Engineering Commons^™

Wearable Sensing Systems And Data Analytics For Pressure Sensing Prosthetics, Aiden Freeland

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This interdisciplinary research, in collaboration with Sony, aims to improve the fit and comfort of socket prosthetics for amputees by utilizing sensing technology and data analytical techniques. Many amputees face issues with prosthetic fit, which can lead to discomfort, pain, and even tissue damage. Our goal is to address these problems by developing a low-cost, universal, and wearable sensing system that can continuously monitor the pressures at the residual limb and prosthetic socket interface. This product will provide feedback to the user, allowing for real-time adjustments, ensuring a comfortable fit, and avoiding injury. Our research group has extensive experience in …

Deterministic Motion Planning For Highly Articulated Multi-Link Robots, Matthew Flynn

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Slender, multi-link, highly articulated, and extensible robots designed for minimally invasive surgeries have the potential to significantly transform the performance of common medical procedures. These advanced robots can reduce uncertainties and risks associated with surgeries, leading to shorter patient recovery times, accelerated healing, and minimized scarring. Made possible by their numerous mechanical linkages and concentric mechanisms, these multi-link articulated robots can navigate along non-linear paths, a capability that traditional straight probes lack. This flexibility allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures on clinically significant targets that were previously difficult or impossible to access while avoiding vital anatomical structures. Beyond their …

Certifiably Robust Input-Dependent Randomized Smoothing Via Lipschitz Standard Deviation Networks, Faith Bergstrom, Ben Sager

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Modern artificial intelligence (AI) systems exhibit highly sensitive and unsafe behavior when subjected to undetectable cyberattacks. For instance, human-imperceptible manipulations of the pixels in image data can cause traffic sign classifiers to mispredict stop signs as yield signs. In this project, we will design and analyze new methods to robustify machine learning (ML) models against these adversarial threats. Specifically, we will explore randomization techniques that "smooth out" the ML model's decision making process by intentionally corrupting input data with small amounts of noise. Optimizing this noise to enhance resilience against attacks while maintaining the system's accuracy poses a major open …

Augmented Biomechanics Integration For Real-Time Movement Optimization, Jack Bergfeld, Liyen Ho, Dylan Featherson

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project aims to integrate OpenCap, a markerless motion capture system, with augmented reality (AR) to optimize real-time human movement. By leveraging biomechanics principles, AR visualization, and machine learning (ML), the system will provide instant feedback to users, improving movement efficiency while minimizing joint and muscle stress. Previous research in 2024-2025 has successfully demonstrated 2D motion tracking and AR-based mapping onto another person for interactive comparison. This project will build upon that foundation by enhancing real-time 3D motion tracking and developing an advanced AR interface to guide users in sports training, rehabilitation, and workplace ergonomics. The integration of ML will …

Math+Cs Integrated Curriculum For K-12 Computer Science Education, Amogh Arora

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This is a proposal for an activity to initiate an effort to create a series of X+CS integrated curricula for learning Computer Science (CS) in K-12. As a start, we examine Mathematics and CS standards, to find the cross-cutting concepts between the two fields. By leveraging these concepts, we bring to the foreground the ways CS can be used in the mathematical context. The goal for this research is to create a 15-week teacher training curriculum that will expose teachers to the CS concepts of Abstraction, Data Representation, Problem Comprehension and Decomposition, Control Structures, Functions and Generalization. Historically, Mathematics and …

Developing An Inclusive Computational Platform For Aerospace Education Using Nasa’S Emtg, Tia Bajaj

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project will establish comprehensive guidelines and a strategic action plan for developing an inclusive and accessible computing platform that integrates NASA's Evolutionary Mission Trajectory Generator (EMTG) software with PolySpace, Cal Poly’s in-house space mission design toolkit. Employing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, the project will ensure equitable access and participation for diverse undergraduate aerospace engineering students, emphasizing inclusion for women and underrepresented groups in aerospace. Inclusivity will be promoted by creating detailed guidelines for remote software interfaces and visualization layers specifically designed for diverse learning styles and accessibility needs. A blueprint for an inclusive curriculum module will also …

