (EOG).
•  Circulatory and Cardiac Systems: circulatory system and systemic parameters (blood pressure, blood velocity, cardiac output), heart electro/mechanical physiology, electro-cardiogram (ECG), arrhythmia, and the artificial heart.
•  Central Nervous System: the electromagnetic activity in the neocortex, brain recording, and measurement (EEG/MEG), brain rhythms, abnormal patterns (aging and brain disorder), Evoked potential.

2. Methodologies in bio-signal analysis 

• in time domain
• in frequency domain
• Case study (ECG, EEG, MEG, fMRI),

COURSE TEXTBOOKS

T1) M. Bear, B. Connors, M. Paradiso, Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, Wolters-Kluwer

T2) Webster J.G., Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design, Wiley

T3) Saeid Sanei, Jonathon Chambers, EEG Signal Processing, Wiley

T4) J. L. Semmlow, B. Griffel, Bio-signal and Medical Image Processing, CRC Press

SUGGESTED READING

T5) Michael C. K. Khoo, Physiological Control System: Analysis, Simulation and Estimation, IEEE press Series on Biomedical Eng., Wiley-Interscience

METHODS FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE LEARNED KNOWLEDGE

The exam consists of a course project and an oral exam. Learning assessment may also be carried out online if the conditions require it.

The course project is individual and consists of a case study based on the analysis of biomedical data. The delivery of this project by the end of the course allows access to the oral examination. The final evaluation will be determined by the evaluation of both.

For attending students it will be possible to do a midterm test shortly after the end of the course. The test lasting a maximum of two hours consists of questions (multiple choice and / or open) to check the knowledge acquired on the contents covered during the course. If this test is passed, answering correctly to at least 50% of the questions, the oral exam is not compulsory but at the discretion of the student. The final evaluation will be determined by both the evaluation of the questionnaire and the course project.

Evaluation at the oral interview will be based on: the knowledge of the contents, the relevance of the answers with respect to the questions formulated, the property of technical language, and the ability to make connections between the contents of the program.