Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Towards The Development Of A Wearable Tremor Suppression Glove, Yue Zhou

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often associate with tremor. Among other symptoms of PD, tremor is the most aggressive symptom and it is difficult to control with traditional treatments. This thesis presents the assessment of Parkinsonian hand tremor in both the time domain and the frequency domain, the performance of a tremor estimator using different tremor models, and the development of a novel mechatronic transmission system for a wearable tremor suppression device. This transmission system functions as a mechatronic splitter that allows a single power source to support multiple independent applications. Unique features of this transmission system include low …

Effectiveness Of Group Kickboxing As A Means To Improve Gait And Balance In Individuals With Ms, Kurt Jackson, Kimberly Edginton Bigelow, Christina Cooper, Harold L. Merriman

Harold L. Merriman

In recent years, there has been a particular emphasis on identifying and delivering appropriate therapeutic interventions that address the significant balance and gait impairments that affect individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Group interventions implemented in community settings have been especially of interest, including tai chi classes. Recently, the authors conducted a preliminary study to examine whether group kick-boxing, which requires more vigorous movements, might be a feasible intervention. Initial findings showed promise and led the authors to pursue a more rigorous follow-up study, with the objective of determining whether a 5-week group kickboxing class improved clinical measures of balance and …

Development Of An In-Vitro Passive And Active Motion Simulator For The Investigation Of Wrist Function And Kinematics, Duncan J. Iglesias

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis outlines the design and development of an active motion simulator for the investigation of wrist kinematics in multiple gravity loaded positions. Using optical trackers on the third metacarpal, radius, and ulna, the position of the wrist was monitored in real time without introducing material incompatibilities as present for electromagnetic tracking systems. Performance of the system was performed using a series of five cadaver upper limbs that compared the ability to produce repeatable trials using unrestrained active motion techniques over passive manipulation methods. Comparisons to achieve static positions as well as motion trials in flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation planes …

Hybrid Femtosecond/Picosecond Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering For High-Speed Gas-Phase Thermometry, Joseph D. Miller, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, Terrence R. Meyer, Hans U. Stauffer, James R. Goird

Terrence R Meyer

We demonstrate hybrid femtosecond/picosecond (fs/ps) coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering for high-speed thermometry in unsteady high-temperature flames, including successful comparisons with a time- and frequencyresolved theoretical model. After excitation of the N2 vibrational manifold with 100 fs broadband pump and Stokes beams, the Raman coherence is probed using a frequency-narrowed 2:5 ps probe beam that is time delayed to suppress the nonresonant background by 2 orders of magnitude. Experimental spectra were obtained at 500 Hz in steady and pulsed H2–air flames and exhibit a temperature precision of 2.2% and an accuracy of 3.3% up to 2400 K. Strategies for real-time gas-phase …

Probe-Pulse Optimization For Nonresonant Suppression In Hybrid Fs/Ps Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering At High Temperature, Joseph D. Miller, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, Terrence R. Meyer

Terrence R Meyer

Hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS) offers accurate thermometry at kHz rates for combustion diagnostics. In high-temperature flames, selection of probe-pulse characteristics is key to simultaneously optimizing signal-to-nonresonant-background ratio, signal strength, and spectral resolution. We demonstrate a simple method for enhancing signal-to-nonresonant-background ratio by using a narrowband Lorentzian filter to generate a time-asymmetric probe pulse with full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) pulse width of only 240 fs. This allows detection within just 310 fs after the Raman excitation for eliminating nonresonant background while retaining 45% of the resonant signal at 2000 K. The narrow linewidth is comparable to that of a …

An Immersed Boundary Geometric Preprocessor For Arbitrarily Complex Terrain And Geometry, Inanc Senocak, Micah Sandusky, Rey Deleon, Derek Wade, Kyle Felzien, Marianna Budnikova