Hands-On Microgrid Education: Using Programmable Dc-Dc Converters To Teach Power & Energy Systems, Alejandra Zuniga

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project will develop an analog computing circuit that can accelerate power system simulations used for grid interconnection studies. The project will leverage analog computing to create a specialized circuit capable of simulating large-scale power networks with detailed models of power electronics-based loads, such as those found in data centers and manufacturing plants. A software application programming interface will be developed to integrate this circuit with a desktop computer, where simulations can be run by the user. The project team will also work with industry partners and utilities to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed technology for conducting real-world grid …

Investigating Engineering Students Responses To Failure, Denis Gonzalez-Reyes

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Learning from failure is an essential component of both learning and practicing engineering. However, failure is often stigmatized and avoided in engineering education. This project aims to better understand how to support students throughout their engineering education to help them learn from their failures, rather than become frustrated or discouraged by them. The project will build on prior research in students’ responses to failure experiences to specifically analyze students who respond to failure in different ways and build on these experiences to help students in similar situations. During the SURP project, the student will use qualitative methods to analyze interview …

Characterization Of Zwitterion/Salt Electrolyte Blends For Organic Solid Electrolytes In Lithium-Ion Batteries, Sage Alling, Will Vasser

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Progress toward durable and energy-dense lithium-ion batteries has been hindered by instabilities at electrolyte–electrode interfaces, leading to poor cycling stability, and by safety concerns associated with energy-dense lithium metal anodes. Organic Solid electrolytes (OSEs) can help mitigate these issues; however, OSE conductivity is often limited by sluggish dynamics through rubbery domains. Recent work has suggested that zwitterionic OSEs can self-assemble into superionically conductive domains, permitting decoupling of ion motion and liquid rearrangement timesscales. Although crystalline domains are conventionally detrimental to ion conduction in SPEs, we this work suggests that properly designed semicrystalline OSEs with labile ion–ion interactions and tailored ion …

Human-Ai Collaboration For Creative Design, Antony Chen

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Design-by-Analogy (DbA) is a powerful design tool that uses analogical reasoning to help engineers develop groundbreaking innovations, such as cyclonic separator inspired bagless vacuum cleaner or gecko inspired adhesives. DbA leverages the natural, human process of analogical reasoning in a systematic manner in three phases namely: retrieval (what prior knowledge/experience is relevant to a design problem?), mapping (what elements of the design problem align with the retrieved knowledge?), and evaluation (how applicable is the retrieved knowledge to solving a design problem?). To date, most DbA techniques support one or two phases of analogical reasoning and therefore overlook important opportunities for …

Analysis Of Student Inclusivity In Computing Education: Eeg-Based Prediction Of Student Belonging, Alec Odell

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

This project focuses on the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to analyze text stimuli used in cognitive research. Specifically, the project involves analyzing text that presents different types of mindsets, such as growth and fixed mindsets, to understand their impact on cognitive state. Students will apply various NLP methods, such as tokenization, text classification, and sentiment analysis, to analyze the language used in different types of mindset stimuli. The goal is to understand how text-based stimuli can influence cognitive responses and to extract meaningful features from the text that can be used to predict outcomes like engagement or …

Analyzing Privacy And Usability Tradeoffs In Multi-Party Relay Systems, Jess Alencaster, Leticia Leon-Rodriguez

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Nearly everything we do on the Internet leaves a trace, and in recent decades the value of user data has proven to be highly profitable and become a fundamental business strategy of the Internet. The only recourse users have in this situation is seeking increased privacy, yet privacy is uniquely challenging on the Internet because we inherently rely on others (e.g., ISPs, content providers, CDNs) to carry and serve our traffic. Recent systems have sought to enhance user privacy without sacrificing performance by adopting Multi-Party Relay (MPR) architectures, including Apple's iCloud Private Relay. These architectures mask user IP addresses by …

Hybrid Machine Learning--Finite Element Solvers For Solid And Fluid Mechanics, Victor Alcantara-Arias, Spandan Suthar

