Learn to measure, interpret and influence physiological signals of the human body in order to develop technological solutions for health problems in which physiological systems are dysfunctional.
Can you predict the chances of a coma patient’s recovery by measuring brain signals? What does it take to prevent elderly people with reduced balance and muscle strength from falling by giving them a warning sign? And how can you get insight into the pain system of people with chronic pain, in order to come up with effective treatment methods? To be able to answer any of these questions, you will need an in-depth understanding of the human physiological systems. If you’re eager to develop technological solutions for the prediction, diagnosis, therapy and/or prevention of health problems in which human physiological systems are dysfunctional (due to e.g. trauma or disease), the specialisation in Physiological Signals & Systems is the right choice for you.
Biomedical engineers specialised in physiological signals and systems have unique technological expertise in monitoring, evaluation and modulating key functions of the human body, inside and outside the hospital.
Within this specialisation, you will become skilled in measuring – and influencing – physiological signals of the human body in order to monitor body functions, measure the impact of (chronic) illness or trauma as well as the effect of treatment or a healthy lifestyle on physiological functions. You will deepen your understanding of the physical principles of electricity, magnetism, mechanics and fluids, as well as the anatomy and physiology of human functional systems of interest. These systems include the central nervous system, the cardiopulmonary system, the endocrine system and the human movement system.
There’s a great variety of relevant and often complex challenges you can aim to solve within this specialisation. You might contribute to the development of deep brain stimulation techniques to treat tremor in people with Parkinson’s disease, detect sleep apnoea by monitoring a person’s breathing and oxygen levels, or come up with a solution to measure vital signs in daily life, using as few sensors as possible, for privacy and comfort reasons. Or what about minimising brain damage after a stroke? Your expertise enables you to translate new concepts into prototypes of medical devices, procedures or services that can be used in clinical practice or daily life for monitoring or restoration of physiological systems functionality and/or for supporting healthy behaviour and lifestyle. In fact; your work will be highly relevant for neurologists and neurosurgeons who will eventually use the technologies you have engineered. And more than impacting clinical practice, your work will improve the quality of life of people with chronic diseases or disabilities.
For the specialisation in Physiological Signals & Systems a strong foundation of Laplace, Fourier (in particular control systems), differential equations, signal analysis, control engineering, system differential equations, medical electronics, and neurophysiology is essential. Additional knowledge on Gauss and Stokes, network analysis, and sensors is not required but preferred. These examples provide insight into the types of background knowledge we typically expect from applicants. They are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a formal admission requirement or a guarantee of acceptance.
In this specialisation, you focus on understanding and modelling physiological systems through signals and mathematical representations. You learn how physiological data can be used to monitor, interpret, and influence health and disease.
After completing this Master’s specialisation, you:
After successfully finishing this Master’s specialisation, you:
Is this specialisation not exactly what you’re looking for? Maybe one of the other specialisations suits you better. Or find out more about related Master’s: