Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons^™

Designing And Evolving The Life Support System For Spacex Starship: Toward Closed-Loop Sustainability For Mars Missions, Frányerson R. López Ochoa

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The development of a robust Life Support System (LSS) is essential for enabling long-duration human spaceflight beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), particularly for missions to Mars. SpaceX Starship represents a next-generation spacecraft designed to support such missions; however, its Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) remains under active development. This work evaluates the current status of Starship’s LSS by analyzing publicly available data, NASA Human Landing System requirements, and heritage systems such as the International Space Station (ISS) ECLSS and Crew Dragon.

A Myoelectric Prosthesis Utilizing A Convolutional Neural Network And Signal Processing, Hope Lea, Katherine Clark, Francis Genco, Carolyn Ascha Richardson, Tobiah Rosser

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

A Myoelectric Prosthesis Utilizing A Convolutional Neural Network and Signal Processing   Commercially available myoelectric prostheses for transradial amputees utilize electromyography (EMG) sensors to observe electrical signals from superficial muscle contractions and control robotic fingers, yet often have flaws regarding adaptability and dexterity. These devices require users to learn awkward muscle patterns, as the EMG placement and gesture recognition does not consider how humans would normally think about moving their hand. Additionally, the number of available gestures is more limited, as the devices are threshold-based and do not sample enough muscles. This work seeks to address these issues by creating a …

Assessing Non-Thermal Plasma In Cutaneous Regeneration, Arden Rodriguez, Meliah Martin, Graeme Grainger, Arineh Shahbazi

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Chronic and acute wounds remain a significant clinical challenge, particularly in austere and resource-limited environments where access to advanced care is restricted. Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP) has emerged as a promising, non-invasive modality with reported antimicrobial and regenerative properties; however, its mechanisms of action and effects on human skin tissue require further characterization. The scope of this project is to engineer and utilize a 3D human skin epithelial model to evaluate the effects of NTP on wound healing. We will first build a 3D epithelial tissue model that will simulate human skin, followed by modeling and evaluation of wound pathology and …

Restoration And Instrumentation Of A Cantilever Beam Model Using Strain Gauge Measurement, Ana Paula Guevara

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project aims to restore and modernize an instructional cantilever beam model with a C‑shaped cross‑section used in Aerospace Structures courses, addressing the need for updated, hands‑on teaching tools that connect theoretical stress–strain concepts to real experimental data. The existing model, previously limited to qualitative demonstrations, is being rehabilitated and instrumented with a bonded strain gauge capable of detecting resistance changes under applied bending loads. These signals are processed through an Arduino‑based data acquisition system, which converts electrical resistance into strain values and displays them in real time on an LCD interface. The project’s objectives are to return the beam …

Simulating Pacemakers And Heartbeat Recovery Through Mathematical Modeling, Thomas Estrada, Jayla Edwards

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Title: Simulating Pacemakers and Heartbeat Recovery Through Mathematical Modeling   This study utilizes the Fitzhugh-Nagumo model to simulate cardiac electrical activity and the regulatory role of pacemakers through ordinary differential equations (ODEs). By defining the rate of change for membrane voltage, 𝑑𝑣/dt, and a recovery variable, 𝑑𝑤/dt, the model captures the heart's excitability and resting states. Central to the analysis is the stimulus current parameter, which represents the "kick" provided by a pacemaker to correct flatline conditions or weak heartbeats. Using Euler’s method for numerical integration, the research compares unstable cardiac rhythms against corrected periodic oscillations. Additionally, the project implements vector …

Research On Development Strategy Of China’S High-End Medical Device Industry, Liu Zhihong, Hui Zhu, Wei Wu, Jiani Li, Yingke Xu, Jianxin Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

High-end medical device industry serves as a critical technological foundation for modern healthcare systems and represents an important indicator of a country’s innovation capacity, advanced manufacturing capability, and industrial governance effectiveness. Amid intensifying global technological competition, upgrading healthcare demands, reshaping regulatory regimes and restructuring global supply chains, promoting the high-quality development of the high-end medical device industry has become essential for enhancing indigenous innovation capacity and ensuring industrial security. This study examines international experiences from the United States, Germany, Japan, and other countries in innovation ecosystem development, regulatory review optimization, market payment incentives, participation in international rules, and governance of …

