Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

26 - تحليل تأثيرگذاري ميزان مقاومت حرارتي جداره و جهت جداره هاي نورگذر بر اندازه بهينه پنجره در اقليم تهران, Mona Khatami, Maria Kord-Jamshidi, Behrouz Mohamad Kari, Alireza Zolfaghari

Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

No abstract provided.

25 - تحليل تأثيرات استفاده از عايقهاي تغيير فاز دهنده بر ميزان مصرف سالانه انرژي ساختمان در اقليم تهران, Alireza Zolfaghari, Mohamad Solhi, Mohamad Fathian, Hamed Moslehi, Mohamad Rahim-Pour, Mehran Sa'adati-Nasab

Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

No abstract provided.

Stress And Strain Adaptation In Load-Dependent Remodeling Of The Embryonic Left Ventricle, Christine Buffinton

Faculty Journal Articles

Altered pressure in the developing left ventricle (LV) results in altered morphology and tissue material properties. Mechanical stress and strain may play a role in the regulating process. This study showed that confocal microscopy, three-dimensional reconstruction, and finite element analysis can provide a detailed model of stress and strain in the trabeculated embryonic heart. The method was used to test the hypothesis that end-diastolic strains are normalized after altered loading of the LV during the stages of trabecular compaction and chamber formation. Stage-29 chick LVs subjected to pressure overload and underload at stage 21 were reconstructed with full trabecular morphology …

Optimal Inertial Sensor Placement And Motion Detection For Epileptic Seizure Patient Monitoring, Babak Kamalizonouzi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Use of inertial sensory systems to monitor and detect seizure episodes in patients suffering from epilepsy is investigated via numerical simulations and experiments. Numerical simulations employ a mathematical model that is able to predict human body dynamic responses during a typical epileptic seizure. An optimized inertial sensor placement procedure is developed to address achievement of highest possible sensing resolution in determining angular accelerations with minimal errors. In addition, a joint torque estimation procedure is formulated to assist in the future development of a possible detection scheme. Experimental motion data obtained from an epileptic seizure patient as well as a healthy …

خلاصه روابط و معادلات

Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

No abstract provided.

تمرين سري اول, Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

No abstract provided.

Biomechanical Modeling For Lung Tumor Motion Prediction During Brachytherapy And Radiotherapy, Zahra Shirzadi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A novel technique is proposed to develop a biomechanical model for estimating lung’s tumor position as a function of respiration cycle time. Continuous tumor motion is a major challenge in lung cancer treatment techniques where the tumor needs to be targeted; e.g. in external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. If not accounted for, this motion leads to areas of radiation over and/or under dosage for normal tissue and tumors. In this thesis, biomechanical models were developed for lung tumor motion predication in two distinct cases of lung brachytherapy and lung external beam radiotherapy. The lung and other relevant surrounding organs geometries, …

Vision-Based Robot Control In The Context Of Human-Machine Interactions, Andrzej Nycz

Doctoral Dissertations

This research has explored motion control based on visual servoing – in the context of complex human-machine interactions and operations in realistic environments. Two classes of intelligent robotic systems were studied in this context: operator assistance with a high dexterity telerobotic manipulator performing remote tooling-centric tasks, and a bio-robot for X-ray imaging of lower extremity human skeletal joints during natural walking. The combination of human-machine interactions and practical application scenarios has led to the following fundamental contributions: 1) exploration and evaluation of a new concept of acquiring fluoroscope images of musculoskeletal features of interest during natural human motion, 2) creation …

Design, Analysis And Testing Of Haptic Feedback System For Laparoscopic Graspers In In Vivo Surgical Robots, Nikhil Salvi

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

Laparo-Endoscopic Single Site (LESS) Robotics Surgery is an advanced technology in the field of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). The LESS surgical robots significantly improve the surgeon’s accuracy, dexterity and visualization, and reduce the invasiveness of surgical procedure results in faster recovery time and improved cosmetic results. In a standard robotic endosurgery, the palpation of tissues is performed by laparoscopic graspers located at the end effectors. The master-slave configuration in robotic surgery leads in remote access to the operation site. Therefore, surgeon’s ability to perceive valuable sensory information is severely diminished. Sensory information such as haptics, which is essential for safe …

