Digital Commons Network^™

Rigidly Foldable Thick Origami Using Designed-Offset Linkages, Robert J. Lang, Nathan Brown, Brian Ignaut, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

We present new families of thick origami mechanisms that achieve rigid foldability and parallel stacking of panels in the flat-folded state using linkages for some or all of the hinges between panels. A degree-four vertex results in a multi-loop eight-bar spatial mechanism that can be analyzed as separate linkages. The individual linkages are designed so that they introduce offsets perpendicular to the panels that are mutually compatible around each vertex. This family of mechanisms offers the unique combination of a planar unfolded state, parallel-stacked panels in the flat folded state, and kinematic single-degree-of-freedom motion from the flat- unfolded to the …

A Design Approach To Fully Compliant Multistable Mechanisms Employing A Single Bistable Mechanism, Yanjie Gou, Guimin Chen, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

A fully compliant multistable mechanism is a monolithic structure that is capable of staying at multiple positions without power input, and has many applications including switches, valves, positioners. However, it is difficult to design such a mechanism because of the complexities of the multistable behavior, the practical stress limits and the buckling constraints. This paper discusses the design approach for fully compliant multistable mechanisms which employs a single bistable mechanism and several end-effectors connected in series. The force-displacement characteristics of the end-effectors are derived using the pseudo-rigid-body model. The design approach to the fully compliant multistable mechanism is provided to …

Heat Set Creases In Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet) Sheets To Enable Origami-Based Applications, Brandon Sargent, Nathan Brown, Brian D. Jensen, Spencer P. Magleby, William G. Pitt, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets show promise for application in origami-based engineering design. Origami-based engineering provides advantages that are not readily available in traditional engineering design methods. Several processing methods were examined to identify trends and determine the effect of processing of PET sheets on the crease properties of origami mechanisms in PET. Various annealing times, temperatures, and cooling rates were evaluated and data collected for over 1000 samples. It was determined that annealing temperature plays the largest role in crease response. An increase in the crystallinity of a PET sheet while in the folded state likely increases the force response …

A Cprbm-Based Method For Large-Deflection Analysis Of Contact-Aided Compliant Mechanisms Considering Beam-To-Beam Contacts, Mohui Jin, Benliang Zhu, Jiasi Mo, Zhou Yang, Xianmin Zhang, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Contact-aided compliant mechanisms (CCMs) utilize contact to achieve enhanced functionality. The contact phenomenon of CCMs increases the difficulties of their analysis and design, especially when they exhibit beam-to-beam contact. Considering the particularity of CCMs analysis, which is more about the mechanisms’ deformation, this paper presents a numerical method to analyze the large deflection and stress of the CCMs considering beam-to-beam contacts. Based on our previous work on beam-to-rigid contact, the large deformation of general beams in CCMs is modeled by using the chained pseudo-rigid-body model (CPRBM). An approximation based on the geometric information of CPRBM is proposed in this paper …

Design Of Regular 1d, 2d, And 3d Linkage-Based Tessellations, Alden D. Yellowhorse, Nathan Brown, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Linkage origami is one effective approach for addressing stiffness and accommodating panels of finite size in origami models and tessellations. However, successfully implementing linkage origami in tessellations can be challenging. In this work, multiple theorems are presented that provide criteria for designing origami units or cells that can be assembled into arbitrarily large tessellations. The application of these theorems is demonstrated through examples of tessellations in two and three dimensions.

Membrane-Enhanced Lamina Emergent Torsional Joints For Surrogate Folds, Guimin Chen, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Lamina emergent compliant mechanisms (including origami-adapted compliant mechanisms) are mechanical devices that can be fabricated from a planar material (a lamina) and have motion that emerges out of the fabrication plane. Lamina emergent compliant mechanisms often exhibit undesirable parasitic motions due to the planar fabrication constraint. This work introduces a type of lamina emergent torsion (LET) joint that reduces parasitic motions of lamina emergent mechanisms (LEMs), and presents equations for modeling parasitic motion of LET joints. The membrane joint also makes possible one-way joints that can ensure origami-based mechanisms emerge from their flat state (a change point) into the desired …

“Are These People Real?”: Designing And Playtesting An Alternative Reality, Educational Simulation, Jason K. Mcdonald, Jonathan Balzotti, Melissa Franklin, Jessica Haws, Jamin Rowan

Faculty Publications

In this design case, we report our design and playtest of a form of alternative reality, educational simulation that we call a playable case study (PCS). One of the features that make our simulations unique is how they are designed to implement a principle called This Is Not a Game, or TINAG, meaning that the affordances we design into the simulation suggest to students that the experience they are having is real, in contrast to the way the artificial nature of the experience is highlighted in many computer games. In this case, we describe some challenges we encountered in designing …

On The Modeling Of A Contact-Aided Cross-Axis Flexural Pivot, Pietro Bilancia, Giovanni Berselli, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

This paper reports the study of a planar Cross-Axis Flexural Pivot (CAFP) comprising an additional contact pair. The proposed device turns useful for applications requiring a revolute joint that behaves differently when deflecting clockwise/anti-clockwise. The presence of the contact pair reduces the free length of one flexures, resulting in a considerable increment of the overall joint stiffness. The pivot behaviour is investigated, for different load cases, via the ChainedBeam-Constraint Model (CBCM), namely an accurate method to be applied in large deflection problems. A framework comprising Matlab and ANSYS is developed for testing the CAFP performances in terms of rotational stiffness, …

Kinetostatic And Dynamic Modeling Of Flexure-Based Compliant Mechanisms: A Survey, Mingxiang Ling, Larry L. Howell, Junyi Cao, Guimin Chen

Faculty Publications

Flexure-based compliant mechanisms are becoming increasingly promising in precision engineering, robotics and other applications due to the excellent advantages of no friction, no backlash, no wear, and minimal requirement of assembly. Because compliant mechanisms have inherent coupling of kinematic- mechanical behaviors with large deflections and/or complex serial-parallel configurations, the kinetostatic and dynamic analyses are challenging in comparison to their rigid-body counterparts. To address these challenges, a variety of techniques have been reported in a growing stream of publications. This paper surveys and compares the conceptual ideas, key advances, applicable scopes and open problems of the state-of-the-art kinetostatic and dynamic modeling …

An Origami-Based Medical Support System To Mitigate Flexible Shaft Buckling, Brandon Sargent, Jared Butler, Kendall Seymour, David Bailey, Brian D. Jensen, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

This paper presents the development of an origami-inspired support system (the OriGuide) that enables the insertion of flexible instruments using medical robots. Varying parameters of a triangulated cylindrical origami pattern were combined to create an effective highly-compressible anti-buckling system that maintains a constant inner diameter for supporting an instrument and a constant outer diameter throughout actuation. The proposed origami pattern is composed of two repeated patterns: a bistable pattern to create support points to mitigate flexible shaft buckling and a monostable pattern to enable axial extension and compression of the support system. The origami-based portion of the device is combined …

Developable Mechanisms On Right Conical Surfaces, Lance P. Hyatt, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

An approach for designing developable mechanisms on a conical surface is presented. By aligning the joint axes of spherical mechanisms to the ruling lines, the links can be created in a way that the mechanism conforms to a conical surface. Terminology is defined for mechanisms mapped onto a right cone. Models are developed to describe the motion of the mechanism with respect to the apex of the cone, and connections are made to cylindrical developable mechanisms using projected angles. The Loop Sum Method is presented as an approach to determine the geometry of the cone to which a given spherical …

Sustainably Providing Accurate Local River Discharge Data With Global Hydrologic Modeling And Bias Corrections, Riley Chad Hales

Theses and Dissertations

The Global Water Sustainability Initiative of the Group of Earth Observations (GEOGloWS) supported an initiative to develop a global hydrologic model. The purpose of the modeling initiative is to build a high-quality model using the best available datasets and modeling methods with the primary emphasis on accessibility of the model. The goal is to make the model a sustainable source of river discharge information to supplement the capacity of those countries without the local capacity to maintain sufficient gauge networks and local modeling capabilities and cyberinfrastructure. Past research developed a modeling approach and piloted implementations and data and visualization services …

Deployable Convex Generalized Cylindrical Surfaces Using Torsional Joints, Todd G. Nelson, Jared T. Burton, Curtis G. Nelson, Luis M. Baldelomar Pinto, Zhicheng Deng, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

The ability to deploy a planar surface to a desired convex profile with a simple actuation can enhance foldable or morphing airfoils, deployable antennae and reflectors, and other applications where a specific profile geometry is desired from a planar sheet. A model using a system of rigid links joined by torsional springs of tailorable stiffness is employed to create an approximate curved surface when two opposing tip loads are applied. A system of equations describing the shape of the surface during deployment is developed. The physical implementation of the model uses compliant torsion bars as the torsion springs. A multidimensional …

Load-Displacement Characterization In Three Degrees Of Freedom For General Let Arrays, Nathan A. Pehrson, Pietro Bilancia, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Lamina emergent torsion (LET) joints for use in origami-based applications enables folding of panels. Placing LET joints in series and parallel (formulating LET arrays) opens the design space to provide for tunable stiffness characteristics in other directions while maintaining the ability to fold. Analytical equations characterizing the elastic load-displacement for general serial-parallel formulations of LET arrays for three degrees of freedom are presented: rotation about the desired axis, in-plane rotation, and extension/compression. These equations enable the design of LET arrays for a variety of applications, including origami-based mechanisms. These general equations are verified using finite element analysis and, to show …

Analysis Of The Rigid Motion Of A Conical Developable Mechanism, Mckell Woodland, Michelle Hsiung, Erin L. Matheson, C Alex Safsten, Jacob Greenwood, Denise M. Halverson, Larry L. Howell

Faculty Publications

We demonstrate analytically that it is possible to construct a developable mechanism on a cone that has rigid motion. We solve for the paths of rigid motion and analyze the properties of this motion. In particular, we provide an analytical method for predicting the behavior of the mechanism with respect to the conical surface. Moreover, we observe that the conical developable mechanisms specified in this paper have motion paths that necessarily contain bifurcation points which lead to an unbounded array of motion paths in the parameterization plane.

Limits Of Extramobile And Intramobile Motion Of Cylindrical Developable Mechanisms, Jared Butler, Larry L. Howell, Spencer P. Magleby, Jacob Greenwood

Faculty Publications

Mechanisms that can both deploy and provide motions to perform desired tasks offer a multifunctional advantage over traditional mechanisms. Developable mechanisms (DMs) are devices capable of conforming to a predetermined developable surface and deploying from that surface to achieve specific motions. This paper builds on the previously identified behaviors of extramobility and intramobility by introducing the terminology of extramobile and intramobile motion, which define the motion of developable mechanisms while interior and exterior to a developable surface. The limits of motion are identified using defined conditions. It is shown that the more difficult of these conditions to kinematically predict may …

Genetic Stop Signs: Nontraditional Sequences That Terminate Rna Production, Christina Iverson, Samuel Scott

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

3rd place open house

Gene expression can change everything about the identity of a bacterial cell. This process begins when the protein RNA polymerase reads a DNA strand and produces, or transcribes, a matching messenger RNA sequence. This RNA sequence will then be read by a protein-building complex which builds a protein encoded by the RNA. When RNA polymerase finishes producing the RNA sequence, the RNA polymerase will fall off the DNA strand, known as transcription termination. Currently, there are two known mechanisms for transcription termination. We believe that there may be more unknown mechanisms for termination.

