Engineering Commons^™

Symmetric Or Asymmetric Glide Resistance To Twinning Disconnection?, Mingyu Gong, Houyu Ma, Kunming Yang, Yue Liu, Jian-Feng Nie, Jian Wang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Successive gliding of twinning disconnections (TDs) creates three-dimensional twins in parent crystal and accommodates shear deformation. It is generally recognized that TD is subject to the same Peierls stress as it glides forward or backward because of its dislocation character and the twofold rotation symmetry of the twin plane. Based on atomistic simulations, we demonstrate that the glide of TDs may be subject to a symmetric or asymmetric resistance corresponding to step character, symmetric resistance for A/A type steps but asymmetric resistance for A/B type steps, where A and B represent crystallographic planes in twin and matrix. Furthermore, we experimentally …

Recent Advances In Biosensors For Detection Of Covid-19 And Other Viruses, Shobhit K. Patel, Jaymit Surve, Juveriya Parmar, Kawsar Ahmed, Francis M. Bui, Fahad Ahmed Al-Zahrani

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

This century has introduced very deadly, dangerous, and infectious diseases to humankind such as the influenza virus, Ebola virus, Zika virus, and the most infectious SARS-CoV-2 commonly known as COVID-19 and have caused epidemics and pandemics across the globe. For some of these diseases, proper medications, and vaccinations are missing and the early detection of these viruses will be critical to saving the patients. And even the vaccines are available for COVID-19, the new variants of COVID-19 such as Delta, and Omicron are spreading at large. The available virus detection techniques take a long time, are costly, and complex and …

A Robot-Assisted Acoustofluidic End Effector, Jan Durrer, Prajwal Agrawal, Ali Ozgul, Stephen C.F. Neuhauss, Nitesh Nama, Daniel Ahmed

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Liquid manipulation is the foundation of most laboratory processes. For macroscale liquid handling, both do-it-yourself and commercial robotic systems are available; however, for microscale, reagents are expensive and sample preparation is difficult. Over the last decade, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems have come to serve for microscale liquid manipulation; however, lacking automation andmulti-functionality. Despite their potential synergies, each has grown separately and no suitable interface yet exists to link macro-level robotics with micro-level LOC or microfluidic devices. Here, we present a robot-assisted acoustofluidic end effector (RAEE) system, comprising a robotic arm and an acoustofluidic end effector, that combines robotics and microfluidic functionalities.We …

The Relationship Between Mechanism Geometry And The Centers Of Stiffness And Compliance, Shuguang Huang, Joseph M. Schimmels

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A significant amount of research has been directed toward developing a more intuitive appreciation of spatial elastic behavior. Results of these analyses have often been described in terms of the elastic behavior (stiffness or compliance) centers. This paper investigates the properties of centers of stiffness and compliance and provides a fresh view of elastic center locations, specifically, the locus of centers associated with a given mechanism’s topology and geometry. We show that the location of the center of stiffness (compliance) for a set of elastic components connected in parallel (in serial) can be described in terms similar to the …

Contact Simulation For Evaluating Patient Specific Surgical Guide Stability, Vincent Nierste

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study proposes a novel computational method to quantify guide stability for Patient Specific Instrumentation (PSI) guides. A finite element contact model was used to analyze the final position of PSI guides on a femur across a range of loading parameters representing forces applied by a surgeon during operative use. Separate segmentation methods were used for the guide and bone geometry to represent differences between segmentation and actual patient geometry. The region of loading parameters over which the guide exhibited a consistent final position was measured and reported as Guide Stability Score. The model was verified using cadaver specimens for …

Design Of Human Inspired Feet For Mithra, A High-Performance Humanoid Robot, Spencer Lyle Brewster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the foot design for the new humanoid robot Mithra, with the goal to improve impact mitigation, natural gait throughout the gait cycle and balance. Using human gait parameters, a stiff aluminum foot was designed to emulate human center of pressure rollover trajectories. In addition, a 2D dynamic Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the gait cycle was created in Abaqus to rapidly prototype foot designs. Data from the FE model provided impact forces, parameters for distal foot power evaluation and maximum lean angles. From this model a flexible nylon foot was optimized for the given design objectives. The …

ระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลสำหรับอุปกรณ์คัดแยกวัตถุอัตโนมัติด้วยเทคโนโลยีโลกเสมือนจริง, กฤษฏ์ สกุลกวินกร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลหรือ คู่ฝาแฝดดิจิทัล นั้นเข้ามามีบทบาทสำคัญในก้าวพัฒนาระบบอุตสาหกรรมไปยังอุตสาหกรรม 4.0 โดยตัวอย่างที่เห็นได้อย่างชัดเจนคืองานในกระบวนการผลิตที่สามารถนำระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลเข้ามาประยุกต์ใช้เพื่อเพิ่มศักยภาพในการผลิตได้ โดยระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลนั้นสามารถรับส่งข้อมูลกันระหว่างคู่ฝาแฝดดิจิทัล และ ชุดอุปกรณ์จริง ในเวลาจริงได้ โดยสื่อสารผ่านระบบที่มีศักยภาพในการรับส่งข้อมูล ทั้งในเรื่องของ ค่าความหน่วง และ เสถียรภาพในการรับส่ง และ ด้วยระบบการสื่อสารแบบ IoT นั้นจะช่วยให้ระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลสามารถตรวจสอบการทำงานของชุดอุปกรณ์เซนเซอร์ต่างๆได้อย่างหลากหลายมากยิ่งขึ้น โดยการนำเทคโนโลยี VR เข้ามาประยุกต์ใช้ในระบบนั้นจะสามารถช่วยให้ผู้ใช้งานรู้สึกเหมือนอยู่หน้าชุดอุปกรณ์และสามารถควบคุม และ ตรวจสอบระบบต่างๆผ่านระบบเครือข่าย IoT จากทุกที่ที่สามารถเชื่อมต่อกับระบบสื่อสารอินเตอร์เน็ตได้ โดยวิทยานิพนธ์ฉบับนี้ได้นำเสนอกระบวนการพัฒนาระบบฝาแฝดดิจิทัลสำหรับชุดอุปกรณ์คัดแยกวัตถุอัตโนมัติสำหรับสาธิตด้วยเทคโนโลยีโลกเสมือนจริง โดยตัวชุดอุปกรณ์คัดแยกวัตถุอัตโนมัตินั้นจะประกอบไปด้วยชุดอุปกรณ์เซนเซอร์และชุดอุปกรณ์ตัวสั่งการที่ถูกควบคุมการทำงานผ่านระบบไร้สายแบบ UDP(User Datagram Protocol) และ TCP(Transmission Control Protocol) บนเครือข่ายไร้สายเดียวกันกับชุดบอร์ดคอนโทรลเลอร์ โดยจะมีตัวประมวลผลกลาง Node-RED ที่ติดตั้งเป็นชุดประมวลผลหลักโดยจะเก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลจากทุกชุดของบอร์ดคอนโทรลเลอร์บนชุดอุปกรณ์คัดแยกวัตถุอัตโนมัติ และทำการเชื่อมต่อข้อมูลไปยัง แอพพลิเคชั่น VR ผ่านระบบการสื่อสารแบบ MQTT ผ่านคลาวน์แพลทฟอร์มของ NETPIE2020 โดยจะนำค่าความหน่วงและเสถียรภาพของระบบสื่อสารที่กล่าวมาข้างต้นมานำเสนอและวิเคราะห์ประมวลผล

การพัฒนาระบบป้องกันการชนสำหรับยานยนต์อัตโนมัติโดยใช้การตรวจจับวัตถุด้วยกล้อง ร่วมกับการสื่อสารระหว่างยานพาหนะอัตโนมัติและโครงสร้างพื้นฐานผ่านเครือข่ายเซลลูลาร์, วริทธิ์ ดิษยครินทร์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