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is a growing interest to apply the immersed boundary method to compute wind fields over arbitrarily complex terrain. The computer implementation of an immersed boundary module into an existing flow solver can be accomplished with minor modifications to the rest of the computer program. However, a versatile preprocessor is needed at the first place to extract the essential geometric information pertinent to the immersion of an arbitrarily complex terrain inside a 3D Cartesian mesh. Errors in the geometric information can negatively impact the correct implementation of the immersed boundary method as part of the solution algorithm. Additionally, the distance …

Biomechanical Investigation Of Elite Place-Kicking, Chase M. Pfeifer

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Many studies aim to understand the fundamentals of kicking commonly displayed by soccer players [4,6,10,16,17,18,24,25,28,29,30,34,36,38,40]. Of those studies, most are limited to a two-dimensional (2D) analysis using high-speed cameras for position tracking or utilizing electromyography to observe the activity of select muscles [4,6,18,25,29,36]. The few studies that investigate kicking using a three-dimensional (3D) model are limited in their position tracking capabilities and focus mainly on joint flexion potentials and foot speed.

This dissertation is a comprehensive biomechanical analysis (kinematic and EMG) of the field-goal place-kicking techniques of four elite kickers in American football. Data were compared and contrasted with ball …

Indentation Probing Of In Vitro Bovine Articular Cartilage: Effects On Chondrocyte Viability And Tissue Biomechanics, Pablo F. Argote, Alan Poon, Xin Xu Ph.D, Corey P. Neu Ph.D.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Osteoarthritis (OA) consists of a degenerative disease on articular cartilage, which is prone to excessive mechanical loading and frictional resistance that leads to the wear and tear of the tissue. These factors result in the progressive and incurable disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The goal is to characterize chondrocyte viability and the in vitro biomechanical properties of articular cartilage in two confined indentation studies. One study looks at the chondrocyte viability over seven days. The second compares the immediate effects of strain rates on chondrocyte viability and tissue biomechanics. Bovine cartilage explants are harvested, cultured, and then 40% …

A Community Of World Class Engineering Students, Devshikha Bose, Krishna Pakala

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper is a work in progress report on an Engineering Living Learning Community (LLC) at Boise State University. Though the LLC under consideration is for the time period of Fall 2014 to Fall 2016, this report is limited to student as well as instructor anecdotal and self-reported experiences, observations, and evaluations made during Fall 2014 and Spring 2015. The mission of the Residential College program at BSU is to integrate student academic and personal life in a residential setting, so as to develop interdisciplinary knowledge, foster deep learning, and maximize student success. In support of this goal, students completed …

In Vivo Mechanics Of Cam-Post Engagement In Fixed And Mobile Bearing Tka And Vibroarthrography Of The Knee Joint, Sumesh M. Zingde

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to determine the mechanics of the cam-post mechanism for subjects implanted with a Rotating Platform (RP) PS TKA, Fixed Bearing (FB) PS TKA or FB Bi-Cruciate Stabilized (BCS) TKA. Additionally, a secondary goal of this dissertation was to investigate the feasibility of vibroarthrography in correlating in-vivo vibrations with features exhibited in native, arthritic and implanted knees. In-vivo, 3D kinematics were determined for subjects implanted with nine knees with a RP-PS TKA, five knees with a FB-PS TKA, and 10 knees with a FB-BCS TKA, while performing a deep knee bend. Distance between the cam-post …

A Continous Rotary Actuation Mechanism For A Powered Hip Exoskeleton, Matthew C. Ryder

Masters Theses

This thesis presents a new mechanical design for an exoskeleton actuator to power the sagittal plane motion in the human hip. The device uses a DC motor to drive a Scotch yoke mechanism and series elasticity to take advantage of the cyclic nature of human gait and to reduce the maximum power and control requirements of the exoskeleton. The Scotch yoke actuator creates a position-dependent transmission that varies between 4:1 and infinity, with the peak transmission ratio aligned to the peak torque periods of the human gait cycle. Simulation results show that both the peak and average motor torque can …

