Engineering Commons^™

A Transcutaneous Data And Power Transfer System For Osteogenesis Monitoring Sensors, Deepak Dileepkumar

Masters Theses

Implant devices are widely used in health care applications such as life support systems, patient rehabilitation devices and patient monitoring devices. Medical implants have enabled physicians to obtain relevant real time information regarding an organ, or a site of interest with in the body and suggest treatment accordingly. In some cases, the position of the implant within the body or threats of infections prevents wired communication techniques to extract information from the implant. Wireless communication is the alternative in such cases. Distraction osteogenesis is one such application where wireless communication can be established with callus growth monitoring sensors to obtain …

Application Of Genetic Algorithm In Multi-Objective Optimization Of An Indeterminate Structure With Discontinuous Space For Support Locations, Rahat Sultana

Masters Theses

In this thesis, an indeterminate structure was developed with multiple competing objectives including the equalization of the load distribution among the supports while maximizing the stability of the structure. Two different coding algorithms named “Continuous Method” and “Discretized Method” were used to solve the optimal support locations using Genetic Algorithms (GAs). In continuous method, a continuous solution space was considered to find optimal support locations. The failure of this method to stick to the acceptable optimal solution led towards the development of the second method. The latter approach divided the solution space into rectangular grids, and GAs acted on the …

Aerodynamics Of Race Car Wings: A Cfd Study, Simon Durrer

Masters Theses

Formula 1 racing is one of the most advanced technological sports. The aerodynamic on open wheel race cars is essential for the performance during a race. The front wing on a race car produces about 30 percent of the entire downforce of a race car. Several studies on front wings for open wheel race cars are conducted by various authors. A number of research studies include single element airfoils in ground effect and undisturbed flow. Numerical and experimental studies show that by decreasing the ground clearance, the downforce increases. The most efficient ground clearance is reported to be approximately 10 …

Changes In The Eeg Spectrum Of A Child With Severe Disabilities In Response To Power Mobility Training, Nadina Zweifel

Masters Theses

Literature suggests that self-generated locomotion in infancy and early childhood enhances the development of various cognitive processes such as spatial awareness, social interaction, language development and differential attentiveness. Thus, having access to a power mobility device may play a crucial role for the overall development, mental health, and quality of life of children with multiple, severe disabilities who have limited motor control. This study investigates the feasibility of using electroencephalography (EEG) as an objective measure to detect changes in brain activity in a child due to power mobility training. EEG data was collected with a modified wireless neuroheadset using a …

Registration And Segmentation Of Multimodality Images For Post Processing Of Skeleton In Preclinical Oncology Studies, Vineeth Radhakrishnan

Masters Theses

Advancements in medical imaging techniques provide biomedical researchers with quality anatomical and functional information inside preclinical subjects in the fields of cancer, osteopathic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative research. The throughput of the preclinical imaging studies is a critical factor which determines the pace of small animal medical research. The time involved in manual analysis of large amount of imaging data prior to data interpretation by the researcher, limits the number of studies in a time frame.

In the proposed solution, an automated image segmentation method was used to segment individual vertebrae in mice. Individual vertebrae of MOBY atlas were manually segmented …

State Estimation – New Models On Power Distribution Networks Based On Weighted Least Squares Method In Line Current Measurements, Hugo Vicente Barrera

Masters Theses

Calculation of Load Flow distribution is an important tool in Electrical Engineering that involves numerical analysis applied to Power Systems. State Estimation techniques have been developed and applied thoroughly mainly in the levels of generation and transmission. Research in the distribution level remains a challenge due to the intrinsic characteristics of the network. Introducing line current measurements in the state estimation process constitutes an additional issue due to distribution networks characteristics. In order to overcome these difficulties, it is necessary to develop mathematical models that simulate the behavior of those networks. The solution of the problem of state estimation by …

Optical Tracking System To Monitor Laparoscopic Training, William D. Rytlewski

Masters Theses

Laparoscopic Surgery, also known as Minimally Invasive Surgery, is a surgical technique where surgeons perform surgery through small incisions in the patient’s abdomen using a camera to monitor the movements of the instruments inside the patient. In order for the surgery to be performed, the surgeon must possess a unique set of skills obtained through training using a variety of techniques. Simulators are the preferred method of training for laparoscopic surgery since they provide medical residents with real world scenarios as well as a tremendous amount of feedback on what he/she did wrong or right. However, due to the high …

Human Intracranial High Frequency Oscillation Detection Using Time Frequency Analysis And Its Relation To The Seizure Onset Zone, Riazul Islam

