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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Sol Retractor: Rapidly Deployable Film-Based C-Section Retractor, Casey Lee, Silas Cleveland, Jose Dolores Valdivieso, Joseph Perks Jun 2020

Sol Retractor: Rapidly Deployable Film-Based C-Section Retractor, Casey Lee, Silas Cleveland, Jose Dolores Valdivieso, Joseph Perks

Honors Theses

Cesarean Sections (C-sections), a surgery conducted for baby delivery, can be divided into four distinct categories; Category 1 and 2 are considered emergency c-sections, and Category 3 and 4 are scheduled c-sections [2]. A comparative study from 2016 analyzed the difference of need for postoperative treatment between the Collins or the Alexis O retractor ( n = 100). The Alexis O C-Section retractor resulted in 19% of women requiring postoperative treatment, including medication, monitoring, and an extended stay at the hospital. The Collins resulted in 43% of the patients requiring postoperative treatment (p = 0.001) [5]. In emergency C-sections, surgical …


The Theia Soteria: Alternative Design For Safer Initial Entry During Laparoscopic Procedures, Kayla Dubois, Patrick Ryan, Madelyn Joanis Jun 2019

The Theia Soteria: Alternative Design For Safer Initial Entry During Laparoscopic Procedures, Kayla Dubois, Patrick Ryan, Madelyn Joanis

Honors Theses

Laparoscopic procedures account for 15 million surgeries worldwide [1], with the initial entry into the peritoneal cavity accounting for 33-50% of all major laparoscopic complications [7]. This initial entry is the most dangerous as surgeons must enter the cavity using a sharp object with no visibility and space between the outer surface of the cavity and internal tissues. During the initial entry into the peritoneal cavity, the patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures are at a high risk for damage to internal organs and vasculature, necessitating the development of a device to protect these internal tissues and increase patient safety.


Control System For 3d Printable Robotic Hand, Htoo Wai Htet Jun 2016

Control System For 3d Printable Robotic Hand, Htoo Wai Htet

Honors Theses

Humanoid robotics is a growing area of research due to its potential applications in orthosis and prosthesis for human beings. With the currently available technologies, the most advanced robotic hands used in prosthetics or robotics can cost from $11,000 to $90,000, making it inaccessible to the general population of amputees and robotics hobbyists. Most of the features provided by these expensive technologies are superfluous to many users, creating a great gap in cost and services between users and technology. Using the emerging 3D printing technology, my project is to construct a 3D printed robotic hand that can reproduce as many …


Electrical Characterization Of Nanomaterials, Chase Martin Jun 2015

Electrical Characterization Of Nanomaterials, Chase Martin

Honors Theses

Our dependence on energy sources and depleting fossil fuel reserves are forcing the world to look for efficient and renewable sources of energy. Current renewable technology lacks the efficiency and storage capability necessary to continue our heavy reliance on energy. This project focuses on understanding the physical and electrical properties of nanomaterials for their use as super capacitors and as photovoltaic cells. Using multiple microscopy techniques on the Cascade Probe Station and Veeco Dimension V Atomic Force Microscope, local and bulk conductivity measurements were performed on Laponite RD infused polyaniline (PANI) samples synthesized by Union College Chemistry Department Students. Four …


Design Of A Double-Dose Epinephrine Auto-Injector Using 3d-Printing, Timothy Calvin Sheehan Jun 2015

Design Of A Double-Dose Epinephrine Auto-Injector Using 3d-Printing, Timothy Calvin Sheehan

Honors Theses

This project involved the design and prototyping of an epinephrine auto-injector capable of administering two separate doses. Epinephrine auto-injectors are used in the treatment of patients undergoing anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction causing the restriction of airways and a drop in blood pressure. The timely administration of epinephrine counteracts these symptoms and can be lifesaving. Currently the only devices available to consumers administer one unit dose of epinephrine and are then no longer usable. In 30% of cases where patients undergo these symptoms a second dose of epinephrine is required. My design was based partially off the concept behind currently available …


The Optimization Of Porosity And Pore Patterning For Patient-Specific Ti-6 Al-4v Femur Implants, Stephen Paolicelli Jun 2014

The Optimization Of Porosity And Pore Patterning For Patient-Specific Ti-6 Al-4v Femur Implants, Stephen Paolicelli

Honors Theses

Metastatic bone cancer often arises in the long bones of the body. Taking a patient specific approach by utilizing a customized implant is a superior method of treatment compared to today’s solutions, which often includes amputation. A titanium-alloy femur implant has been optimized by varying pore size, pore pattern, and porosity in order to maximize osseointegration. By maximizing osseointegration, the implant will remain firmly in place for a longer period of time because bone will grow throughout the implant, securing it. In addition, it is important for the bone to behave mechanically like bone. This requires the global elastic modulus …


Effects Of Playing Surface And Shoe Type Of Acl Tears In Soccer Players, Melissa Mansfield Jun 2014

Effects Of Playing Surface And Shoe Type Of Acl Tears In Soccer Players, Melissa Mansfield

Honors Theses

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries have become more common in athletes over the past decade which is believed to result from playing on more artificial turf surfaces. This study tested the playing surface theory by building upon a previous study conducted with Albany Medical Center which tested surface samples using an axial-torsion load frame located at Union College. The motion that causes most ACL noncontact injuries is replicated by the load frame which pushes and rotates a shoe against the playing surface and measures the torque it experiences. The foot position, normal load, degree of rotation and rate of rotation were …


History Of Concussion Research In American Football, Timothy Hersey Jun 2013

History Of Concussion Research In American Football, Timothy Hersey

Honors Theses

Concussions have been the topic of discussion in the news and media in recent years for their profound impact on today’s sport industry. Athletes have become bigger, faster, and stronger then in the past, increasing the chance of injury. This can been seen in all sports. Contact sports specifically have seen a rise in mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs) over the years. Extensive research has been done to determine the causes of concussion, the short and long term effects of brain injury, and better ways to reduce the risk in sports. Concussion research in athletics has mainly focused on American …


Studying The Material Properties Of The Embryonic Chicken Heart, Kyra Burnett Jun 2013

Studying The Material Properties Of The Embryonic Chicken Heart, Kyra Burnett

Honors Theses

Congenital heart disease is the number one cause of birth defects in the United States, affecting approximately 40,000 newborns each year. Research has shown that serious structural defects of the heart can occur due to abnormal looping. Looping refers to the positional and morphological changes of the early embryo heart and is divided into different phases. Although progress has been made in identifying the genetic processes behind heart looping, the forces involved with the developmental process are still not fully understood. In this research, the chicken embryo heart was used as the experimental model and certain material properties were characterized. …


Analysis Of Degenerative Cervical Spondylolisthesis And Corrective Orthopaedic Implants, Tyler Heck Jun 2013

Analysis Of Degenerative Cervical Spondylolisthesis And Corrective Orthopaedic Implants, Tyler Heck

Honors Theses

Back pain is often due to the degeneration of intervertebral discs, which can lead to a condition known as spondylolisthesis, whereby a vertebra slips out of position in the anteroposterior direction. There are numerous orthopaedic implants which are used by surgeons to correct this condition; however, there has been no conclusive research conducted in comparing the efficacies of these implants. In the cervical spine, this condition most commonly occurs over two levels. For the purposes of this study, an implant’s efficacy depends on its ability to return the slipped vertebra back into natural position immediately after surgery. To test these …