Development Of A Muscle Model Parameter Calibration Method Via Passive Muscle Force Minimization, Allison Kinney, Benjamin J. Fregly

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Computational predictions of subject-specific muscle and knee joint contact forces during walking may improve individual rehabilitation treatment design. Such predictions depend directly on specified model parameter values. However, model parameters are difficult to measure non-invasively. Methods for muscle model parameter calibration have been developed previously. However, it is currently unknown how the musculoskeletal system chooses muscle model parameter values. Previous studies have hypothesized that muscles avoid injury during walking by generating little passive force and operating in the ascending region of the force-length curve. This hypothesis suggests that muscle model parameter values may be selected by the body to minimize …

Synergy-Based Two-Level Optimization For Predicting Knee Contact Forces During Walking, Gil Serrancolí, Allison Kinney, Josep M. Font-Llagunes, Benjamin J. Fregly

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Musculoskeletal models and optimization methods are combined to calculate muscle forces. Some model parameters cannot be experimentally measured due to the invasiveness, such as the muscle moment arms or the muscle and tendon lengths. Moreover, other parameters used in the optimization, such as the muscle synergy components, can be also unknown. The estimation of all these parameters needs to be validated to obtain physiologically consistent results. In this study, a two-step optimization problem was formulated to predict both muscle and knee contact forces of a subject wearing an instrumented knee prosthesis. In the outer level, muscle parameters were calibrated, whereas …

Nano Scale Mechanical Analysis Of Biomaterials Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Diganta Dutta

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a probe-based microscope that uses nanoscale and structural imaging where high resolution is desired. AFM has also been used in mechanical, electrical, and thermal engineering applications. This unique technique provides vital local material properties like the modulus of elasticity, hardness, surface potential, Hamaker constant, and the surface charge density from force versus displacement curve. Therefore, AFM was used to measure both the diameter and mechanical properties of the collagen nanostraws in human costal cartilage. Human costal cartilage forms a bridge between the sternum and bony ribs. The chest wall of some humans is deformed …

Computational Prediction Of Remodeling Of Collagen Fiber Network In Articular Cartilage Under Dynamic Unconfined Compression, Juan Andres Coello Amado

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A poroelastic finite element model of a heterogeneous cartilage disk was created based on previous studies and experimental setups; this allows us to study cartilage behavior under dynamic unconfined compression. Previous studies have used a Post Hoc approach, which consist of searching for patterns or relationships between predicted mechanical parameters obtained through computational and experimental results. Our goal in this study is to take the same Post-Hoc approach and identify patterns between predicted mechanical parameters, such as fiber strain or stress, and experimentally-measured collagen fiber distribution (i.e. reorientation of fibers under dynamic unconfined compression). After computational predictions were obtained, it …

Use Of Mobile Learning Strategies And Devices For E-Portfolio Content Creation In An Engineering Thermodynamics And Fluid Mechanics Classes: Student Perceptions, Devshikha Bose, Krishna Pakala

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Use of mobile learning strategies and devices for e-portfolio content creation in an engineering Thermodynamics class: Student perceptions Mobile devices can be useful for creating educational content and to help students to learn better (Benedict & Pence, 2012; Tabor & Minch, 2013; Pereira, Echeazarra, Sanz-Santamaria, & Gutierrez, 2014). The purpose of this study is to determine student perceptions on the efficacy of using mobile learning strategies and devices to create electronic content for inclusion in an engineering individual e-portfolio. Students enrolled in an undergraduate 300-level engineering Thermodynamics class, created multimedia videos and produced content demonstrating course content summaries, problem solving …

Sapien3 Comb Stitch Improvement For Edwards Lifesciences, William Harley, Thomas Pluschkell, John Mctigue, Garrett Reed

Mechanical Engineering

The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time.