Masters Theses

One third of the patients diagnosed with focal epilepsy do not respond to antiepileptic drugs. For these patients the possible diagnosis options to give seizure freedom or at least reduce seizure frequencies significantly would be surgical resection or seizure interrupting implantable devices. The success of these procedures depends on accurate detection of the region causing seizure also known as epileptic zone. This requires detail pre-surgical evaluation including Invasive Video Electroencephalographic Monitoring (IVEM). The resulting great volume of intracranial Electroencephalography (iEEG) signal is visually examined by an expert epileptologist which can be time consuming, extremely complex, and not always effective. We …

High Level Synthesis, A Use Case Comparison With Hardware Description Language, Michael D. Zwagerman

Masters Theses

This paper compares Vivado High-Level Synthesis (HLS), a new mainstream technology offered by Xilinx Inc., against the typical Hardware Description Language (HDL) design approach. An example video filter application was implemented via both methods and compared for differences in performance and Non-Reoccurring Engineering (NRE). Lessons learned using HLS are also provided. The objective of this paper is to provide actual comparison data on the current state of mainstream HLS to enable informed decision making for designs considering HLS.

The Xilinx Zync System on a Chip (SoC) offering is used as a platform for both the traditional HDL methods and HLS. …

Durability Of Sutures Used In Partial Nephrectomy: Tested Across Commonly Used Diameters And Materials Stopped With Lapra-Ty® Suture Clips And Hem-O-Lok® Ligation Systems Under A Given Tension, Nadia Sunny

Masters Theses

The primary healing of soft tissue incision advances in the first fourteen days after surgery. Sutures used to close the incision are terminated with knots to last over this period under tension inside the tissue. However, knots significantly reduce the tensile strength of the sutures, and make the surgery closing time longer and tedious. Suture clips are used to overcome these limitations. It was found in prior researches that sutures slip out of the suture clips, although the manufacturer of the LAPRA-TY® suture clips claims endurance of this product under tension for at least fourteen days. Use of suture clips …

Comparison Of Sutures And Devices Used In Closure Following Partial Nephrectomy Suturing, Bikal Paka

Masters Theses

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is an effective surgical procedure to remove a small renal tumor, while preserving the remainder of the kidney. However, it is a technically challenging procedure to maintain hemostatic condition on the kidney during LPN suturing. Three different experiments were conducted to explore the characteristics and limitations of the current mechanism for tissue approximation during LPN procedures.

During the first experiment, a standard suture anchor Hem-o-lok device, a standard stop knot, and three prototype devices were compared to each other based on the amount of tension that could be placed on a suture before there was a …

A Cost-Effective Haptic Device For Assistive And Rehabilitation Purposes, Archana Pradeep

Masters Theses

With the growing population of elderly, the need for assistance has also increased considerably especially for the tasks such as cleaning, reaching and grasping objects among others. There are numerous assistive devices in the market for this group of people. However, they are either too expensive or require overwhelming user effort for manipulation. Therefore, the presented research is primarily concerned with developing a low-cost, easy to use assistive device for elderly to reach and grasp objects through intuitive interface for the control of a slave anthropomorphic robotic arm (tele operator). The system also implements haptic feedback technology that enables the …

Automated Classification Of Eeg Signals Using Component Analysis And Support Vector Machines, Priya Balasubramanian

Masters Theses

Epileptic seizures are characterized by abnormal electrical activity occurring in the brain. EEG records the seizures demonstrating changes in signal morphology. These signal characteristics, however, differ between patients as well as between different seizures in the same patient. Epilepsy is managed with anti-epileptic medications but in some extreme cases surgery might be necessary. Non-invasive surface electrode EEG measurement gives an estimate of the seizure onset but more invasive intra-cranial electrocorticogram (ECoG) are required at times for precise localization of the epileptogenic zone.

