Course syllabus for Neural engineering

Course syllabus adopted 2022-02-17 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameNeuroteknik
  • CodeEEN185
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKMED
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyBiomedical engineering
  • DepartmentELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 73112
  • Maximum participants80
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0122 Examination 3.5 c
Grading: TH		0 c0 c3.5 c0 c0 c0 c
0222 Project 4 c
Grading: UG		0 c0 c4 c0 c0 c0 c

In programmes

Examiner

Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

EEN085 Medicine for engineers, EEN160 Biomedical instrumentation.

Aim

The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to neural engineering, which entails manipulating and interfacing with the nervous system. Important subjects of neural engineering such as human/machine interfacing, bioelectric signals and restoration of sensorimotor impairments will be covered. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical application and functional restoration of people with neuromuscular impairments.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

1.    Explain why we interface humans with machines – Relate how we sense input and control output in a healthy body and contrast this in an impaired body.
2.    Define what neural human/machine interfaces are and describe their differing requirements and limitations.
3.    Describe how to interface humans with machines by implanting sensors and using them to stimulate the body.
4.    Show how to record, measure and process bioelectric signals.
5.    Apply machine learning techniques on bioelectric signals.
6.    Demonstrate control of a system, such as a prosthetic limb or a virtual avatar, using bioelectric signals.
7.    Discuss how to restore sensorimotor impairments, for example how to interface a prosthetic hand with an individual who has lost a hand.
8.    Evaluate how to design a neural human machine interface (implantable electrodes predominantly).
9.    Work in a structured way together in groups and document planning and progress.

Content

The course contains basic information about the field of neural engineering and will teach students how a machine can be interfaced with a human in a manner that replaces, enhances, augments or restores the human. The following categories will be covered:

⦁    Anatomy and physiology of the sensorimotor system
⦁    Human Machine Interfaces
⦁    Sensors + bioelectric signals
⦁    Neuroprosthetics
⦁    Neurorehabilitation
⦁    Designing neural interfaces

Organisation

The teaching is given in the form of lectures / demonstrations / laboratory work / projects in small groups. Laboratory work will be in groups where each group will measure, record and process bioelectric signals to control a physical or virtual system. Project work will be delivered as a group as well as an individual report; more detailed information will be given on the course website before the start of the course.

Literature

Horch, K. W. & Dillon G. S. (2017). Neuroprosthetics: Theory and practice: Second edition. In Neuroprosthetics: Theory and Practice: Second Edition. https://doi.org/10.1142/10368

Examination including compulsory elements

The course is examined with a written exam at the end of the course. The project is examined by the solution the group provides as well as on the quality of the individual reports. The final grade for each student is set by weighing together grades from the exam and the project work. Detailed information about the examination is given on the course website before the start of the course.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.