ELVE3510 Biomedical Instrumentations Course description

Basic knowledge of and methods for measuring medical signals, sensors and medical devices, including technical medical safety and protocols. After completing the course, the students will be able to understand the design and safety of the most important medical instrumentations that are used in diagnostics, monitoring, and treatment of patients.

The course builds on ELTS2100 Electronics. 

No requirements over and above the admission requirements.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student will learn about the role of a medical technical engineer and about medical technical safety and electrical safety requirements and protocols for medical technical equipment (IEC60601 and IEC62351). The student will also learn about the technical background for the classification of medical instruments used in diagnostics or treatment.

After completing the course, the student is expected to:

• understand bio-instrumentation relating to bio-electrical signals such as ECG, EMG, EEG etc.
• be able to explain the basic measurement technique behind biomedical sensors or vital sign monitoring parameters such as oxygen, oxygen saturation, blood pressure or temperature
• have knowledge of treatment equipment such as "heart-lung" machines, defibrillators, ventilators, dialysis and infusion pumps, diathermy and surgical cutting tools

Skills

The student is capable of

• classifying and explaining the functioning and components of diagnostic and treatment equipment, and discussing medical technical safety for the instrument in question
• using their knowledge to design electronic circuits that meet requirements for medical technical instruments in accordance with IEC60601

General competence

The student is capable of:

• discussing and describing the design of treatment equipment and monitoring instruments in light of safety requirements and regulations relating to medical technical equipment

Lectures and practical semester project. The students work both individually and in groups. The groups normally comprise 3-4 students.

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can attend the exam:

• Semester project in a group of 3-4 students. A report max 5000 words (without references). The total working load will be approx. 60 hours per student. 

Individual written exam under supervision, 3 hours.

The exam result can be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, an oral examination may be used instead. In case an oral exam is used, the examination result cannot be appealed.

A maximum of 15 pages project report, and an approved handheld calculator that cannot be used for wireless communication or to perform symbolic calculations. If the calculator’s internal memory can store data, the memory must be deleted before the exam. Random checks may be carried out.

Grade scale A-F.

One internal examiner. External examiners are used regularly.

Olga Korostynska