Medical Electronics - BME 302L
Syllabus - 2010 Spring Semester
1. Basic Information
Course:
Place and time:
Laboratories:
Faculty:
Office:
Telephone
Email:
Office Hours:
Prerequisites:
Class web page:
Medical Electronics, BME 302L, 4 units
DRB 351, Tue-Thu: 8:00 am to 9:20 am
DRB 351, Mo: 9:00 am to 11:50 am
DRB 351, Mo: 1:00 pm to 3:50 pm
Jean-Michel I. Maarek, M.S. Ed., Dr. Eng.
Associate Professor of Engineering Practice
Denney Research Building (DRB), room 150 in BME suite
740 0346
maarek@usc.edu
Tue: 9:30 - 11:30 am (DRB 150) or by appointment
EE 200
https://blackboard.usc.edu (follow link to BME 302L web space)
2. Classroom policy
Electronic communication devices (phones, blackberries, and similar) must be turned off or
placed away during lectures and laboratories. You can check them at the break. Likewise, you
should not use instant messenger or similar chat programs during lectures or labs.
3. Course Goals, Learning Objectives, and relationship to BME Program Outcomes
3.1. Goals: The main goal of BME 302L is to introduce you to the analysis and design of analog
electronic circuits at the heart of all biomedical instruments. In the course, you will learn about
and practice with:
 Electronic functions: signal sensing, dc power generation, signal amplification, and signal
shaping. All medical instruments include circuits that perform all or some of these functions;
 Electronic components that are used to implement these functions in hardware. These include
biotransducers, diodes, bipolar junction transistors, and operational amplifiers.
Classroom meetings and laboratories expose the learners to the knowledge and skills that are
required to analyze, design, implement, and troubleshoot electronic circuits and applications
based on these functions and components.
3.2 Learning objectives and relationship to BME program outcomesi: After successfully
completing this course, you should be able to:
 Describe the basic electrical characteristics of resistive and capacitive medical transducers
(outcome a);
 Explain the operation of pn-junction diodes and zener diodes (outcome a);
 Analyze and design regulated dc power supplies using rectifier diodes and zener diodes
1









(outcomes a, c, e, and k);
Explain the operation of bipolar junction transistors (outcome a);
Analyze dc and ac circuits, including small-signal amplifiers and electronic switches built
with bipolar junction transistors (outcomes a, c, e, and k);
Explain the operation of the operational amplifier (outcome a);
Analyze and design single-ended amplifiers, comparators, active filters, instrumentation
amplifiers and oscillators built with operational amplifiers (outcomes a, c, e, and k);
Implement, test and troubleshoot the electronic circuits listed above in the laboratory using
bench instruments that include an oscilloscope, a digital multimeter, and a function generator
(outcomes b, and n);
Utilize the circuit simulation software MultiSim to analyze, design and troubleshoot
electronic circuits similar to those studied in class (outcomes b, c, and k)
Function and interact cooperatively and efficiently as a team member to complete laboratory
exercises and a class project (outcomes d, and f);
Prepare written reports and technical illustrations summarizing procedures, technical results
and interpretation of laboratory experiments and projects (outcome g);
Supplement through independent study of the course textbook, readings, and component data
sheets the presentations of the course material given in class (outcome i);
BME 302L strongly contributes to BME program outcomes a, b, c, e, and k, and
moderately to BME program outcomes d, f, g, i, and n.
4. Course Plan
The course plan detailed below reflects the course goal and the learning objectives.
"Lecture+discussion" sessions emphasize the development of analytical and design skills through
practice. Homework problems, laboratories, and a final project are planned to sharpen these
skills and extend them to tangible circuits. The class material is covered in the following
tentative order:
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Week 5:
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
Week 9:
Week 10:
Week 11:
Week 12:
Week 13:
Week 14:
Week 15:
Medical Transducers
Medical Transducers - PN Junction Diode
Diode Rectifiers
Zener and Light-Emitting Diodes – Bipolar Junction Transistor
Basic Transistor Circuits
Midterm 1 - Transistor Bias Circuits
Transistor Bias Circuits - Small-Signal Amplifiers - Common-Emitter Amplifiers
Common-Emitter Amplifiers
Common-Collector/Common-Base Amplifiers
Spring Break – No class
Cascaded Amplifiers
Midterm 2 - Operational Amplifier
Negative Feedback Circuits
Active Filters
Op-Amp Frequency Response - Comparators
2
Week 16:
Instrumentation and Specialized Amplifier Devices
Corresponding reading assignments are listed at the end of the syllabus.