Investigation Of In-Vivo Hindfoot And Orthotic Interactions Using Bi-Planar X-Ray Fluoroscopy, Kristen M. Bushey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A markerless RSA method was used to determine the effect of orthotics on the normal, pes planus and pes cavus populations. Computed tomography (CT) was used to create bone models that were imported into the virtual environment. Joint coordinate systems were developed to measure kinematic changes in the hindfoot during weight-bearing gait and quiet standing. The objectives of this thesis were to (1) implement a fluoroscopy-based markerless RSA system on the foot, (2) determine the effect of various orthotics at midstance of fully weight-bearing dynamic gait, and (3) determine the effect of orthotics as measured using three different techniques. Every …

Polygrasp: Reach; Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand Iteration, Devon Patrick Augustus, Mighells Blaed Deuel, Ian Noel Fraser, Nicholas Philip Moesser

Mechanical Engineering

Amputations are a common occurrence in soldiers returning home who have suffered the effects of IED and munitions explosions. For upper limb amputees, trans-radial amputations are the most common. Traditional hook devices do not offer an adequate level of normalcy for users, prompting the use of myoelectric devices. While current myoelectric devices do offer a more natural experience, they come with a host of other problems that makes their adoption by service personnel not desirable or not permitted by the VA. PolyGrasp Reach seeks to reduce weight and cost and improve performance. This addresses several of the issues with devices …

Design And Testing Of A Low Cost Prosthetic Foot, Shalan Ertis, John Kearns, Seija Maniskas

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Predictive Musculoskeletal Simulation Using Optimal Control: Effects Of Added Limb Mass On Energy Cost And Kinematics Of Walking And Running, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert, Maarten Hupperets, Heiko Schlarb, Berthold Krabbe

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

When designing sports equipment, it is often desirable to predict how certain design parameters will affect human performance. In many instances, this requires a consideration of human musculoskeletal mechanics and adaptive neuromuscular control. Current computational methods do not represent these mechanisms, and design optimization typically requires several iterations of prototyping and human testing. This paper introduces a computational method based on musculoskeletal modeling and optimal control, which has the capability to predict the effect of mechanical equipment properties on human performance. The underlying assumption is that users will adapt their neuromuscular control according to an optimality principle, which balances task …

Viscoelastic Anisotropic Finite Element Mixture Model Of Articular Cartilage Using Viscoelastic Collagen Fibers And Validation With Stress Relaxation Data, Matthew Alexander Griebel

Master's Theses

Experimental results show that collagen fibers exhibit stress relaxation under tension and a highly anisotropic distribution. To further develop the earlier model of Stender [1], the collagen constituent was updated to reflect its intrinsic viscoelasticity and anisotropic distribution, and integrated with an existing mixture model with glycosaminoglycans and ground substance matrix. A two-term Prony series expansion of the quasi-linear viscoelastic model was chosen to model the viscoelastic properties of the collagen fibers. Material parameters were determined by using the simplex method to minimize the sum of squared errors between model results and experimental stress relaxation data of tissue in tension. …

Prediction Of Articular Cartilage Remodeling During Dynamic Compression With A Finite Element Model, Kevin Akira Yamauchi

Master's Theses

First, an in vitro growth experiment was performed to test the hypothesis that applying dynamic unconfined compression during culture produces het- erogeneous remodeling in newborn bovine articular cartilage explants. Het- erogeneous measures of cartilage microstructure were obtained by biochemical assays and quantified polarized light microscopy. Significant differences were measured between the GAG content in the inner and outer portions of the sam- ples stimulated with dynamic unconfined compression. The COL fiber network was found to be more highly aligned in the inner portion of the sample than in the peripheral region.

Next, a poroelastic finite element model with a remodeling …

Hydraulically Driven Mechanical Representation Of A Biological System, Andrea Argouarch, Michael Mceachern, Brandon Parham

Biomedical Engineering

No abstract provided.

