Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of Injury And Fatality Trends In The U.S. Construction Industry, Ryan Dutt

Construction Management

Construction work is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, with different trades and work types showing various risk levels for injuries and fatalities. This paper’s objective is to identify the safety trends in construction over the past 10 to 20 years and understand the trades, accident types, and construction sectors with the highest safety risks. All of the data was obtained from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Safety Council (NSC) databases, broken down by trade, accident …

Impact Of Regional Heat Differences On Construction Productivity: A Comparative Study Of California’S Central Valley And Central Coast, Berthalidia Acosta

Construction Management

Construction productivity is influenced by many environmental conditions, particularly extremely high temperatures. In regions where high temperatures are normal, workers experience increased fatigue, require additional safety controls, and can even lead to scheduling conflicts. This senior project evaluates how heat differences in two parts of California affect productivity by comparing two projects managed by the same general contractor: one located in California’s Central Valley (Sacramento) and one located on the Central Coast (San Luis Obispo). Throughout the study, there will be two data sources seen: weekly labor recap reports focusing on a particular task (Concrete) and semi-structured interviews with industry …

Factors Impacting Wildland-Urban Interface (Wui) Fires: A Systematic Literature Review, Albert Jimenez

Construction Management

Fires in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) pose a significant danger to communities. The WUI refers to the space where development meets vegetation. Significant research has been conducted into wildfire and WUI vulnerability across the world to help combat vulnerability. These include the identification of factors of vulnerability to create indices that quantify vulnerability, and address scope gaps and inconsistencies within literature. However, existing research seems to be fragmented in finding the WUI vulnerability factors and often it focuses on wildfires and not WUI fires. The objective of this systematic literature review is to synthesize wildfire vulnerability factors identified in the …

Drainage And Pedestrian Access Improvements At City Farms Slo, Benjamin Marc Kocher, Jacob Anthony Booker

Construction Management

This senior project focused on planning, designing, and constructing drainage and pedestrian access improvements at City Farms SLO, a nonprofit in San Luis Obispo that promotes sustainable agriculture and youth education. Prior to construction, the site experienced significant stormwater pooling and erosion in a central area of the farm, making daily operations and visitor access difficult during wet weather. The team excavated an 80-foot trench drain with appropriate slopes, installed a 15-foot corrugated HDPE culvert with proper bedding and backfill, built a seven-foot pedestrian bridge over the trench, and created a 17-foot gravel pathway connecting the bridge to an existing …

The Impact Of Bilingual Superintendents On A Multilingual Job Site, Cesar Barajas

Construction Management

Language barriers are frequently encountered on construction job sites. Construction crews can often be limited in their proficiency when speaking English and in states like California, construction superintendents oversee a lot of Spanish-speaking crews. This study aims to identify if bilingual superintendents lead to better performing projects. Communication impacts major metrics of project performance including schedule, rework costs, safety performance, and coordination across trades. This qualitative study includes superintendents, project managers, and field crew semi structured interviews backed by survey answers. Interview participants discuss specific examples of how communication can affect jobsite performance both negatively and positively. Subjects are asked …

Sustainabake, Kevin Kunta Swanson Ii

Electrical Engineering

This senior project outlines the development of an oven that utilizes renewable energy to operate safely and effectively. It aims to test building an oven using mostly basic hardware students acquired during their time at Cal Poly and provide a starting point for those interested in creating a solar-powered oven. As our society continues to innovate and increasingly relies on electricity, it is important to place more emphasis on how we can make our lives sustainable to take care of our environment without introducing excessive pollutants. Food preparation is a daily activity that typically involves significant energy consumption, making this …

