Active Implantable Biomedical Microsystems

Active Implantable Biomedical Microsystems (AIBM) in the human body are now becoming more widely acceptable and available since the development of cardiac pacemakers. Today, miniaturized wireless implantable systems are changing the face of biomedical research and clinical practices through the development of cochlear implants, neuroprostheses, brain computer interfaces, deep organ pressure sensors, precise drug delivery units, bioelectronic medicine and electroceuticals. With a greater life expectancy and an increasing demand for medical healthcare to guarantee a sufficient health-related quality of life, there is a greater demand on technology and electrical and biomedical engineers to develop active implantable systems for a wide variety of medical diagnostics, treatments and therapies.

This course provides a background on the application of AIBMs, an introduction to the latest techniques used and examples of existing medical devices. It can be used as a guide to the design of AIBMs and also as a reference for existing medical devices. The course is aimed at MSc students in Electrical Engineering (tracks Microelectronics, and SignalsenSystems) and in Biomedical Engineering (track Medical Devices) who have an interest in the research and design of AIBMs.

The following topics are treated:

1. Electrophysiology

2. Electrodes, optodes, sensors and actuators

3. Electrode characterization and modeling

4. Electronic system design

5. Stimulation electronics

6. Front-end electronics (signal conditioning, amplifiers, filters, ADCs, DACs, etc.)

7. Wireless data transfer

8. Energy harvesting and power delivery

9. Applications: cochlear implants and cardiac pacemakers

10. Digital design

11. Biocompatibility, materials and fabrication considerations

12. Assembly, system integration and packaging

13. Application: spinal cord stimulator

14. Reliability and security

15. Risk management and/or 16. Ethics

The student has to:

- Form a group (6 students/group) in the first week, based on affinity with the topics below.

- As a group, perform a case study of a complete device, which will be announced in Wk. 4.2.

- Investigate 6 topics:

*Electrodes and electrophysiology

*Stimulation and power management electronics

*Recording electronics and wireless data transfer

*Analog, mixed and digital system design

*Microfabrication, system integration, packaging, implantation and biocompatibility

*Reliability, safety and security; clinical and regulatory considerations

- Prepare an annotated slide set on the first 3 topics in Wk. 4.5

*Electrodes and electrophysiology

*Stimulation and power management electronics

*Recording electronics and wireless data transfer

*Max. 12 slides (4 per group of 2 students), using a prescribed template

*To be uploaded on Brightspace before Wk 4.6

*To be commented on in written form and handed in by another group during the 1st lecture in Wk. 4.7

*Sub-group (of 2 students) on topic A comment on topic B; B -> C; C -> A

- Prepare a group presentation on the second 3 topics:

*Analog, mixed and digital system design

*Microfabrication, system integration, packaging, implantation and biocompatibility

*Reliability, safety and security; clinical and regulatory considerations

- One student, to be randomly selected by the teachers on the day of the presentation, will do the presentation (max. 12 minutes) for the entire group in Wk. 4.10 or 4.11.

- Other groups will discuss the presentations (4 minutes) and ask questions and will comment briefly (max. 2 minutes per group / presentation) on all presentations

The teachers will:

- Organize/manage the course

- Give the lectures

- Provide relevant material and background knowledge

- Define the case study

- Give the templates for the annotates slides and the comments

- Grade the slide sets per group of 2 students

- Grade the comments on the slide sets per group of 2 students

- Return the commented slide sets to the authors

- Buy the T-shirts to wear during the final presentations

- Grade the presentations per group of 6 students

- Grade the comments made on the presentations per group of 6 students

- Decide on the final marks

The final mark is based on the grade received for the annotated and commented slide sets (37.5% + 12.5% (bonus/malus), respectively), and the grade received for the group presentation (45%) and the comments made on another group presentation (5%).

In case of an insufficient final result, repair options may exist in accordance with Article 17A, Times and number of examinations, sub 1, of the Teaching and Examination Regulations.

Disclaimer: information may change depending on unforeseen circumstances or measures (see: TER Art 2, sub 5).