Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

In-Shoe Plantar Pressure System To Investigate Ground Reaction Force Using Android Platform, Ahmed A. Mostfa

Theses and Dissertations

Human footwear is not yet designed to optimally relieve pressure on the heel of the foot. Proper foot pressure assessment requires personal training and measurements by specialized machinery. This research aims to investigate and hypothesize about Preferred Transition Speed (PTS) and to classify the gait phase of explicit variances in walking patterns between different subjects. An in-shoe wearable pressure system using Android application was developed to investigate walking patterns and collect data on Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In-shoe circuitry used Flexi-Force A201 sensors placed at three major areas: heel contact, 1st metatarsal, and 5th metatarsal with a PIC16F688 microcontroller …

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 …

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 …

The Research, Design And Implementation Of A Remotely Operated Bioreactor With Incubation System For The Purpose Of A 3d Cell Line Growth, Steven Doyle, John Helms, Ryan Longchamps, Azita Amiri

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Task-Specific And General Cognitive Effects In Chiari Malformation Type I, Philip Allen, James Houston, Joshua Pollock, Christopher Buzzelli, Xuan Li, A. Harrington, Bryn Martin, Francis Loth, Mei-Ching Lien, Jahangir Maleki, Mark Luciano

Philip A Allen

Our objective was to use episodic memory and executive function tests to determine whether or not Chiari Malformation Type I (CM) patients experience cognitive dysfunction.

Application Of Goldratt’S Thinking Process To Constraints Within An Emergency Department—A Case Study, Augustine O. Amonge

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Emergency department (ED) acts as a feeder to many hospitals as it determines a large proportion of admissions. ED also acts as a buffer zone for many patients who cannot get care in other institutions due to insurance issues. Most hospitals are trying to invest heavily on their EDs, but cannot meet patients’ satisfaction in terms of cost and quality of care. There is great need for EDs to understand customers’ expectation given the rising cost of healthcare.

The focus of this study is at an ED center in Bowling Green Kentucky, using theory of constraints (TOC) thinking process application …

Development Of A Wearable Mechatronic Elbow Brace For Postoperative Motion Rehabilitation, Anastasiia Kyrylova

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis describes the development of a wearable mechatronic brace for upper limb rehabilitation that can be used at any stage of motion training after surgical reconstruction of brachial plexus nerves. The results of the mechanical design and the work completed towards finding the best torque transmission system are presented herein. As part of this mechatronic system, a customized control system was designed, tested and modified. The control strategy was improved by replacing a PID controller with a cascade controller. Although the experiments have shown that the proposed device can be successfully used for muscle training, further assessment of the …

The Search For High-Impact Diagnostic And Management Tools For Low-And Middle-Income Countries: A Self-Powered Low-Cost Blood Pressure Measurement Device Powered By A Solid-State Vibration Energy Harvester, Onur Bilgen, John G. Kenerson, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Rebecca Hattery, Lisbet M. Hanson

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The World Health Organization has established recommendations for blood pressure measurement devices for use in low-resource venues, setting the triple A expectations of Accuracy, Affordability, and Availability. Because of issues related to training and assessment of proficiency, the pendulum has swung away from manual blood pressure devices and auscultatory techniques towards automatic oscillometric devices. As a result of power challenges in the developing world, there has also been a push towards semiautomatic devices that are not dependent on external power sources or batteries. Beyond solar solutions, disruptive technology related to solid-state vibrational energy harvesting may be the next iterative solution …

A Sensorless Haptic Interface For Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery, Baoliang Zhao

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

Robotic minimally invasive surgery (R-MIS) has gained in popularity due to its advantages of improving the accuracy and dexterity of surgical interventions while minimizing trauma to the patient. However, because of the loss of direct contact with the surgical site, the surgeon cannot perceive tactile information, which may adversely affect surgical efficiency and/or efficacy. The lack of haptic feedback is regarded as a limiting factor in existing R-MIS technology.

To solve this problem, researchers have incorporated force sensors on the surgical tools to measure the tool-tissue interaction forces, and reproduce these forces at the surgeon console. However, the employment of …

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 …

Response Of Endothelial Cells To Quantified Hemodynamic Shear Stress, Hamed Avari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally. Arterial endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction plays a key role in many of these CVDs, such as atherosclerosis. Blood flow-induced wall shear stress (WSS), among many other pathophysiological factors, is shown to significantly contribute to EC dysfunction.

The present dissertation is an in vitro investigation of quantified WSS on ECs to quantitatively analyze the EC morphometric parameters, as well as cytoskeletal remodeling.

