Engineering Commons^™

Biomechanical Evaluation Of An Optical System For Quantitative Human Motion Analysis, Jeffrey D. Kertis

Master's Theses (2009 -)

An eight-camera Optitrack motion capture system was evaluated by performing static, linear dynamic, and angular dynamic calibrations using marker distances associated with upper and lower extremity gait and wheelchair models. Data were analyzed to determine accuracy and resolution within a defined capture volume using a standard Cartesian reference system. Two additional cameras along with AMASS and Visual3D (C-Motion, Inc., Germantown, MD) biomechanical modeling software were used to determine joint kinematics at the pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle of ten control subjects (mean age 21.5 ± 1.65 years). The same data were processed through Nexus (Vicon Motion Systems, Oxford, England) modeling …

Biomechanical Model Of Pediatric Upper Extremity Dynamics During Wheelchair Mobility, Alyssa J. Paul

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Biomechanical analysis has been used by many to evaluate upper extremity (UE) motion during human movement, including during the use of assistive devices such as crutches and walkers. However, few studies have been conducted to examine the upper extremity kinetics during wheelchair mobility, specifically within the pediatric population. In 2000, 90% of wheelchair users (1.5 million people) in the United States were manual wheelchair users, requiring the use of their upper body to maneuver the wheelchair as well as perform other activities of daily living. Among children under the age of 18, the wheelchair was the most used assistive mobility …

Analysis Of The Detection Of Organophosphate Pesticides In Aqueous Solutions Using Polymer-Coated Sh-Saw Sensor Arrays, Tian Newman

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) device was investigated as a micro-chemical sensor for the direct, rapid and in-situ monitoring of chemical contaminants in groundwater and wastewater. The chemical contaminants of interest are organo-phosphate-based compounds (parathion, parathion-methyl, and paraoxon). The polymers used as partially chemically selective coatings are 2,2’-diallylbisphenol A - 1,1,3,3,5,5-hexamethyltrisiloxane (BPA-HMTS), and 2,2’-diallylbisphenol A- polydimethylsiloxane (BPA-PDMS), polyepichlorohydrin (PECH). The experimental results indicate that the analyte/polymer interaction is a result of mass loading and viscoelastic changes in the polymer. BPA-HMTS, BPA-PDMS, and PECH have the highest to lowest sensitivity towards parathion, parathion-methyl, and paraoxon respectively. The polymers tested …

Modeling And Control Of A Doubly-Fed Induction Generator For Wind Turbine-Generator Systems, Xin Jing

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Wind energy plays an increasingly important role in the world because it is friendly to the environment. During the last decades, the concept of a variable-speed wind turbine (WT) has been receiving increasing attention due to the fact that it is more controllable and efficient, and has good power quality. As the demand of controllability of variable speed WTs increases, it is therefore important and necessary to investigate the modeling for wind turbine-generator systems (WTGS) that are capable of accurately simulating the behavior of each component in the WTGS. Therefore, this thesis will provide detailed models of a grid-connected wind …

Investigating A Horizontal Helical Antenna For Use In The Phantom Monopole Configuration, Mattison Lemieux

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Recently, the phantom monopole configuration was successfully simulated using wire loop antennas. The wire loop antennas have an undesirable input impedance, making them difficult to match and implement. A new type of antenna that has a more desirable impedance while still maintaining the same near magnetic field and far field radiation pattern is investigated in this work. The research done focuses on a horizontally placed helical antenna. There is little research done on a horizontally placed helical antenna so several different parameters of this antenna were investigated. A normal mode helical antenna was chosen because of its size and impedance. …

Development And Performance Of A Sparsity-Exploiting Algorithm For Few-View Single Photon Emission Computed Tomogrpahy (Spect) Reconstruction, Paul Arthur Wolf

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) provides noninvasive images of the distribution of radiotracer molecules. Dynamic Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography provides information about tracer uptake and washout from a series of time-sequence images. Stationary ring-like multi-camera systems are being developed to provide rapid dynamic acquisitions with high temporal sampling. Reducing the number of cameras reduces the cost of such systems but also reduces the number of views acquired, limiting the angular sampling of the system. Novel few-view image reconstruction methods may be beneficial and are being investigated for the application of dynamic SPECT. A sparsity-exploiting algorithm intended for few-view …

Electroluminescence From Zno Nanostructure Synthesizes Between Nanogap, Cheng Jiang