จากการที่ศูนย์วิจัยยานยนต์อัจฉริยะได้ทำการทดสอบยานยนต์อัตโนมัติพบว่าจำเป็นต้องขับเคลื่อนเข้าสู่ทางร่วมที่ไม่มีสัญญาณเตือนและซึ่งมีสิ่งกีดขวางบริเวณในการใช้งานเซนเซอร์ ซึ่งยานยนต์อัตโนมัติจำเป็นต้องทำการทดสอบร่วมกับยานยนตฺ์คนขับเคลื่อนบนท้องถนน จึงจำเป็นต้องทำการติดตั้งระบบตรวจจับสำหรับลดความเสี่ยงในการเกิดอุบัติเหตุ ในงานวิจัยนี้จัดทำเพื่อพัฒนาระบบ C-V2I สำหรับกระบวนการตรวจจับยานยนต์คนขับที่เคลื่อนที่ภายในทางหลักและส่งตัวแปรเข้าสู่กระบวนการการตัดสินใจของยานยนต์อััติโนมัติเนื่องจากยานยนต์อัตโนมัติที่เคลื่อนที่เข้าสู่ทางโทไม่สามาถตรวจจับและรับรู้ได้ โดยทดลองในบริเวณหน้าคณะวิศวกรรมศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย ซึ่งเป็นตัวอย่างของทางร่วมที่ไม่มีสัญญาณเตือนและเป็นทางที่ใช้สำหรับกระบวนการทดลองยานยนต์อัตโนมัติเพื่อที่โดยในระบบนี้จะแบ่งออกเป็น 3 ส่วนคือ ระบบการตรวจจับและติดตามวัตถุ ระบบการสื่อสารระหว่างยานยนต์อัตโนมัติและ ระบบการตัดสินใจของยานยนต์อัตโนมัติ ซึ่งการทำงานของระบบสามารถอธิบายอย่างง่ายโดยเมื่อยานยนต์อัตฺโนมัติเคลื่อนที่เข้าสู่บริเวณที่กำหนดไว้จะทำการรับค่าจากระบบตรวจจับซึ่งในงานวิจัยนี้ทำการทดลองโดยใช้กล้อง 2 มิติ ซึ่งระบบตรวจจับและติดตามวัตถุด้วยกล้องโดยในระบบนี้จะทำการส่งตัวแปรที่ได้จากระบบตรวจจับและติดตามวัตถุเข้าสู่กระบวนการประมาณหาค่าตำแหน่งของวัตถุที่เคลื่อนที่บนระนาบของถนนโดยค่าที่ ต่อมาค่าตัวแปรที่ได้จากระบบตรวจจับทจะถูกส่งเข้าสู่ระบบของยานยนต์อัติโนมัติผ่านระบบสื่อสารด้วยผ่านระบบ MQTTเพื่อส่งค่าสู่กระบวนการตัดสินใจของยานยนต์อัตโนมัติ การทดลองพบว่ากล้อง สามารถวัดระยะทางและความเร็ว ของยานยนต์ที่ต้องการตรวจจับได้ด้วยระยะ 30 เมตรและได้ทำการนำค่าตัวแปรมาคำนวนหาค่าระยะปลอดภัยของยานยนต์อัตโนมัติจากระบบจำลอง

Passive Intermodulation Under Different Spring Contact Conditions, Shengxuan Xia, Emmanuel Olugbade, Yuchu He, Yansheng Wang, Hanfeng Wang, Krishna Rao, Marco Poort, Haicheng Zhou, Warren Lee, Nicholas Mcdonnell, Jonghyun Park, Chulsoon Hwang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modularized designs have been widely used in today's consumer electronic devices and flexible RF springs are used for electrical connections between the modules. In the meantime, aluminum alloy material becomes a common chassis option. It is well known that the oxidized chassis surface introduces a certain level of nonlinearity when contacted by the springs, as known as passive intermodulation (PIM). PIM is one of the well-known root causes of the RF desensitization (desense). This paper is focused on investigating the relationship between PIM and contact conditions of the springs, especially contact area. The PIM level behavior is explained mathematically by …

Regulation Of Dendrite-Free Li Plating Via Lithiophilic Sites On Lithium-Alloy Surface, Yufang He, Mengyun Zhang, Aiping Wang, Bo Zhang, Hiep Pham, Qiao Hu, Li Sheng, Hong Xu, Li Wang, Jonghyun Park, Xiangming He

