Low-Power High-Speed Wired Communication for Biomedical Sensing Applications

Overview

The demand for high-speed data communication is increasing in several biomedical sensing applications, including real-time physiological monitoring, neural interfaces, and high-resolution imaging. These applications generate large amounts of data that must be transmitted efficiently for real-time processing and analysis. However, traditional wired and wireless telemetry solutions often face significant power constraints, as they can be power-hungry due to signal conditioning, modulation, and transmission losses. Wireless transmission typically requires RF circuits and power amplification, while conventional wired solutions suffer from resistive and capacitive losses, limiting their energy efficiency.

Internship Scope 

This internship will explore an innovative wired data transmission technique designed to achieve high-speed communication while consuming lower power than conventional approaches. The objective is to perform a conceptual validation of this technique under laboratory conditions and to assess its feasibility for biomedical applications. An initial, promising proof of concept has already been achieved.

Key areas of investigation will include: 

• Achieving High Data Rates: Understanding the fundamental principles behind the proposed wired communication method and evaluating its data transmission potential. 

• Power Efficiency: Comparing power consumption with existing wired and wireless transmission methods to quantify potential energy savings. 

• PCB and Cable Considerations: Studying the electrical properties, material choices, and layout design required to support high-speed, low-power data transmission.

Expected Outcomes 

• A proof-of-concept demonstration of the proposed low-power wired data transmission method. 

• Identification of design constraints and requirements for cables and PCB layouts to sustain high data rates. 

• Comparative analysis of power consumption and signal integrity versus conventional wired/wireless approaches. 

This internship provides an opportunity to work at the intersection of biomedical electronics, high-speed communication, and low-power system design, making it ideal for students with interests in electronic circuit design, signal processing, and biomedical engineering. 

Required skills: 

• Good understanding of electronics, including analog and digital circuit design.
• Good experience with FPGA programming (VHDL) 

• Good experience with PCB design and layout 

• Proficiency in microcontroller programming (e.g., C/C++) 

• Experience with signal processing and debugging tools, such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and spectrum analyzers. 

• Strong problem-solving skills
• Eagerness to learn and innovate