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis presents the investigation of a nanoscale light-emitting diode (LED) device. The nanoscale LED has a great potential to be used as a light source for biomedical screening and fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy. It can also be developed to a single photon emitter for the application of quantum computing. The nano-LED has the electrical structure of a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) junction. The MSM junction has been formed on the nanogap device that is fabricated on a SOI wafer by optical lithography and KOH solution silicon etching. The Ni evaporated on the surface of the nanogap device performs the metal contact for …

Hybrid Coupler Implemented As A Phase Shifter, John P. Vitale

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Phase shifters are two-port microwave devices which take an input signal and output a phase shifted version of the signal. These devices can be used in phased antenna arrays, frequency translators, and IQ modulator/demodulator systems. The goal for this work is to construct a hybrid coupler phase shifter which will provide a 90 degree phase shift to a signal with a center frequency of 1800 MHz over a 5% bandwidth. This work is novel because the hybrid coupler phase shifter has not been extensively studied. Some papers have provided rough guidelines for constructing these shifters, but there is little exploration …

Pedaling-Related Brain Activation In People Post-Stroke: An Fmri Study, Nutta-On Promjunyakul

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study aimed to enhance our understanding of supraspinal control of locomotion in stroke survivors and its relationship to locomotor impairment. We focused mainly on the locomotor component of walking, which involves rhythmic, reciprocal, flexion and extension movements of multiple joints in both legs. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to record human brain activity while pedaling was used as a model of locomotion. First, we examined the spatiotemporal characteristics of hemodynamic responses recorded with fMRI and found that they were different in stroke survivors and control subjects. However, these differences were not substantial enough to require altering the …

Lateral-Mode Vibration Of Microcantilever-Based Sensors In Viscous Fluids Using Timoshenko Beam Theory, Joshua Schultz

Dissertations (1934 -)

Dynamic-mode microcantilever-based devices are well suited to biological and chemical sensing applications. However, these applications often necessitate liquid-phase sensing, introducing significant fluid-induced dissipative forces and reducing device quality factors (Q). Recent experimental and analytical research has shown that higher in- fluidQis achieved by exciting microcantilevers in the lateral flexural mode. However, the experimental results show that, for microcantilevers having larger width-to-length (b/L) ratios, the behaviors predicted by current analytical models differ from measurements.

To more accurately model microcantilever resonant behavior in viscous fluids and to improve understanding of lateral-mode sensor performance, a new analytical model is developed, incorporating both viscous …

Functional Integration In The Cortical Neuronal Network Of Conscious And Anesthetized Animals, Jeannette A. Vizuete

Dissertations (1934 -)

General anesthesia consists of amnesia, analgesia, areflexia and unconsciousness. How anesthetics suppress consciousness has been a mystery for more than one and a half centuries.

The overall goal of my research has been to determine the neural correlates of anesthetic-induced loss of consciousness. I hypothesized that anesthetics induce unconsciousness by interfering with the functional connectivity of neuronal networks of the brain and consequently, reducing the brain's capacity for information processing. To test this hypothesis, I performed experiments in which neuronal spiking activity was measured with chronically implanted microelectrode arrays in the visual cortex of freely-moving rats during wakefulness and at …

Real Time Control Framework Using Android, Aaron Pittenger

Master's Theses (2009 -)

One potential application for a smartphone-type device is a flight management and control computer for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The hardware employed in most smartphones and tablets has the capabilities necessary to fly an air vehicle without user interaction. The user can pre-program in a flight plan and the smartphone will do the rest. In the past, this real time control application has been done using many separate sensor packages and processors, but never on a single, stand-alone device. Also, capabilities such as the high definition camera present on most smartphones can take photographs and store them on the …

Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Model Of Wrist Dynamics During Tasks Of Daily Living, Patrick Roscher

Master's Theses (2009 -)

An understanding of wrist dynamics during functional movements is required to better diagnose and treat wrist injury and disease. Currently, there is a lack of upper extremity (UE) models that combine both the motions and resulting forces that occur in the wrist during daily activities. The purpose of this study is to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the upper extremity that describes kinematics and wrist kinetics during functional activities. A model of this type could benefit clinical diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of orthopaedic and neurological disorders of the wrist. The created dynamic wrist model was used to test …

Powered Transtibial Prosthetic Device Control System Design, Implementation And Testing, Jinming Sun

Master's Theses (2009 -)

A powered lower limb prosthesis, which consists of a four bar mechanism, a torsional spring and a brushed DC motor, was previously designed and fabricated. To regulate the motor power input, a two level controller was proposed and built. The control algorithm includes a higher level finite state controller and lower level PID controllers. To implement the control system, a digital signal processor (DSP) control board and MATLAB Simulink were used to realize the higher level control and a DC motor controller was used to realize the lower level PID control. Sensors were selected to provide the required feedback. The …

