Digital Commons Network^™

Wearable Sensor Gait Analysis For Fall Detection Using Deep Learning Methods, Haben Girmay Yhdego

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

World Health Organization (WHO) data show that around 684,000 people die from falls yearly, making it the second-highest mortality rate after traffic accidents [1]. Early detection of falls, followed by pneumatic protection, is one of the most effective means of ensuring the safety of the elderly. In light of the recent widespread adoption of wearable sensors, it has become increasingly critical that fall detection models are developed that can effectively process large and sequential sensor signal data. Several researchers have recently developed fall detection algorithms based on wearable sensor data. However, real-time fall detection remains challenging because of the wide …

Opensim-Based Musculoskeletal Modeling: Foundation For Interactive Obstetric Simulator, Bahador Dodge

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The use of mathematical and computational models to understand complex biological systems, such as the human birth process, is a rapidly growing field in medicine. These models can be used to optimize and personalize medical treatments for individual patients, enhance training, and aid in educational efforts. While recent advancements in healthcare, particularly in obstetrics, have improved care for mothers and babies, studies and government reports indicate a rising rate of maternal mortality in the United States.

Despite this rising trend, there is a lack of detailed studies concerning the use of modeling and simulation to develop an interactive obstetrics simulator …

Integrative Physiology-Coupled Pilot-Centered Flight Simulation, Shawn C. Harrison

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Maintaining the pilot’s physiological performance envelope within the limits of human capabilities may be crucial for avoiding hazardous physiological episodes in fighter aircraft that compromise safety. The main physiological episode of interest is impaired pilot respiration, better known as hypoxia caused by a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) at high altitudes and variation in accelerative gravitational forces (g-forces). Integrated into fighter aircraft is an Onboard Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) developed to mitigate the necessity of gaseous and liquid oxygen cannisters [1]. OBOGS act as a life support in hypoxic environments by providing oxygen-rich air, thereby oxygenating the …

Development And Validation Of A Three-Dimensional Optical Imaging System For Chest Wall Deformity Measurement, Nahom Kidane

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Congenital chest wall deformities (CWD) are malformations of the thoracic cage that become more pronounced during early adolescence. Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common CWD, characterized by an inward depression of the sternum and adjacent costal cartilage. A cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) image is mainly used to calculate the chest thoracic indices. Physicians use the indices to quantify PE deformity, prescribe surgical or non-surgical therapies, and evaluate treatment outcomes. However, the use of CT is increasingly causing physicians to be concerned about the radiation doses administered to young patients. Furthermore, radiographic indices are an unsafe and expensive method of …

3d Bioprinting Systems For The Study Of Mammary Development And Tumorigenesis, John Reid

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the microenvironmental factors that control cell function, differentiation, and stem cell renewal represent the forefront of developmental and cancer biology. To accurately recreate and model these dynamic interactions in vitro requires both precision-controlled deposition of multiple cell types and well-defined three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM). To achieve this goal, we hypothesized that accessible bioprinting technology would eliminate the experimental inconsistency and random cell-organoid formation associated with manual cell-matrix embedding techniques commonly used for 3D, in vitro cell cultures. The first objective of this study was to adapt a commercially-available, 3D printer into a 3D bioprinter. Goal-based computer simulations were …

Computational Modeling Of Facial Response For Detecting Differential Traits In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Manar D. Samad

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation proposes novel computational modeling and computer vision methods for the analysis and discovery of differential traits in subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) using video and three-dimensional (3D) images of face and facial expressions. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs an individual’s nonverbal communication skills. This work studies ASD from the pathophysiology of facial expressions which may manifest atypical responses in the face. State-of-the-art psychophysical studies mostly employ na¨ıve human raters to visually score atypical facial responses of individuals with ASD, which may be subjective, tedious, and error prone. A few quantitative studies use intrusive sensors on …

Microbubble Generation By Piezoelectric Transducers For Biomedical Studies, Mohammed Alkhazal

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Bubbles induced by blast waves or shocks are speculated as the major cause of damage in biological cells in mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Microbubble collapse was found to induce noticeable cell detachment from the cell substrate, changes in focal adhesion, and biomechanics. To better understand the bubble mechanism, a system needs to be constructed which allows clear differentiation on the impact of bubbles from that of shocks. Such a generator needs to be low profile in order to place under a microscope. A piezoelectric transducer system was designed to meet the need. The system uses either a flat or …

Non-Thermal Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma For Sterilization Of Surfaces And Biofilms, Johanna Ursula Neuber

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial methods is a critical issue in many fields of medicine. This work describes the studies performed to characterize and optimize the bacterial inactivation effects of a non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma brush and plasma jet on a laminate surface inoculated with Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus, and a cultivated Enterococcus faecalis biofilm, respectively. These treatments are pilot studies for eventual application to surface sterilization in hospitals and root canal disinfection. To evaluate bacterial inactivation, after treatment and recovery, the bacterial colony forming units (CFUs) are counted. Several different methods are used to optimize the antimicrobial effect. For the …

Nonosecond Pulsed Electric Field Induced Changes In Dielectric Properties Of Biological Cells, Jie Zhuang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nanosecond pulsed electric field induced biological effects have been a focus of research interests since the new millennium. Promising biomedical applications, e.g. tumor treatment and wound healing, are emerging based on this principle. Although the exact mechanisms behind the nanosecond pulse-cell interactions are not completely understood yet, it is generally believed that charging along the cell membranes (including intracellular membranes) and formation of membrane pores trigger subsequent biological responses, and the number and quality of pores are responsible for the cell fate. The immediate charging response of a biological cell to a nanosecond pulsed electric field exposure relies on the …

Experimental Investigation Of A Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet, Asma Begum

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The main objective of this dissertation is to understand the formation of the plasma jet from the plasma pencil, and the propagation of the plasma jet in the ambient atmosphere where the effect of the external electric field is almost zero. Before investigating the formation and propagation phenomenon of the plasma jet, common physical properties of plasma jets are determined by using the imaging technique and optical emission spectroscopy. The first goal of this dissertation is to establish the laminar helium gas flow channel through a plasma pencil.

The formation position, formation time, and the criterion of the plasma jet …