Mixed Signal Electronics in Neuroengineering

After completion of the module students are able to understand the physical principles of functional neuroelectronic interfaces. Furthermore, they will know available tools to create efficient soft and flexible neuroelectronic interfaces and apply them in the scope of advanced electrical and electrochemical recording and stimulation techniques. They can evaluate and design appropriate methods for diverse application scenarios.

This course covers topics related to the interaction between neural tissue and the tools that are used to record from or stimulate them. Starting with concepts of device-tissue interactions and the electrochemistry of the electrode-electrolyte interface we will proceed with optimization strategies for sensing and stimulation applications. The class provides an overview of the main components of a complete neural hardware system comprising bioelectronic recording/stimulation interfaces as well as relevant processing circuitry. The course will also address state-of-the-art methods for the design and fabrication of soft and flexible neuroelectronic interfaces and processing hardware for noisy neural recordings including pre-processing (analog low-noise amplifiers and bandpass filters), and application-specific hardware (analog/digital/mixed signal), which is implemented either in an implantable system or external components. Furthermore, stimulation with micro-currents will be discussed and how to use such systems while minimizing negative chronic effects.

Systems that can process analog and digital signals are introduced during the lectures with a short review of the relevant basic electronic concepts. They are applied and analyzed to understand principle functionality during the exercise. Building on such principles, students implement and use hardware for recordings and/or stimulation experiments with different design options during the lab course.

During a written exam (90 min), students will be asked to describe multiple tools available for neuronal interfaces and need to identify advantages and disadvantages of those tools. They will be asked to derive and describe the physical mechanisms dominating the functionality of bioelectronic interfaces and to design or analyze recording and stimulation settings for a particular scenario.

N. Aryan, Stimulation and Recording Electrodes for Neural Prostheses (2014), Springer, ISBN 978-3319100517 H. Rong, Multichannel Neural Recording for Implantable Neuroprosthetics (2011), LAP Lambert, ISBN 978-3844398946 Horowitz & Hill: The Art of Electronics, ISBN 0-521-37095-7 D. Johnston & S.M. Wu: Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology