Digital Commons Network^™

Experimental Methods For Characterizing Interfaces In Multi-Material Adhesive Joints, Kevin L. Cloherty, Drupad Kadiyala Bhavani, Dante P. Stigliano, Alexander H. Krueger, Christopher J. Hansen, Amy M. Peterson, Alireza V. Amirkhizi

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Multi-material systems bonded with adhesives are increasingly used in engineering due to their design flexibility and performance. To fully optimize these systems, it is essential to characterize their interfacial properties accurately. However, standardized methods to characterize interfacial properties under pure stress states, especially in dissimilar material joints, are limited. This study presents a framework using modified poker-chip and hat-shaped specimens to promote dominant normal and shear adhesion behavior in polymer-ceramic systems. Custom fixtures were designed to reduce material use and maintain uniform adhesive thickness during sample preparation. Preliminary results demonstrate dominant mode-specific interfacial properties for various multi-material and adhesive configurations. …

Experimental Investigation Of Thermal States In Polymer–Ceramic Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing, Jagadeesh Reddy Kanuboddu, Amy Peterson, Alireza Amirkhizi, Christopher J. Hansen

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Polymer–ceramic multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) offers opportunities to combine the complementary properties of polymers and ceramics within a single structure. However, integration of these materials remains challenging because ceramic processing temperatures greatly exceed those tolerated by most polymers, creating the risk of melting or thermal degradation during adjacent ceramic processing. This challenge is particularly important when laser-based ceramic processing is performed in proximity to polymer additive manufacturing processes, including applications involving ceramic powder bed fusion. Understanding transient heat transfer from laser-heated ceramic regions to neighbouring polymer structures is therefore important for the development of practical polymer–ceramic MMAM approaches. Previous thermal …

Thermal Analysis And Fabrication Of Polyelectrolyte-Ceramic Composites, Rajeswari Das, Amy M. Peterson, Christopher Hansen, Alireza Amirkhizi

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are a versatile class of macromolecular assemblies that are formed by mixing two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte solutions. Because of their tunable properties, PECs have attracted significant interest for applications in tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems and underwater adhesives. In this study, PECs were formed by combining a strong polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDADMAC) with a strong polyanion (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), PSS) and were further reinforced with alumina to produce composite materials. The effects of salt concentration and ceramic filler incorporation were investigated as the primary experimental variables. Alumina was chosen as the reinforcing phase because of its established …

Convergent Manufacturing Of Smart Metallic Structures, Jinhan Ren, Shinan Huang, Sazedur Rahman, Fotis Kopsaftopoulos, Johnson Samuel, Semih Akin

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Smart Metallic Structures (SMS) featuring embedded sensing capabilities have gained significant attention for mission-critical applications. Despite the growing importance of this emerging field, achieving reliable and efficient fabrication of SMS remains a challenge. This study presents a convergent manufacturing pathway for producing smart structures with integrated sensing capabilities. By leveraging Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) as the primary additive process and combining it with complementary subtractive machining, sensor embedding, and metallization techniques, the developed approach enables the fabrication of multifunctional metallic components tailored for advanced structural monitoring SHM). To demonstrate this concept, a structural beam made of Al-5356 was designed to …

Active Cooling Of Polymer-Ceramic Interfaces In Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing, Olorunfemi J. Esan, Christopher Hansen, Alireza Amirkhizi, Ian M. Mcaninch, Stephen R. Cluff, Pauline M. Smith, Amy Peterson

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) enables the fabrication of components with tailored properties and functionalities. However, integrating dissimilar materials such as polymers and ceramics remains challenging due to their widely differing processing temperatures. In this work, we modeled the integrated processing of polymer-ceramic systems and investigated active cooling strategies to preserve the polymeric component. The modeled MMAM approach consists of laser fusion (not necessarily powder bed) of both the polymer and the ceramic. A physical gap was designed between the two materials, and nitrogen gas flow at pressures ranging from 0.5 to 2 psi was introduced into the gap. The results …

Robust And Accurate Pose Estimation For In-Space Robotic Manufacturing Under Challenging Lighting Conditions, Abhay Negi, Rudranarayan Mukherjee, Satyandra K. Gupta

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Visual 6D object pose estimation is a critical capability in modern robotics and computer vision. This is most commonly achieved by exploiting an object's identifiable features and known geometry. While classical computer vision algorithms  perform reliably under controlled conditions, they are sensitive to common real-world degradations such as occlusion and adverse illumination. This paper presents a framework for robust and accurate pose estimation that combines deep learning and classical algorithms. Our approach features a U-Net-based segmentation model and a MobileNetV3-based keypoint regression network, both trained entirely on synthetic data with extensive domain randomization. An iterative PnP refinement further enhances accuracy …