5. Laboratories
A weekly laboratory offers students the ability to work hands-on with the components, the
circuits and the techniques of circuit analysis studied in the classroom. A complete biomedical
application (electrocardiograph front end amplifier or similar) is implemented as a course project
during the later part of the lab sessions. The first laboratory session will be on January 11, 2010 .
Students work in the laboratory alone or in teams of two (no groups of three). It is in
your best interest to stick to the same laboratory partner for the whole semester.
6. Teaching Team
Instructor:
Jean-Michel I. Maarek, M.S. Ed., Dr. Eng.
Room 150, Denney Research Building
Tel: 740 0346; Email: jmaarek@usc.edu
Teaching Assistant:
Eric Sohn; Email: wonjoons@usc.edu
7. Required Source Material
 Textbook: “Electronic Devices”, Eight Edition. Thomas L. Floyd; Prentice Hall, 2008.
 BME 302L Learning Guide: contains copy of all presentations that will be used in class as
well as practice and homework problems, selected readings, and all laboratory handouts. The
learning guide is available from the BME main office in DRB 140 for a photocopying fee.
You should bring the exact change to the Department for obtaining the notes.
8. Assessment
Learners are assessed based on their grades in two midterms, one final exam, laboratories, and
homework. The following schedule and percentages are used:
Assessment Procedure
Date
Proportion
Midterm 1
February 18 (Th)
13%
Midterm 2
April 1 (Th)
19%
In-class Final
May 12 (Wed; 8:00-10:00)
28%
Laboratory
Weekly
20%
Homework
Every other week
20%
3
8.1. Examinations: The two midterms and the final exam are closed book tests for which you are
only required to bring a calculator and a pen. The final covers the course material seen during the
entire semester (that is, it is a cumulative test). The three tests use the multiple choice format.
The midterms have 20 – 25 questions. The final has 35 – 40 questions. A mini-exam (vaccine)
will be held before each examination to familiarize the students with the material and format of
the upcoming examination.
Students who are not able to attend an examination (medical or other emergency) must
notify the instructor before the test (phone message at 740 0346 or email at maarek@.usc.edu).
8.2. Laboratory: Each laboratory grade consists of 20% for the pre-lab (individual grade), 40%
for laboratory performance (team grade; performance assessed by TA through questions), and
40% for the laboratory report (individual grade). To receive credit, the pre-lab must done before
the lab and shown to the teaching assistant at the beginning of the laboratory. The laboratory
report is handed in at the laboratory meeting that follows the experiment described in the report.
Late reports turned in during the week they are due will only receive 75% of the points they
would normally have received. Lab reports that are late by a week or more will not be accepted.
(Students receive a 0 on that part of the lab grade.)
Attendance of the laboratory is mandatory. We will take roll every week. If you must
miss a laboratory, you need to notify the instructor and the teaching assistant in advance by
email. Completion of all laboratories is required for completion of the course. Students who
miss a laboratory must take the necessary steps to complete the lab work on or before Friday
April 2, 2010.
The text of the project is handed in March. You should start working on the design of
your project as soon as it is handed in. The implementation and testing covers five laboratory
sessions. There is no weekly prelab or lab performance grade for the project. However, you will
be asked to prepare a short progress report due at the beginning of the implementation phase.
Your project grade will be based on the progress report, your circuit and its operation, and your
final report.
8.3. Homework: the homework consists of problems and exercises that test your understanding
of the material and help you prepare for the in-class exams. Homework will be handed out every
two weeks for a total of seven homework sets during the semester. A preview system discussed
in class will be used to maximize the benefit you will derive by doing the homework in terms of
learning.
Homework should be prepared on individual paper sheets (not torn from a notebook) and
written with an ink pen or ball pen. Each problem must start on a new page. On top of the page,
you must state in your own words what the problem is about and indicate the method that you
will use to solve the problem. Units must be indicated for all numerical results. All derivations
must be included with symbols before numbers are "plugged in".
Homework is due at the beginning of class on the day specified in class. Solutions to the
homework will be posted on the class web page a few days after the due date such that
4
homework that is more than two days late will not be accepted. (Students receive a 0 on that
particular homework assignment.)
8.4. Course grade: The course grade is computed based on the individual assessment grades
using the indicated percentages. The letter grade is assigned on a straight scale: 85% and above
leading to A, 70%-85% leading to B, etc. Pluses and minuses are assigned by dividing each
range in corresponding halves (A, A-) or thirds (B+, B, B-, C+, ...).
9. Policy against Cheating
All USC students are responsible for reading and following the Student Conduct Code, which
appears in the Scampus and at http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/goverance.