Rf-Derived Viscoelastic Modeling For Blood Clot Occlusion Sensing, Abdulrahman Mohammed Aldosari

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Early and reliable detection of vascular thrombus remains a critical challenge for portable and non-invasive diagnostic systems. This work presents an RF-based sensing methodology for blood clot occlusion sensing through the extraction of viscoelastic clot characteristics derived from microwave reflection coefficient (S₁₁) measurements. A compact single-port coaxial probe is employed to interrogate the vessel–tissue system over a wide frequency range (1–25 GHz), where the measured RF response is used to derive equivalent viscoelastic and electrical model parameters associated with clot formation and progression. Both lumped-element RLC and distributed transmission-line representations are utilized to establish the relationship between the measured dielectric …

Restoreband: An Electromyography Band For Tracking Forearm Muscle Action And Activation In Post-Stroke Adults, Mairin T. Mullen, Melody Nwagwu, Kosuke Nishimura, Benjamin Miramon

Biomedical Engineering

This study involves the design of a non-invasive surface electromyography (EMG) band to estimate hand posture for individuals recovering from stroke and other neuromuscular disorders. The device is meant to measure forearm muscle activation to provide objective recovery data that can supplement traditional rehabilitation. Current EMG systems are often expensive, cumbersome, and difficult to use. The goal of this study is to develop an affordable, accurate, and easy to use solution that improves access to EMG motor monitoring.

The key stakeholders include stroke survivors, clinicians, and the project sponsor, Dr. Espinoza-Wade. This report includes project introduction, background, objectives, and project …

Cardiac Twitch Force Measurement System, Tara Hoffman, Sebastian Carrascal Gómez, Julian Macdonald

Biomedical Engineering

The goal of this project is to develop a low-cost and accurate force measurement system and method of measurement to be used in the testing of grown cardiac tissue samples. The primary stakeholder in this project is Dr. Luke Perreault, a biomedical engineering professor at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo who is studying grown cardiac tissue rings, and any of his student lab personnel. Other stakeholders include other researchers in the tissue engineering field who require a similar form of testing to the methods developed in this project.

This document will introduce the identified problem and background as …

A Security Framework For Pacemaker Lead Failure: Anomaly Detection System And Failsafe Policy Considerations, Ethan Wagner

Master's Theses

Embedded system security in implantable medical devices (IMDs) remains an underexplored challenge due to the unique constraints of these systems. Specifically, pacemakers are optimized for ultra-low power consumption to maximize device lifespan, are highly resource constrained, and demand reliable and correct operation to prevent severe health consequences. These systems rely on sensing electrodes, called leads, to detect cardiac activity and stimulate the patient’s heart when appropriate. Therefore, pacemaker lead integrity is a critical issue, as malfunction or compromise can result in device failure jeopardizing patient safety.

The security framework presented in this thesis integrates several works to proactively detect and …

Design And Parametric Testing Of A Transimpedance Amplifier For Low-Power Biomedical Applications, Stanlon Tan, William Chung, Brandon Wu

Electrical Engineering

This project developed and evaluated an optical sensing system for detecting changes associated with glucose concentration. The system combined a laser-diode, cuvette sample holder, photodiode, resistive-feedback transimpedance amplifier, high-resolution analog-to-digital converter, and microcontroller. Parametric testing evaluated the effects of input current and feedback resistance on transimpedance gain, output range, and linearity. Firmware was developed to configure the ADC, average repeated conversions, monitor measurement variation, convert raw digital counts into voltage using a source-meter calibration equation, and compare sample measurements with a water reference. A cuvette enclosure maintained alignment between the laser-diode, sample, and photodiode while reducing external optical interference. Testing …

Characteristic Stress And Strain Optimization Of Cardiovascular Catheters With Laser-Cut Hypotubes Using Finite Element Analysis, Kyle E. Hirth

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular catheter systems rely on laser-cut hypotubes to balance flexibility and structural integrity required for minimally invasive surgical procedures.  Optimizing these mechanical characteristics remains a significant challenge.  This study aims to investigate the influence of key laser-cut geometric parameters on the mechanical performance of hypotubes through finite element analysis.