The Influence Of Neuromusculoskeletal Model Calibration Method On Predicted Knee Contact Forces During Walking, Gil Serrancolí, Allison Kinney, Benjamin J. Fregly, Josep M. Font-Llagunes

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This study explored the influence of three model calibration methods on predicted knee contact and leg muscle forces during walking. Static optimization was used to calculate muscle activations for all three methods. Approach A used muscle-tendon model parameter values (i.e., optimal muscle fiber lengths and tendon slack lengths) taken directly from literature. Approach B used a simple algorithm to calibrate muscle-tendon model parameter values such that each muscle operated within the ascending region of its normalized force-length curve. Approach C used a novel two-level optimization procedure to calibrate muscle-tendon, moment arm, and neural control model parameter values while simultaneously predicting …

Development And Validation Of A Tibiofemoral Joint Finite Element Model And Subsequent Gait Analysis Of Intact Acl And Acl Deficient Individuals, Nicholas Czapla

Master's Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition of articular cartilage that affects more than 25 million people in the US. Joint injuries, like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, can lead to OA due to a change in articular cartilage loading. Gait analysis combined with knee joint finite element modeling (FEM) has been used to predict the articular cartilage loading. To predict the change of articular cartilage loading during gait due to various ACL injuries, a tibiofemoral FEM was developed from magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of a 33 year male, with no prior history of knee injuries. The FEM was validated for …

Transcatheter Heart Valve Subassembly Device, Adam Aslam, Matthew Bezkrovny, Daniel Degree

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Applied To The Analysis Of Blood Flow Through Central Aortic To Pulmonary Artery Shunts, Carey Celestin Jr

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research utilizes CFD to analyze blood flow through pathways representative of central shunts, commonly used as part of the Fontan procedure to treat cyanotic heart disease. In the first part of this research, a parametric study of steady, Newtonian blood flow through parabolic pathways was performed to demonstrate the effect that flow pathway curvature has on wall shear stress distribution and flow energy losses. In the second part, blood flow through two shunts obtained via biplane angiograms is simulated. Pressure boundary conditions were obtained via catheterization. Results showed that wall shear stresses were of sufficient magnitude to initiate platelet …

The Microstructure And The Electrochemical Behavior Of Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum Alloys From Retrieved Hip Implants, Christopher P. Emerson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of their excellent mechanical, tribological, and electrochemical properties, Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum alloys have been used as the material for both the stem and head of modular hip implants. Corrosion is one mechanism by which metal debris, from these implants, is generated, which can lead to adverse events that requires revision surgery. Manufacturing process such as wrought, as-cast, and powder metallurgy influences the microstructure, material properties, and performance of these implants

The current research focuses on analyzing the microstructure of CoCrMo alloys from retrieved hip implants with optical and scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, energy disperse spectroscopy was utilized to determine …

Fiber Optic Bandage, Logan Mcneil, Cameron Pilkey, Brittani Erwin, Adam Wojnar

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

The purpose of this document is to show the report for the Fiber optic device formulated through the biomedical engineering department with a senior design group. A growing issue in medical technology is open wound care. Particularly prevalent in diabetics, open wound care is expensive and time consuming. Certain wavelengths of light have not only shown to have germicidal properties, but also allow cell growth and regeneration. The following design was founded around these ideas, and an initial design was developed. The design centered around using fiber optics as a means of replacing a wet bandage in a normal wound …

Towards A Dynamic Clamp For Neurochemical Modalities, C. M. Rivera, H.-J. Kwon, A. Hashmi, Gu Yu, J. Zhao, J. Gao, J. Xu, Wei Xue, A. G. Dimitrov

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Faculty Scholarship

The classic dynamic clamp technique uses a real-time electrical interface between living cells and neural simulations in order to investigate hypotheses about neural function and structure. One of the acknowledged drawbacks of that technique is the limited control of the cells’ chemical microenvironment. In this manuscript, we use a novel combination of nanosensor and microfluidic technology and microfluidic and neural simulations to add sensing and control of chemical concentrations to the dynamic clamp technique. Specifically, we use a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip to generate distinct chemical concentration gradients (ions or neuromodulators), to register the concentrations with embedded nanosensors and use the processed …

