Biomechanical Engineering Commons^™

Corticomuscular Adaptation To Mechanical Perturbations In A Seated Locomotor Task, Seyed Yahya Shirazi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Cortical control during walking is most pronounced when the person is perturbed. Although seated locomotor tasks such as cycling or recumbent stepping improve walking performance, the electrocortical correlates of perturbed seated tasks have not been studied in detail. The primary purpose of this research was to quantify cortical and muscular responses to mechanical perturbations during recumbent stepping. We also aimed to quantify possible differences between young and older adults' responses to perturbed stepping. A secondary aim of this research was to determine the accuracy of electroencephalography (EEG) source imaging to interpret the electrocortical findings adequately. We hypothesized that both young …

Mechanics Of Low Dimensional Biomimetic Scale Metamaterials, Hossein Ebrahimi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Combination of topology and material could play an important role in giving rise to nontraditional behavior in mechanical structures and is a typical strategy in nature. Topology is concerned with the geometrical and spatial properties of the objects, which are preserved under continues mechanical deformation of the object such as stretching, bending, twisting, etc. In this work, we focus on structures based on fish scale inspired surface topology. The utilized idea for surface topology is a bioinspired design on the substrate of biological scale-covered systems. Scales are a path breaking evolutionary adaptation that accompanied vertebrate evolution for the past 500 …

Influence Of Ecm Composition And Intracellular Calcium On Endothelial Biomechanics And Prediction Of Cellular Stresses Using Machine Learning, Vignesh Aravind Subramanian Balachandar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Endothelial cells, which form the inner layer of the vasculature, constantly interact with their external microenvironment called the extracellular matrix (ECM) by exerting contractile cell-substrate stresses called tractions and cell-cell stresses called intercellular stresses. This cellular mechanosensing can become aberrant and act as a precursor for many vascular pathological and physiological processes such as cancer metastasis, atherosclerosis, cell differentiation, migration, and morphogenesis. Also, intracellular calcium signalling plays an important role in endothelial cell motility and in maintaining vascular tone. Alteration in ECM composition has been linked to several pathologies, in fact, a transition to a fibronectin-rich matrix from a type …

Design Of Compact Signal Distribution Device For Hoffman Reflex Methodologic Applications In Sports Medicine, Abayomi E. Folaranmi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

A study is presented on the design of compact sized signal distribution device for Hoffman reflex methodological applications in sports medicine. Established conventional method for measuring and recording human or animal nervous system response to external electrical stimulus was considered in this study. Challenges with measuring and recording techniques which introduces inaccuracies and unreliability of reflex response data obtained was analyzed, this work is aimed at improving the reliability of H-reflex d measuring and recording technique for the purpose of reducing inaccuracies introduced to data obtained because of conventional methodologic approach. Inaccuracies due to changes in subject muscle geometry and …

Biomechanical Investigation Of Plant Vascular Tissue For Bio-Inspired Design And Flexible Composites, Mukesh Roy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the inception of evolution, nature has continuously optimized all the natural materials. These optimizations are so efficient that scientists and engineers have started taking inspiration from nature. Such inspiration-based solutions provide sustainable development of new materials with enhanced structural properties and functionalities (such as stiffness, stability, toughness, self-healing etc.). This variety of properties and functionalities is mainly due to the hierarchical organization of such components. Abstraction of the hidden cues of the hierarchical organization, principles and underlying structure-function relations are some of the critical approaches of bioinspired materials design. Inspiration from animals and plants has helped develop the design …

The Mechanics And Multiphysics Of Biomimetic Discrete Exoskeleton Substrates, Hessein Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Biological structures have inspired synthetic materials with unparalleled performances such as ultra-lightweight design, tunable elasticity, camouflaging, and antifouling. Among biological structures, exoskeletal scales that cover the exterior surfaces of fishes, fur, and many reptiles. These exoskeletal scales had appeared in the earliest stages of evolution of complex multicellular life and continued their existence in spite of millions of years of evolutionary pressures. This makes them an attractive candidate for biomimicry to produce high performance multifunctional materials with applications to soft robotics, wearables, energy efficient smart skins, antifouling surfaces and on-demand tunable materials. Canonically speaking, biomimetic samples can be fabricated by …

Multiscale Finite Element Modeling Of Active Contraction In Striated Muscle, Charles Kurtis Mann

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Greater than one in three American adults have at least one type of cardiovascular disease, a major cause of morbidity. Computational cardiac mechanics has become an important part of the research effort to understand the heart’s response to mechanical stimuli and as an extension, disease progression and potential therapies. To this end, the present work aims to extend these efforts by implementing a cell level contractile model in which active stress generation in muscle tissue is driven by half-sarcomere mechanics. This is accomplished by enhancing the MyoSim model of actin and myosin in order to produce a multiscale model. This …

Study Of Stress-Based Fiber Reorientation Law In A Finite Element Model Of Cardiac Tissue, Alexus Lori Rockward

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Myofiber organization in the heart plays an important role in achieving and maintaining physiological cardiac function. In many cardiac disease states, myofibers and particularly cardiomyocytes are disorganized in chaotic patterns, a phenotype known broadly as myocardial disarray. In familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), this disorganization in the form of myocyte disarray is thought to contribute to impaired cardiac function and the development of arrhythmia during disease progression. However, the mechanisms regarding fiber reorientation in the heart are yet still unclear, and few adaptative laws have been created to explore these mechanisms. A stretch-based law was developed with the aim of achieving …

Cell And Biofilm Adhesion Strength Quantified By The Laser Spallation Technique Yields A Novel Biocompatibility Metric, The Adhesion Index, James Boyd

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Implant associated infections are one of the leading causes of hospital acquired infections in the United States. Medical orthopedic implant devices are designed to improve adhesion of relevant cells within our body. In the case of orthopedic implants, osteoblast cells will adhere and allow for proper integration with the body’s bones. However, virulent bacteria will also adhere onto medical implants and proliferate into biofilms. Bacterial biofilms become extremely difficult to eradicate clinically as antibiotics are not as effective, resulting in severe infections or loss of implant. The aim of this research is to quantify the adhesion strength differential between relevant …

Wind Turbine Main Bearing Fatigue Prognosis With Physics-Informed Machine Learning, Yigit Yucesan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Unexpected main bearing failure on a wind turbine causes unscheduled maintenance and increased operation costs (mainly due to crane, parts, labor, and production loss). Unfortunately, historical data indicates that failure can happen far earlier than the component designed lives (due to manufacturing problems, for example). For the legacy fleet, which composes the majority of the installed basis, fatigue has become a major issue. Although bearing fatigue can be expressed with physics-informed models, they often inherent large uncertainties due to operation and unknown lubricant degradation mechanism. Apart from the unknown physics of failure, additional uncertainties associated with the grease that surrounds …

A Solution For Overcoming Transradial Prosthetic Control Limitations With Additive Manufacturing And Modeling Techniques, Olivia Layne Santee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prosthetic limbs have aided in the restoration of both cosmetic and functional capabilities of the human hand; however, structural and control limitations hinder widespread adoption. One example of these limitations addressed in this study is the lack of wrist degrees of freedom (DOF) in robotic hands. Using the mechanical model-driven design, I developed a hand with cable-driven actuation of fingers and direct actuation of the wrist pronation-supination and flexion-extension DOFs. An inverse dynamic simulation determined torque requirements in common tasks manipulating a 1 kg mass with rotational speeds up to 60 deg/s, setting a minimum limitation of 0.76 Nm on …

Mechanism For The Unfolding Of The Top7 Protein In Steered Molecular Dynamics Simulations As Revealed By Mutual Information Analysis, Ognjen Perišić, Willy Wriggers

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

We employed mutual information (MI) analysis to detect motions affecting the mechanical resistance of the human-engineered protein Top7. The results are based on the MI analysis of pair contact correlations measured in steered molecular dynamics (SMD) trajectories and their statistical dependence on global unfolding. This study is the first application of the MI analysis to SMD forced unfolding, and we furnish specific SMD recommendations for the utility of parameters and options in the TimeScapes package. The MI analysis provided a global overview of the effect of perturbation on the stability of the protein. We also employed a more conventional trajectory …

Tibial Strains And Tray-Bone Micromotions After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Computational Studies Evaluating The Tibial Fixation, Huizhou Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cemented and cementless fixation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been successfully used for decades. As the number of younger and more active patients treated with TKA continues to increase, long-term implant survivorship is of increasing importance. One of the most common complications and hence the reason for revision is mechanical loosening (23.1% of all revised TKA). The loosening mechanisms have been proposed for different fixation types. For cemented fixation, bone remodeling after surgery is regulated by the changes in strain energy density (SED). The recruitment of osteoclasts and osteoblasts is controlled by SED-related signals. Insufficient stimuli can promote bone …

Biomechanics Of Head Impacts In An Unhelmeted Sport, Stephen Tiernan

Doctoral

Concussion in sport is very common and often the injury is undetectable using CT and MRI scans. In addition, approximately 50% of concussions areunreported.The project initially investigated the suitability of a skin patch sensor and a head-band sensorfor the measurement of head impacts in unhelmeted sports. It was found that both were unsuitable due to large angular accelerationerrors. Thestudy then collaborated withCAMLab at Stanford University and 25 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes were fitted CAMLab’s validated instrumented mouthguard. 451 video confirmed impacts were recorded at 19 sparring and 11 competitive MMA events. Five concussions were diagnosed during the competitive events. …

Development Of Light Actuated Chemical Delivery Platform On A 2-D Array Of Micropore Structure, Hojjat Rostami Azmand, Hojjat Rostami Azmand