Commercially representative laser-cut hypotubes were modeled and a finite element model was developed.   Geometric design parameters were varied across a design space consisting of pitch values ranging from 0.006 in. to 0.018 in. and cuts per revolution (CPR) ranging from 2.5 – 4.5.  For each pitch and CPR combination, loading stiffness …

Transcranial Ac Modulation Of Cerebellar Nuclear Activity In Awake Animals, Nuran Kavakli

Dissertations

Entrainment of cerebellar nuclear (CN) cells via cerebellar transcranial alternating current stimulation (ctACS) has been reported in animals under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Our main objective was to demonstrate modulation of CN activity in unanesthetized, freely moving animals using ctACS. Multi-channel carbon-fiber electrodes were implanted into the interpositus nucleus for recording multi-unit (MU) activity, and thin-film electrodes were implanted subcutaneously over the posterior cerebellum for stimulation. A frequency-domain-based metric was developed to quantify modulation from MU signals. The results demonstrated modulation in a wide range of frequencies (4 Hz-300 Hz) as in anesthetized animals. In contrast, the amplitude of the peak in …

Characterizing Stiffness Dynamics Of Normal And Malignant Breast Spheroids Using Brillouin Microscopy, Razanne Rafat Zaghloul, Karlin Hilai, Chenjun Shi, Jitao Zhang

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Breast cancer progression and metastasis are closely linked to alterations in the mechanical properties of tumor cells and their microenvironment. Softer, more deformable cells are often associated with higher metastatic potential. While atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the current gold standard for mechanical characterization, it is limited to surface measurements and can damage 3D cultures. It remains unclear how the mechanical properties evolve over time in normal versus malignant spheroids. This study utilizes Brillouin light-scattering microscopy, a non-contact and label-free optical technique, to assess stiffness changes in normal and malignant breast epithelial spheroids over time. Understanding these mechanical signatures …

Visualization And Marker-Less Tracking Of User-Defined Pre-Processed Mri Articulator Data Using Deep Learning, Michael De George

Student Theses

This thesis presents a comprehensive framework for the automated tracking and visualization of articulatory movements based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. A well-known data analysis tool for markerless pose estimation, known as DeepLabCut, is investigated for this purpose. The performance of this tool is enhanced through the design and implementation of a pre-processor. DeepLabCut is a markerless pose estimation toolbox based on deep learning, which overcomes the issue of making manual annotations frame-by-frame. Limitations from manually marking the MRI images are addressed by implementing transfer learning with convolutional neural networks to achieve accurate, user-defined articulator tracking without markers. Current …

Hyposense: Multimodal Physiologic And Voc Wearable For Early Hypoglycemia Detection, Nidhi R. Patel

Honors Theses

Hypoglycemia remains a significant safety concern for insulin-dependent individuals, especially when blood glucose declines rapidly during exercise, sleep, or periods of impaired hypoglycemia awareness. Current continuous glucose monitors and automated insulin delivery systems have helped to improve diabetes management, but these technologies primarily respond to glucose trends after they have already started and may not actually provide sufficient warning before symptoms occur. This thesis describes the development of HypoSense, a noninvasive wrist worn wearable concept that is designed to support earlier hypoglycemia risk detection through multimodal physiologic and volatile organic compound emission sensing. HypoSense combines volatile organic compounds/gas sensing with …

A Solution For Safe Pivot Transfers In A Population With Limited Mobility, Elizabeth A. Mitchell, Sean R. Giamportone

Honors Theses

Sit-to-stand pivot transfers are one of the most frequently performed movements for

individuals with limited mobility. This movement is very often performed in long-term care

facilities and clinics. Despite the commonality, this transfer poses a significant risk of injury to

both the patient and caregiver; falls, musculoskeletal injuries, and the reduction of independence

can result from issues associated with these transfers. Existing assistive devices, Hoyer lifts and

sliding boards, present limitations with cost, size, storage, and usability; thus, caregivers rely on

the hands-on manual transfer that increases the risk of injury. The goal of our team was to

address these …

Multiscale Architecture Governs Stability In Suction-Actuated Variable Stiffness Catheters, Sheridan Lee

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Endovascular procedures require devices with widely varying mechanical properties: flexibility for navigating tortuous vessels and rigidity for stable therapeutic delivery. Suction-actuated variable stiffness sheaths address this challenge by incorporating axial wire string arrays that mechanically couple under suction to increase flexural rigidity. However, prototype devices achieve stiffening ratios below theoretical predictions, suggesting that interlayer mechanics and string positioning play a critical role. This study investigates whether interweaving polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape within the string array enhances flexural rigidity modulation and curvature stability. Prototype devices with varying wrap configurations were fabricated and evaluated using flexural testing, curvature stability testing, and mathematical modeling. …