Navigation Beyond Wayfinding: Robots Collaborating With Visually Impaired Users For Environmental Interactions, Shaojun Cai, Nuwan Janaka, Ashwin Ram, Janidu Shehan, Yingjia Wan, Kotaro Hara, David Hsu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Robotic guidance systems have shown promise in supporting blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals with wayfinding and obstacle avoidance. However, most existing systems assume a clear path and do not support a critical aspect of navigation—environmental interactions that require manipulating objects to enable movement. These interactions are challenging for a human–robot pair because they demand (i) precise localization and manipulation of interaction targets (e.g., pressing elevator buttons) and (ii) dynamic coordination between the user’s and robot’s movements (e.g., pulling out a chair to sit). We present a collaborative human–robot approach that combines our robotic guide dog’s precise sensing and localization …

Pollinators Exhibit For Paso Robles Children’S Museum, Isabelle Moll, Matthew Moore, Joseph Hovanesian, Evan Stock, Matthew Wiecking

Mechanical Engineering

This report documents the design and development of an interactive pollination exhibit created for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum as part of the Mechanical Engineering Senior Project program. The goal of the project was to design a durable, safe, and engaging educational exhibit that introduces children to the role of pollinators in local ecosystems and agriculture through hands-on play. The final design features a triple-track system with rolling bee elements and a central pollen ball pathway that demonstrates how pollinators move between flowers and return resources to the hive. The exhibit incorporates visual feedback and locally inspired design elements to …

Ai Agent For Healthcare Education, Sudhanshu Tarale

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Presentations

No abstract provided.

Dataset For Equity And Justice In Water Pricing And The Effects On Water Distribution System, Brian Barkdoll

Michigan Tech Research Data

“Equity and Justice in Water Pricing and the Effects on Water Distribution System Management” Equity and justice regarding access to potable drinking water are paramount. Municipal Water Distribution Systems supply potable water to users and are essential to public health. They comprise a complicated set of source(s), pump(s), tank(s), and pipes. The price of water to users can affect the amount of usage. To find the optimal price of water to maximize utility revenue and allow changes to the system components for capital and maintenance expenditures, network modeling using the network solver fixed was performed for 15 real MDWSs.  A …

Globalizing The Engineering Job Market: Optimizing Engineering Career Expos To Serve International Students, Hailey A. Hesseltine

Journal of Global Education and Research

As the United States hosts approximately one million international students annually, it becomes imperative that on-campus resources are tailored to meet the needs of this diverse student population. One on-campus resource that is crucial to student success is career services, especially considering the aspirations of many international students to secure employment post-graduation. To address this, this study aimed to understand the satisfaction levels of international engineering students with an engineering career expo in Hawaiʻi. Utilizing a combination of surveys and interviews using a neo-racism framework, international students shared their experiences from the career expo through discussion and assessment. Information given …

Impact Of Femalized Kinesthetic Learning Model On African American Middle School Girls’ Career Interest, Mercy F. Fash, Andrea Ofori-Boadu

Journal of Global Education and Research

Engaging African American middle school girls in out-of-school-time (OST) Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) programs can boost interest in male-dominated AEC careers. This study adopts Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory to evaluate the impact of an OST feminized AEC kinesthetic learning model (fAEC-KLM) on the career interests of this demographic. Through a qualitative research approach, fourteen (14) African American middle school girls from Guilford County, NC, completed pre- and post-interviews on how fAEC-KLM interactions influenced their AEC career interests. Inductive thematic analysis was carried out on transcribed interviews. Results show that effective components, such as lectures on AEC, bridge construction …

Development Of An Automated Platform For Cell Biology Experiments, Dipendra Nepal

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Cell biology experiments involve repetitive tasks such as pipetting, sample preparation, and imaging, which are typically performed manually. These manual processes can introduce variability, reduce efficiency, and increase the cost of biomedical research. To address these challenges, our lab is developing a modular robotic platform, iEye™, to automate key steps in cell biology workflows [1]. The system is designed as self-contained modules, allowing flexible development and integration of different functionalities. In this work, we focus on a sample preparation module that integrates a 6-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a motorized stage, and a pneumatic pipetter. This module is being developed to automate …