In-Vivo Investigation Of The Medial Longitudinal Arch Of The Foot And Orthotic Interactions Using Bi-Planar Fluoroscopy, Megan E.R. Balsdon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Orthotic devices are a conservative treatment for common disorders of the foot and ankle such as pes planus and pes cavus. It is thought that orthotics change the kinematics of the foot by applying forces and constraint on the plantar surface, which can act to change body biomechanics and correct for malalignment in the legs and trunk. This thesis compares the angle of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) between three foot types: pes planus (low arch), pes cavus (high arch) and normal arch, during barefoot and shoed walking, and walking with orthotics. In-vivo bi-planar fluoroscopy was used with markerless radiostereometric …

Biarticular Muscles Influence Postural Responses: Implications For Treatment Of Stiff-Knee Gait, Ashley Elizabeth Clark

Masters Theses

Stiff knee gait is a prevalent and troublesome movement disorder among children with cerebral palsy, where peak knee flexion is diminished during swing phase. Rectus femoris transfer surgery, a common treatment for stiff-knee gait, reattaches the distal tendon of this biarticular, or two joint, muscle to a new site, such as the sartorius insertion on the tibia. Biarticular muscles play a unique role in motor control. As a biarticular muscle, rectus femoris may offer unrecognized benefits to maintain balance. This study uses musculoskeletal modeling and simulation to investigate the role of this biarticular muscle on balance recovery following support-surface translations. …

Predictive Simulation Of Gait At Low Gravity Reveals Skipping As The Preferred Locomotion Strategy, Marko Ackermann, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The investigation of gait strategies at low gravity environments gained momentum recently as manned missions to the Moon and to Mars are reconsidered. Although reports by astronauts of the Apollo missions indicate alternative gait strategies might be favored on the Moon, computational simulations and experimental investigations have been almost exclusively limited to the study of either walking or running, the locomotion modes preferred under Earth's gravity. In order to investigate the gait strategies likely to be favored at low gravity a series of predictive, computational simulations of gait are performed using a physiological model of the musculoskeletal system, without assuming …

Effects Of Approach Techniques In Place Kicking: A 3d Analysis, Chase M. Pfeifer

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

Various studies aim to understand the fundamentals of kicking, primarily the instep kick commonly used by soccer players. Of those studies, most are limited to a 2D analysis using high-speed cameras for position tracking and electromyography to observe muscle activity. The few studies that investigate a 3D model are limited in their position tracking capabilities and focus mainly on joint flexion potentials and foot speed. To the authors knowledge no study of this caliber has been performed on the kinematics and dynamics of place kicking in American football. This thesis uses a 12 camera high-speed motion tracking system to investigate …

Facility Implementation, Production, And Use Of Biodiesel On A University Campus, Michelle Erin Rodio

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

During the last two years, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been in the process of having a fully-functional biodiesel processing facility on campus. Within this time, it was shown that biodiesel was a great alternative to diesel fuel based on emissions, performance, and cost, allowing for a grant of $10,000 being awarded to fund the project. Upon properly producing biodiesel, the fuel was tested in a John Deere 2653A tractor to see what differences, if any, existed when using a biodiesel blend over diesel fuel. In doing this, carbon buildup and fuel economy were compared, and a cost analysis conducted. It …

A Three-Dimensional Inverse Finite Element Analysis Of The Heel Pad, Snehal Chokhandre, Jason P. Halloran, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert, Ahmet Erdemir

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Quantification of plantar tissue behavior of the heel pad is essential in developing computational models for predictive analysis of preventive treatment options such as footwear for patients with diabetes. Simulation based studies in the past have generally adopted heel pad properties from the literature, in return using heel-specific geometry with material properties of a different heel. In exceptional cases, patient-specific material characterization was performed with simplified two-dimensional models, without further evaluation of a heel-specific response under different loading conditions. The aim of this study was to conduct an inverse finite element analysis of the heel in order to calculate heel-specific …

Semi-Active Damping For An Intelligent Adaptive Ankle Prosthesis, Andrew K. Lapre

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Modern lower limb prostheses are devices that replace missing limbs, making it possible for lower limb amputees to walk again. Most commercially available prosthetic limbs lack intelligence and passive adaptive capabilities, and none available can adapt on a step by step basis. Often, amputees experience a loss of terrain adaptability as well as stability, leaving the amputee with a severely altered gait. This work is focused on the development of a semi-active damping system for use in intelligent terrain adaptive ankle prostheses. The system designed consists of an optimized hydraulic cylinder with an electronic servo valve which throttles the hydraulic …