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The goal of this project is to develop a new class of hybrid solvers for partial differential equations (PDEs) encountered in solid and fluid mechanics that blend traditional finite element methods (FEM) with modern machine learning algorithms. While FEM solvers are well developed, they can be computationally expensive for realistic problems. Machine learning algorithms have emerged as possible new solutions to cut down the computational cost associated with expensive FEM simulations, but these are typically not interpretable. Previous work on this topic resulted in a class of fully interpretable machine learning solvers for PDEs that had two primary drawbacks: (i) …

Motor Subsystem For A Tensegrity-Based Robotic Exoskeleton, Presley Sacavitch, Israel Villegas

College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Tensegrity structures are composed of stiff rods and elastic cables suspended in a flexible tension network. In particular, the biotensegrity model proposes that all biological systems exhibit tensegrity-like characteristics across multiple scales, ranging from the cellular level to the musculoskeletal system of tendons, ligaments, and fascia, to the human body as a whole. Compared to the traditional biomechanical models used in exoskeleton design, it can be a more accurate representation of how motion emerges from natural forms, but further work is needed to fully understand the heterarchical nature of human anatomy. This project will focus on developing a powered electrical …

Feasibility Study On Large-Scale Geologic Carbon Sequestration In Southern Colorado, Yanrui Ning, Ali Tura, David Herman, Jay Bridgeman, Dana Clark

Michigan Tech Publications

This study evaluates the feasibility of storing over 50 million metric tons of CO2 within a 30-year period in southern Colorado. The target for injection is the 7000 ft (2134 m)-deep Lyons saline aquifer formation, with the overlying alternating layers of anhydrite and shale serving as seals. Geological static models were constructed using seismic, well log and core data, followed by fluid flow modeling to understand the CO2 injection strategy, saturation distribution and plume size. The results indicate that approximately 60 million metric tons of CO2 can be injected with 2 wells into the formation over 30 years, with 85 …

Exploring The Effects Of Excipients On Complex Coacervation, Xianci Zeng, Pratik U. Joshi, Alexander Lawton, Lynn M. Manchester, Caryn Heldt, Sarah L. Perry

Michigan Tech Publications

Complex coacervation is an associative liquid–liquid phase separation phenomenon that takes place due to the electrostatic complexation of oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes and the entropic gains associated with the release of bound counterions and rearrangement of solvent. The aqueous nature of coacervation has resulted in its broad use in systems requiring high biocompatibility. The significance of electrostatic interactions in coacervates has meant that studies investigating the phase behaviors of these systems have tended to focus on parameters such as the charge stoichiometry of the polyions, the solution pH, and the ionic strength. However, the equilibrium that exists between the polymer-rich coacervate phase …

Perturbation Solution Of Air-Water Mixture For Jet Noise Reduction, Juan Felipe Uribe Cifuentes

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This work investigates passive jet-noise mitigation using externally positioned air–water curtains that attenuate radiated sound without altering the underlying jet dynamics. Two classes of multiphase media are examined: a gaseous carrier phase containing dispersed liquid droplets, and a liquid carrier phase containing entrained air bubbles. For both systems, suspended and dispersed regimes are represented through a generalized perturbation formulation derived from the volume-averaged multiphase equations, incorporating finite volume fractions, interphase momentum coupling, and slip between phases. Analytical and numerical solutions demonstrate that acoustic attenuation is primarily governed by dispersed-phase diameter, volume fraction, and excitation frequency, with additional sensitivity to phase-interaction …

A Study In Object Detection And Classification Performance By Sensing Modality For Autonomous Surface Vessels, Daniel Lane

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research presents a quantitative performance comparison between light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and vision-based sensing for real-time maritime object detection on autonomous surface vessels. Using Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s (ERAU) Minion platform and 2024 Maritime RobotX Challenge data, this study evaluates the detection of six maritime object categories using two representative models. YOLOv8 provides a neural network vision-based method, and GB-CACHE provides a deterministic LiDAR-based method. Both models have been previously demonstrated to run in real time on uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). The evaluation methodology encompasses multi-sensor calibration, real-time performance analysis, and the introduction of a late-fusion strategy in the …