Tourniquet Tester, Tyler Offerman, Thuy Nguyen, Ryan Ly, Cody Hoeptner

Biomedical Engineering

The Tourniquet Tester is a device intended to be used as a standardized testing device for tourniquets. Due to the lack of a standard testing device for testing tourniquets that can produce accurate and reproducible results, it is difficult to test the efficacy of tourniquets currently being sold on the market. A standard testing device that can produce consistent and reproducible results would allow tourniquet manufacturing companies to properly test the efficacy of their product and develop proper guidelines and directions for users of the product. Medical professionals and military personnel who may use tourniquets in their line of work …

Babycheck, Ayla V. Campbell, Eleanor M. Tweedy

Biomedical Engineering

The BabyCheck project was created to design and test a device that can collect a small blood sample from the fetal scalp during labor. The goal is to reduce uncertainty when fetal heart rate tracings are unclear, especially in Category II cases where it can be difficult for clinicians to decide the safest next step. Current monitoring methods either rely on interpreting heart rate patterns or use more invasive procedures to gather biochemical information. BabyCheck was designed to provide a simpler and more controlled way to collect a small blood sample that could help guide these decisions.

The final prototype …

Improving Cellular Retention And Distribution To Promote Arteriogenesis In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Arterial Occlusion, Nancy Huang

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD) affects millions of people in the United States, creating pain, discomfort, and limited mobility due to restricted blood flow from obstructed arteries. While current treatments include lifestyle changes and revascularization procedures, these options are often insufficient or inaccessible because of procedural pain and socioeconomic barriers. In some cases, this can lead to critical limb ischemia and amputation as a last resort. Increasing blood flow to the extremities by enhancing collateral vessel growth, a biological process called arteriogenesis, with cell-based therapies can redirect blood flow around obstructions and has potential to mitigate and treat the effects …

Iud Insertion Pain Management, Sandhya Sridhar, Olivia Armas, Lucy Campochiaro

Biomedical Engineering

This project focuses on developing an atraumatic cervical stabilization device that serves as a modern alternative to the traditional tenaculum used during IUD insertion procedures. Current devices rely on sharp metal prongs that pierce the cervix and often cause significant pain and bleeding. The goal of this project is to design a device that provides the same stability and control for clinicians while eliminating the need to puncture cervical tissue. The device is intended to be used by gynecologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, primary care physicians, or any medical professional performing an IUD insertion. The device is intended to be …

Newborn Spinal Needle, Allison Inouye, Kyle Morton, Evan Russell

Biomedical Engineering

Spinal punctures, or lumbar punctures, are important diagnostic procedures used to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to diagnose issues in the central nervous system (CNS) such as meningitis. While these procedures are routinely performed on adult and neonatal patients, the current tools are not optimized for use on newborns. Existing spinal needles are often modified versions of adult devices, leading to challenges in fluid collection efficiency, user ergonomics, and patient safety when used in neonatal care.

The Newborn Spinal Needle Project aims to design and develop a spinal needle specifically optimized for neonatal anatomy and clinical workflow. The goal is to …

Orthopedic Bone Drill, Logan G. Schmid, Matthew T. Wold, May Geng

Biomedical Engineering

This project aims to design a bone drill for orthopedic procedures which alleviates the heat generated in the bone during drilling.

Design, Testing, And Safety Performance Of Movable Guardrail Systems: A Prisma-Based Systematic Review, Navid Hashemi Taba, Ahdieh Sadat Khatavakhotan, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Movable guardrail systems are increasingly used in work zones, reversible lanes, and temporary traffic operations; however, evidence on their crashworthiness, material performance, and operational reliability remains dispersed across multiple design typologies and regulatory frameworks. This PRISMA-compliant systematic review synthesizes 78 studies involving full-scale crash tests, validated finite-element simulations, field performance evaluations, and compliance evaluations under MASH, EN 1317, NCHRP 350, and AS/NZS 3845.1. The findings indicate that modular rigid barriers reliably achieve TL-3/TL-4 performance when joint alignment and foundation conditions are properly controlled; semi-rigid steel systems provide a practical balance between containment capacity and redeployability, but remain sensitive to post …

