Neural interfaces
NX-422
Media
Welcome to Neural interfaces NX-422!
Neural interfaces (NI) are bioelectronic systems that interface the nervous system to digital technologies. This course presents their main building blocks (transducers, instrumentation & communication), and it reviews current and upcoming materials and technological solutions for implantable & wearable NIs.
Teaching team
- Lecturers
- Teaching Assistants
Daney Alex daney.alex@epfl.chHouman Javaheri houman.javaheri@epfl.ch
- Student Assistants
Baptiste Tankwa
Federico Mengozzi
Paola Biocchi
Wenxin Che
Ameer Elkhayat
Course schedule
The course is articulated around in-class lectures, problem solving sessions and a team project.
In order to maximize learning outcomes and time for your team project, we will follow the attached schedule throughout the semester.
There will be 2 graded quizzes during the semester, indicated in yellow in the schedule. These will be in-class tests taken on October 31st, 2025 and December 5, 2025 during the regular lecture time.
Team projects will be shared with the entire class at the end of the semester in the form of a presentation.
Course evaluation
The course evaluation will take place during the semester. There is no written exam in the January 2025 session.
The course grade will come from in-class Quizzes during the semester and the team project.
- Graded quizzes (40%)
- Group project (60%)
Team Projects
Important dates and deadlines
September 19, 2025: registration deadline for Team-project groups.
October 10, 2025: midnight: upload in moodle 2-page project summary of your project.
December 11-12, 2025: in-class Team project presentation. The list and timetable will be established mid-semester and posted on Moodle.
December 19, 2025: noon: upload your 12-page project report. One upload per team.
- Team project: description of objectives and guidelines (File)
- Project registration sheet (URL)
- Schedule - Final project presentations (File)
- TA and project introduction slides (File)
Lecture notes
- 00- Introduction and Concepts (File)
- 01- Clinical examples (File)
- Cable theory (File)
- 02- Introduction - Neural interface electronics (File)
- 03- Miniaturized CMOS interfaces (updated) (File)
- Circuit basics (KVL and KCL) (File)
- 04 - Nervous System Anatomy (File)
- 04 - Nervous System Anatomy - Animated slides (File)
- 05 - Nervous System Signals (File)
- 06- Neural Electrodes (File)
- 07 - Electrochemical characterisation (File)
- 08 - Neurostimulation (File)
- 09 - Examples (File)
- 10 - Part 1 Recap (File)
- 11 - Manufacturing 1 (File)
- 12 - Manufacturing 2 (File)
- 12 - Manufacturing 2 - Slide 27 (File)
- 13 - Packaging (File)
- 14 - Biointegration (File)
- 15 - Part 2 Recap (File)
- 16 - Multimodal Interfaces (File)
- 17 - Neural Amplifiers (1) (File)
- 17 - Neural Amplifiers (1) - annotated slides (File)
- 18 - Neural Amplifiers (2) - CMOS Review (File)
- 18 - Neural Amplifiers (2) - CMOS Review - annotated slides (File)
- 19 - CMOS Review (2) (File)
- 20 - Digitization (File)
- 21 - Digitication (2) (File)
- 22 - Data compression (File)
- 23 - Stimulation (updated) (File)
- 24 - Closed-loop interfaces and BMIs (1) (File)
- 25 - Closed-loop interfaces and BMIs (2) (File)
- 17 - Final Recap (File)
Exercises
- Problem Set 1 - Neural Membranes and Electrodes (File)
- Problem Set 2 - Microfabrication and mechanics (File)
- Problem set 2 - Solutions (File)
- Problem set 1 - Solutions (File)
- Problem set 2 - Solutions updated (File)
- Problem Set 3 - Electronics Exercise (File)
- Problem Set 3 - Electronics Exercise Solutions (File)
- Problem Set 4 - Electronics Exercise 2 (File)
- Problem Set 4 - Electronics Exercise 2 Solutions (File)
Quizzes
References
- BCI Technologies by C. Clément (File)
- iHumans - Blurring lines between mind and machine (File)
- Neuroprosthetics. Theory and Practices (URL)
- Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (File)
- Hybrid organic-inorganic encapsulation (File)
- Organic electronic interfaces (File)
- PN interfaces (Folder)
ED Channel
Videos of the lectures
- Recordings of the lectures in-class (Prof. Lacour) (URL)
- Recordings of the lectures in-class (Dr Schiavone) (URL)
- Recordings of the lectures in-class (Prof. Shoaran) (URL)