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Biomedical Engineering
Spring 2010

Course Overview

In this course, which is taught in English, students learn about example biomedical applications in the areas of electronic implants (ECG signal analysis for cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators) and electronic healthcare (breathing analysis for sleep apnea diagnosis and skin cancer detection). Students are then introduced to widely used signal and image processing software (MATLAB). In four projects, students will apply their knowledge to practical and interesting biomedical signal and image processing problems:

• Heartbeat detection using electrical signals from the heart
• Detecting breathing rhythms
• Detecting skin changes in images
• Matching skin regions taken at different times

Course Goals

• Learn about applications in the areas of electronic implants and electronic healthcare
• Be able to develop simple biomedical signal/image processing and analysis algorithms with MATLAB
• Improve English comprehension skills

Course Requirements

• Some previous MATLAB (or Octave) experience is useful but not required.
• We use MATLAB in this course, i.e., students need to bring their notebook computers with MATLAB installed to every class. For more information (installation, useful commands, tips) refer to my MATLAB web page.
• Students do not have to buy a text book.
• Students have to hand in four written reports and take two exams (for further information see below).

Course Languages

• Lectures and all written material provided to the students will be mainly in English.
• Individual discussions during the programming exercises can be in English or German.
• Students can write in English, German, or French (reports, exams).

Course Location and Time

• Location: Room 509, Quellgasse 21, Biel
• Lecture time: Fridays, 14:20 - 15:55

News and Messages

• Sign up for the Swiss IEEE EMBS newsletter if you are interested in biomedical engineering events.

Course Dates, Topics, Files

The documents, animations, videos etc. on this page are copyright protected. They can be used for teaching purposes only. Please do not distribute them. Note: To access the following documents, a password is required.

01) February 26, 2010, CW 08
Electrical signals from the heart, pacemakers, defibrillators, detection of heartbeats, course overview
Files: presentation (updated on Feb. 27 with a few explanation slides with light blue frame), problem set

xx) March 5, 2010, CW 09
Excursion to Burgdorf to attend the innovation award ceremony

02) March 12, 2010, CW 10
Application 1 (heartbeat detection): programming exercise
Files: problem set (see Problem Set 3 below for tips and corrections), ecg_simple.mat, ecg_lukas.mat, report template

03) March 19, 2010, CW 11
Application 1 continued: programming exercise
Files: problem set

04) March 26, 2010, CW 12
Application 1 continued: problem set discussion, programming exercise
Files: zip archive

xx) April 2, 2010, CW 13
No class due to Good Friday

05) April 9, 2010, CW 14
Application 1 continued: programming exercise

06) April 16, 2010, CW 15
Introduction to application 2 (respiratory signal analysis); programming exercise
Files: presentation, problem set, zip archive

07) April 23, 2010, CW 16
Midterm exam; programming project 2 continued (voluntary problems)

08) April 30, 2010, CW 17
Introduction to images, image processing, and image analysis
Application 3 (moving a mouth to the correct location in a face image): programming exercise
Files: presentation, problem set, woman.bmp, mouth.bmp

09) May 7, 2010, CW 18
Mini exam (not graded)
Application 3 continued: programming exercise
Files: problem set, mole1.bmp, mole2.bmp

xx) May 14, 2010, CW 19
No class

10) May 21, 2010, CW 20
Application 3 continued: programming exercise

11) May 28, 2010, CW 21
Application 4 (matching corresponding skin images taken at different times)
Files: zip archive with problem set and mole images, slides about cross correlation

12) June 4, 2010, CW 22
Excursion: BME Day

13) June 11, 2010, CW 23
Final exam
Classification
Files: presentation

Project Reports

• Four reports are required.
• A report template can be found here.
• Each report can be done by one student or two students together; groups of three or more are not allowed.
• Deadlines:
  • Report 1 due March 26, 2010
  • Report 2 due April 23, 2010
  • Report 3 due May 28, 2010
  • Report 4 due June 11, 2010
• For each report, 0, 1, or 2 points are given.
  • If a report is handed in after the corresponding deadline without prior arrangement or medical certificate, one point will be subtracted.
• Each report counts for 5 % of the overall grade.
• Finally, here is a not so serious guide on how to write a report.

Exams

• There will be two written exams. No aids are allowed.
• The exam questions will be in English.
• Students can write in English, German, or French.
• Each exam counts for 40 % of the overall grade.
• Relevant for the exams are:
  • Topics covered in class
  • Slides of the presentations
  • Problem sets
• Midterm exam:
  • Date: April 23, 2010, Time: 14:20-15:05
  • Relevant topics: week 1 ... week 6 (April 16, 2010)
• Final exam:
  • Date: June 11, 2010, Time: 14:20-15:05
  • Relevant topics: week 8 (April 30, 2010) ... week 11 (May 28, 2010)

Course Grading

Excursion to Burgdorf ("Burgdorfer Innopreis")

06/2010