Fiber Optic Bandage, Logan Mcneil

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Force Sensing In Arthroscopic Instruments Using Fiber Bragg Gratings, Daniel S. Yurkewich

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Minimally-invasive surgery has revolutionized many medical procedures; however, it also impedes the ability to feel the interaction between the surgical tool and the anatomical part being operated on. In order to address this problem, it is necessary to obtain accurate measurements of the interaction forces exerted on the surgical tools during surgery. These forces can then be manifested to the surgeon via a haptic device or presented visually (visual-force feedback). This thesis describes the use of a fiber optic device to measure and display to the surgeon interaction forces acting on an arthroscopic tool. The sensorization of the tool involves …

In-Vivo Corrosion And Fretting Of Modular Ti-6al-4v/Co-Cr-Mo Hip Prostheses: The Influence Of Microstructure And Design Parameters, Jose Luis Gonzalez Jr

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of corrosion and fretting in 48 retrieved titanium-6aluminum-4vanadium and/or cobalt-chromium-molybdenum modular total hip prosthesis with respect to alloy material microstructure and design parameters. The results revealed vastly different performance results for the wide array of microstructures examined. Severe corrosion/fretting was seen in 100% of as-cast, 24% of low carbon wrought, 9% of high carbon wrought and 5% of solution heat treated cobalt-chrome. Severe corrosion/fretting was observed in 60% of Ti-6Al-4V components. Design features which allow for fluid entry and stagnation, amplification of contact pressure and/or increased micromotion were also shown …

Osteoarthritis Induced Glenoid Morphology And Bone Quality: An Evaluation Of Augmented Glenoid Components, Nikolas K. Knowles

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Osteoarthritis of the glenoid results in regional bone density variations and bone loss that may compromise early component fixation and support. The two common morphologies, symmetric and asymmetric erosion, were characterized by bone density and morphology, and assessed on the basis of bone removal and bone quality in the context of augmented glenoid components. The bone strain field was also compared when different augmented glenoid components underwent simulated joint loading using finite element analysis.

Asymmetrically eroded glenoids were found to have denser bone (p

Comparison Of 4d Phase-Contrast Mri Flow Measurements To Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations Of Cerebrospinal Fluid Motion In The Cervical Spine, Theresia Yiallourou, Jan Robert Kroger, Nikolaos Stergiopulos, David Maintz, Bryn A. Martin, Alexander C. Bunck

Dr. Bryn Martin

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics in the cervical spinal subarachnoid space (SSS) have been thought to be important to help diagnose and assess craniospinal disorders such as Chiari I malformation (CM). In this study we obtained time-resolved three directional velocity encoded phase-contrast MRI (4D PC MRI) in three healthy volunteers and four CM patients and compared the 4D PC MRI measurements to subject-specific 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The CFD simulations considered the geometry to be rigid-walled and did not include small anatomical structures such as nerve roots, denticulate ligaments and arachnoid trabeculae. Results were compared at nine axial planes …

Freezing-Induced Deformation Of Biomaterials In Cryomedicine, Altug Ozcelikkale

Open Access Dissertations

Cryomedicine utilizes low temperature treatments of biological proteins, cells and tissues for cryopreservation, materials processing and cryotherapy. Lack of proper understanding of cryodamage that occurs during these applications remains to be the primary bottleneck for development of successful tissue cryopreservation and cryosurgery procedures. An engineering approach based on a view of biological systems as functional biomaterials can help identify, predict and control the primary cryodamage mechanisms by developing an understanding of underlying freezing-induced biophysical processes. In particular, freezing constitutes the main structural/mechanical origin of cryodamage and results in significant deformation of biomaterials at multiple length scales. Understanding of these freezing-induced …