Special Studies

(1-5 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course provides students with an opportunity to pursue specialized studies in electrial engineering while studying abroad after obtaining prior approval from the Department of Electrical Engineering. The specific content varies with each student, and here are examples of the studies accommodated by this course: This course introduces the measurement of biopotentials (principally the electrocardiograph or ECG) and the non-invasive probing of the body firstly to measure respiration, oxygen saturation and blood pressure, and then with X-ray or ultrasound energy for imaging of body organs. This unit examines current and emerging semiconductor materials, devices and technologies for high-speed electronic and optoelectronic applications. It examines the major semiconductor families and reviews their material properties with reference to the requirements for electronic and optoelectronic devices. The device structures to be studied include heterojunction bipolar transistors and various field-effect transistor technologies. Students are able to (1) explain the direct link between fundamental semiconductor materials properties and successful electronic and optoelectronic device technologies; (2) design and optimise both bipolar and field-effect transistors for high-speed applications; and (3) apply advanced modelling to predict semiconductor device performance for industry applications. This module covers the fundamental principles of measurement andinstrumentation as applied in biomedical device design. The vast majority of medical devices that serve diverse diagnostic and therapeutic functions are based on a single core design framework, involving a) transduction of key physiological variables into electrical signals, b) conditioning of those signals, and c) forging output variables that readily guide medical decisions. The goal of this module is to provide the theoretical and practical foundations that will enable students to tackle bioinstrumentation design problems within this framework. Dublin, Ireland (IR): This module provides an introduction to the subject area of biomedical engineering and exposes students to sub-disciplines within this field. The module introduces students to basic principles of physiology, biomechanics, medical devices, tissue engineering, biomedical sensors, electrophysiology and clinical engineering. The teaching of the module will comprise lectures inspired by the biomedical Engineering research carried on in the UCD College of Engineering and Archiecture. The module will provide students with an understanding of the fundamental principles that underlie biomedical engineering design and analysis procedures and will present examples of practical problem solving across different areas of biomedical engineering. Dublin, Ireland (IR)- Rehabilitation Engineering This module introduces students to the field of Rehabilitation Engineering. Students will learn about the principles underpinning Rehabilitation Engineering through a mixture of lectures, assignements, and practical exercises. The course will consist of 24 lectures spanning 12 weeks and additional laboratory time. Students will be based in UCD, Belfield and the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Trinity College, Dublin (IT): The aim of the module is to introduce students to the theory and applications of telecommunication systems. Topics covered in this module include an introduction to random processes, information theory, data compression, error control coding algorithms and modulation schemes. Tsinghua Univ- Beijing, China (TB) An introduction to solid-state electronic devices, presenting the basis of semiconductor materials, conduction processes in solids, and other physical phenomena fundamental to the understanding of transistors, optoelectronic devices, and silicon integrated circuit technology. Tsinghua Univ- Beijing, China (TB) - Intelligent Robot: Exploration and Practice: This course provides a systematic guide to the full-stack development of an intelligent robotic dog. It starts with the fundamentals, covering the setup of Python and Ubuntu environments and the mastery of core Robot Operating System (ROS2) communication mechanisms, including topics, services, and actions. Through hands-on practice, students will progressively implement key applications such as sensor-based autonomous obstacle avoidance, object detection and tracking using computer vision (OpenCV), and environment mapping and autonomous navigation with SLAM technology. The course culminates in a comprehensive team-based challenge, requiring students to integrate all acquired skills to complete a complex, collaborative mission, effectively transforming theoretical knowledge into practical engineering capabilities.