Circuits and Systems (BMEN30006)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
AIMS
This subject covers fundamental principles of electronic circuits, including how to design and analyse simple circuits, with example applications to biomedical problems. Also covered is biosignal analysis, in which students are taught the fundamentals of signal processing, including how to build simple signal models of a biological system, and how to measure and analyse system performance.
In the laboratories, students will learn how to build and analyse simple electronic circuits, as well as how to simulate and measure biosignals. Students will learn about laboratory safety, team-work and measurement safety in an integrated way.
This subject is one of the subjects that define the Bioengineering Systems Major in the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedicine, and it is a core requirement for the Master of Biomedical Engineering. It provides a foundation for various subsequent subjects, including BMEN90002 Neural Information Processing and BMEN90021 Medical Imaging.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Topics include:
Basic principles of charge, current, Coulomb's law, electric fields and electrical energy, Kirchhoff's current law, Kirchhoff's voltage law, voltage and current division, node voltage analysis, mesh current analysis, Thévenin and Norton equivalent circuits, transient analysis of RC and RL circuits, steady-state analysis of RLC circuits, phasors and impedance, frequency domain models for signals and frequency response for systems, continuous-time and discrete-time Fourier transforms, frequency response, filtering, transfer functions, Z-transforms, Laplace transforms, poles and zeros, Bode plots, and the relationship to state-space representations.
This material is complemented using software tools (e.g., MATLAB) for computation and simulation, and practical experience with circuits and systems in the laboratory.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Apply physical principles, fundamental abstractions and modelling techniques in the analysis of electrical systems
- Develop and demonstrate basic biosignals laboratory skills through implementing, testing and debugging simple circuits on prototyping breadboards
- Apply fundamental mathematical analysis and modelling techniques to understand signals and systems in both time-domain and frequency-domain
- Analyse continuous-time and discrete-time signals and systems.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:
- Ability to apply knowledge of science and engineering fundamentals.
- Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution.
- Ability to utilise a systems approach to complex problems and to design and operational performance.
- Proficiency in engineering design.
- Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and with the community at large.
- Capacity for creativity and innovation.
- Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member.
- Capacity for lifelong learning and professional development.
Last updated: 14 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Students must meet one of the following prerequisite options:
Option 1
One of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN20003 | Applied Computation in Bioengineering | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP20005 | Intro. to Numerical Computation in C |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
BMEN20001 - Biomechanical Physics and Computation
AND
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAST20029 | Engineering Mathematics |
Summer Term (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Option 2
One of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN20003 | Applied Computation in Bioengineering | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP20005 | Intro. to Numerical Computation in C |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
BMEN20001 - Biomechanical Physics and Computation
AND
One of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAST20009 | Vector Calculus |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MAST20032 | Vector Calculus: Advanced | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
AND
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAST20030 | Differential Equations | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
NOTE: For students admitted into the MC-BIOMENG Master of Biomedical Engineering, BMEN30006 - Circuits and Systems may be taken concurrently with BMEN20003 - Applied Computation in Bioengineering and MAST20029 - Engineering Mathematics. Please complete an enrolment variation form if you wish to enrol concurrently, Subject Coordinator approval is not required.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELEN30012 | Signals and Systems |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator and Student Equity and Disability Support.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 14 March 2025
Assessment
Semester 1
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Six workshop group reports (students work in group of 2 or 3) not exceeding 30 pages in total each spread from week 2 to week 12, requiring 20 hours of work in total per student. ILOs 1-4 are assessed in the submitted workshop reports.
| From Week 2 to Week 12 | 30% |
One online mid-semester test. ILO 1 is assessed.
| Week 7 | 10% |
One final written examination. ILOs 1, 3 and 4 are assessed.
| During the examination period | 60% |
Last updated: 14 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Katie Davey Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 3 x 1 hour lectures per week, 1 x 1 hour tutorial per week, and 6 x 3 hour workshops per semester Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 14 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Subject notes
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
The subject is delivered through lectures, tutorials and workshop classes for hands-on laboratory activities.
INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Students are provided with lecture slides, tutorials and worked solutions, a problem set and solutions, problem sets, laboratory sheets, and reference text lists.
CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS
Exposure to signal processing in a bioengineering context through research lab visits and/or guest lectures.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major Biomedical Engineering Systems Informal specialisation Science Discipline subjects - new generation B-SCI Specialisation (formal) Biomedical with Business Major Biomedical Engineering Systems Specialisation (formal) Biomedical - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 14 March 2025