04-Bio-A8: May 2014

Paper format: National Exams, May 2014 — 04-Bio-A8 Biophysical Measurements. Three hours, open book, any non-communicating calculator. Seven questions of equal value (20 marks each); five constitute a complete paper and only the first five appearing in the answer book are marked. All seven are solved here, because this set is a study resource rather than an examination script. Every question is qualitative/descriptive — there is no numerical data to compute — so each answer follows flowing prose with instrumentation block diagrams where the question explicitly asks for one.

Reference texts (the books an open-book candidate should have on the desk for this subject):

• J. G. Webster (ed.), Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design, 5th ed. — ch. 4 (bioelectric amplifiers), ch. 5 (electrodes), ch. 8 (cardiovascular instrumentation & impedance plethysmography), ch. 9 (respiration), ch. 11 (evoked-potential and neurophysiological instrumentation), ch. 12 (ultrasound imaging), ch. 10/pulse-oximetry supplements.
• J. Enderle & J. Bronzino, Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, 4th ed. — ch. 3 (bioelectric phenomena, Hodgkin–Huxley membrane model), ch. 9 (biomedical sensors), ch. 10 (biosignal processing).
• IEC 60601-1 / 60601-2-31, Medical electrical equipment — particular requirements for pacemaker safety; Health Canada Medical Devices Regulations (SOR/98-282) for the Canadian regulatory frame on implantable and diagnostic devices discussed below.

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