Elevating The Underrepresented And Marginalized Using Experiences In Stem (Lumens): A Stem Diversity And Inclusion Initiative, Robert Cobb Jr, Paula E. Faulkner, Deiadra Modlin, Obinna Chiekezi, Victoria Cobbold, Madison Beaudoin

Journal of Research Initiatives

The study offered a 5-week summer immersion program to address the shortage of students from underrepresented populations enrolling in degree programs and seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The study also addressed the importance of offering summer immersion programs to close the achievement gap. A quantitative descriptive design was used to gather data from participants related to STEM lessons during the program. Gender, grade level, and race served as the demographic variables. The study included 21 secondary students in grades 9–12. Pre- and post-tests assessed participants' knowledge gain regarding STEM lessons. Data analyzed with SPSS version 29 …

N-Dqn: Neutrosophic Deep Q-Network For Uncertainty-Aware Forecasting And Decision Optimization, Rania Lutfi

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Uncertainty remains a critical challenge in dynamic spatiotemporal forecasting. This study proposes the Neutrosophic Deep Q-Network (N-DQN), a framework that integrates neutrosophic logic with deep reinforcement learning to enhance decision optimization under uncertainty. Features are modeled through truth, indeterminacy, and falsity membership functions, enabling robust handling of ambiguous data. The framework incorporates attention-guided preprocessing and horizon-aware optimization to adapt predictions across short- and long-term intervals. Experiments on benchmark traffic datasets (METR-LA and PEMS-BAY) demonstrate improved forecasting accuracy and reduced error rates compared with established baselines. The results highlight the scalability and resilience of N-DQN, positioning it as a promising approach …

An Electrochemiluminescence-Based Arsenic (Iii) Sensor Using Luminol On Screen-Printed Gold Electrodes, Harmesa Harmesa, Isnaini Rahmawati, Andrea Fiorani, Yasuaki Einaga, Eny Kusrini, A’An Johan Wahyudi, Asep Saefumillah, Tribidasari A Ivandini

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of luminol has been studied on a screen-printed gold electrode for a simple and sensitive detection of arsenic ions (As(III)). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was applied as the proposed technique to study luminol’s electrochemical behavior and to evaluate the arsenic’s effect in the ECL system, while hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) served as a co-reactant to enhance luminol’s light emission under alkaline conditions. To achieve optimal electrode performance, key parameters including pH, scan rate, and the concentrations of H₂O₂ and luminol were carefully optimized. The presence of As(III) induced a quenching effect on the …

An Uncertainty-Aware Entropy-Oreste Framework For Big Data Platform Selection In Complex Multi-Sector Environments, Ahmed M. Ali, Ibrahim Alrashdi, Karam M. Sallam

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The increasing reliance on Big Data platforms across various industries has necessitated the development of systematic decision-support frameworks to guide their evaluation and selection. Given the diversity of available platforms, each offering different capabilities, scalability, and computational efficiency, choosing the optimal solution remains a complex challenge. This research proposes a novel analytical framework that integrates Spherical Fuzzy Sets (SFS) with the Entropy and ORESTE methods to address uncertainty and enhance the accuracy and robustness of Big Data platform evaluation. This hybrid integration, not previously applied to Big Data platform selection, enables objective criteria weighting through the Entropy method and comprehensive …

Physiological And Neurological Impact Of Biophilic Design In Architectural Design Studios: A Case Study Of King Salman International University, Islam Ashraf Mohamed, Alaa El-Eishy, Marwa A. Soliman

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Biophilic design integrates nature into architecture to enrich sensory and cognitive experiences, enhance psychological well-being, and improve performance. This study explores its physiological and neural effects in design studios at King Salman International University through an experimental methodology combining theoretical review and lab-based investigation. Tools included electrocardiography (ECG) for heart rate variability (HRV), eye-tracking for visual attention, and the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) for emotional evaluation. Nine participants viewed five digital architectural scenes with varying biophilic integration. Direct nature connections elicited greater visual attention, pleasure, and perceived control, indicating higher engagement and relaxation.  A scene lacking biophilic elements led to reduced …