Finite Element Analysis Of A Femur To Deconstruct The Design Paradox Of Bone Curvature, Sameer Jade

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

The femur is the longest limb bone found in humans. Almost all the long limb bones found in terrestrial mammals, including the femur studied herein, have been observed to be loaded in bending and are curved longitudinally. The curvature in these long bones increases the bending stress developed in the bone, potentially reducing the bone’s load carrying capacity, i.e. its mechanical strength. Therefore, bone curvature poses a paradox in terms of the mechanical function of long limb bones. The aim of this study is to investigate and explain the role of longitudinal bone curvature in the design of long bones. …

Investigating The Relationship Between Material Property Axes And Strain Orientations In Cebus Apella Crania, Christine M. Dzialo

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Probabilistic finite element analysis was used to determine whether there is a statistically significant relationship between maximum principal strain orientations and orthotropic material stiffness orientations in a primate cranium during mastication. We first sought to validate our cranium finite element model by sampling in-vivo strain and in-vivo muscle activation data during specimen mastication. A comparison of in vivo and finite element predicted (i.e. in silico) strains was performed to establish the realism of the FEM model. To the best of our knowledge, this thesis presents the world’s only complete in-vivo coupled with in-vitro validation data set of a primate cranium …

10 - استفاده ي مؤثر از شناور حرارتي وسايل گرمايشي احتراقي به منظور کنترل کيفيت هواي داخل, Chamran Nowrouzi, Mehdi Maerefat, Alireza Zolfaghari

Dr Alireza Zolfaghari

No abstract provided.

Landscape Management For Sustainable Supplies Of Bioenergy Feedstock And Enhanced Soil Quality, Douglas L. Karlen, David J. Muth Jr.

David J. Muth

Agriculture can simultaneously address global food, feed, fi ber, and energy challenges provided our soil, water, and air resources are not compromised in doing so. As we embark on the 19th Triennial Conference of the International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO), I am pleased to proclaim that our members are well poised to lead these endeavors because of our comprehensive understanding of soil, water, agricultural and bio-systems engineering processes. The concept of landscape management, as an approach for integrating multiple bioenergy feedstock sources, including biomass residuals, into current crop production systems, is used as the focal point to show …

Development Of A Robotic Platform For Upper Limb Rehabilitation, Stephen Curran, Nigel Kent, David Kennedy, James Conlon

Conference Papers

The aim of this project is to develop a rehabilitation robot intended for use in a non-specialised or domestic setting. Robots have been shown to have a positive effect on limb rehabilitation and developing rehabilitation robots for use outside of specialist rehabilitation centres could be beneficial in terms of access to, intensity and cost of treatment. The device is intended for the rehabilitation of the shoulder/elbow region of the upper limbs. The design requirements for such a device mean that it must be low cost, portable, robust and have a detailed focus on safety. Other areas of interest pertaining to …

Silk Cryogels For Microfluidics, Christopher David Hinojosa

Dissertations and Theses

Silk fibroin from silkworm cocoons is found in numerous applications ranging from textiles to medical implants. Its recent adoption as a biomaterial is due to the material's strength, biocompatibility, self-assembling behavior, programmable degradability, optical clarity, and its ability to be functionalized with antibodies and proteins. In the field of bioengineering it has been utilized as a tissue scaffolding, drug delivery system, biosensor, and implantable electrode. This work suggests a new application for porous silk in a microscale chromatography column. We demonstrate in situ cryotropic polymerization of highly porous structures in microscale geometries by freezing aqueous silk with a solvent. The …

Investigation Of Carbon Corrosion Resistance Of Cnt Containing Electrode, Diana Larrabee, William A. Rigdon, Eli Mcpherson, Joshua Sightler, Xinyu Huang

Faculty Publications

Carbon support corrosion is one of the major degradation mechanisms of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Carbon oxidation occurs in PEM electrode and is accelerated at high potential created by adverse operating conditions and improper distribution of reactants and products [1, 2, 3]. Carbon corrosion can lead to the thinning of the electrode layer and severe performance degradation. The detailed mechanisms of carbon support corrosion induced performance loss are still not fully understood; it is believed that the following events contribute to the decay: (1) structural collapse of the porous electrode due to the loss of carbon; (2) carbon …