The epileptogenic zone can be described as the cortical area targeted for resection to render the patient symptom …

Exploration Of The Validity Of The Two-Dimensional Sagittal Plane Standing Long Jump Model, Lauren Hickox

Masters Theses

Most previous standing long jump studies have been based on the assumption of two-dimensional sagittal plane motion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of this assumption. Standing long jump trials were collected using six adult male subjects. Each subject stood with a foot on each of two force plates and performed eight standing long jumps for maximal distance. Inverse dynamics analyses were performed for the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) models and the joint moments, powers, and work values were compared. The differences between these models with respect to the validity of the common planar jumping …

Development Of A Control System For A Power Wheelchair Trainer, Stewart James Hildebrand

Masters Theses

The development of a Power Wheelchair Trainer for use by individuals with severe motor, cognitive, and communication deficits is described. These individuals, who are limited in their ability to use self-initiated mobility, are typically not considered to be candidates for power wheelchair use. The Power Wheelchair Trainer provides a motorized platform that allows a manual wheelchair to be temporarily converted into a power wheelchair, thereby permitting these individuals to practice using powered mobility while optimally positioned in their own customized seating systems. To accommodate the needs of these individuals, the Power Wheelchair Trainer incorporates additional control features not available in …

Low Noise Nmos Imager Fabrication With A Study On The Effect Of Photodiode Shape On Dark Current, Steven Taylor

Masters Theses

The purpose of this project was to fabricate a low noise N-type Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor (NMOS) imager in the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Cleanroom with a focus on reducing pixel dark current. Previous research suggests Photodiode (PD) shape affects dark current and charge transfer characteristics of the pixel. Five PD shapes were designed to determine an optimized pixel shape with respect to dark performance. PN junction PDs with the Three Transistor (3T) pixel architecture were found to be the most suitable for imager fabrication in the GVSU cleanroom. The integrated circuit layout of several 8x8 pixel arrays was designed to …

A Quantitative Tool For Identifying The Epileptogenic Zone Using Network Connectivity Analysis, James Michael Gurisko

Masters Theses

Approximately one-third of patients diagnosed with focal epilepsy do not respond to medication and may be candidates for surgery to remove epileptogenic tissue known as the epileptogenic zone. A detailed pre-surgical evaluation is required and often includes invasive video electroencephalographic monitoring (IVEM) using intracranial surface and depth electrodes, and a camera. The resulting large pools of electrocorticorticographic (ECoG) data are manually analyzed by an expert epileptologist to determine epileptic events. The process is time consuming and prone to human error. This thesis investigates the use of measures to identify the causal relationship between ECoG signals during propagation of a seizure …

Design Of A Portable Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry System For Measuring Neurotransmitter Levels, Jayson Foster

Masters Theses

The goal of this project is to design, build, and validate a more economic portable Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV) device to measure the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine. The device will allow educational demonstrations in classrooms and allow researchers to gather data without the financial burden of a full cost system. The device is created on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that interfaces with a standard computer through MATLAB. This allows data collected on the PCB to be accessible to the user to display and analyze at will, all while maintaining the system’s portability and low cost. The device …

Investigation Of The Closing Forces Involved In Re-Approximation Of The Renal Remnant Following Partial Nephrectomy, Donald M. Endres Ii

Masters Theses

Partial nephrectomy has become the preferred method of treatment in certain renal diseases, including small, peripheral tumors. However, re-establishment of hemostasis in the remaining tissue remains a challenging procedure. To better understand the forces involved in re-approximation of the renal remnant, this study measures the suture tensions reached in sliding clip renorrhaphy, as well as the ability of the tissue to support those tensions, and reviews how long suture material might be expected to survive those forces.

Three separate groups of experiments were conducted on fresh, porcine kidney tissue. Treatment groups were compared using commercially available software to compute appropriate …

An Improved Custom Development Process Utilizing Lean Methods And Tools, Lisa Gay Smith

Masters Theses

Works have been written on the applications of lean principles and methods to product development, manufacturing, and the office. However, works written on the applications applied to research and development and custom product development processes have been exclude because of the inherent variability in the product design process. This work applied lean principles and tools to custom product development processes. A furniture company with $1.3 billion in annual sales, custom product development process was studied and lean principles, behaviors, and tools were applied using a traditional six step approach mixed with nontraditional practices as well. Within the six steps, the …

Refinement Of The Cast Microstructure Of Hypereutectic Aluminum-Silicon Alloys With An Applied Electric Potential, Alexander Joseph Plotkowski

Masters Theses

Hypereutectic aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloys are widely used in the aerospace and automobile industries because of their low density, excellent wear and corrosion resistance, low coefficient of thermal expansion, good strength, and excellent castability. They are used in applications that typically require a combination of light weight and high wear resistance, such as liner-less engine blocks, pistons, and pumps. However, the performance of these alloys depends on the fineness of their cast microstructure, especially dendrite cell size, primary and eutectic silicon particles. In this study, the effects of applied electric current on the cast microstructure of Al-13 wt.% Si and Al-20 …

The Development Of A Progressive Failure Model Of A Fiber-Rein Forced Composite Lamina, Michael Maletta

Masters Theses

Void formation is a common problem in many composite material manufacturing processes. Composites fail when micro-cracks, which usually originate at voids, propagate through the material. The mechanical properties of a lamina depend not only on the constituent properties, but also on the tow packing configuration, void content and void distribution. This paper develops a method to determine the mechanical properties of a tow and lamina and develops a progressive failure model to predict the strength of a lamina with varying void content, void distribution and tow packing configuration, using finite element analysis.