Optimized Deep Learning Framework With H2o For Lung Cancer Prediction, Walaa Hassan Ibrahim, Mohamed S. Saraya, Sally M. Elghamrawy, Ali I. Eldesouky

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The automatic diagnosis of lung cancer using chest X-ray (CXR) images has significantly advanced with progress in computing, machine learning, and deep learning. However, detecting lesions and nodules remains challenging due to CXR limitations. Early lung cancer detection is critical for successful treatment, but current AI algorithms often rely on large annotated datasets, which are not always available. To address this, a novel multi-classification deep learning framework is proposed that combines CXR and CT images. This approach leverages the detailed feature detection capabilities of CT scans alongside the complementary views from CXRs, improving early-stage lung cancer detection and classification precision. …

Design And Control Of A Multi-Modal Electromagnetic Floor Array For Foot-Based Human Locomotion And Stabilization In Microgravity, Aryan Anand

Electrical Engineering Theses

Long-duration living and working in microgravity creates everyday mobility problems such as drifting, loss of stable footing, higher effort to move, and difficulty doing routine tasks safely. Many solutions have been proposed in literature, including handrails, restraint systems, and concepts for artificial gravity using rotation. Artificial gravity could improve comfort, but it is complex to build and operate for large spacecraft, especially when future missions may include not only trained astronauts but also common people. With companies like SpaceX pushing toward large-scale travel and long-term settlement goals, there is a need for simpler mobility support technologies that can work inside …

A Pathfinder Lunar Construction Mission Concept Using Regolith Filled Bags, Cameron S. Dickinson, Fu Nan Shi, Ketan Vasudeva, Rudranarayan M. Mukherjee, Joshua Blanchard, Steve Dubrule, Paul Van Susante, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Two challenges that have a permanent presence on the Moon are solar and cosmic radiation, as well as the large surface temperature variation between lunar day and night. To address these problems, we propose a lunar pathfinder mission concept that uses robotic systems to investigate whether regolith-filled bags can be used as a versatile construction medium for lunar surface structures and sensors to obtain data on the lunar regolith. The primary objectives of this mission are as follows: evaluation of the surface and subsurface regolith as fill material, lunar excavation using a robotic manipulator equipped with a bucket scoop, bag …

Nanoscale Opportunities In Extracellular Matrix Mimicry, L. Andrew Lyon, Abbygail Caine, Elif Narbay, E. Daniel Cárdenas-Vásquez

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

We present an overview of the composition, function, energetics, and dynamics of extracellular matrix and its relation to nanoscale structures and phenomena. These concepts are then related to the development of synthetic and biosynthetic materials that aim to mimic the extracellular matrix for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering technologies. Notable successes and advancements towards the goal of biomimicry are outlined, while remaining challenges and knowledge gaps towards that goal are highlighted. Finally, we frame the remaining challenges in the field in terms of nanoscience-related research opportunities that if solved, might prove to be transformative steps forward in the discipline.

Machine Learning–Driven Prediction Of Dementia From Mri And Clinical Features: A Comparative Analysis Of Ensemble And Baseline Models, Sarah Raad Hameed, Zainab Muhannad Nahid, Rawan Ahmed Abdulmahdi

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Early detection of dementia remains a pressing challenge in clinical neuroscience, as delayed diagnosis limits therapeutic impact and healthcare planning. Leveraging the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS) cross-sectional dataset of 436 participants, this study developed a robust machine learning pipeline integrating sociodemographic, clinical, and neuroimaging-derived features. Preprocessing included removal of highly sparse variables (Delay), median imputation of partially missing but clinically essential measures (SES, MMSE, CDR, Educ), Winsorization of extreme values, and skewness correction. The target Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) was binarized (0 = no dementia, ≥ 0.5 = dementia) to align with clinically actionable screening. Categorical features …