Courses (2024-25)

This Product Design class focuses on people with Disabilities and is done in collaboration with Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. Students visit the Center to define products based upon actual stated and observed needs. Designs and testing are done in collaboration with Rancho associates. Speakers include people with assistive needs, therapists and researchers. Classes teach normative design methodologies as adapted for this special area. Not offered 2024-25.

Analysis and design of analog circuits at the transistor level. Emphasis on design-oriented analysis, quantitative performance measures, and practical circuit limitations. Circuit performance evaluated by hand calculations and computer simulations. Recommended for juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Topics include: review of physics of bipolar and MOS transistors, low-frequency behavior of single-stage and multistage amplifiers, current sources, active loads, differential amplifiers, operational amplifiers, high-frequency circuit analysis using time- and transfer constants, high-frequency response of amplifiers, feedback in electronic circuits, stability of feedback amplifiers, and noise in electronic circuits, and supply and temperature independent biasing. A number of the following topics will be covered each year: trans-linear circuits, switched capacitor circuits, data conversion circuits (A/D and D/A), continuous-time Gm.C filters, phase locked loops, oscillators, and modulators.

The course will cover various electro-optical phenomena and devices in the micro-/nano-scales. We will discuss basic properties of light, imaging, aberrations, eyes, detectors, lasers, micro-optical components and systems, scalar diffraction theory, interference/interferometers, holography, dielectric/plasmonic waveguides, and various Raman techniques. Topics may vary. Not offered 2024-25.

Introduction to selected topics in mixed-signal circuits and systems in highly scaled CMOS technologies. Design challenges and limitations in current and future technologies will be discussed through topics such as clocking (PLLs and DLLs), clock distribution networks, sampling circuits, high-speed transceivers, timing recovery techniques, equalization, monitor circuits, power delivery, and converters (A/D and D/A). A design project is an integral part of the course.

Study of programmable logic devices (FPGAs). Detailed study of the VHDL language, accompanied by tutorials of popular synthesis and simulation tools. Review of combinational circuits (both logic and arithmetic), followed by VHDL code for combinational circuits and corresponding FPGA-implemented designs. Review of sequential circuits, followed by VHDL code for sequential circuits and corresponding FPGA-implemented designs. Review of finite state machines, followed by VHDL code for state machines and corresponding FPGA-implemented designs. Final project. The course includes a wide selection of real-world projects, implemented and tested using FPGA boards. Not offered 2024-25.

Quick review of the VHDL language and RTL concepts. Dealing with sophisticated, multi-dimensional data types in VHDL. Dealing with multiple time domains. Transfer of control versus data between clock domains. Clock division and multiplication. Using PLLs. Dealing with global versus local and synchronous versus asynchronous resets. How to measure maximum speed in FPGAs (for both registered and unregistered circuits). The (often) hard task of time closure. The subtleties of the time behavior in state machines (a major source of errors in large, complex designs). Introduction to simulation. Construction of VHDL testbenches for automated testing. Dealing with files in simulation. All designs are physically implemented using FPGA boards. Not offered 2024-25.

This course will cover the basic principles of biological and medical imaging technologies including magnetic resonance, ultrasound, nuclear imaging, fluorescence, bioluminescence and photoacoustics, and the design of chemical and biological probes to obtain molecular information about living systems using these modalities. Topics will include nuclear spin behavior, sound wave propagation, radioactive decay, photon absorption and scattering, spatial encoding, image reconstruction, statistical analysis, and molecular contrast mechanisms. The design of molecular imaging agents for biomarker detection, cell tracking, and dynamic imaging of cellular signals will be analyzed in terms of detection limits, kinetics, and biological effects. Participants in the course will develop proposals for new molecular imaging agents for applications such as functional brain imaging, cancer diagnosis, and cell therapy. Not offered 2024-25.

This is a course for senior undergraduates and graduate students. This course provides a review for advanced medical neuromodulation devices based on multidisciplinary engineering principles. Emphasis will be on implantable neuromodulation devices for both neural recording and stimulation such as EKG, EEG, EMG, pacemakers, DBS, etc. Sub-topics include biomaterials, biocompatibility, medical electronics, and FDA regulation on medical devices. The course will focus on engineering fundamentals specific for neural applications. Lectures and assignments will emphasize the design aspects of various devices as well as up-to-date literature study. Not offered 2024-25.

New Frontiers of Medical Technologies is an introductory graduate level course that describes space technologies, instruments, and engineering techniques with current and potential applications in medicine. These technologies have been originally and mainly developed for space exploration. Spinoff applications to medicine have been explored and proven with various degrees of success and maturity. This class introduces these topics, the basics of the technologies, their intended original space applications, and the medical applications. Topics include but are not limited to multimodal imaging, UV/Visible/NIR imaging, imaging spectrometry, sensors, robotics, and navigation. Graded pass/fail. Not offered 2024-25.

Medical imaging technologies will be covered. Topics include X-ray radiography, X-ray computed tomography (CT), nuclear imaging (PET & SPECT), ultrasonic imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Not offered 2024-25.