The strength a lamina with various tow packing …

An Upper Extremity Biomechanical Model: Application To The Bicep Curl, Adam Miller

Masters Theses

An upper extremity biomechanical model was developed based on recommendations provided by the International Society of Biomechanics. The model was used to investigate biomechanical differences between two variations of the bicep curl exercise: the standing and incline dumbbell curls. An 8-camera Vicon motion capture system was used to collect data on five subjects that executed 10 repetitions of each type of curl.

Four key biomechanical indicator variables were investigated: range of motion, maximum elbow flexion moment, mean elbow flexion moment, and the flexion angle at which the maximum flexion moment occurs. On average, the range of motion at the elbow …

Comparing Material Impact Strength Of Three High Impact Plastic Resins Used In Automotive Grille Using Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Tools, Jason Santiago

Masters Theses

As a part of Team Value Management program, existing products are benchmarked against the best in class products and their product design and manufacturing reviewed to identify ways to lower costs, such as using less expensive materials or streamlining manufacturing processes.

In this study an effort has been made to compare impact properties of three different plastic resins used in car grilles. The plastic resins being compared are a proprietary grade PC+ABS, an alternate commercial grade PC +ABS and a commercial grade ABS. The results from this study will be used to evaluate the feasibility of replacing PC+ABS with ABS …

Surface Reconstruction From Medical Imaging For Use In A Computer-Aided Design (Cad) Environment, Gregory M. Sturgeon

Masters Theses

A method was developed to create Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) models for bones of the human body utilizing medical imaging data. The human hand was chosen as the subject of the research.

Computed Tomography (CT) imaging was chosen to provide a volumetric data set. This data set was visualized through an isosurfacing technique utilizing the marching cubes algorithm. The original CT data set contained slices that were not aligned with the natural orientation or long axis of the bones. Transformation matrices and linear interpolations were used to generate a data set of slices oriented along the natural axis of the bones.

Contours …

Reconfigurable Vibration Table (Rvt), Muhammad Ali

Masters Theses

A system was designed and manufactured to determine the modal, harmonic and transient behaviors of vibrating masses. The initial design was optimized by design for manufacture and assembly, and dynamic behaviors of the system were verified with finite element analysis. Small rods were used to reconfigure the table from one degree of freedom to two degrees of freedom and vice versa to provide data comparison for forced and free responses. Aluminum base plates containing oblong boles were used to allow the table to work with the two different types of existing vibration test systems.

The Design Of A Cnc Mill For Product Prototyping, Haasan Rabe

Masters Theses

Rapid prototyping is widely used to reduce time to market in product design and development. Today's systems are used by engineers to better understand and communicate their product designs as well as to make rapid tooling to manufacture those products. Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) milling machines are part of this technology. This project will present the design of a small CNC machine, and production, and analysis of a small CNC machine. This machine has the characteristics demanded by the industrial and academic designers. Studying the existing machines aided in setting specifications for the new design. Comparing the performance of the …

Data Collection System For Putting Analysis, Joel Oostdyk

Masters Theses

A system was designed and built to measure four different physiological variables of a golf putting action. Putters as well as weight pads were outfitted with strain gages while optical sensors were used to detect the golf ball presence. Through the use of this equipment the data relating to weight shift between the golfer’s feet, strain on the putter shaft, and golf ball velocity was recorded. A computer with the Linux operating system was equipped with a data acquisition card and programs were written so the computer could collect data. A graphical user interface was also added to simplify the …

Efficacy Of Implementing An Ergonomics Program In An Industrial Setting Regarding Cumulative Trauma Disorders To The Upper Extremity, Christa Abraham, Lisa Evans, Patrick Hoban

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementation of an industrial ergonomics program would decrease the number of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders, lost days of work, and insurance costs. Data was collected from company records and OSHA logs including type of injury, lost days of work, restricted days of work, and insurance costs. This data was then analyzed using regression analysis and descriptive statistics.; The results of this study supported the concept that ergonomic programs may decrease the number of lost days of work. In this study, a number of limitations and weak correlations were found between …