Effects Of A Passive Assistive Hamstring Device On Overground Running Kinematics And Hamstring Activation., Quinn Castner

All Theses

Hamstring strain injuries are among the most common and recurring injuries in sports, occurring most often during the terminal swing phase of gait. Despite progress in rehabilitation, the incidence of injury has only increased, suggesting a need for a novel intervention. We designed a passive, assistive, wearable device with two specific criteria in mind: to offload the hamstrings during running, and do so without hindering normal kinematic patterns. The device consists of an adjustable elastic band anchored proximally at the waist and distally just above the ankle joint center. It stretches and shortens with the hamstrings, providing passive hip extension …

Modeling Structural Support To Facilitate Novel Treatments Of Degenerative Disc Disease, Jose Luis Calderon

Poster Presentations

Over 600 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain in 2020, with projections for 2050 being over 800 million [1]. Annual costs associated with low back pain total over 450 billion dollars in the US alone [2]. This research serves as a proof-of-concept for the use of structural supports to facilitate intervertebral disc healing. This treatment would involve the implementation of these supports along with existing injection treatments to promote regeneration. In both models, along with the combined model, the ability for these supports to alleviate intervertebral disc height loss is shown. This indicates that these supports would serve …

A New Electroencephalography Electrode Design For Curly And Kinky Hair Types, Elena Butler

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Medical discrimination and implicit bias are present in both societal systems and into the design and validation of medical devices. Traditional electroencephalography (EEG) systems often fail to provide reliable physiological recordings on curly and kinky hair types (3B–4C), associated typically with Black American and others of African descent. EEG on these hair types often results in high electrode-scalp impedance, poor signal quality, and participant discomfort. Consequently, such technical biases contribute to the underrepresentation of these populations in neuroscience research and clinical diagnostics, while simultaneously limiting equitable access to EEG-based medical care.

To address this gap, a novel conductive electrode attachment …

Development Of Low-Cost Triaxial Force Sensor For Measurement Of Human-Exoskeleton Interaction Forces, Hamdan Khan Sarvathullah

All Theses

Contemporary research suggests that shear force is a major contributor to discomfort and pressure injury. However, the variation of shear forces during human-exoskeleton interaction dynamics is a highly unexplored field. The high cost of commercial triaxial force sensors may be a major factor in the notable lack of research in this field. Therefore, in this paper, we present a low-cost, 3D-printed triaxial force sensor designed specifically to measure the triaxial interaction forces between an exoskeleton and its user. The triaxial force sensor uses Carbon-Black/Silicone Rubber (CB/SR) strings to measure shear forces, whereas the normal force is measured with a Force …

Picc-Pal: A Support Band For Independent Picc Line Use, Kylie Luker

Honors Theses

This project presents the design and evaluation of PICC-PAL, a wearable assistive device intended to improve independence and usability for patients managing peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines) at home. Current at-home PICC line management often requires help due to the fine motor skills needed to connect and secure tubing. This increases reliance on caregivers and introduces potential risks such as infection and dislodgement. Through stakeholder analysis, prior art evaluation, and iterative prototyping, a device was developed to stabilize the PICC line lumen and enable one-handed connection of medical tubing. Throughout the project, multiple design concepts were explored, with the …

Quantitative Fluorescence Imaging Using A Paired Agent Approach For Improving Surgical Decision Making, Sanjana Pannem

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Surgical resection remains to be the cornerstone of treatment for most solid tumors, where the primary objective is to remove all visible and microscopic disease. However, the extent of tumor resection is inherently limited by the surgeon’s ability to distinguish tumor from normal tissue, intraoperatively. As a result, positive surgical margins (PSM), where residual tumor remains after surgery, are a common occurrence and are associated with increased recurrence, need for adjuvant therapies, dismal patient outcomes, and high healthcare costs.

