BIMST17-Soft Technologies

Module Provider: School of Biological Sciences
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: BI1EE17 Electronics BI3BT17 Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Yoshikatsu Hayashi
Email: y.hayashi@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module provides functional and practical understanding of soft technology.  

Aims:

The aim of this module is to introduce students to technologies that capitalize on the recent advancements of soft material science. Two main areas will be examined: soft and flexible electrode that are used as implants and soft robotics, used in biomimicry and assistive robotics.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students should be able to critically evaluate different protocols both for soft electrode and soft robotics based on active materials. Students are expected to identify and employ the literature to assess which technologies are best suited to biomimicry and assistive robotics. At module completion students will have a functional and practical understanding of soft technology and acquired training to produce the soft modules for experiments. 

Additional outcomes:

Students will also possess knowledge of the state of art in soft technology including its application.

Outline content:

Flexible electronics is an active and emerging research area, with extended applications in medicine. We will examine fabrication protocols based on soft elastomers (silicone), conductive polymers (PEDOT:PSS) and hydrogels. Case studies of implantations will be presented and nervous system recordings and stimulation will be examined.

Soft robotics is currently an active area of research as soft actuators are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The field of soft robotics originates from mimicking the biological principles and ‘soft ’ and adaptive nature of living systems. In its application, the compliant structure of soft robots allows novel motion and grasping tasks that are difficult to implement with rigid parts. These robots are considered soft due to their intrinsic property: the materials from which they are made are compliant and resilient.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		4
Practicals classes and workshops		16
Guided independent study:		80
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Report 10 to 15 pages, however, appendix (unlimited words) can be used to describe the technical details such us codes and raw dataset - 100%

Submission by the end of the third week in April.

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 'Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes', which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
50%

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of the report

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 30 March 2023