Engineering Commons^™

Prostate Tissue Motion Tracking And Ultrasound Elastography Using Tissue Mechanics Derived Constraints, Tristan S. Curry

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Current prostate cancer detection methods can be costly to obtain, such as magnetic resonance imaging, or lack specificity, such as a digital rectal exam. Ultrasound elastography, a method that can be used to develop and test algorithms that output stiffness, strain, and displacement data captured by ultrasound radio frequency readings, offers a potential solution to these challenges. An initial algorithm utilizing dynamic programming and analytic minimization estimates the radial and angular displacements from a pre- and post-compression data set to determine the required material properties. This estimate of displacements is then refined through an algorithm where incompressibility, Laplacian smoothing, and …

Towards The Development Of Wearable Tremor Suppression Systems Combining Functional Electrical Stimulation And Mechanical Actuation, Zahra Habibollahi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurological disorder, is characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms including tremor. Wearable tremor suppression devices (WTSDs), have shown promising results for tremor reduction, using functional electrical stimulation (FES) or active actuators. However, results and study procedures are not consistent in the literature. Although stimulations below and above motor threshold can suppress tremor, the mechanisms of the first is still not clear, and the second might lead to muscle fatigue and discomfort over time. While active actuators have shown better results for tremor suppression, they are often heavy and bulky for daily use. Lastly, …

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy As A Bedside Neuroimaging Tool For Neonatal Brain Monitoring And Injury Characterization, Lingkai Tang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Early brain injury in neonates is a common neurological complication associated with high mortality rates and long-term morbidities. Two common types of injury are intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Currently used clinical neuroimaging tools for diagnosing or monitoring the injury have limitations, e.g., cranial ultrasound is not for continuous monitoring of the evolution of injury so it could miss the optimal timing for intervention, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not very accessible for infants in neonatal intensive care unit. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can be an alternative imaging technique as it can be used at the …

Modular Open-Source Photovoltaic-Powered Dc Nanogrid For Application-Specific Designs, Md Motakabbir Rahman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Decreasing cost of green energy producing solar panels has significantly boosted their popularity. Despite this, the power electronics associated with PV systems remain closed-source, expensive, and not easily compatible or expandable. This limits accessibility, especially for low-power applications. This research addresses these issues by adopting and analyzing DC nanogrid technology, converting it into a modular, open-source hardware system that users can easily assemble and expand. Detailed small signal analysis of the DC nanogrid was conducted, followed by the design of controllers and an effective energy management system. The system's stability was also thoroughly analyzed. Subsequently, hardware was developed and tested …

Enhancing Strawberry Disease And Quality Detection: Integrating Vision Transformers With Blender-Enhanced Synthetic Data And Swinunet Segmentation Techniques, Kimia Aghamohammadesmaeilketabforoosh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Agricultural productivity in strawberry cultivation was enhanced through the application of machine learning in this study. Traditional methods for detecting diseases and assessing ripeness in strawberries were identified as labor-intensive and error-prone, which limited farming efficiency and reduced crop yields. To address these challenges, it was hypothesized that advanced machine learning models incorporating attention mechanisms could significantly improve these tasks. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of various models by optimizing them for specific agricultural applications. Two datasets of strawberry images were augmented, and three pretrained models—Vision Transformer (ViT), MobileNetV2, and ResNet18—were fine-tuned. Data quality was improved through background …

3d-Printable Open Source Hardware Developed For Sustainable Technology, Dawei Liu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As open-source technology and additive manufacturing evolve, their advantages become increasingly evident, offering solutions to global challenges. This thesis presents the development of two open-source 3D-printable hardware tools to accelerate this trend: a melt flow index (MFI) tool and tourniquet tester. The MFI tool is introduced as a low-cost method for measuring the MFI of thermal-sensitive material, particularly assessing their suitability for recycling thermoplastics for 3D printing. The tourniquet tester provides a low-cost instrument for measuring the pressure of tourniquets to assess efficacy. This device offers a cost-effective solution to ensure the safety and functionality of these critical emergency tools …