Isolating Highly Specific Antibodies Against Cancer Target Hprt, Austin J. Hansen, Christopher J. Haynie, Kiara V. Whitley, Michelle Townsend, Abby Johnson, Hunter Lindsay, Laura Baird, Kim L. O'Neill

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Effective immunotherapeutic targeting of cancer cells requires identification of specific antigenic differences between cancerous and healthy cells. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) is a cytoplasmic enzyme involved in the salvage pathway for DNA synthesis. Certain cancers (e.g., prostate and breast) upregulate and express HPRT on the cell membrane, making HPRT a potential cancer biomarker for cancer immunotherapies. Antibodies specific for unique cancer proteins are critical to develop targeted cancer immunotherapies. Using a yeast display library and cell sorting, we selected for high-affinity human single-chain (scFv) antibodies against HPRT that can be utilized in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies and antibody-dependent …

Phage Host Interactions In Fhua Dependent Bacteriophages, Ian W. Baeten, Jessica M. Lewis, Kathryn E. Janda, David E. Kotter, Julianne H. Grose, William R. Mccleary

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Bacteriophages are the natural enemy of bacteria. They infect and kill bacterial cells similarly to how animal viruses infect and kill our (eukaryotic) cells. Being viruses, bacteriophages need to get inside of their host to be able to replicate and survive. To do this, phages use receptor binding proteins (RBPs) to bind to various molecules on the surface of bacterial cells, which allows them to attach and initiate the first step of infection. Several novel bacteriophages were isolated from sewage samples across the Wasatch Front of Utah that infect Escherichia coli strain MG1655 and are being used to gain greater …

Quantifying The Effects Of Involvement In Aesthetic Sports On The Development Of Eating Disorders In Pre-Teens, Ella Cook, Melissa Hewitt, Anna Sherrill, Alyssa Tolman, Erik J. Nelson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Approximately 2.8 million people (ANAD, 2023) in the United States are affected by eating disorders, and more than 1 in 5 children (Holcombe, 2023) around the world suffer from disordered eating symptoms. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, and children involved in “aesthetic sports” (dance, wrestling gymnastics, swimming) are at a higher risk of developing symptoms than their non-participating peers. (Davison et al., 2002) Eating disorders are often associated solely with an older teenagers or women, but heavily impact children as well. It is impossible to address mental health concerns among America’s youth without addressing …

Flipped Versus Online Instruction: A Comparative Analysis Of Student Performance, Noah Emery, Jamie L. Jensen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

The need for improved modes of online instruction has rapidly increased within the last decade. But whether online instruction is beneficial or as effective as in-person remains inconclusive (McCutcheon et al., 2015). Evidence would suggest that there are knowledge gaps with students who enroll in online courses (Jensen et al., 2022).

We designed and tested various models of an online introductory biology course for non-biology undergraduates in order to determine which method of online instruction would most improve student performance and close these knowledge gaps. We hypothesized that including instructor scaffolding (instructor organization and support), instructor feedback, and peer collaboration …

Higher Incidence Of Parasitic Copepods In Female Host Rockfish Species Call For Improved Restoration And Commercial Management Strategies, Alyssa Walters, Mark C. Belk

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Host-parasite interactions are key components in shaping ecosystem and community structure. In parasitism, the host maintains the life of the parasite and can have its fitness influenced as a result. This can be especially problematic for commercial fish projects, as well as species management.

New Species Discovery In Eriastrum (Polemoniaceae) In The Californian Red Mountains, Kaitlyn Pankratz, Leigh Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Characterized in the flowering plant family Polemoniaceae by wooly hairs on the calyces and bracts associated with the flowers and found in dry areas of western North America (1).

