Academics / Courses / DescriptionsCOMP_ENG 395, 495: Wearable Electronics
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Prerequisites
COMP_ENG 203, COMP_ENG 205 or COMP_SCI 213 are helpful but not requiredDescription
RECOMMENDED TEXT: TBD
TEACHING ASSISTANT: TBD
INSTRUCTOR: Simone Heo
COURSE OVERVIEW
From desktops to laptops to smartphones to smartwatches, computers are becoming smaller, faster, and cheaper. As smartphones are becoming ubiquitous pocket tools, body-worn electronics, or “wearables”, are sharply trending in the consumer market. Compared to bulky electronics, these miniaturized devices are designed to integrate with the human-body more seamlessly. While benchtop instruments offer complex functionality, they are stationary, expensive, and only provide intermittent services. Alternatively, wearables, for example, like Fitbits, can be worn throughout exercise or sleep to continuously service users.
In this course, we will firstly cover building blocks of these wearable sensors, including electronic components, sensing mechanisms, and communication protocols. The simplicity of design is one of the reasons wearables are widely available as consumer products. This is a hands-on course oriented around reconstructing some of the common wearable features.
Using a breadboard and a programmable board (nRF52832 dev-kit), students will build basic circuits for sensing signals like temperature, light, or pressure, as well as biometrics like heart rate, SpO2, or respiration rate. Labs involve assembling breadboards to flashing chips to collecting data to post-processing raw signals. In the final lab, students have the opportunity to creatively design and prototype their own wearable.
A primary bottleneck for further miniaturization of wearables is bulk of the battery that powers the device. The need to reduce battery size subsequently fueled research explorations in self- powered devices. In this course, lectures will secondly review energy-harvesting materials applied to such devices for converting biomechanical or ambient energy. In labs, students will experiment with energy harvesting components such as photovoltaics, piezoelectric or thermoelectric modules. At the end of this course, students should clearly understand how smart rings monitor vital signs using optoelectronic circuits and how credit cards make contactless payments via RF harvesting.
Over the last decade, the boom of wearable technology accelerated interesting research areas. Lastly, we will touch on topics in flexible electronics - an emerging platform for wearable electronics. Unlike traditional electronics that are rigid, flexible electronics have soft, stretchable, and bendable form-factor, much like our skin tissue. These devices are designed to minimize mechanical stress at the device/skin interface and allow for more comfortable feelings of wear, especially over long-term. Lectures will introduce forefront research related to design and development of flexible electronics, as well as prospects and challenges.
COURSE GOALS
When a student completes this course, s/he should be able to:
• Build simple sensing circuits on a breadboard.
• Flash customized programs onto a SOC.
• Explain circuits and detection mechanisms of optoelectronics devices for PPG.
• Collect sensor data, analyze, and extrapolate personal biometrics from raw signals.
• Apply energy-harvesting materials to convert biomechanical or ambient energy.
LAB PROJECTS
Labs are conducted in teams of four or five students. Students will build breadboard circuits and program hardware architecture to realize various sensing features in wearables. Template codes are provided such that students are able to flash an nRF board without extensive coding knowledge. Students will wirelessly collect sensor data and synthesize code for analyzing raw data. For the final project, students have the opportunity to design and create their own wearable electronic.
COMPUTER USAGE
A computer set-up with proper SDK is needed and will be made accessible in lab CG10. VS Code will be used for nRF development. MATLAB or any other computing program of choice like Python or Mathematica are used for post-processing raw data, analysis, and plotting. An Android phone will be provided and used to collect data via Bluetooth.
GRADING
Grading is team-based (except team participation), and is composed of the following:
• 30% lab report (3x)
• 20% Proposal Report + Presentation
• 40% Final Report + Presentation
• 10% Team Participation
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week 1:
· Lecture 1: Introduction to wearable electronics
· Lab 1: Flash Template code on nRF52 DK
Week 2:
· Lecture 2: Wheatstone bridge
· Lab 2: Develop an ambient sensor
Week 3:
· Lecture 3: Optoelectronic sensors
· Lab 3a: Develop a PPG monitor
Week 4:
· Presentation of student proposals
· Lab 3b: Collect/analyze personal PPG
Week 5:
· Lecture 4: Energy-harvesting materials
· Lab 4: Harvest biomechanical or ambient energy
Week 6:
· Lecture 5: NFC devices
· Lecture 6: Soft, Flexible Electronics
Week 7-10:
· Final Project
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Students in this course are required to comply with the policies found in the booklet, "Academic Integrity at Northwestern University: A Basic Guide". All papers submitted for credit in this course must be submitted electronically unless otherwise instructed by the professor. Your written work may be tested for plagiarized content. For details regarding academic integrity at Northwestern, please view or download the guide.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
Northwestern University is committed to providing the most accessible learning environment as possible for students with disabilities. Should you anticipate or experience disability-related barriers in the academic setting, please contact AccessibleNU to move forward with the university’s established accommodation process (e: accessiblenu@northwestern.edu; p: 847-467-5530). If you already have established accommodations with AccessibleNU, please let me know as soon as possible, preferably within the first two weeks of the term, so we can work together to implement your disability accommodations. Disability information, including academic accommodations, is confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
EXCEPTIONS TO CLASS MODALITY
Class sessions for this course will occur in person. Individual students will not be granted permission to attend remotely except as the result of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation as determined by AccessibleNU.
Maintaining the health of the community remains our priority. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID do not attend class and update your Symptom Tracker application right away to connect with Northwestern’s Case Management Team for guidance on next steps. Also contact the instructor as soon as possible to arrange to complete coursework.
Students who experience a personal emergency should contact the instructor as soon as possible to arrange to complete coursework. Should public health recommendations prevent in person class from being held on a given day, the instructor or the university will notify students.
CLASS RECORDINGS
This class or portions of this class will be recorded by the instructor for educational purpose and available to the class during the quarter. Your instructor will communicate how you can access the recordings. Portions of the course that contain images, questions or commentary/discussion by students will be edited out of any recordings that are saved beyond the current term.
PROHIBITION OF CLASS RECORDINGS BY STUDENTS
Unauthorized student recording of classroom or other academic activities (including advising sessions or office hours) is prohibited. Unauthorized recording is unethical and may also be a violation of University policy and state law. Students requesting the use of assistive technology as an accommodation should contact AccessibleNU. Unauthorized use of classroom recordings – including distributing or posting them – is also prohibited. Under the University’s Copyright Policy, faculty own the copyright to instructional materials – including those resources created specifically for the purposes of instruction, such as syllabi, lectures and lecture notes, and presentations. Students cannot copy, reproduce, display, or distribute these materials. Students who engage in unauthorized recording, unauthorized use of a recording, or unauthorized distribution of instructional materials will be referred to the appropriate University office for follow-up.
SUPPORT FOR WELLNESS & MENTAL HEALTH
Northwestern University is committed to supporting the wellness of our students. Student Affairs has multiple resources to support student wellness and mental health. If you are feeling distressed or overwhelmed, please reach out for help. Students can access confidential resources through the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) and the Center for Awareness, Response and Education (CARE).
Syllabus