Drag Coefficient And Movement Phenomena Of Free-Rising Spherical Particles, Taige Cao

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Light particles are commonly utilized as the solid phase in reverse fluidized bed reactors, especially for applications in wastewater treatment and other chemical or biochemical processes. This is primarily due to their favorable buoyancy characteristics and their ability to enhance mass transfer and mixing within the reactor. The drag coefficient related to the particle terminal velocity is one of the vital parameters for fluidized bed operation and design. However, traditional drag coefficient models are mostly based on heavy particle settling experiments. The few free-rising particle experiments have only justified the constant drag coefficient values in the high Reynolds number region, …

Development And Validation Of The Motion Shirt: A Wearable Sensor System For Monitoring Upper Limb Motion In Shoulder Joint Replacement Patients, Sohrob Milanizadeh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Wearable sensors have become the study topic of researchers across various clinical disciplines, presenting promising avenues for their integration into clinical practices. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have become significantly notable among the variety of sensor types, due to their non-invasive, and lightweight design. Moreover, they are increasingly used and applied in novel motion technologies since IMUs collect precise motion and orientation data when attached to specified body regions. In this dissertation, a wearable sensor system known as the Motion Shirt, equipped with 5 IMU sensors, has been developed and embedded into a flexible garment, enables continuous and accurate arms and …

The Rise Of Bread: Leveraging Open-Source Process Control, Finn Keith Hafting

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Industrial pilot projects and the automation of experiments often rely on expensive and proprietary electronic hardware, known as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, to control and monitor areas of their processes. The Broadly Reconfigurable and Expandable Automation Device (BREAD) framework was created to address the need for inexpensive SCADA systems. New BREAD Slices were designed and compared to commercial heating, motor, pump, and pH controllers, exceeding all in functionality and cost. In each case, the decreased accuracy of the BREAD controller had little impact on the final products but greatly reduced the cost of the system. The modularity …

Using Open Source Compression Molding And Vacuum Forming To Incentivize Localized Recycling: An Integrated Thermoforming Solution, Morgan C. Woods

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work aims to make thermoforming more accessible to incentivize prosumer participation in localized recycling by providing a combined open source 12” x 12” compression molding and vacuum forming tool. The hardware was validated across a series of applications, each providing a different economic or functional incentive. For prosumers, this included compression forming 1/4" recycled polycarbonate and HDPE sheets, 20-gauge vacuum sheets, and vacuum formed applications with savings of up to 99.9% over commercial sources for 100-part batch production case studies. For researchers and commercial interest, the hardware was used to produce ASTM D695 standard samples of 1:1 silica sand …

Analysis Of Healthy Glenohumeral Arthrokinematics And Anatomic Shoulder Implant Subluxation Using 4dct, Kylie Kiera Paliani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body, with the glenohumeral joint specifically allowing a wide range of motion and a high incidence of instability due to its ability to translate, as well as rotate in its socket. However, the extent of translation in a healthy glenohumeral joint is not well-established. Additionally, it is unclear if subluxation correction after anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) with posterior augmented glenoid (PAG) implants remains consistent throughout active motion. This thesis aimed to evaluate healthy glenohumeral arthrokinematics to benchmark normal joint proximity and translation, and to assess if a TSA with …

Innovative Techniques For Partially Upgrading Oil Sand Bitumen To Pipeline Transportable Crude, Moataz Abdrabou

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Optimizing the use of unconventional oil resources, like oil sand bitumen, is crucial for meeting the global energy demand in an environmentally sustainable and economically viable way. Unconventional oils, including extra-heavy oil and oil sand bitumen, make up over 55% of the world's oil reserves. Therefore, this research focuses on innovative partial upgrading techniques that significantly reduce bitumen’s viscosity and improve its quality for pipeline transportation and refining. The work presented in this thesis examines various potential routes for effectively partially upgrading bitumen through a series of experimental studies. The first investigation starts with using ionic surfactants to enhance the …

