Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Patient Movement Monitoring Based On Imu And Deep Learning, Mohsen Sharifi Renani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability among the aging population in the United States and is frequently treated by replacing deteriorated joints with metal and plastic components. Developing better quantitative measures of movement quality to track patients longitudinally in their own homes would enable personalized treatment plans and hasten the advancement of promising new interventions. Wearable sensors and machine learning used to quantify patient movement could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders. The purpose of this dissertation was to overcome technical challenges associated with the use of wearable sensors, specifically Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), as a …

Mitral Valve Imaging And Biomechanics: A Workflow Towards Computational Modeling And Validation, Sam Stephens

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The mitral valve serves a critical role in healthy cardiac function by ensuring the unidirectional flow of oxygenated blood from the left atrium into the left ventricle. It experiences the highest pressures found within the heart and its closure is the result of a complex interaction of several different structures that, furthermore, are unique to each individual. Despite the valve’s vital role however, the specific function of these constituent structures is not fully understood. This, confounded by its asymmetric, personalized nature, make surgical interventions for the mitral valve far less effective than for its neighboring aortic valve. Efforts to overcome …

Effect Of Amputation On Muscle Structure Properties In A Rabbit Model, Roy Caleb Stubbs

Masters Theses

After amputation, muscles in the residual limb are detached from their insertion points and no longer span the missing joints. Our objective was to quantify the effect of amputation-induced disuse on residual muscle structure, an indirect indicator of muscle force-generating capacity. One hind paw was surgically removed at the ankle joint of ten rabbits. At two weeks (n=5) and 4 weeks (n=5) post-amputation and for select muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis cranialis, extensor digitorum, and flexor digitorum superficialis), we measured and computed several muscle structure properties. Additionally, we qualitatively assessed the muscle fiber appearance of histological samples at each timepoint. At …

Prosthetic Thumb, Allison M. Sigdestad, Sahil Sharma, Cale Foreman

Biomedical Engineering

The Prosthetic Thumb Project is a senior design project completed by Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate students at California Polytechnic State University. This senior design project is aimed at designing a prosthetic thumb for a Cal Poly Pomona student who lost their thumb in an accident last year. The patient has ultimately lost between 30-40% of functionality of his left hand, and so we would like to give him that mobility back. Originally, the patient was worried about having a prosthesis, and wanted something more stagnant that would resemble the look of the thumb he lost. However, after working with him, we …

Design And Analysis Of A 3d-Printed, Thermoplastic Elastomer (Tpe) Spring Element For Use In Corrective Hand Orthotics, Kevin Thomas Richardson

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

This thesis proposes an algorithm that determine the geometry of 3D-printed, custom-designed spring element bands made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for use in a wearable orthotic device to aid in the physical therapy of a human hand exhibiting spasticity after stroke. Each finger of the hand is modeled as a mechanical system consisting of a triple-rod pendulum with nonlinear stiffness at each joint and forces applied at the attachment point of each flexor muscle. The system is assumed quasi-static, which leads to a torque balance between the flexor tendons in the hand, joint stiffness and the design force applied to …

Biomechanical Testing Of An Exercise For Strengthening The Proximal Femur., Alyssa Osbourne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on the principles of cutting edge bone remodeling research, a unique therapeutic exercise device was designed specifically to improve bone quality at the most critical location of the proximal femur prone to fracture: the superior-lateral femoral neck where the fracture first initiates during a fall. The exercise/device is intended to work by inducing enough strain in the bone to stimulate the body’s natural bone remodeling mechanisms to increase bone density in the proximal femur and consequently prevent a fracture from arising if a fall to the side does occur.

In order to test the proposed exercise, experiments simulating the …

Wheelchair Fatigue Reducer, Aaron Miller, Dennis Andre Norfleet

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of The Biomechanical Characteristics Related To The Loading Of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Implants And The Development Of A Wear Simulation Strategy, G Daniel G. Langohr

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A greater understanding of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) in terms of articular contact mechanics and wear is essential for the optimization of current surgical technique and future implant design. Despite the prevalence of RTSA for shoulder reconstruction, there is little information in current literature regarding the effects of changes in implant parameters on articular contact mechanics and wear. The present work describes the use of in-vitro cadaveric studies, a computational model of the articular contact surfaces, and the development and implementation of a wear simulation strategy to assess RTSA contact mechanics and wear.