The USC Student Conduct Code prohibits plagiarism. Some examples of what is not allowed by
the conduct code: copying all or part of someone else’s work (by hand or by looking at others’
files, either secretly or if shown), and submitting it as your own; giving another student in the
class a copy of your assignment solution; consulting with another student during an exam;
modifying a graded assignment before asking for re-grading, letting your lab partner prepare the
report and expect a grade for their work. If you have questions about what is allowed, please
discuss it with the instructor.
The policy regarding incidental cheating for this course is the following: students found cheating
on a homework or laboratory assignment will not receive a grade on that assignment. Instead, the
points corresponding to the assignment will be reassigned to final exam. Repeat offenders will
expose themselves to the general University policy. Students who violate University standards of
academic integrity are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including failure in the course and
suspension from the University. Since dishonesty in any form harms the individual, other
students, and the University, policies on academic integrity will be strictly enforced. We expect
you to familiarize yourself with the Academic Integrity guidelines found in the current Scampus.
Violations of the Student Conduct Code will be filed with the Office of Student Conduct, and
appropriate sanctions will be given.
This policy does not apply to discussion, exchange of information, working together, etc. On the
contrary, we encourage that you consult with classmates regarding learning material and
homework assignments. Team projects require that you work with your team and assist your
partner as much as he or she assists you. However, for individual marks, it is required that you
prepare the final product by yourself and to the best of your possibilities; for group marks, it is
required that you bring in to the group as much as you take from the group.
10. Disability Policy Statement:
Any Student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register
with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for
approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to
me (or to TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30
a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
5
11. Resources
11.1. Web page: A class website will be setup on Backboard containing information about the
course: syllabus, laboratory handouts, grades, miscellaneous information about weekly class
activities, solution to the homework sets, and an email directory of all people in the class. Use it
as much as you find it useful. The web page can be accessed through the main stem
https://Blackboard.usc.edu.
11.2 Office Hours: The teaching assistants and I will hold office hours every week. This is for
your benefit and you should feel welcome to the office hours as much as you need assistance.
Time and location for my office hours are at the beginning of the syllabus. Those of the teaching
assistant will be decided with you in class. Both of us are available by email to help you as much
as you need.
12. Weekly Readings
To maximize the benefit of attending class, you must read the selected pages listed below before
coming to class. You should also look at the corresponding section of the learning guide.
Week Date
Topic
Textbook pages
1
Jan 14
Transducers
--
2
Jan 19
pn diodes
14-33
2
Jan 21
Diode rectifiers
45-52
3
Jan 26
Diode rectifiers
53-59
3
Jan 28 Filtered diode rectifiers – diode selection
4
Feb 2
Zeners and LEDs
106-121 + 126-136 + 145-147
4
Feb 4
Bipolar Junction Transistor
163-180
5
Feb 9
Basic BJT circuits
181-189
5
Feb 11
BJT packaging and troubleshooting
189-199
6
Feb 16
Transistor bias circuits – 1
216-228
6
Feb 18
--
7
Feb 23
Midterm 1
Transistor bias circuits – 2
229-242
7
Feb 25
Small signal amps
256-263
8
Mar 2
CE amplifier – 1
263-271
8
Mar 4
CE amplifier – 2
271-275
9
Mar 9
CC amplifier
276-282
9
Mar 11
CB amplifier
283-285
10 Mar 16
Spring break
--
10 Mar 18
Spring break
--
59-65 + 74-84
6
11 Mar 23
Cascaded amps
286-288 + 295-303
11 Mar 25
Conclusions – discrete devices
--
12 Mar 30
Op-amps
289-294 + 592-602
-502-615
12
Apr 1
13
Apr 6
Midterm 2
Negative Feedback
13
Apr 8
Active filters
755-764
14 Apr 13
Active filters
764-785
14 Apr 15
Comparators
657-669
15 Apr 20
Op-Amp frequency response
616-625
15 Apr 22
Instrumentations amplifiers
694-705
16 Apr 27
Specialized amplifiers
709-726
16 Apr 39
Conclusions
--
i
i
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Students completing the BME program should have
(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints
such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and
sustainability
(d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
(g) an ability to communicate effectively
(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic,
environmental, and societal context
(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues
(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
(l) an understanding of biology and physiology
(m) the capability to apply advanced mathematics (including differential equations and statistics), science,
and engineering to solve problems at the interface of engineering and biology
(n) an ability to make measurements on and interpret data from living systems
(o) an ability to address problems associated with the interaction between living and non-living materials
and systems
7