Meshless Discrete Velocity Boltzmann Model For Porous Media Flow, Amandine Maidenberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation explores the combination of two sophisticated techniques for addressing computational fluid dynamics: the discrete velocity Boltzmann equation (DVBE) and the localized collocation meshless model with upwinding (U-LCMM). The DVBE is a high-level model that describes the foundations of transport phenomena by addressing the microscale motions of particles themselves and the effect of their aggregate behaviors on continuum principles. This equation integrates multiple scales of phenomena; while it can be used for fluid flow at Navier-Stokes scales, it can also resolve fine features that can only be described at the molecular level. This type of model is necessary for …

Autonomous Landing Of An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle On An Unmanned Surface Vessel Using Model Predictive Control With An Adaptive-Covariance Extended Kalman Filter, Jorge Estupinan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis presents the development of vision-based estimation and model predictive control (MPC) strategies to enable an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to land autonomously on an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) subjected to wave-induced motion. An innovative Adaptive-Covariance Extended Kalman Filter (AEKF) implementation was developed for the estimation of the 6 degree-of-freedom USV states using GPS and vision-based measurements of AprilTag markers on the USV landing platform. The AEKF employs an uncontrolled 6 degree-of-freedom nonlinear model augmented with second-order harmonic wave-induced motion dynamics. The AEKF implements two correction techniques: an adaptive covariance adjustment and an artificial covariance inflation regulated by a …

Exploration Of Physics-Informed Grid Generation Technique For Wall-Modeled Les Using Eagle3d, Dominic Schneider

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulation (WMLES) is an area of interest due to its ability to lower computational costs of LES. Even with the application of wall models, LES still proves to have practicality issues when it comes to use in industry, due to the expertise, time, and computational resources required. A novel technique for generating a lean, physics based WMLES grid is described.

The technique utilizes a RANS solution to extract turbulence information, user-specified values related to resolution of turbulent energy levels, acoustics waves, and shock waves, to generate a point cloud for producing a lean WMLES grid with in-house …

Unresolved Image Simulation For Space Situational Awareness Applications, Fox Coniglario

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The knowledge of what lies in orbit around Earth is at best a guess. Decades of spaceflight, debris buildup, and vehicle collisions have contributed to a large number of objects that are simply not able to be catalogued. Ongoing efforts to catalog debris in orbit have reached limits by conventional measures and as such, research is active in the field of in-orbit space situational awareness. This thesis intends to help fill a hole in the development of such orbital platforms by assisting the development of image processing software pipelines though the simulation of unresolved space imagery. The simulation uses accurate …

Aligning Aviation Safety Reporting System Anomaly Codes For Crew Communication And Coordination With Human Factors Taxonomies, Jennifer Rose Herr

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This study addresses the lack of theoretical grounding and definitions for the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) anomaly codes, particularly those related to pilot communication and coordination errors. To improve the conceptual consistency and analytical usability of ASRS data, the research developed a framework that maps ASRS codes to three established theory-based human factors taxonomies: the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), Threat and Error Management (TEM), and Aviation Causal Contributors for Error Reporting Systems (ACCERS). The study used qualitative text mining to systematically code communication and coordination errors submitted by Part 121 pilots for a stratified sample of …

Active Measurement Of A Micron-Order Gap Under High-Speed And High-Temperature Conditions, Andrew Becker

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The hypersonic regime poses numerous challenges that researchers face in the development of hypersonic flight vehicles. Due to their excellent thermomechanical properties, ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) have risen as a promising solution to act as a protective barrier between the harsh environment and surface materials of these flight bodies. The mechanical operation of a portable hypersonic simulation device was developed in-house and tested at Argonne National Laboratories (ANL) to gather in-situ material response of prospective UHTC samples when exposed to a hypersonic regime. An edge detection-based algorithm was developed and used in LabVIEW to monitor the health and operation of the …

Monte Carlo Simulation Models To Enhance Air Cargo Network Resilience And Sustainability, Shereen Marie Hashemi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation focuses on developing and validating an empirical set of simulation models for an air cargo network under large-scale disruption to test recovery strategies that improve resilience. Understanding and quantifying network resilience and recovery strategies is critical for ensuring sustainable operations. These operations become essential during disruptive events as air cargo is used to transport time-sensitive and critical goods. The collective research steps result in a Monte Carlo simulation framework to evaluate air cargo network resilience and identify strategies that enhance performance during disruptions.