The articular loading characteristics of RTSA …

Effect Of Hemiarthroplasty Implant Contact Geometry And Material On Early Cartilage Wear, Alana Khayat

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hemiarthroplasty is a minimally invasive, cost-effective alternative to total arthroplasty in joints of the upper limb. Though these procedures reduce patient morbidity while restoring joint kinematics, their longevity is limited by wear of the adjacent cartilage. This work investigates the roles of contact geometry and implant stiffness on cartilage wear with the aim of elucidating the mechanics that contribute to cartilage damage. An in vitro study examined the influence of implant geometry on cartilage wear using a pin-on-plate wear simulator. A significant decrease in volumetric wear was observed as contact area increased, which suggests that maximizing contact area should be …

Design And Development Of A Novel Expanding Pedicle Screw For Use In The Osteoporotic Lumbar Spine, Parham Rasoulinejad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pedicle screws are commonly utilized in spinal surgery; however, traditional designs often do not provide adequate fixation in osteoporotic spines. The objective of this thesis was to develop a novel expanding screw for use in osteoporotic lumbar pedicles. Helical screws capable of expanding post insertion were built on a rapid prototype machine. A materials testing machine performed axial load to failure tests in both Sawbones and cadaveric specimens comparing the new design to traditional screws (rate = 10mm/min to 20 mm). Output parameters included yield load, ultimate load, stiffness, energy to failure and total energy. The expanding screw showed a …

An Investigation Of Subaxial Cervical Spine Trauma And Surgical Treatment Through Biomechanical Simulation And Kinematic Analysis, Stewart D. Mclachlin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In vitro biomechanical investigations can help to identify changes in subaxial cervical spine (C3-C7) stability following injury, and determine the efficacy of surgical treatments through controlled joint simulation experiments and kinematic analyses. However, with the large spectrum of cervical spine trauma, a large fraction of the potential injuries have not been examined biomechanically. This includes a lack of studies investigating prevalent flexion-distraction injuries. Therefore, the overall objective of this thesis was to investigate the changes in subaxial cervical spine kinematic stability with simulated flexion-distraction injuries and current surgical instrumentation approaches using both established and novel biomechanical techniques.

Three in vitro …

The Contact Mechanics And Kinematics Of Radial Head Implants, Hannah L. Shannon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A number of commercially available radial head (RH) implants are used for the management of RH fractures. The optimal shape of a RH implant to restore joint mechanics to the native state has not been established. This work compares radiocapitellar contact and kinematics for three implant designs as well as the native RH. These implants include an axisymmetric, a quasi-anatomic and a patient-specific design. When compared to the native RH, only the axisymmetric implant was significantly different in contact area (p=0.008). Active and passive forearm supination was assessed for differences in translations of the RH. Significant differences were found in …

Dynamics, Electromyography And Vibroarthrography As Non-Invasive Diagnostic Tools: Investigation Of The Patellofemoral Joint, Filip Leszko

Doctoral Dissertations

The knee joint plays an essential role in the human musculoskeletal system. It has evolved to withstand extreme loading conditions, while providing almost frictionless joint movement. However, its performance may be disrupted by disease, anatomical deformities, soft tissue imbalance or injury. Knee disorders are often puzzling, and accurate diagnosis may be challenging. Current evaluation approach is usually limited to a detailed interview with the patient, careful physical examination and radiographic imaging. The X-ray screening may reveal bone degeneration, but does not carry sufficient information of the soft tissue conditions. More advanced imaging tools such as MRI or CT are available, …

Noninvasive Assessment Of Joint Motion Over Long Durations: System Evaluation And Data Analysis Methods, Maria J. Qadri

Master's Theses

The development, progression, and treatment of degenerative musculoskeletal diseases, such as carpal tunnel and shoulder impingement syndromes, may be better characterized when joint motions are assessed over long durations outside clinical, laboratory, or rehabilitation settings that involve standardized assessment, exercise protocols, and/or regimented movements. Assessment methods for human movement capture beyond laboratory or clinical experiments are typically limited to short capture times of less than one hour. Noninvasive, long-duration measurements of joint motion in occupational settings provides more insight into movement patterns and quantitative assessments regarding joint usage, which lead to a better understanding of the cumulative effects associated with …

Development Of An Active Elbow Motion Simulator And Coordinate Systems To Evaluate Kinematics In Multiple Positions, Louis M. Ferreira

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Elbow disorders are common as a consequence of both traumatic and degenerative conditions. Relative to disorders of the lower limb, there is comparatively little evidence to direct the treatment of many elbow disorders. Biomechanical studies are required to develop and validate the optimal treatment of elbow disorders prior to their application in patients. Clinically relevant simulation of elbow motion in the laboratory can be a powerful tool to advance our knowledge of elbow disorders. This work was undertaken with the rationale that simulation and quantification of elbow motion could be improved significantly. This treatise includes the development and evaluation of …