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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Design And Validation Of A Variable, Speed-Dependent Resistance Training Method For Muscle Hypertrophy, Alvaro Andres Aracena Alvial Jan 2023

Design And Validation Of A Variable, Speed-Dependent Resistance Training Method For Muscle Hypertrophy, Alvaro Andres Aracena Alvial

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Muscle disorders and induced muscle atrophy impose critical risks to the well-being of an individual, limiting normal activities of daily living. Several resistance training methods have effectively reversed the progression of muscle atrophy. Weightlifting and hydrotherapy are the two widely practiced schemes for resistance training; however, there is the potential risk of excessive loads exerted on the muscles during weightlifting, and limited accessibility and cost are barriers to hydrotherapy. An alternative is using a resistance band. Some limitations include engaging multiple muscles/joints while only unidirectional resistance is feasible. To address these limitations, a VAriable Resistance Suit (VARS) was designed to …


Variational Autoencoder And Sensor Fusion For Robust Myoelectric Controls, Keith A. Currier Jan 2023

Variational Autoencoder And Sensor Fusion For Robust Myoelectric Controls, Keith A. Currier

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Myoelectric control schemes aim to utilize the surface electromyography (EMG) signals which are the electric potentials directly measured from skeletal muscles to control wearable robots such as exoskeletons and prostheses. The main challenge of myoelectric controls is to increase and preserve the signal quality by minimizing the effect of confounding factors such as muscle fatigue or electrode shift. Current research in myoelectric control schemes are developed to work in ideal laboratory conditions, but there is a persistent need to have these control schemes be more robust and work in real-world environments. Following the manifold hypothesis, complexity in the world can …


Audible And Subaudible Components Of The First And Second Heart Sounds Using Phonocardiography And Seismocardiography, Daniella King Jan 2023

Audible And Subaudible Components Of The First And Second Heart Sounds Using Phonocardiography And Seismocardiography, Daniella King

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States, and a source of financial strain on the healthcare system. This prompts the need for new methods of low-cost, noninvasive technologies for cardiac monitoring to improve patient health and reduce healthcare costs. While the first and second heart sounds are common references that are listened to during auscultation of heart, seismocardiography (SCG) is a technology that detects chest sound vibrations with an accelerometer and may offer more information beyond the audible heart sounds. There is currently limited information regarding both the relationship between audible heart sounds …


Effects Of Exciting And Relaxing Music On Heart Rate Variability, Pratik S. Mahajan Jan 2023

Effects Of Exciting And Relaxing Music On Heart Rate Variability, Pratik S. Mahajan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Heart rate variability (HRV) and music have been demonstrated to have a relationship in previous literature. The primary objective of this study is to further investigate that relationship by observing HRV during periods of listening to relaxing and exciting music and comparing the results to a baseline as well as the other condition. The secondary objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy and potential usage of the Polar H10 chest strap monitor in measuring HRV parameters. The results of the Polar H10 will be compared to the iWorx TA-220 and iWorx-ECG12, the existing gold standard in HRV and …


Optimizing Biomechanical Models: Estimation Of Muscle Tendon Parameters And Ankle Foot Orthosis Stiffness, Sepehr Ramezani Jan 2023

Optimizing Biomechanical Models: Estimation Of Muscle Tendon Parameters And Ankle Foot Orthosis Stiffness, Sepehr Ramezani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The complexity of the human musculoskeletal system presents challenges in accurately identifying its characteristics, particularly due to the presence of redundant actuators on a single joint. Non-invasive measures are necessary to overcome these challenges. Optimization algorithms have emerged as a crucial tool to advance subject-specific musculoskeletal modeling allows a more realistic representation of biomechanical behaviors, enhancing our understanding of human movement and enabling better clinical decision-making. Furthermore, optimization algorithms play a vital role in customizing rehabilitation and assistive devices, such as orthoses and prostheses. The current ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) stiffness measurement methods require bulky, complex designs, and often permanent modification …


Semi-Robotic Knee Arthroscopy System With Braking Mechanism, Thai Hua Jan 2023

Semi-Robotic Knee Arthroscopy System With Braking Mechanism, Thai Hua

Honors Undergraduate Theses

To alleviate the poor ergonomics which surgeons suffer during knee arthroscopy, a semi-robotic device with braking mechanism is created for intraoperative assistance. A slitted ball joint assembly is developed to transmit the clamping force to the arthroscope inside. Ball deformation and stress at various angles to the vertical and clamping forces is recorded through Abaqus Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Contact forces between the scope and inner surfaces of the ball is also computed in FEA at different clamping forces. The von Mises stress occurring in the ball joint is under the yield stress limit for polyethylene, and there is noticeable …


Investigation Of Endothelial Mechanics On Primary Cell Functions: Endothelium Permeability And Wound Healing, Sean Beverung Jan 2023

Investigation Of Endothelial Mechanics On Primary Cell Functions: Endothelium Permeability And Wound Healing, Sean Beverung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The endothelium composes the inner lining of blood vessels, the heart, and lymphatic vessels. Within the cardiovascular system, it is an extremely important structure, aiding in the regulation of blood pressure with the vascular tone, recruiting immune response, regulating the transfer of material in and out of the bloodstream, and the creation of new blood vessels through angiogenesis. The endothelium is composed entirely of endothelial cells. These cells lay in a flat squamous formation and are in direct contact with blood and aid in the regulation and transfer of material in and out of the bloodstream via active and passive …