A hemodynamic facility based on the parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC) concept. The Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) method with a custom set-up was implemented to suit the needs …

Fiber Optic Bandage, Logan Mcneil

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Simulation And Neuromuscular Control Of Movement: Applications For Predictive Simulations Of Balance Recovery, Misagh Mansouri Boroujeni

Doctoral Dissertations

Balance is among the most challenging tasks for patients with movement disorders. Study and treatment of these disorders could greatly benefit from combined software tools that offer better insights into neuromuscular biomechanics, and predictive capabilities for optimal surgical and rehabilitation treatment planning. A platform was created to combine musculoskeletal modeling, closed-loop forward dynamic simulation, optimization techniques, and neuromuscular control system design. Spinal (stretch-reflex) and supraspinal (operational space task-based) controllers were developed to test simulation-based hypotheses related to balance recovery and movement control. A corrective procedure (rectus femoris transfer surgery) was targeted for children experiencing stiff-knee gait and how this procedure …

A Participatory Design Framework For Customisable Assistive Technology, Pearl O'Rourke

Doctoral

High product costs and device abandonment negatively affect people with disabilities who require Assistive Technology (AT), and poor product design is a root cause. The purpose of this research is to develop and demonstrate a participatory design framework for customisable AT, which addresses the need for low-cost assistive products that satisfy a broad range of consumers’ needs. This framework addresses two main gaps in the literature. First, user involvement in the design process of medical and rehabilitative products helps create products that are more effective but, although methods to involve users exist, there are currently scant techniques to translate the …

The Design, Build, And Validation Of A Hybrid Tower Used To Conduct Helmet Impact Tests, Darren Benn

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) was established to enlist research directed towards the reduction of head injuries in organized sports. The function of the test methods developed by NOCSAE is to provide the blueprint for reliable and repeatable procedures to measure the evaluation of various types of protective sports headgear and projectiles. In addition, the methods also govern hardware such as testing apparatus and data acquisition instrumentation. In helmet testing, the method dictates whether the impact is induced by a projectile system or by a drop tower system with an anvil at the base. Altogether, …

Task-Specific And General Cognitive Effects In Chiari Malformation Type I, Philip Allen, James Houston, Joshua Pollock, Christopher Buzzelli, Xuan Li, A. Harrington, Bryn Martin, Francis Loth, Mei-Ching Lien, Jahangir Maleki, Mark Luciano

Dr. Bryn Martin

Our objective was to use episodic memory and executive function tests to determine whether or not Chiari Malformation Type I (CM) patients experience cognitive dysfunction.

Transient Cardiovascular Hemodynamics In A Patient-Specific Arterial System, Jr Rodward Hewlin

Dissertations

The ultimate goal of the present study is to aid in the development of tools to assist in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Gaining an understanding of hemodynamic parameters for medical implants allow clinicians to have some patient-specific proposals for intervention planning. In the present study a full cardiovascular experimental phantom and digital phantom (CFD model) was fabricated to study: (1) the effects of local hemodynamics on global hemodynamics, (2) the effects of transition from bed-rest to upright position, and (3) transport of dye (drug delivery) in the arterial system. Computational three dimensional (3-D) models (designs A, B, and C) …

Generation And Delivery Of Charged Aerosols To Infant Airways, Landon T. Holbrook

Theses and Dissertations

The administration of pharmaceutical aerosols to infants on mechanical ventilation needs to be improved by increasing the efficiency of delivery devices and creating better ways of evaluating potential therapies. Aerosolized medicines such as surfactants have been administered to ventilated infants with mixed results, but studies have shown improvement in respiratory function with a much lower dose than with liquid instillation through an endotracheal tube (ETT). An aerosolized medicine must be transported through the ventilation tubing and deposit in the lungs to have the desired therapeutic response.

This work has taken a systematic approach to (i) develop new devices for the …

Computational Modeling To Assess Surgical Procedures For The Treatment Of Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity, Brian A. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Several surgically corrective procedures are considered to treat Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity (AAFD) patients, relieve pain, and restore function. Procedure selection is based on best practices and surgeon preference. Recent research created patient specific models of Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity (AAFD) to explore their predictive capabilities and examine effectiveness of the surgical procedure used to treat the deformity. The models’ behavior was governed solely by patient bodyweight, soft tissue constraints, and joint contact without the assumption of idealized joints. The current work expanded those models to determine if an alternate procedure would be more effective for the individual. These procedures …

Induction Of Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Dpsc), Aubrey Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from a variety of human tissues and are being bioengineered and studied for possible uses in the advancement of medicine. Recent efforts are being focused on Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSC's) due to the accessibility of this tissue. Many factors influence DPSC quality and quantity, including the specific methods used to isolate, collect, concentrate, and store these isolates once they are removed. Ancillary factors, such as the choice of media, the selection of early versus late passage cells, and cryopreservation techniques may also influence the differentiation potential and proliferative capacity of DPSC isolates.

