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Mechanical Engineering Commons

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Michigan Technological University

TechTalks

2016

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanics Of Soft Polymers, Trisha Sain Dec 2016

Mechanics Of Soft Polymers, Trisha Sain

TechTalks

Understanding the mechanics and physics of soft polymers are essential due to their widespread applications across disciplines. (e.g.-composite materials, bio mechanics, soft robotics etc.) The soft polymers in general inherent lightweight, high stretchability, extreme viscous damping and stimuli responsive behavior. Development of computational modeling strategy to predict their constitutive response, stimuli responsive behavior is indeed helpful for designing novel multifunctional soft composites, artificial mussels/tissues. In this talk I will briefly emphasize how we are developing multiscale-multiphysics based modeling methods for soft polymers to understand their macroscopic deformation mechanism, failure and other mechanical properties. The long term goal is to develop …


Aps Labs (Advanced Power Systems Research Center), Jeffrey D. Naber Dec 2016

Aps Labs (Advanced Power Systems Research Center), Jeffrey D. Naber

TechTalks

Our mission is to promote & facilitate education and research in clean, efficient, and sustainable power and powertrain systems. The center was established in 2007 and in 2014 the 55,000 sq ft APSRC building located near the airport was denoted as a MTU core facility. Our new research contracts in FY2016 were over $2.5M. Our partners include automotive OEMs: GM, Ford, FCA, Toyota, Honda; Commercial OEMs: Cummins, Deere, Detroit, Isuzu, MHI; Suppliers: Delphi, Denso, Borg Warner, Hitachi; and DOE Labs: ANL, ORNL, PNNL, SNL, & INL. We have seven staff to assist in educational and R&D programs and facilities to …


Two-Phase Transport In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Kazuya Tajiri Nov 2016

Two-Phase Transport In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Kazuya Tajiri

TechTalks

In Multiscale Transport Process Laboratory our research is focused on the experimental and computational analysis of transport phenomena in electrochemical devices and propulsion systems. In this talk our research activity on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for automotive application will be explained. Water management is one of the most critical issues in PEMFCs. The water generated in catalyst layer as a product of the electrochemical reaction needs to be removed through porous media by diffusion if it’s vapor, or by capillarity in case of liquid. In flow channels, the liquid water is removed primarily by inertial force of the …


Solid State Sound: A "Hot" Topic, Andrew Barnard Nov 2016

Solid State Sound: A "Hot" Topic, Andrew Barnard

TechTalks

As seen with the latest iPhone 7 release, traditional audio components can now be a limiting factor in technology design. What if we could make a loudspeaker with no moving parts and virtually no weight? Carbon nanotube loudspeakers are such devices. They create sound using heat oscillations, as opposed to a moving diaphragm. They have the thickness of only a handful of carbon atoms, are flexible and stretchable. In this TechTalk I’ll discuss the carbon nanotube loudspeaker and the design challenges in maturing this intriguing technology.


Wearable Electronics, Human-Centered Monitoring, Ye Sarah Sun Nov 2016

Wearable Electronics, Human-Centered Monitoring, Ye Sarah Sun

TechTalks

Non-contact solution in wearable electronics: A conventional clinical system requires the use of wet electrodes that are in contact with skin using conductive gel to acquire physiological signals. Those systems can acquire high quality signals but may not be feasible for a long-term purpose due to the skin irritation and allergic contact dermatitis. The emerging of human-centered monitoring calls for alternative solutions. Recent technological advances enable capacitive measurement that can acquire signals through cloth or even with an air gap in wearable condition. In this TechTalk I will introduce the non-contact solution in wearable electronics.