Repair And Strengthening Of Bridge Substructures, Steven W. Ainge

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Deterioration of bridge substructures has been a serious concern throughout Wisconsin. Concrete, steel and timber members all require distinct repair methods which not only address the true causes of deterioration, but protect the member from future damage. Utilizing repair techniques that merely address the effect of the deterioration has proven costly and unreliable. Understanding the relationship between cost and service life of modern repair methods can help maintenance engineers make informed decisions that will maximize efficacy. A survey was sent to 90 maintenance engineers throughout the United States to determine the efficacy and cost of common repair methods. Unique repair …

Design, Analysis, And Construction Of An Equal Split Wilkinson Power Divider, Logan J. Berens

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The Wilkinson power divider is a well known device in the RF/microwave community used for splitting or combining signals. It is composed of simple transmission lines and a resistor, and takes advantage of the properties of quarter-wavelength transmission line sections to provide ideal power divider characteristics. Three different equal split Wilkinson power dividers are designed to operate near 1800 MHz and constructed using typical microstrip fabrication techniques. The three power dividers each feature a unique design to help determine how the microstrip layout can impact isolation and return loss. A circuit analysis of the general Wilkinson power divider schematic is …

Examining Lower Extremity Motor Activity Using Magnetoencephalography, Ruth M. Swedler

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The role of the cortex during locomotion remains unclear, but recent advances in neural imaging technologies have aided in developing ways to measure brain activity during motor tasks. One method is by measuring activations produced by neural oscillations which have been associated with a variety of human behaviors, from sleep and rest to cognitive actions and movement. The physiological and functional methods in which oscillations contribute to cortical control are still largely unknown. In this study, we aim to expand that knowledge by examining human cortical activity in the sensory and motor cortices during pedaling using magnetoencephalography (MEG). We hypothesized …

A Large-Scale Mathematical Model Of The Rat Pulmonary Circulation And The Effect Of Chronic Hypoxia, Loolu Rafeeq

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Mathematical models are useful for developing understanding of the behavior of complex biological systems. Recent work on a “physiome” project is aimed at using computational modeling to analyze integrative biological function by developing a simulation system for hypothesis testing (Borg & Hunter, 2003). To date, extensive work on cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous system models has been undertaken. Our objective here is to contribute to this effort by further developing a comprehensive integrative model of the pulmonary circulation. A computational model of the dog pulmonary circulation was originally developed by Haworth et al. (Haworth S. T., 1996; Haworth, Linehan, Bronikowski, & …

Identification Of Proper And Common Names In The Anterior Temporal Lobe: An Fmri Study, Usha Tadimeti

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a neurological disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. They are usually treated through surgical resection of portions of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL). Surgical resection is effective for seizure control, but produces language and verbal memory deficits such as anomic aphasia, which adversely affects an individual's quality of life. The purpose of this study was to develop a functional MRI protocol for mapping the function of ATL in healthy subjects, and to better understand the role of the ATL and other regions of the semantic system. Such a protocol may ultimately be used by surgeons …

Finite-Time Control And Estimation Of Nonlinear Systems With Disturbance Attenuation, Mohammad N. Elbsat

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation addresses the mixed criteria finite-time bounded controller and observer design of certain classes of nonlinear systems. Finite-time bounded controllers and observers are used to guarantee performance bounds on the transient response of the systems considered. A robust and resilient mixed criteria state-feedback controller design is developed for a class of nonlinear systems with conic-type nonlinearities lying within a hypersphere of uncertain center, additive disturbances, and controller gain perturbations in discrete and continuous-time. Furthermore, a robust and resilient mixed criteria state-dependent state-feedback controller design is developed for a class of nonlinear systems with state dependent system matrices and state-dependent …

Preservation Of Methanogenic Cultures To Enhance Anaerobic Digestion, Ujwal H. Bhattad

Dissertations (1934 -)

The use of anaerobic biotechnology is increasing as a sustainable process to treat various organic wastes. Methanogens convert organic COD into CH4 and play the key role to drive thermodynamically unfavorable biochemical fermentation reactions and keep the digestion process steady and efficient. Progressive understanding of anaerobic microbiology with digester functionality may help to develop efficient, customized methanogenic cultures to enhance anaerobic bioprocesses. Preservation of methanogenic cultures via drying would be a cost-effective option for research and practical applications. However, preservation of methanogenic cultures is challenging due to methanogen sensitivity to O2 toxicity and drying, and very limited work is reported …

Quantitative Biomechanical Evaluation Of Upper Extremity: Strain Behavior Of The Humerus Diaphysis Under Loading, Prateek Grover