The objective …

Optimization Of Cooling Protocols For Hearts Destined For Transplantation, Abas Abdoli

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Design and analysis of conceptually different cooling systems for the human heart preservation are numerically investigated. A heart cooling container with required connections was designed for a normal size human heart. A three-dimensional, high resolution human heart geometric model obtained from CT-angio data was used for simulations. Nine different cooling designs are introduced in this research. The first cooling design (Case 1) used a cooling gelatin only outside of the heart. In the second cooling design (Case 2), the internal parts of the heart were cooled via pumping a cooling liquid inside both the heart’s pulmonary and systemic circulation systems. …

Coupled Fluid-Thermal Analysis Of Low-Pressure Sublimation And Condensation With Application To Freeze-Drying, Arnab Ganguly

Open Access Dissertations

Freeze-drying is a low-pressure, low-temperature condensation pumping process widely used in the manufacture of bio-pharmaceuticals for removal of solvents by sublimation. The goal of the process is to provide a stable dosage form by removing the solvent in such a way that the sensitive molecular structure of the active substance is least disturbed. The vacuum environment presents unique challenges for understanding and controlling heat and mass transfer in the process. As a result, the design of equipment and associated processes has been largely empirical, slow and inefficient.^ A comprehensive simulation framework to predict both, process and equipment performance is critical …

A Collagen‐Glycosaminoglycan‐Fibrin Scaffold For Heart Valve Tissue Engineering Applications, Claire Brougham, Stefan Jockenhoevel, Thomas Flanagan, Fergal O'Brien

Conference Papers

The field of heart valve biology and tissue engineering a heart valve continue to expand. The presentatio ns at this meeting reflect the advances made in both areas due to the multi-disciplinary approach taken by many laboratories.

Implementation And Validation Of Aortic Remodeling In Hypertensive Rats, Shijia Zhao, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A computational framework was implemented and validated to better understand the hypertensive artery remodeling in both geometric dimensions and material properties. Integrating the stress-modulated remodeling equations into commercial finite element codes allows a better control and visualization of local mechanical parameters. Both arterial thickening and stiffening effects were captured and visualized. An adaptive material remodeling strategy combined with the element birth and death techniques for the geometrical growth were implemented. The numerically predicted remodeling results in terms of the wall thickness, inner diameter, and the ratio of elastin to collagen content of the artery were compared with and fine-tuned by …

The Effects Of Oar-Shaft Stiffness And Length On Rowing Biomechanics, Brock Laschowski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work investigates the effects of oar-shaft stiffness and length on rowing biomechanics. The mechanical properties of the oar-shafts were examined using an end-loaded cantilever system, and theoretical relations were proposed between the mechanics of the oar-shafts and rowing performance. On-water experiments were subsequently conducted and rowing biomechanics measured via the PowerLine Rowing Instrumentation System. The PowerLine system measures force and oar angle on the oarlock, as well as proper boat acceleration. The convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the PowerLine force measurements were determined prior to the on-water experiments. Thereafter, rowers were tested over a set distance using oar-shafts …

Fluid Powered Miniature In-Vivo Robots For Minimally Invasive Surgery (Mis), Abolfazl Pourghodrat

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

Minimizing the invasiveness of surgery is believed to improve patient outcomes. Bleeding, infection, and pain are major concerns in surgery afflicting patients for decades. Minimally invasive techniques have come into play to reduce these concerns and smooth the evolution of abdominal surgery to a scarless process where nearly all surgeries can be performed without a skin incision. Technology continually advances the frontier of development of novel surgical devices to implement less invasive surgical techniques.

Fusion of robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) has created new opportunities to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Surgical robotics is advancing from externally actuated systems …

Meshless Mechanics And Point-Based Visualization Methods For Surgical Simulations, Rifat Aras

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Computer-based modeling and simulation practices have become an integral part of the medical education field. For surgical simulation applications, realistic constitutive modeling of soft tissue is considered to be one of the most challenging aspects of the problem, because biomechanical soft-tissue models need to reflect the correct elastic response, have to be efficient in order to run at interactive simulation rates, and be able to support operations such as cuts and sutures.

Mesh-based solutions, where the connections between the individual degrees of freedom (DoF) are defined explicitly, have been the traditional choice to approach these problems. However, when the problem …

Low-Cost Strider For Guatemala, Nicole Catherine Cooper, Gonzalo Hernandez, Jared W. Tower

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project was to create a strider, a type of standing rehabilitation device, for children in developing countries who have trouble walking and supporting their full body weight. The project was initially brought to us by Cal Poly professor Brian Self, who had visited a clinic in San Marcos and determined that there were children there who had difficulties with walking and were a need for a rehabilitation device. The team discussed the problem with Dr. Self, Matt Robinson (a local San Luis Obispo prosthetist), and Cal Poly physics professor Pete Schwartz, all of whom had visited …

Effects Of Playing Surface And Shoe Type Of Acl Tears In Soccer Players, Melissa Mansfield

Honors Theses

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries have become more common in athletes over the past decade which is believed to result from playing on more artificial turf surfaces. This study tested the playing surface theory by building upon a previous study conducted with Albany Medical Center which tested surface samples using an axial-torsion load frame located at Union College. The motion that causes most ACL noncontact injuries is replicated by the load frame which pushes and rotates a shoe against the playing surface and measures the torque it experiences. The foot position, normal load, degree of rotation and rate of rotation were …