CODE 106740 ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026 CREDITS 6 cfu anno 2 BIOENGINEERING 11159 (LM-21) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR ING-INF/06 LANGUAGE English TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER 1° Semester TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB OVERVIEW Our senses are the main means through which we perceive, understand, interact with and react to our environment. Consequently, sensory disabilities are a serious challenge that impacts all levels of physical and social functioning. The impaired brain is often difficult to restore, owing to our limited knowledge of the complex nervous system. Accumulating knowledge in systems neuroscience, combined with the development of innovative technologies, may enable brain restoration in patients with nervous system disorders that are currently untreatable. This course will explore how bioengineering techniques and principles are applied to understand and model sensory systems. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES L’insegnamento intende mostrare come I nostri sensi interagiscono e come sia possibile usare l'integrazione multisensoriale per monitorare il corretto funzionamento del nostro cervello e come sia possibile riabilitare/aumentare/recuperare le abilità sensoriali perse. Il corso mostrerà agli studenti come le attuali tecnologie e le conoscenze sui meccanismi sensoriali possano 1) aiutare, potenziare, educare il corretto sviluppo delle facoltà sensoriali, 2) riabilitare i deficit sensoriali, 3) assistere la diagnosi di disfunzioni sensoriali 4) permettere una diagnosi precoce di patologie degenerative. AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES Firstly, the course will cover the scientific bases, technologies, and chronic viability of emerging neurosensory prosthetic devices. Secondly, the course will discuss recent progress in neuromorphic engineering, where neuromorphic sensors and sensory systems have made the greatest strides in recent years with many electronic able to mimic the human sensory systems, and subsequent sensor processing. Thirdly, the course aims to show how our senses interact and how it is possible to use multisensory integration to monitor the proper functioning of our brain and how it is possible to rehabilitate/increase/recover lost sensory abilities. The course will be composed of lectures, working-code examples, and hands-on session At the end the student will be able to: Understand the main technological solutions to realize prosthetic systems capable of achieving the partial recovery of sensory functions Know the main technological solutions to realize artificial neuromorphic systems Know the main techniques of transduction, coding, and processing of sensory signals Describe the basics of sensory coding and how it can be used to produce artificial systems capable of emulating human sensory systems. Knowing how current technologies and knowledge about sensory mechanisms can 1) help, empower, educate the proper development of sensory faculties, 2) rehabilitate sensory deficits, 3) assist in the diagnosis of sensory dysfunctions Understanding the principles of multisensory integration and how it can be used to rehabilitate sensory deficits PREREQUISITES Programming Matlab and C++/C#, basics of neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, physics, mathematics TEACHING METHODS Frontal lectures both in classical and flipped-class mode. Problem based learning with projects to be carried out independently in working groups. SYLLABUS/CONTENT Neurosensory prostheses Visual prostheses Audio prostheses Vestibular prostheses Neuromorphic engineering Neuromorphic retina Neuromorphic ear Neuromorphic nose Neuromorphic skin Sensory substitution and augmentation Audio for vision Vision for audio Touch for vision Touch for audio Bases of Multisensory integration RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY Teaching material provided by teacher TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD ANDREA CANESSA Ricevimento: on demand, by e-mail contact at: andrea.canessa@unige.it Teacher office: via All’Opera Pia 13, building E, second floor. Office direct phone number: 010-3532789 LESSONS LESSONS START as officially scheduled Class schedule The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION The exam is composed of Project assignments (group work) and an Oral exam. Students will self-organise in small groups and these groups will participate in several activities during the semester. Each assignment will be evaluated for its completeness and overall quality. ASSESSMENT METHODS The learning outcomes will be assessed during the oral exam and in the group-based assignments.