The Effects Of A High Carbohydrate Vs. High Fat Pre-Fast Meal On Incretin Hormone Secretion: A Randomized Crossover Study, Parker Graves, Landon S. Deru, Bruce Bailey

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Chronic illness such as strokes, heart disease and diabetes all rank among the leading causes of death in the United States. Recently, fasting has gained popularity as a means of prevention from chronic illness through weight loss and other health benefits. Fasting produces multiple beneficial physiological responses that have been shown to aid in chronic disease prevention, one of which is observed by the release of incretin hormones such as glucosedependent insulin tropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). These incretin hormones are released by the gut to augment the secretion of insulin to regulate postprandial glucose levels. During a …

Staphylococcus Aureus Readily Shares Antibiotic Resistance Genes Via Transformation In Co Cultured Biofilms, Brooklyn Jones, Ashley Ball, Emillee Augenstein, Thompson Jared, Austin Wright, Brad Berges

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a pathogenic bacterium which affects both humans and livestock, primarily affecting the blood, lungs, and soft tissues The CDC estimates 700 000 current deaths per year in the USA that are associated with antibiotic resistance (AR) infections, rising to 10 million/year by 2050 if no action is taken. SA can gain AR by obtaining a resistance gene from another organism, however, the process of such is not well understood The purpose of this project is to elucidate the process of gaining AR genes in SA strains SA strains can form biofilms an exterior, structural film, which …

A Comparison Of Ground And Remote Sensing Methods For Estimating Big Sagebrush ( Artemisia Tridentata Nutt.) Cover, Eliza Cash, April Hulet, Keegan Hammond, Steve Peterson, Ryan Jensen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Habitat monitoring and management for sagebrush obligate species are often based on sagebrush cover estimates

Remote sensing methods, including object based image analyses (OBIA), may be a good method to estimate sagebrush cover over large landscapes.

Research Objective: Compare traditional ground measurements used to estimate sagebrush cover with OBIA using high resolution imagery.

Engineering And Characterization Of Antibodies Against Cancer Biomarker Thymidine Kinase 1, Joshua Bennett, Kiara V. Whitley, Christopher J. Haynie, Kim O'Neill

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Engineered antibodies used in immunotherapies have been increasingly successful due to their ability to uniquely target cells expressing specific cancer antigens Thymidine Kinase 1 (TK 1 is a DNA salvage enzyme typically found in the cytosol However, in certain types of cancer, TK 1 is surface expressed, making it a unique cancer biomarker By identifying antibodies with a high binding affinity for TK 1 we can target cancer cells expressing TK 1 on their surface Using cell sorting and a yeast display library expressing 109 human single chain antibody fragments, we have isolated ten unique single chain antibodies scFvs that …

Air Quality: Comparison Of Pm2.5 Levels In Evaporative Vs Central Air Homes In Utah County Using Filter-Based Sampling, Alisandra Olivares, Taylor Christensen, Paula Chanthakhoun, Jim Johnston, Darrell Sonntag

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

PM_2.5 is particulate matter that is less than 2.5 micrometers. Combustion of fuels, gas, natural gas, and wood are contributors to the production of PM_2.5.

The Effects Of Initiating A Fast With A High Fat Or A High Carbohydrate Shake On Mcp-1, Tnfa And Il-6 Levels, Gage Jensen, Landon S. Deru, Bruce Bailey

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, heart disease and diabetes all rank among the leading causes of death in the United States, particularly among the elderly. While many behavioral and pharmacological strategies have been employed to reduce the incidence of these conditions, increasing evidence indicates that entering a mild to moderate state of ketosis through fasting or a very low carbohydrate diet can improve the prognosis for these conditions.1-4 Our aim is to see the extent that carbohydrate composition in an initiatory meal has on inflammatory marker proteins in our participants. This study assessed the impact that pre-fast meals have on Monocyte chemoattractant …

Figures In Biological Journal Articles Are Often Unfriendly To People With Color Vision Deficiencies, Harlan Stevens, Arwen Oakley, Stephen Piccolo

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2023

8% of men have red-green color vision deficiencies (CVD).

We focused on deuteranomaly and deuteranopia (deficiency in seeing green) since it is by far the most common CVD.

Colorblind unfriendly figures hinder equity in research and discourage individuals with CVD from pursuing science.

To determine how often researchers use colorblind-unfriendly figures, we classified and labeled 5000 images.

Our annotated dataset will be freely available in the hope that it will prove helpful to other researchers.

We created a computer vision model using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify images as colorblind-friendly or not.