Low-Cost Agile Tooling For Stamping Metallic And Composite Sheets Using A Hybrid 3d-Printed Composite Shell And A Core, Alireza Zarei, Koorosh Delavari, Mostafa Elnaggar, Madhura Athale, Taejoon Park, Farhang Pourboghrat, Srikanth Pilla

MMRL-XMO Industrial Seminar

Conventional sheet metal and composite stamping depends on machined steel dies that are expensive and slow to produce, limiting their practicality for prototyping and low-volume manufacturing. This study presents a low-cost agile tooling (LCAT) strategy that integrates a 3D-printed polymer composite shell with a concrete core. Tool shells were fabricated using FDM method with polyamide 12 thermoplastic filament reinforced with 35 wt% chopped carbon fiber. The workflow included 3D printing, machining test coupons, mechanical characterization, constitutive model development, finite element simulation, and stamping trials. Results show that the new composite tool design offers better performance and lower cost than fully …

Complex Continued Fractions And Inadmissible Sequences, Carolina A. Rizzi, Holly Vanlooy

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

Serret's Theorem says that real numbers are related by a type of Möbius transformation if and only if the tails of their regular continued fraction expansions are the same. Serret’s Theorem does not hold for Hurwitz Continued Fractions in the complex plane due to a counterexample of Lakein. By applying transformations that convert inadmissible sequences into their admissible forms, we explain Lakein's counterexample from an algorithmic perspective. We provide additional counterexamples and prove that there exists an uncountably infinite family of counterexamples.

Project Chimaera: Development Of A Tessellated Tetrahedral Truss Structure For Adaptive Multi-Regime Morphing Wing Technology, Evan Meyer, Eric Rodarte, Maximo Failla, Joshua Shuster, Jackson G. Schuler

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Project Chimaera: Physical Assembly of tessellated tetrahedral wing for Multi-Regime Flight. Modern Aircrafts lose aerodynamic efficiency because they are primarily made utilizing fixed wings which are designed for a single optimal flight condition. This forces an aircraft’s performance to become compromised across various speed maneuvers and flight regimes. Project Chimaera addresses this limitation through the development of a morphing wing capable of dynamically changing its geometry extensively during flight to allow an aircraft to travel between subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds. Whereas traditional wings rely on wing flaps and other flight controls; Project Chimaera addresses the limitation of flight controls …

Fatigue And Circadian Disruption In Long-Haul Ferry Pilots: Human Factors Challenges And Mitigation Strategies, Parneet Makkar

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Fatigue and circadian rhythm disruption present significant human factors challenges in long-haul aviation operations, particularly for ferry pilots (pilots responsible for transporting aircraft long distances between locations) who often travel across multiple time zones before beginning flight duties. Circadian rhythms regulate the human sleep-wake cycle and are closely tied to cognitive performance, alertness, and coordination. Rapid travel across time zones can disrupt these rhythms, producing symptoms commonly associated with jet lag such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, and reduced cognitive functioning. For ferry pilots, long travel periods and irregular schedules may increase the likelihood of fatigue before flight operations even begin. …

Project G.L.E.N., Alexis Peshehonoff, Makaylei Huggins, Bernard Muich, William John, Nicholas Fazzolari, Kai Hong, Nicholas Krasznavolgyi, Caitlyn A. Gabrinowitz, Grace Forbes, Harris Meyer, Jakob Graudons, Georgii Dubrov, Aditya Bhattacharya, Augustine Balish, Zachary Ort, Stephen Syvertson, Sajid Berhane

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Project G.L.E.N., formally known as “Refining Enhanced Fujita Wind Estimates via Unmanned Collection of In-Situ Tornadic Data Measurements,” is an ongoing initiative aimed at advancing tornado research through the development and deployment of an unmanned tornado probe. Through the Gale Level Environmental Navigator (G.L.E.N.) probe, a remote-controlled unit equipped with specialized meteorological sensors and innovative design features, we aim to collect real-time, onsite data from within tornadoes. This approach allows for direct measurement of internal atmospheric conditions such as wind speeds, pressure fluctuations, temperature, humidity, and other storm dynamics while removing human risk from tornado interception, significantly enhancing the safety …

String-Of-Pearls Measurements Of Supersonic Plasma Jets Using Magnetospheric Multiscale Satellites, Amelia Koth