The Role Of Transverse Plane Malalignment In Posterolateral Corner Complex Injury, Larissa M. Madia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The posterolateral corner (PLC) is a complex of ligaments and soft tissues in the knee that primarily constrain external tibial rotation. Neglecting PLC injury is a contributing factor in graft failure following cruciate ligament reconstruction. This emphasizes the importance of understanding PLC injury mechanisms, considering their disposition to multi-ligament tears. The PLC can be damaged by hyperextension. Tibial torsion, a twisting of the tibia longitudinally relative to the femur, offsets the transverse knee alignment, consequently altering the loading of soft tissues. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to determine if tibial torsion affects loading of PLC components during hyperextension, …

Data Preprocessing And Machine Learning For Intracranial Electroencephalography, Mauricio Cespedes Tenorio

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis serves to address the problem of non-standardized preprocessing of intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings by implementing a software workflow that compiles some of the most common steps followed for the preparation of this type of data. This workflow improves the consistency, replicability, and ease of use of iEEG preprocessing, facilitating the replication and extension of previous studies and the combination of separately preprocessed inter-institutional datasets. Automatic detection of artifacts for iEEG data was also explored as a potential step to include in the preprocessing workflow. Despite training the models with cross-institutional data, poor performance was observed when tested on …

Development Of Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography Based Methods To Measure Shoulder Kinematics In Healthy Individuals And In Patients Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, James Hunter

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Dynamic kinematics of the shoulder, particularly the interplay between the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints and the changes associated with aging, remain not fully understood. Current research often focuses on simple motions, neglecting more complex movements common in activities of daily living, such as internal rotation to reach behind the back. Post-total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) surgery, many patients experience difficulties with internal rotation, affecting tasks like dressing and bathing. This dissertation employs four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) to enhance understanding of shoulder biomechanics and TSA outcomes by assessing dynamic shoulder kinematics in a healthy population and a post-implant population.

The first objective …

Flood Hazard And Vulnerability Mapping Using Deep Learning And Earth Observation Data, Nafiseh Ghasemian Sorboni

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Urban flood risk assessment is critical for safeguarding lives and infrastructure amid frequent floods. Recent advances in Earth Observation (EO) data enable the creation of flood risk maps with enhanced spatial and temporal resolutions. While traditional Machine Learning (ML) algorithms lack optimal feature selection, Deep Learning (DL) algorithms excel in extracting complex patterns from EO data. This dissertation delves into the estimation of flood hazard and vulnerability within urban environments through DL algorithms and EO data. Several innovative methodologies were proposed: 1) A Convolutional Siamese Network (CSN) was devised for urban flood mapping using SAR satellite imagery. This method employed …

A Secure Lightweight Wireless M-Bus Protocol For Iot: Leveraging The Noise Protocol Framework, Wafaa Anani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The expansion of smart metering within the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem underscores the need for robust security protocols that safeguard data transmission while optimizing device efficiency. Wireless Meter-Bus (wM-Bus), a key protocol for remote meter reading in utility systems such as gas, water, and heat meters, faces significant security challenges. This dissertation introduces a method to enhance wM-Bus security by integrating the Noise Protocol Framework (NPF), which secures wM-Bus against vulnerabilities and optimizes for the energy constraints of IoT devices. Initially examining wM-Bus security issues, particularly in battery-operated smart meters, the study explores the NPF’s lightweight, adaptable security solutions. …

Computational Modelling Of Branching Arteriolar Networks Using Constrained Constructive Optimization, Yuki Bao

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The microcirculation plays a critical role in tissue blood flow distribution and is thus a topic of importance for understanding organ pathophysiology. As an alternative to experimental investigations of microvasculature, this thesis introduces a computational algorithm based on constrained constructive optimization (CCO) which aims to generate visually and statistically realistic branching arteriolar network architecture in healthy skeletal muscle tissue. The algorithm includes a list of user-specified adjustable model parameters to generate networks characteristic of different skeletal muscle tissues. Geometric (including mean vessel diameters, lengths, and numbers of bifurcations per order, Horton’s Law ratios, and fractal dimension) and hemodynamic (Murray’s Law …

