Formal design milestone assessment for student neurotechnologies. Evaluates biophysical contrast justification, sensor hardware architecture, noise budget margin, signal encoding/reconstruction strategy, and Grand Challenge 06 (Neonatal & Pediatric Brain Monitoring) alignment.
Evaluate the presenting team across 5 core engineering domains (20 points each).
| Evaluation Domain | Criteria & Technical Benchmarks | Score (0–20) | Weighted Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Biophysical Contrast Mechanism
Weeks 2–4 Material |
• Rigorous forward physical model linking neural state to perturbation field (Maxwell, Bloch, Diffusion, or Bioheat).
• Clear physical justification for chosen contrast mechanism (e.g., BOLD, phase velocity, optical density). • Identification of physical limits on spatial and temporal resolution. |
18 / 20 | |
|
2. Sensor Array & Noise Budget
Week 5 Material (Worksheet 5.1) |
• Calculated Johnson-Nyquist thermal limits and sample-noise crossover ($Q_U / Q_L > 2.5$).
• Transducer array geometry and inter-element decoupling strategy (preamp decoupling, overlap, active shield). • Analog front-end (AFE) amplification, noise figure ($NF < 1.5\,\text{dB}$), and dynamic range specification. |
18 / 20 | |
|
3. Signal Encoding & Inversion Plan
Weeks 6 & 8 Material |
• Mathematical formulation of the inverse problem (e.g., MBLL matrix, k-space trajectories, lead-field inversion).
• Inversion stability, condition number ($\kappa$), and ill-posedness mitigation (regularization, Tikhonov). • Defined extraction pipeline for clinical biomarkers (e.g., $\text{rSO}_2$, $\text{FTOE}$, CBV, latency). |
17 / 20 | |
|
4. Clinical Translation & NICU Fit
Grand Challenge 06 Alignment |
• Specific relevance to bedside neonatal monitoring (HIE, IVH, or seizures).
• Mechanical safety: Contact pressure < 20 mmHg, no scalp abrasive prep, biocompatible substrate. • Environmental robustness: Phototherapy optical filtering ($\sim 450\,\text{nm}$), incubator thermal limits ($< 41^\circ\text{C}$). |
19 / 20 | |
|
5. Presentation, Visuals & Concept Boards
Design Review Delivery |
• 12-minute pitch clarity, professional system architecture block diagrams.
• Effective concept pin-up boards visualizing physical device ergonomics and patient montage. • Rigorous and candid defense during 8-minute panel Q&A. |
18 / 20 |