GIBIC – Research Lines

GIBIC’s main research lines:

Biomedical Instrumentation

Our lines of research in biomedical instrumentation are oriented towards wearable systems: devices that try are as simple to install as getting dressed. Biopotential capture is conducted using dry electrodes or capacitive electrodes, which do not require the use of electrolyte gel or liquid, and that are simply placed on the skin, or even embedded in clothing. These electrodes are simple to install but present a high electrode-skin impedance and, in order to obtain high quality signals, require a careful design of the first acquisition stage or front-end. In addition, wearable devices must operate in electromagnetic interference (EMI) environments that can be very hostile, especially for devices that operate in real-world domestic environments.

  • Dry electrodes
  • Non-contact or capacitive electrodes
  • Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs)

Industrial Instrumentation

Non-invasive measurement techniques are also important in industrial applications, since they allow registering process variables without altering them and, more importantly, without stopping them to install the measurement system. We are currently working on a technique for contactless measurement of the voltage of the electric power distribution network, through the insulating sheath of the conductors that transport the energy.

  • Non-contact measurement of electrical distribution network voltage
  • Non-contact measurement of electric power flows
  • Capacitive sensors

Scientific Instrumentation

The advance of analog-digital processing techniques has introduced important changes in the designs of some experiments, for example within the field of experimental physics, nuclear spectrometry and high-energy physics, with regards to the mechanisms of detection and the conditioning, discrimination and post-processing of the signals involved. The optimization and automation of the measurement process can help overcome still-existing limitations in the design of experiments. In order to reduce these limitations, it is necessary to review the techniques and instruments from new perspective provided by advancements in disciplines such as the nuclear radiation detection; signals conditioning; data acquisition systems; dedicated and real-time digital systems; advanced automatic control systems, and software for managing and storing data in networks and grids. This approach promotes the identification of possible improvements and involves the design of new instruments when necessary, as well as a comprehensive review of measurement techniques, calibration mechanisms and the methodology for storage and information management. The main lines developed by the group are:

  • High energy physics
  • Nuclear spectroscopy
  • Measurement of biopotentials in animals
  • Magnetic tomography