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lithium (Li) deposition behavior plays an important role in dendrite formation and the subsequent performance of lithium metal batteries. This work reveals the impact of the lithiophilic sites of lithium-alloy on the Li plating process via the first-principles calculations. We find that the Li deposition mechanisms on the Li metal and Li22Sn5 surface are different due to the lithiophilic sites. We first propose that Li plating on the Li metal surface goes through the "adsorption-reduction-desorption-heterogeneous nucleation-cluster drop "process, while it undergoes the "adsorption-reduction-growth "process on the Li22Sn5 surface. The lower adsorption energy contributes to the easy adsorption of Li on …

The Study Of 3d Micro-Fluid Printing In Aqueous Two-Phase System, Mian Huang

Dissertations and Theses

Aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) is a technology that allows phase separation in an aqueous environment. This technology can be used for the separation, extraction and purification of a variety of biomolecules and thus gained great attention in industry and academia. This thesis is a combination of ATPS, 3D printing, and microfluidics technologies and realizes the printing of biocompatible aqueous structures in another aqueous matrix. The objectives of this thesis include 1) customizing a regular thermal extrusion 3D printer for printing 3D aqueous structures, 2) printing 3D aqueous structure in an aqueous matrix, and 3) studying the stability of the printed …

Ternary Flow Simulation Based On The Conservative Phase Field Lattice Boltzmann Method, Chunheng Zhao

Dissertations and Theses

In this thesis, we numerically investigated multi-phase fluid dynamics (2 and 3-phase flow) by solving the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the conservative phase field (CPF) equations using the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). To effectively simulate the large-scale multi-phase physics, we developed an open-source software, IMEXLBM, which can be easily parallelized on both CPUs and GPUs without significant modifications to the code. We first validated various parts of this software and then used this method to study the interaction of rising bubbles with a static oil droplet as well as the engulfment of the water droplet on solids coated with a …

Design And Control Of Quasi-Direct Drive Actuation For Lightweight And Versatile Wearable Robots, Shuangyue Yu

Dissertations and Theses

Wearable robots have shown great potential for augmenting the physical capabilities of humans in lab settings. However, wearable robots for augmenting the physical capabilities of humans under community-based conditions are the new frontier of robotics. Furthermore, the design and control are still considered to be grand challenges for providing physical augmentation for humans. In terms of design, the state-of-the-art exoskeletons are typically rigid, bulky, and limited to lab settings. In terms of control, most of the rhythmic controllers are not versatile and are focused only on steady-state walking assistance.

The motivation behind my research is to improve both the design …

Investigations On Vortex-Induced Vibration (Viv) Phenomena Of Single-And-Double-Cylinder Flexible Beam Arrangements Of Energy Harvesters, Xiaohai Jiang

Dissertations and Theses

Due to the battery lifespan limitation and the need for periodical replacement, energy-harvesting is an actual alternative as a power source for low power devices in some special areas. And among them, the piezoelectric energy-harvesting, which converts mechanical (vibration) into electric energy, is the fastest development one in recent years.

In our current work, a piezoelectric harvester with a finite length cylinder fixed to one end of a flexible thin beam, is the research object in an incoming flow in the CCNY wind tunnel. We report on the efforts to improve the state-of-the-art harvester, called reconfigurable harvester, which has functions …

Understanding The Relationship Between Urban Areas And The Boundary Layer Using Remote Sensing Methods, Gabriel A. Rios

Dissertations and Theses

The atmospheric boundary layer is crucial to the exchange in energy between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere. Within this layer, the majority of human activities are carried out, which makes understanding the boundary layer especially important for many of our interests. A key component of this energy exchange is found at the surface, was surface properties are the interface through which momentum, heat, moisture, and other fluxes are transferred between media. Not only does the surface act as an interface, but as an actor that influences the exchange efficiency and rates. This concept is the crux of atmospheric boundary …

Fundamentals Of Microgel Flooding And Nanoparticles-Stabilized Foams In Enhanced Oil Recovery, Shuaijun Li

Dissertations and Theses

For centuries oil has remained a critical energy source for human civilization. After years of extraction, many oil fields have reached or are reaching a decline stage of production, even though up to a half of the total crude oil reserves in these fields has not been recovered yet. One reason is due to the structural heterogeneity of the oil reservoirs—reservoirs may consist of regions of higher permeability with larger pore size and regions of lower permeability with smaller pore size. Displacing fluids tend to flow through large permeability zones only without reaching the oil trapped in low permeability region; …