Porous Titanium Alloy Constructs For Mandibular Reconstruction, Khaled Marwan Anis Hijazi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The goal of this study was to develop and validate finite element analysis (FEA) models to predict static and dynamic mechanical properties of porous titanium 6-aluminum 4-vanadium (Ti6Al4V) constructs. Dumbbell-shaped and square prism porous computer models were created with simple cubic unit cell structures with a size of 1 mm and strut thicknesses varying between 250 and 650 µm. The pore diameters ranged between 350 and 750 µm. Constructs were manufactured using selective laser melting (SLM). These constructs were scanned using computed tomography (CT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These constructs were then tested under tensile and flexural static loading …

Cyber Risks In Ontario Online Elections, James D. Brunet

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Online voting is increasingly prevalent in Ontario's municipalities, despite a lack of regulated technological and procedural safeguards. Individual municipalities, lacking deep knowledge of online voting technologies, are responsible for procuring technology from private vendors which make security and privacy claims that are difficult to verify. These reasons, among others, have contributed to an anomalous environment where election technology, security, and procedures diverge greatly from other robust democracies that use electronic voting. This thesis demonstrates this divergence by first presenting a novel security vulnerability in a popular online voting system used in Ontario, as well as the difficulty communicating this risk …

Data-Driven Vibration-Based Condition Monitoring: Fundamentals, Applications, And Challenges, Sulaiman A. S. Aburakhia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Vibration-Based Condition Monitoring (VBCM) is commonly utilized in Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) due to its non-destructive nature and inherent advantages over alternative forms of condition monitoring. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of sensor fabrication and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) have facilitated large-scale VBCM systems across diverse domains, including industry, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and wildlife monitoring. The recent advancements in computing technologies have significantly expanded the potential for VBCM by leveraging the synergy between signal processing and Machine Learning (ML). Accordingly, data-driven VBCM has emerged as a paradigm shift, improving the performance and reliability of VBCM systems. …

Improving Fused Filament Fabrication Additive Manufacturing Through Computer Vision Analysis And Fabrication Optimization, Aliaksei Petsiuk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3-D printing, is one of the fundamental elements of Industry 4.0. According to ASTM standards, AM can be classified by production principles, types of raw materials, energy sources, and fabrication volumes. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the most accessible technologies that offers independent manufacturers great opportunities due to its simplicity, scalability, and low cost.

Modern 3-D printing is moving from single-material prototyping to complex multi-material product creation. It is firmly established in a wide range of applications, significantly expanding manufacturing horizons, providing innovative design capabilities, and improving product quality through the optimal …

Evaluation Of Factors Influencing The Delivery Of Septic System Wastewater Effluent To Tributaries, Evan Angus

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is concern that septic systems may contribute nutrients, fecal pathogens, and emerging contaminants to tributaries, and thereby impair surface water quality. The objective of this thesis was to quantify the percentage of septic effluent reaching multiple streams and to evaluate whether this percentage varies based on the stream flow conditions and the physical and socioeconomic characteristics of a subwatershed. This was addressed by broad-scale sampling in 46 subwatersheds in the Lake Erie and Lake Simcoe Basins, Ontario, with data analyzed using statistical models. It was found that the percentage of septic effluent reaching subwatershed outlets, based on acesulfame stream …

Hybrid Feedback Control For Autonomous Robot Navigation With Obstacle Avoidance, Mayur Sanjay Sawant

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis provides some hybrid feedback based autonomous navigation algorithms. First, the problem of autonomous robot navigation in planar environments with arbitrarily-shaped convex obstacles is considered. The proposed navigation approach guarantees safe and global convergence to the target location through an appropriately designed switching strategy between two different modes, namely, the move-to-target mode and the obstacle-avoidance mode. A procedure for the implementation of the proposed hybrid feedback controller in a priori unknown environments is provided.