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

High-energy supersonic plasma jets form when the solar wind, which is a flow of charged particles from the Sun, slows down as it encounters Earth’s magnetic shield. Occasionally, the solar wind remains at supersonic speeds as it enters this region. This forms plasma jets that propagate toward Earth; these jets can carry strong magnetic fields, drive magnetic reconnection, and potentially initiate substorms that lead to auroral activity.   Previously studied plasma jets occurred when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) points southward. In contrast, this study focuses on northward IMF conditions, which are less understood, yet still capable of producing supersonic jets. …

Evaluation Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Pathogens Relevant To Long-Duration Space Missions, Natalie Brattain, Yegor Bushnev, Mikayla M. Dutkiewicz

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global concern that necessitates the development of effective strategies for selecting appropriate antibiotics, especially in the context of future long-duration space missions, where infection control and treatment options are limited. This study employs the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion assay to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other clinically and spaceflight-relevant bacterial pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. These pathogens will be tested with commonly used antibiotics and potential natural compounds.   The pathogens will be cultured and isolated onto Mueller–Hinton agar plates. Antibiotic disks, along with various flavonoids disks, such as …

Extending The Essentially Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Method To Three-Dimensional Turbulent Flows, Michael Derderian

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Method (EELBM) has demonstrated strong numerical stability and accuracy for two-dimensional simulations, particularly at higher resolutions where the entropic formulation introduces only minimal stabilizing turbulent viscosity and eventually converges to the Lattice Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook (LBGK) formulation. This built-in stabilization can be interpreted as an implicit large-eddy simulation (LES) model, allowing EELBM to capture complex turbulent behavior without requiring explicit subgrid-scale closures. While these advantages have been thoroughly validated in 2D, understanding how the entropic constraint regulates dissipation in three dimensions is essential for assessing EELBM’s suitability for practical, turbulence-dominated applications. This work focuses on the development and …

Effects Of Human-Animal Interaction On Positive Youth Development: A Replication Study, Allison Pachunka, Jay Jeffries, Lisa Karr, Lena Luck, Bryan A. Reiling, Douglas H. Schultz, Jeffrey R. Stevens

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Interacting with animals can improve health and well-being across the lifespan. Some programs such as 4-H and FFA center around youth interacting with animals, potentially enhancing youth development. Mueller (2014) investigated whether these interactions and attitudes about animals influenced measures of positive youth development. The aim of our studies was to replicate Mueller’s methods and extend her work by evaluating whether membership in animal-focused youth programs moderate associations between interactions, attitudes, and positive youth development. We did not find strong relationships among human–animal inter-action and positive youth development, which failed to replicate Mueller’s findings. However, we did find relationships between …

Implementation Of Artificial Intelligence In Retinoblastoma Diagnosis, Zana Moldavsky

inSIGHT

The retina is essential for vision. It is composed of 10 distinct layers and contains specialized photoreceptor cells, rods, and cones that are responsible for converting photons of light into electrical signals through a process called phototransduction.¹ These electrical signals are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve where they are interpreted as a visual picture.¹

Retinoblastoma is a rare but aggressive malignant tumor of the retina and represents the most common intraocular malignancy in the pediatric populabon.² The disease follows Knudson's two-hit hypothesis and occurs due to biallelic inactivation of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene …

Novel Treatments For Keratoconus, Caroline Paik

inSIGHT

Keratoconus is a progressive condition in which the cornea gradually thins and bulges outward, causing it to become steep and irregular. This leads to irregular astigmatism and worsening vision, most often beginning in adolescence or early adulthood.¹ The management of keratoconus has evolved significantly over the past two decades, with novel therapeutic approaches emerging across three critical domains: halting disease progression, improving visual function, and providing surgical alternatives when conservative measures fail. This review examines the latest advances in keratoconus treatment, focusing on innovative approaches that are reshaping clinical practice.

Insight, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2026

inSIGHT

Contents

7 - Novel Treatments for Keratoconus
By Caroline Paik

12 - Novel Advancements in Glaucoma Surgery
By Eshani Ragam

16 - Dichoptic Therapy versus Patching – State of Literature Review
By Eve Miller

24 - GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Ocular Risk
By Saharsh Satheesh

33 - Home-use OCT for Neovascular Age- Related Macular Degeneration
By Sneh Shah

40 - Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Retinoblastoma Diagnosis
By Zana Moldavsky

Future Meteorological Droughts In The Southeastern Us, Kunal Bhardwaj, C. Prakash Khedun, Abdul A. Khan