The Capabilities And Limitations Of Flywheel-Based Energy Storage System Pertaining To Subways In The Event Of A Power Outage, Jaskaran Singh

Dissertations and Theses

In the city that never sleeps, power outages or blackouts can be a shock, especially if you are on a train amid one. For example, during the infamous 2003 blackout, thousands of people were left stuck and stranded in parts of Northeastern United States. In particular, with no trains or buses in service throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC, those stranded essentially had no way to go back home. Hotels, terminals, and airports alike became places of camping as the city seemed to come to a halt. For the sake of public safety and transit efficiency, this study explores a …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Building Energy Consumption In New York City, Martha A. Olaleye

Dissertations and Theses

Since February 2020, the spread of COVID-19 affected the world economy, with the population of people contacting the virus in New York City at that time being at the highest in the United States of America. Thus, the need for remote/online learning was adopted for the safety of faculty, staffs, and students of New York Educational institution like CCNY. In the study, I focused on energy consumption as regards to COVID and POST-COVID periods in New York City (NYC), since most employees are working from home and schools are online which implies that most commercial buildings are vacant. Also due …

Prolonged Exposure To Microgravity Increases Susceptibility To Traumatic Brain Injury, Ryan Baskerville

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the prospect of semi-permanent and permanent habitable fixtures on the moon and Mars, the complications associated with long-term exposure to microgravity should be investigated exhaustively. Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a group of neurological and ocular effects resulting from prolonged exposure to microgravity, is characterized by significant fluid shifts into the cranium, namely cerebrospinal fluid and blood, and an upward shift of the brain relative to the skull. This syndrome, along with its immediate effects on visual acuity, cognitive ability, and motor function are recognized by NASA, but its effects on susceptibility to traumatic brain injury have yet to …

Transdisciplinarity In Experience Design: A Global Survey Of Higher Ed Programs In Exd/Xd, Yvonne Houy

Creative Collaborations

In our age of ubiquitous devices and digital media it is the perceived value of the end-to-end experience that brings people to a place. Designing inspiring and emotionally engaging end-to-end experiences requires experts in a wide range of disciplines committed to an interdisciplinary collaboration that can arrive at transdisciplinary design - the sum becomes greater than its parts.

Civil engineering, hospitality, business, psychology, digital User Experience (UX) design, and experience data analysis need to be seamless integrated with the fine and performing arts and design fields:

• Architecture, interior, landscape and sound design actively engage the senses.

• Graphic and fine arts …

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Cool Thermal Energy Storage: Water And Ice To Alternative Phase Change Materials, Sandra K. S. Boetcher

Publications

Cool thermal energy storage has a long history dating back to ancient times with modern developments beginning in the mid-nineteenth century where blocks of ice were cut from frozen lakes for cooling applications. Today, the prevalent mode of thermal energy storage is the utilization of ice tanks in commercial buildings for peak shaving and load shifting. In this chapter, a summary of different types of water/ice thermal energy storage systems is provided; an overview of alternative phase change materials for use in cool thermal energy storage is given; and alternative phase change material thermal energy systems, their implementation, challenges, and …

Experimental Study Of Wall Bounded Harbor Seal Whisker Inspired Pin Geometries, Anish Prasad, Mark Ricklick

Publications

Conventional cylindrical/elliptical pins are one of the most widely used geometries in convection cooling systems and are used in the internal cooling of gas turbine blades and other applications, as they promote better heat transfer at the expense of large pressure losses and unsteadiness in the flow. The need to reduce pressure drop and maintain the heat transfer rates are a pressing requirement for a variety of industries to improve their cooling efficiency. One such prominent field of research is conducted in optimizing the design of pin geometries. In this study, a harbor seal whisker inspired geometry is being studied …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2021, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

A Coupled Viscoplastic-Damage Constitutive Model For Semicrystalline Polymers, Jeffrey Wiersma