Dissertations (1934 -)

While mechanical behavior of the adult human lower extremity long bones under loading has been studied extensively, the same is not true for the adult human humerus. Mechanical data reported for cadaveric humeri and anatomic humerus models are limited to stiffness and rigidity. Strain characteristics of the humerus diaphysis as a function of loading provide a valuable addition to the currently limited knowledge. The objective of this dissertation was to accomplish this goal, using numerical/finite element (FE) methods applied to a standard anatomic humerus model (Reference-Humerus) that was developed from the NIH Visible Human Project for this purpose. Four phases …

Relating Methanogen Community Structure And Function In Anaerobic Digesters, Benjamin T.W. Bocher

Dissertations (1934 -)

A deeper understanding of how microbial community structure relates to process function would help improve anaerobic digester design. This dissertation describes both qualitative and quantitative relationships between anaerobic digester function and microbial community structure. Community structure was characterized using banding pattern intensities from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) for the mcrA gene of methanogenic Archaea. The first project compared a single-stage continuously mixed stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and staging with an acidogenic CSTR followed by a methanogenic CSTR. After seeding with the same biomass, these unique process configurations exhibited different function and qualitatively different methanogen communities. Compared to a single-stage …

Integration Of Eeg-Fmri In An Auditory Oddball Paradigm Using Joint Independent Component Analysis, Jain Mangalathu Arumana

Dissertations (1934 -)

The integration of event-related potential (ERP) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can contribute to characterizing neural networks with high temporal and spatial resolution. The overall objective of this dissertation is to determine the sensitivity and limitations of joint independent component analysis (jICA) within-subject for integration of ERP and fMRI data collected simultaneously in a parametric auditory oddball paradigm. The main experimental finding in this work is that jICA revealed significantly stronger and more extensive activity in brain regions associated with the auditory P300 ERP than a P300 linear regression analysis, both at the group level and within-subject. The results …

Ergonomic Design Of An Aerial Bucket For Ingress And Egress, Bianca M. Bain

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Electric utility companies across the US have been using aerial bucket trucks for line work and troubleshooting for decades. The use of these trucks eliminates the need for workers to climb utility poles in order to repair or maintain lines. Poor ingress and egress design can lead to acute injuries (slips and falls) as well as cumulative injury (musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)). Utility companies want to know the best combination of steps and handlebars for aerial bucket ingress and egress that would minimize the risk of injury. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard – ANSI/SIA A92.2-2009, sets design requirements for aerial …

Real-Time Transport Of Internet Telephony Service Utilizing Embedded Resource-Constrained Systems, Kyle Persohn

Master's Theses (2009 -)

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Additional Weather Inputs On Gas Load Forecasting, Bo Pang

Master's Theses (2009 -)

No abstract provided.

Advanced Visualization And Intuitive User Interface Systems For Biomedical Applications, David Quam

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Modern scientific research produces data at rates that far outpace our ability to comprehend and analyze it. Such sources include medical imaging data and computer simulations, where technological advancements and spatiotemporal resolution generate increasing amounts of data from each scan or simulation. A bottleneck has developed whereby medical professionals and researchers are unable to fully use the advanced information available to them. By integrating computer science, computer graphics, artistic ability and medical expertise, scientific visualization of medical data has become a new field of study. The objective of this thesis is to develop two visualization systems that use advanced visualization, …

Reducing The Radiation Dose To Women Receiving Cardiac Ct Scans, Michael Hoppe

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis aims to quantify the reduction in radiation dose deposited in glandular breast tissue achieved by using tilted gantry acquisition during cardiac CT scans. Previous work by Halpern et al. suggested using tilted acquisition parallel to the long axis of the patient’s heart. However, for a larger portion of the population this is not feasible due to the design of current scanners (which are limited to maximum tilt angles of 30 degrees). This study investigated the potential dose reduction and image quality effects at commercially available tilt angles between 0-30 degrees through simulation and experimental studies.

Upon IRB approval, …

Detection And Analysis Of Sludge Bulking Events Using Data Mining And Machine Learning Approach, Yuanhao Zhao

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Sludge bulking is the most notable cause of activated sludge plant failure (i.e. exceeding discharge permit quality limits) worldwide. Numerous mathematical methods have been applied to detect and provide warning for the prevention of sludge bulking. However, these models often fail to reliably forecast sludge bulking events because they focus on the point-by-point "curve-fitting" strategy, while the number of bulking event data points is relatively small in comparison with the large amount of data in the time series. Therefore, three machine learning approaches which focus on detecting the temporal pattern data before the sludge bulking events are considered in this …