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

The Southeastern U.S., despite its humid climate, experiences recurrent meteorological droughts which impact agricultural, water resources, ecological systems, and the economy and society. Knowledge of future drought conditions can guide adaptation efforts. Here, we evaluate historical and projected droughts using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) computed from an ensemble of eight bias-corrected Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the Climate Model Intercomparison Phase-6 (CMIP6). The historical performance (1950–2014) of the GCM’s mean was benchmarked against gridded observations from the Climate Research Unit (CRU). Future changes were assessed under 1.5°C, 2.0°C, and 3.0°C global warming levels.We …

Speculative Urbanism Versus Paddy Land Conservation: The Land Paradox In Policy Making, Neethu Das

Journal of Law and Public Policy

This paper argues that paddy land has become a contested space for competing policy objectives in Kerala, one of the southernmost Indian states. It critically examines two competing policy approaches in the state: one focused on fostering economic growth through investment-friendly policies and the other prioritising the preservation of ecological resources for long-term sustainability. It analyses how conservation laws are gradually weakened to foster an investment-friendly environment. In addition, it examines the shift from viewing land primarily as leverage, which has undermined efforts towards long-term sustainability. The insights informing this analysis were drawn from ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Thrikkakara, a …

The Active Metamaterial Structural Integrity Field (Sif): A Dynamic Stress-Routing Architecture For Advanced Spaceframes, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This white paper presents the design, architectural framework, and engineering specifications for a solid-state, real-time Structural Integrity Field (SIF). Traditional spaceframe engineering is bound by a rigid mass-to-rigidity paradox: mitigating extreme localized dynamic, kinetic, or thermal loads requires a proportional increase in material mass, which introduces severe propulsive and structural penalties. The SIF architecture breaks this paradox by shifting the burden of structural survival from structural mass to information-theoretic latency and active stress-routing. By treating structural loading as a continuous elastodynamic wave vector propagating through a medium, we define a modular, multi-vector design matrix.

This paper establishes three independent, hot-swappable …

The Helical Manifold Hypothesis: Time As A Latency Function Of Volumetric Quantum Wave Collapse, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This paper introduces the Helical Manifold Hypothesis (HMH), a unified geometric and informational framework that models 3D space and linear time as emergent macroscopic phenomena derived from a fundamental, timeless 2D quantum substrate. We propose that baseline energy fields exist on this substrate as highly coiled, localized topological structures. Upon interaction or observation, these wave functions undergo an asymmetric volumetric collapse, uncoiling outward into 3D space to form a visible matter vector, while their anti-matter counterparts remain anchored to the negative side of the substrate. This split establishes physical spacetime coordinates (x, y, z, t). Under this framework, linear time …

Technical Specification: Definitive Master Taxonomy And Systemic Architectural Directory For The Cognitive Grids Cores (Papers 1–117), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification establishes the definitive, system-wide architectural index and organizational taxonomy for the Christopher L. Eckes defensive publication corpus, spanning Papers 1 through 117. Historically, open-source development and prior art disclosures suffer from structural fragmentation, allowing centralized entities to locate and exploit isolation gaps between software layers and physical hardware implementations.

This master directory resolves this vulnerability by executing a top-down, text-based semantic alignment that maps the entire 117-paper footprint into eight highly dense, interconnected Technical Domains. By establishing the precise mathematical and logical dependencies linking low-level physical fluid dynamics, material manufacturing recipes, energy transduction systems, non-silicon quantum backbones, sovereign …

Technical Specification: Femtosecond-Scale Coordinate Time Synchronization And Inverse Phase-Alignment Loops For Interplanetary Cognitive Grids, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines a hyper-precise spatiotemporal time-keeping and phase-alignment operating system designed to mitigate sub-nanosecond relativistic drift across distributed interplanetary optical channels. Referencing localized clock cycles directly to Barycentric Coordinate Time (TCB) at a femtosecond resolution threshold (10^-15 s), the architecture dynamically tracks Einsteinian kinematic and gravitational dilation variables across multi-body space matrices. Traditional communications engineering employs reactive, post-receiver digital signal processing to reconstruct distorted signal paths. This framework applies inverse design methodologies, utilizing known-outcome trapping vectors to pre-distort near-infrared laser wavefront phase structures at the transmitter terminal. By computing localized space-time curvature tensors along the projected light travel path, …

Technical Specification: Dual-Mode Spatiotemporal Intersection Ambush And Ping-Pong Doppler-Gated Intercept Recovery Operating Systems For Energy-Bound Interplanetary Optical Networks, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines an energy-optimized, ultra-precise spatiotemporal tracking and communication operating system for deep space laser networks. Traditional space communication systems rely on active tracking methods, forcing heavy motorized gimbals to continuously move and shake to counteract planetary motion. This approach introduces gimbal jitter, limits data link density, and causes severe energy depletion that challenges long-duration flights.