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The ease of processing, recyclability, and ideal cost to weight ratio makes the semi-crystalline polymers attractive in the aerospace, automotive, and defense industries. Use of semicrystalline polymers for engineering design requires a thorough understanding of their response to mechanical deformation, rate of loading, temperature, and failure mechanisms. However, there lacks a generally agreed upon constitutive model to capture the large deformation elastic-viscoplastic response of semicrystalline polymers while incorporating the strain-rate dependence and damage behavior. To address this aspect, the objective of this dissertation is to develop an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model to predict the rate dependent, large deformation response of semicrystalline …

Stress Analysis On Walls In Complex Fluids With Fluid-Solid Interaction, Dehong Fang

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The wall shear stress (WSS) in blood vessels influences many biological processes, such as atherosclerosis, clot growth, angiogenesis, aneurysm rupture, and blood cell transport and adhesion. The deformable red blood cells (RBCs) in blood flow make the WSS even more complex. To analyze the WSS in complex fluids with cell suspensions, numerical simulations of blood flows in simple straight channels were conducted, where the fluid-solid interactions were simulated by immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method. The spatiotemporal dynamics of WSS were analyzed using dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), which is a technique that can extract the low-rank spatiotemporal features from complex fluids. The …

A New Boundary Interlock Geometry Design Method For Fdm Multi-Material Part Strengthening, Shivaram Sree Venkata Shanmukha Kakaraparthi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Multi-material Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) enables the cost-effective realization of designs in complex geometries built with multiple materials. However, achieving an adequate level of bonding strength between different materials remains a significant challenge. Besides the traditional way of addressing this challenge by strengthening material bonding at the molecular scale by optimizing the printing parameters, introducing a new design methodology that creates stronger multi-material interface geometry could also offer effective solutions. This work studied the mechanical properties of multi-material printed objects, with a particular focus on the interface zone formed between different materials at their geometrical boundaries. A new mathematical simulation …

A Parametric Study Of Thermochemical Energy Storage Using Chemical Looping For Concentrated Solar Power (Csp) Plants, Imran Anees Mohammed

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The use of conventional fossil fuels to generate power has caused great harm to the environment. These fossil fuels, when burnt, release copious amounts of CO_2, causing global warming. Therefore, it is imperative that current energy sources are substituted with renewable energy sources. However, the critical obstacle with renewable energy sources is their intermittency. Solar energy is being captured through photovoltaic plants and concentrated solar power plants. Photovoltaic plants use batteries, which makes the storage of energy limited. Furthermore, an alternative downside is that the constant use of many batteries will considerably increaseincrease the project’s cost. Concentrated solar power plants …

Warm Unit Stand Analysis For Proton Improvement Project Ii, Michael William Pavlick

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The Proton Improvement Project II, commonly referred to as PIP II, is a linear accelerator overhaul at Fermilab to eventually double the output of its existing proton beam to continue to be the leading force in high energy physics. The proton beam is created through a series of high frequency cryomodules that must be connected utilizing a combination of magnets and vacuum pumps to ensure the beam is properly aligned. A housing mechanism for the magnets and vacuum pumps (Warm Units) will be placed between the cryomodules for realignment and require multiple stages of 6 degree-of-freedom adjustment options, to ensure …

Design And Fabrication Of A Small-Sized Omni-Directional Spherical Robot, Aayush P. Patel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

As we have witnessed through an unprecedented pandemic crisis, a lack of or decreased level of social interactions could have a negative impact on people's mental health. Ample evidence indicates that similar phenomena take place in rodents as socially isolated rodents display a high level of stress and cognitive declination. While spherical robots have recently drawn significant interest in many areas such as education, entertainment, and surveillance due to their ability to move instantaneously in any direction, the objective of this thesis is to design and fabricate a small-sized, self-locomotive omnidirectional robot to provide those animals with physical interactions as …

Development Of Phase Change Thermal Storage Medium: Cooking With More Power And Versatility, Martin Osei

Masters Theses

With an Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC), a 100 W solar panel directly cooks food while providing 5W off-grid electricity access; but it cooks slowly. Storing the day’s energy with phase change thermal storage allows ISEC to cook more rapidly as well as cook after sunset. The ISEC is made by sticking a 3ohm resistive to an aluminum pot (inner phase change assembly PCA) where another cooking pot fits. The resistive heater is surrounded by a bigger pot (outer PCA) that contains the PCM and is tightly sealed. The solar panel is connected to the resistive heater with a thermal …