BIONICS ENGINEERING Degree Programme Profile
Basic Information
Qualification awarded
Master Degree in BIONICS ENGINEERING
Qualification Type/Level
EHEA Second cycle, EQF level 7
Number of Years/credits
2 years; 120 ECTS
Mode of Study
Full-Time/Part-Time*
*All Degree Programmes are planned and organised for full-time students. It is possible, however (without special arrangements), to proceed through the course of study at one's own pace. This makes it possible, if necessary, to accommodate employment or other non-university activities or obligations.
Name of the Course Director and other contact information
President of the Degree Course Council:
Prof. ALESSANDRO TOGNETTI
Email alessandro.tognetti@unipi.it
Department of DIPARTIMENTO DI INGEGNERIA DELL'INFORMAZIONE
Internationalization Coordinator (CAI):
Prof. Luca Sanguinetti
Email luca.sanguinetti@unipi.it
Language of Teaching
English
Admission Requirements
Formal Requirements
Italian First cycle qualification (Laurea) or an equivalent foreign qualification in the same or related subject area, with possible extra work if the required competences are lacking.
Possible assessment prior knowledge and competences
Assessment of competences acquired in First Cycle studies in related or un-related subject areas to determine admission by the Degree Programme Council with the possible assignment of extra work to be completed before admission.
Required knowledge and competences support programmes
Students whose curricula show lacuna may need to take extra first cycle course units before admission.
General Information
Programme Profile
The master’s degree programme in BIONIC ENGINEERING provides students with a multidisciplinary preparation on the fundamental principles of biomedical engineering, bio robotics and neural engineering. Students of the aforementioned master's degree will be equipped with the educational tools useful to address multidisciplinary research issues thanks to a fruitful collaboration with various research fields, such as medicine, biology, neuroscience, medical rehabilitation and surgery. The Master's Degree Programme in Bionic Engineering is divided into two curricula, one called Neural Engineering and the other one Bio robotics. This allows the student to choose a study plan mainly focused on the disciplines related to: 1) The design, development and operating systems of neural prostheses and of innovative sense systems, to the development of new methods for the acquisition and treatment of neural signals, the development and management of robotic systems capable of interacting and communicating with human beings and rules related to their specific role. 2) The development of human and animal robotic models, the development of robotic platforms and devices for surgery and targeted therapies, for robotic rehabilitation, for the replacement or functional assistance of upper and lower limbs, and on computational biomechanics.
Key Learning Outcomes
Master Graduate students in BIONICS ENGINEERING will be able to demonstrate the following skills:
- Design, development and experimentation of social robots and intelligent environments for assisted living, for active aging and wellness.
- Design, development and testing of neural prostheses.
- Development of systems able to imitate natural senses.
- Analysis of brain functions and development of new methods for processing signals and images of the brain.
- Design, development and testing of bio-inspired and / or biomimetic robots able to reproduce human and / or animal functionalities.
- Design, development and testing of prosthetic devices and advanced orthoses for assistance in the movement and rehabilitation of people with disabilities.
- Design, development and testing of miniaturized systems for minimally invasive therapy and regenerative medicine.
- Design, development and testing of advanced biomaterials for new implantable human-robot interfaces.
- Design, development and testing of advanced methodologies for the acquisition and treatment of biosignals.
Occupational Profile/s of Graduates
The Master’s Graduate student in BIONICS ENGINEERING has an interdisciplinary preparation in two important areas of BIONICS ENGINEERING: Neural Engineering and Biorobotics.
The first profile forms master graduate students who are able to obtain job positions with high responsibility in the design, development and management of new neuroprosthesis and innovative sensory systems, in the development of new methods for the acquisition and treatment of neural signals, in the development and management of robotic systems able to interact and communicate with human beings following social behaviours and rules related to their specific role, as well as in the development of new lines of research in these fields.
The second profile forms master graduate students who are able to obtain job positions with high responsibility in the design, development and management of new biorobotic systems for health and / or biomimetics, of telerobotic systems, of advanced prosthetic and orthotic devices for assistance to the movement and rehabilitation of people with disabilities, of surgical robots and of micro / nano-therapeutic systems and regenerative medicine, as well as in the development of new lines of research in these fields.
Access to further study
The Master’s degree in BIONICS ENGINEERING allows the graduate to compete for entry into a Third Cycle programme/doctoral school.
Assessment methods, examination regulations, and grading
Assessment is normally by means of an oral or written examination; in some cases there are intermediate exams during the course; other elements (participation in discussion, written or oral reports, commentary of texts etc. ) are foreseen in specific course units and are described in the Course Unit Profiles.
The grading system for the course units consists of 30 possible points, plus 'lode' (cum laude) in case of excellence. Marks are given by the lecturer based on the performance as ascertained in a public examination by a board of at least two teachers. The main exam sessions are held in June/July; September; and January; students may resit exams**.
Actual grading curves differ in different degree programmes. The University of Pisa provides an ECTS Grading Table, which shows the actual distribution, of the examination and final grades among students for each degree programme, in order to facilitate the comparison with other grading systems. ---> Link to ECTS Grading Table
An overall mark is given on the occasion of the 'Final Exam', when a written research text is presented and discussed. The final overall mark is calculated based on the results of the marks obtained in the single course units and the final exam, and is based on 110 possible points, with the possible further mention of honours ("lode" or cum laude).
**The exam sessions are organised into sessions (the dates vary according to the Department and are published in the Department's academic calendar). In each session there are a certain number of 'appelli' [calls], or dates on which the examination for each course unit may be taken. The 'appelli' are fixed by the teacher. The students choose which of the appelli they wish to respond to. In most cases, it is obligatory to sign up before the specified date.
Requirements (regulations) to obtain the qualification
The Master’s degree in BIONICS ENGINEERING allows the graduate to compete for entry into a Third Cycle programme/doctoral school.