Fluorescence guided surgery (FGS) has emerged as a promising technique to enhance intraoperative visualization of tumors and may help reduce the …

A Treatise On Tool Development: The Arthroscope’S Cultural, Technological, And Metascientific Translation, Montgomery F. Waterer

Honors Theses

The arthroscope was a revolutionary development in the fields of medicine, engineering, and ethics. There are many valuable lessons to be learned from the story of its development and translation that are relevant to the future of medicine and society. Beginning with a brief description of the tool’s design, this paper will examine a period within the history of the arthroscope. This window contains multiple innovators and ends with the life and work of Dr. Robert Jackson. In examining the relevant historical facts of its development, this paper will then briefly address the importance of sports medicine in the development …

Opportunistic Breast Cancer Detection With Photon-Counting Ct: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Reconstruction-Dependent Image Quality, Graham Hannon

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has emerged as a promising imaging modality with improved spatial resolution and contrast capabilities compared to conventional energy-integrating detector systems. These advantages present an opportunity for opportunistic detection of breast cancer in routine thoracic CT scans that include breast tissue. In this pilot study, we evaluated the feasibility of opportunistic breast cancer detection using clinical PCCT data through quantitative image analysis. Two patients with confirmed breast malignancies and corresponding thoracic PCCT scans were retrospectively analyzed. Dedicated reconstructions were performed with varying convolution kernels, field-of-view sizes, and virtual monoenergetic spectra. Image quality was assessed using signal-to-noise ratio …

Robust Non-Invasive Cardiac Index Prediction Via Feature Integration And Data-Augmented Neural Networks, Chih-Hao Chang, Mei-Ling Chan, Yu-Hung Fang, Po-Lin Huang, Tsung-Yi Chen, Tsun-Kuang Chi, I Elizabeth Cha, Tzong-Rong Ger, Kuo-Chen Li, Shih-Lun Chen, Liang-Hung Wang, Jia-Ching Wang, Patricia Angela R. Abu

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Concurrent with the rising consumption of ultra-processed, high-calorie diets and the decline in physical activity, obesity and related cardiovascular conditions among young adults have continued to increase, becoming an important global public health concern. This study integrates non-invasive Internet of Things (IoT) sensing devices, including the TERUMO ES-P2000 blood pressure monitor (Terumo Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and the PhysioFlow PF07 Enduro cardiac hemodynamic analyzer (Manatec Biomedical, Poissy, France), with an artificial neural network (ANN) for cardiac index (CI) prediction. Through appropriate data preprocessing and model training strategies, the generalization ability and stability of the proposed CI prediction model were significantly enhanced. …

Implantable, Sensor-Embedded Vascular Graft Towards Wireless Monitoring Of Stenosis, Nnamdi Dike

LSU Master's Theses

Arteriovenous (AV) grafts are commonly used to provide vascular access for hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite their widespread use, AV grafts are prone to complications such as stenosis and thrombosis. Early detection of these conditions remains challenging with current monitoring methods too costly or insufficient. This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of an LC pressure sensor embedded within a model AV graft to enable real-time monitoring. The proposed system integrates a parallel-plate capacitive pressure sensor with a spiral inductor to form an LC circuit embedded within an elastomeric graft wall. The Ecoflex 00-30 dielectric layer …

Evaluation Of An Affordable Prosthetic Liner In Resource Limited Settings, Samerial Brown

Posters - 2026

The lower limb prosthesis is an important assistive technology for persons with limb amputations and differences. The interface (prosthetic liner) between the rigid prosthetic socket and the residual limb is often made of silicone, urethane or thermoplastic elastomer gel. This material provides cushioning and support as well as suspension for the transtibial (below knee) prosthetic leg. Unfortunately the cost of liners range from $3-$600. This cost precludes its use in resource limited settings such as Sri Lanka. As a result patients are fit with a foam liner which has less cushioning and suspension capabilities than a gel type liner. This …

Polymer Microstructures For Advanced Biomanufacturing, Tongyao Wu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the continued growth of the biopharmaceutical industry, the demand for scalable, robust, and resource-efficient platforms for large-scale mammalian cell culture is amplified. Recent developments in microfluidic technology, such as precise control of the microenvironment, showed the potential to improve the performance of cell culture systems. However, constrained by scalability and operational efficiency, applying such approaches to large-scale cell culture and biopharmaceutical production presents challenges. This dissertation addresses these challenges through three independent but conceptually related technological developments. First, a roll-to-roll (R2R) fabrication process was developed for the scalable production of hollow microcarriers (HMCs). HMCs provide three-dimensional microenvironments suitable for …