The modeled system is a hub-and-spoke network centered on Memphis (MEM) with 23 domestic airports …

Validation And Trend Analysis Of Satellite-Derived Surface Water Temperature Observations Over Adirondack Lakes, Marzi Azarderakhsh, Carolien Mossel, Abdou Rachid Bah, Aisha Malik, Fahmeda Khanom, Jonathan Borrelli, Pete Mcintyre, Hamidreza Norouzi, Kevin Rose

Publications and Research

This study aims to validate and evaluate satellite remote sensing observations from the Landsat series over 135 lakes in the Adirondack State Park, located in upstate New York, and to examine their surface temperature trends over the past 40 years. It utilizes data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), along with Landsat 5 and 7. Park-scale results were derived by extracting MODIS surface temperatures within the park boundary, while lake-scale results were estimated using Landsat 5 (1984-2012) and Landsat 7 (1999-2023) observations. In addition, field observations were utilized to perform a comprehensive validation and evaluation of satellite-based surface temperature …

Aminated Phenolated Lignin For Effective Anionic Dye Removal For Water Remediation, David Chem, Samantha Glidewell, Fatema Tarannum, Keisha B. Walters

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lignin, a renewable biopolymer sourced from plant cell walls, is gaining attention due to its extensive availability from natural resources, native functional groups, low cost, and biodegradability in various applications. In recent years, lignin and its derivatives have been utilized as adsorbents, flocculants, and sterilants in a broad range of applications, including wastewater treatment and sustainable packaging. The growing global demand for clean water-driven by rapid industrialization, urban expansion, and agricultural intensification-has made effective wastewater treatment a pressing environmental priority. In this effort, a dual-functionalization strategy to transform raw lignin into a high-performance adsorbent for the removal of hazardous anionic …

Electrode Engineering To Minimize Degradation In Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Saheed Adewale Lateef

Theses and Dissertations

Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries have recently received significant attention as a potential candidate for next-generation energy storage technology. This is due to its high theoretical capacity (1675 mAh/g) which can provide theoretical energy density of 2500 Wh/kg as compared to 400 Wh/kg of the current Lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, the earth-abundant sulfur element as well as its environmental friendliness endows unique advantages on the cost and environmental impact. However, there are several roadblocks that need to be addressed for commercial adoption of Li-S batteries, such as: (i) poor conductivity of sulfur and its discharged product; (ii) solubility of lithium polysulfides and their …

Defective Mil-88b(Fe) Metal-Organic Frameworks: Peculiar Photocatalysts For Enhanced Degradation Of Organic Pollutants, Samira Sadeghi, Ahmad Najafidoust, Seyedeh Zahra Haeri, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Environmental pollution, particularly water contamination from organic compounds like synthetic dyes, poses a major global challenge. In this study, defective MIL-88B(Fe) MOFs under varying solvothermal conditions (70–150 °C) for 12 and 24 h were synthesized to enhance methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dye degradation. The MOF synthesized at 100 °C for 24 h showed the highest efficiency, achieving 97 % and 40 % degradation of MB and MO, respectively, in 60 min due to increased porosity, surface area, and optimized crystal growth along the [100] direction. A 24-h synthesis produced well-formed particles with the highest surface area and …

Threshold Symmetric-Key Encryption For Tabular Data, Subhendu Pramanick

Master’s Dissertations

Abstract Through the distribution of secret key information among several parties, threshold cryptography improves the security of cryptographic systems by preventing any one entity from possessing the entire secret key and requiring a threshold number of participants to carry out cryptographic operations. This paradigm not only mitigates single points of failure but also ensures fault tolerance in the presence of compromised or unavailable parties. The Distributed Symmetric-key Encryption (DiSE) framework, introduced by Agrawal et al., realizes Threshold Symmetric-key Encryption (TSE) by requiring interactive participation from a threshold subset of servers for each encryption or decryption operation. While DiSE and similar …