​Concentration Description:

This interdisciplinary concentration merges two fields: biology and electronics. Bioelectronics and sensor as a field is considered a major contributor to the advances in the medical field. Examples of bioelectronics applications include electrocardiographs (ECG), electroencephalograph (EEG), cochlear implants, cardiac peacemaker, blood glucose meter and blood pressure monitors.

This concentration is designed to equip the students with the fundamentals and concepts necessary for them to understand, design and implement a complete bioelectronics system. Topics covered in this concertation include cell biology, bioelectricity, physical operation and micro/nanofabrication techniques of biosensors, analogy front end conditioning techniques for biosignals. Students are also introduced to embedded systems programming and interfacing.

Eligibility:

• Junior EE and CIE Students are eligible to enroll in this concentration.
• A student of other majors can enroll in this concentration if he\she fulfils the prerequisite requirements of all concentration courses.

Courses:

BIO475: Cell Biology and Bioelectricity (3-0-3) [Pre-requisite: Junior Standing]

EE427: Bioelectronics (3-0-3). [Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE234 or EE236]

EE439: Micro\Nanotechnology and Biosensing. (3-0-3) [Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE234 or EE236]

COE450: Introduction to Smart Systems. (3-0-3) [Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE236]

Course Description:

BIO475: Cell Biology and Bioelectricity (3-0-3). Pre-requisite: Junior Standing

Fundamentals of cell biology, biomolecules, cell structure and function, enzymes and metabolism, respiration and photosynthesis, cell division and cell death, flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein, bioelectric signals in the cell, Ion channels, membrane and action potential, brain, heart and neuro-muscular system physiology in relation with bioelectric signals and their propagation, sensory processes in animal involving stimuli, sensor-reception, electrical signal and brain processing, and examples of bioelectricity in other organisms.

EE427: Bioelectronics (3-0-3). Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE234 or EE236

Basics of bioelectronics, measurement constraints, and biostatistics. Displacement measurement: resistive sensors, inductive sensors, capacitive sensors. Operation of various sensors: PZT, temperature, and optical sensors. Conditioning circuits for biosignals. Design examples of physiological signals and their measurements. Use of CAD tools in bioelectronics system design.

EE439: Micro\Nanotechnology and Biosensing (3-0-3). Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE234 or EE236

Introduction to microfabrication and characterization techniques (etching, photolithography, deposition, thermal processes, SEM, TEM, AFM, XRD). CMOS manufacturing from old to current technologies. Introduction to Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and BioMEMS. Biosensors' fundamentals and applications. Nanotechnology and Bio-nanotechnology. Emerging technologies in Bioelectronics (Wearable electronics for Healthcare applications, Microbial Fuel Cells, etc.).

COE450: Introduction to Smart Systems (3-0-3). Pre-requisite: EE203 or EE236

Introduction to smart systems. Sensors and actuators: working principles, classifications, performance, characteristics, interfacing with feedback control, and data acquisition. Embedded systems: architecture, types, and interfacing. Real-time operating systems: components, requirements, configuration, and scheduling. Embedded software: development, software stack, hardware abstraction, and tools. Power management and energy harvesting for embedded systems.

For more information about this program, please contact the program coordinator Dr. Yaqub Mahnashi (ymahnashi@kfupm.edu.sa)