Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding:
Basic knowledge on health and wellbeing technologies. Participatory design skills.
Applying knowledge and understanding: being able to develop autonomously the basic design of a digital system for health and wellbeing applications.
Making judgements: evaluating different design options and making choices based on functional and performance specification.
Communication skills: being able to communicate in effective and concise fashion one’s own design activity, also in a team-working environment.
Course unit content
Application of Information Technologies to health management, wellbeing and independent life
Full programme
Introduction and motivation (2 h)
Selected topics on human anatomy and physiology: (8h)
- cardiovascular system.
- heart: function and features.
- neural system
- immune system.
Sensing techniques (6h)
- Biosignals: classification and main features.
- Biopotentials: action potentials.
- Heartrate: main main measuring techniques and automated techniques.
- Blood flow and blood pressure: main measuring techniques and automated techniques.
- Respiration rate: main main measuring techniques and automated techniques.
- Physical sensors exploited in health application: mechanical, optical, electromagnetic, thermal, etc.
- Biosensors: coupling between bioelements (enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids, etc.) and transducers (potential, current, temperature, etc.)
- Ion-sensitive devices: ISFET, CNT-FET, .
- Lab-on-chip: overview on microfluidics systems.
Monitoring heart activity (6h)
- Electrocardiography, - phonocardiography, imaging techniques (echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance),
- mechanical sensing (seismocardiography, ballistocardiography), photopletysmography.
-Algorhithms for heart rate estimate
- Pacemakers and ICD
Perspectives: (2h)
- Telemedicine, e-health and m-health
- Well-being, long-term monitoring and prevention. Population ageing and active and healthy ageing.
- User-centered design.
Topical seminars (research, industry). (4h)
Project work (16h): individual/teamwork activity, aimed at more in-depth discussion of a course topic of choice and possibly including some practical lab activity (e.g., heart-rate monitor design).
Bibliography
Lecture notes, slides, scientific literature.
Teaching methods
The course includes:
- Oral lessons
- Lab work, aimed at mastering advanced analytics techniques for health and wellbeing data
- seminars and expert contributions
Assessment methods and criteria
The final examination consists of two parts: oral examination and project work discussion (group presentation, if needed).
Oral examination is carried out individually and is related to theoretical topics included in the program. Both parts have similar weight in the final marks assessment.
Other information
Course material at http://elly.dia.unipr.it/