Subsequently, the problem of autonomous navigation in planar environments with non-convex obstacles is considered. An instrumental transformation that modifies (virtually) the non-convex obstacles, in a …

Planetary Exploration Via Fully Automatic Topological Structure Extraction Using Adaptive Resonance, Jonathan Kissi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Renewed interest in Solar System exploration, along with ongoing improvements in computing, robotics and instrumentation technologies, have reinforced the case for remote science acquisition systems development in space exploration. Testing systems and procedures that allow for autonomously collected science has been the focus of analogue field deployments and mission planning for some time, with such systems becoming more relevant as missions increase in complexity and ambition. The introduction of lidar and laser scanning-type instruments into the geological and planetary sciences has proven popular, and, just as with the established image and photogrammetric methods, has found widespread use in several research …

An Analysis Of Primary Stability Of Stemless Humeral Implants In Shoulder Arthroplasty, David Cunningham

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a scarcity of literature on the performance of the stemless humeral components. This present work describes the development of a novel loading simulator for the quantification of implant performance, as well as its use in the evaluation of implant parametric design and surgical protocol decision variables.

Interface fixation of humeral components was first evaluated using computational methods to determine the optimal metric to quantify implant fixation. Distractive micromotion was found to be the defining micromotion direction in two different designs of humeral implants.

A loading simulator capable of replicating 3D physiological loads, and comprehensive loading and digital image …

Development Of Biolubricants From Vegetable Oils For Non-Internal Combustion Engine Applications, Behzad Kamiab

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The promise of vegetable-based CEs in the lubrication industry lies in their ability to provide superior lubrication, thermal stability, and compatibility with various metals. The presence of unsaturated free fatty acids in the carbon chain of triglycerides and tertiary β-hydrogen group in the glycerol backbone causes low thermal and oxidative stability. Thus, this study investigated a cost-effective methodology that has been developed to produce biobased CEs with improved thermal and oxidative stability. This involves the conversion of vegetable oil triglycerides into trimethylolpropane (TMP) esters through a two-step transesterification-transesterification and a two-step hydrolysis-esterification process. To further increase the thermal and oxidative …

Upgrading Of Vapors And Gases From Pyrolysis To Valued Added Gaseous Products, Ivan Santiago

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This MSc thesis explores biomass pyrolysis and reforming, aiming to convert biomass-derived vapors into useful gases for synthesis and fuel. The study focuses on transforming high molecular weight molecules, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic molecules such as acids, alcohols, and other substances formed during pyrolysis into essential gases like hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

A dual-reactor system is employed: a CSTR for primary pyrolysis, followed by a PFR or PBR for secondary catalytic processing. Olivine is used as the catalyst.

The research compares three gas upgrading methods: thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, and catalytic steaming (reforming).

Results …

Scale-Up And Measurement Enhancements Of A Biogenerator Bioreactor, Jason J. Glas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Renewable energies in the form of wind and solar have seen steadfast growth across the world, however the abundance of these technologies that demonstrate short-term variability in power output threatens power grid stability and necessitates the use of fossil fuels for rapid throttling capability. A requirement for large scale energy storage systems becomes necessary and a system based on hydrogen generation, storage, and consumption for electrical grid supply-demand stabilization using a ferric sulfate oxidant is herein explored, named the BioGenerator. As the name implies, the system functions as an indirect microbial fuel cell using a biologically active broth dominated by …

Breast Cancer Risk In Women With Breast Bilateral Asymmetry: Machine Learning Based Risk Analysis And Mitigation Through Developing A Framework For Customized Bra Design, Xi Feng

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer globally, accounting for 12.5% of all new cases annually. Research has found a significant correlation between breast bilateral asymmetry and an increased risk of cancer, with women diagnosed with breast cancer having higher levels of bilateral asymmetrical breast volume. Unfortunately, 87% of women with breast asymmetry lack adequate tools for assessing their cancer risk. Early screening using bilateral asymmetry to predict a woman's long-term risk of breast cancer can help physicians make informed decisions about whether to recommend sequential imaging and the frequency of screening. Another important factor in understanding the …