This architecture introduces a dual-mode redundant framework that establishes Known-Outcome Trapping (The Ambush Method) as the primary operational state. Utilizing the predictable laws of Keplerian mechanics, nodes project future multi-body path intersections years in advance down to the millimeter. Rather than chasing a …

Technical Specification: A High-Latitude Keplerian Optical Mesh Array With Integrated Multi-Sensor Biosignature And Hydrological Detection Arrays For System-Wide Interplanetary Data Ingress, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines an integrated architectural design for deep space communication and planetary exploration. It replaces traditional standalone, single-point-of-failure space missions with an interconnected, system-wide, self-healing network topology.

Traditional radio frequency (RF) communications in the ecliptic plane suffer from severe data chokepoints driven by the Inverse-Square Law, solar plasma interference, and planetary occlusions. This architecture resolves these constraints by deploying a constellation of non-coplanar satellites into high-latitude, critical-inclination ($i = 63.435^\circ$) Keplerian frozen orbits around target planets. This orbital geometry provides continuous, line-of-sight laser (optical) links entirely above the flat, crowded ecliptic plane, enabling high-gigabit data transmission velocities.

To justify …

Technical Specification: Omnidirectional Multi-Vector Omni-Resonant Memory Substrate For High-Density Sovereign Storage, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the physical architecture, material composition, manufacturing parameters, and control mathematics for an Omnidirectional Multi-Vector Omni-Resonant Non-Volatile Storage Matrix. Engineered to operate as a completely self-healing, ambient-temperature memory baseline for sovereign, main-duty processing networks, this specification eliminates external code or library references, providing an exhaustive, standalone manual for hardware replication.

We formalize four parallel physical storage channels: a mechanical acoustofluidic phase-change grid (A-RAM) deploying a Topologically Protected Cymatic Electrolyte Matrix (TPCEM) [Eckes], a stroboscopic optical emission hole-burning layer validated via tabletop three-dimensional photoemission orbital tomography (3D-POT), an electromagnetic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) vortex confinement cell, and an organic lipid-encapsulated solitonic …

Technical Specification: Standalone Integrated Quantum Computing Backbone For Resilient Silicon Replacement, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the complete, self-contained architecture for a solid-state, ambient-temperature quantum processing unit (QPU) engineered to serve as a main-duty replacement for legacy silicon microarchitectures. To ensure absolute operational continuity in fragmented or disconnected environments, this document eliminates external data-dependency links, consolidating the physical layer heterostructure, peripheral control chipsets, parallel simulation algorithms, and laboratory metrology protocols into a singular, cohesive engineering package.

We explicitly formalize the hardware blueprints for three critical peripheral systems: a local Continuous Phase-Locked Loop (CPLL) Temporal Clock Module to mitigate sub-picosecond phase-jitter, a gate-level Acoustic Digital-to-Analog Converter (A-DAC) to translate legacy 64-bit binary registers into …

Technical Specification: Dual-Track Acoustofluidic Parametric Transition Apparatus For Qubit Stabilization, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the physical architecture, material layers, and control mathematics for a Dual-Track Acoustofluidic Parametric Transition Apparatus designed to mitigate environmental decoherence in solid-state quantum processing units (QPUs). The device utilizes a high-frequency, Gallium Nitride (GaN)-driven interdigital concentric transducer matrix to generate phase-matched Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) across an organic monolayer crystal interface (PTCDA/Pentacene).

To ensure universal operational compatibility and robust defensive IP protection, this specification enforces a dual-track mathematical pipeline. Track A models the device performance through conventional quantum parametric phase-squeezing of vacuum fluctuations via a non-linear driven Hamiltonian. Track B models the identical physical mechanics through two-dimensional …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Laboratory Quantum Metrology Interface For Dehp Substrate Verification, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an engineering protocol linking the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) cosmological framework to the three-dimensional Photoemission Orbital Tomography (3D-POT) metrology apparatus developed at the University of Göttingen. Utilizing tabletop, 35-femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoexcitation pulses coupled with high-resolution hemispherical momentum microscopy, the 3D-POT system isolates the complete three-dimensional spatial amplitude and phase profiles of electronic wavefunctions.

This disclosure operationalizes that laboratory apparatus as an empirical testbed for Topological Substrate Mechanics (TSM) [Eckes]. We demonstrate that the reconstructed out-of-plane vertical electron density profile (\(\Psi \)) maps directly to the vertical displacement coordinates (\(z > 0\)) of the DEHP fluid-substrate …