Dissertations and Theses

Localized chemical delivery plays an essential role in the fundamental information transfers within biological systems. Thus, the ability to mimic the natural chemical signal modulation would provide significant contributions to understand the functional signaling pathway of biological cells and develop new prosthetic devices for neurological disorders. In this paper, we demonstrate a light-controlled hydrogel platform that can be used for localized chemical delivery in a high spatial resolution. By utilizing the photothermal behavior of graphene-hydrogel composites confined within micron-sized fluidic channels, patterned light illumination creates the parallel and independent actuation of chemical release in a group of fluidic ports. The …

Mid-Infrared Laser Absorption Spectroscopy And Ignition Delay Time Measurements Of Advanced Renewable Fuels At High Pressure In A Shock Tube, Erik Ninnemann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The United States government has set 2050 as the target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions due to their increasing levels and the subsequent rise in global temperatures. To meet this target, there has been renewed interest in the combustion of high-energy biofuels that could combat these issues. Thus, the Department of Energy started the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines program to find bioderived blendstocks that can harmonize with current and future generation engines to increase power and efficiency, all while reducing overall emissions. As part of this program, it is crucial to understand the combustion of these fuels at the …

Understanding Forearm Muscle Coordination In Children, Miguel Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

A combination of surface electromyography (EMG) and pattern recognition algorithms have led to improvements in the functionality of upper limb prosthetics. This method of control relies on user's ability to repeatedly generate consistent muscle contractions. Research in EMG based control of prosthesis has mainly utilized adult subjects who have fully developed neuromuscular control. Little is known about children's ability to generate consistent EMG signals necessary to control artificial limbs with multiple degrees of freedom. To address this gap, two experiments were designed to validate and benchmark an experimental protocol that quantifies the ability to coordinate forearm muscle contractions in able-bodied …

Safety Analysis Of Battery-Powered Adaptive Ride-On Toys For Children With Disabilities, Abbey Fraser

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modified battery-powered ride-on toy cars, or adaptive ride-on toys, represent novel rehabilitation tools and developmental aids for children with disabilities. Studies have shown that children are benefiting socially and developmentally from their use. However, the use of these toys by children with disabilities potentially poses a risk of injury and it is vitally important to ensure the safe use of these toys, particularly for the benefit of those with developmental challenges.

Within this context, the purpose of the first study was to determine whether modifications to ride-on toys are sufficient to prevent common modes of injury such as falls, passenger …

An Accuracy And Precision Analysis Of The Velys™ Robotic Assisted Solution For Total Knee Arthroplasty, Gary Doan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a procedure where the arthritic surfaces of the knee is removed and replaced with a combination of metal and polymer implants that recreates the joint line to restore function and quality of life. Implant alignment is important in the success of a TKA. Modern day conventional instrumentation can be cumbersome in the operating room and can be inaccurate when resecting bone and aligning implants. Patients with large errors in resections and implant orientation are more prone to experience mechanical failures with their TKA. Mechanical failures in primary TKA require revision surgeries which can lead to …

Broadening The Capability Of Kinetics Analysis In Biomechanics, Nicholas Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two studies are discussed in this manuscript each preceded by a literature review of the topic. The first review and study explore agility movements and the effect that alternative upper designs in shoes might have on ground reaction force measures of performance. The second review and study evaluate methods of predicting ground reaction forces without the use of a force platform. A method of using effective forces and ways of improving its accuracy are evaluated in depth.

Nebulizer-Based Systems To Improve Pharmaceutical Aerosol Delivery To The Lungs, Benjamin M. Spence

Theses and Dissertations

Combining vibrating mesh nebulizers with additional new technologies leads to substantial improvements in pharmaceutical aerosol delivery to the lungs across therapeutic administration methods. In this dissertation, streamlined components, aerosol administration synchronization, and/or Excipient Enhanced Growth (EEG) technologies were utilized to develop and test several novel devices and aerosol delivery systems. The first focus of this work was to improve the poor delivery efficiency, e.g., 3.6% of nominal dose (Dugernier et al. 2017), of aerosolized medication administration to adult human subjects concurrent with high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy, a form of continuous-flow non-invasive ventilation (NIV). The developed Low-Volume Mixer-Heater (LVMH) …

Evaluation Of Regional Extrathoracic Deposition Of Low- And High-Momentum Aerosol Using Anatomically-Correct In Vitro Airway Models, Sana Hosseini

Theses and Dissertations

The popularity of pulmonary aerosol delivery is increasing due to numerous advantages including non-invasiveness, fast onset of action, avoidance of the first-pass metabolism, and relatively good patient compliance. However, aerosol delivery to the site of action within the extrathoracic regions is challenging to quantify from a regulatory perspective due to the combined effects of the device and formulation characteristics, complex morphology of the airways resulting in extreme anatomical variabilities, and user dependent administration methods. Besides the therapeutic aerosol delivery, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are a user-driven aerosol technology used to deliver nicotine as one of the electronic liquid (e-liquid) …

Cycloidal-Drive Joint Design For Wearable Exoskeletons, Abhi J. Rawal

Theses

This thesis's scope was to construct a highly back drivable and compact joint design that can be used for wearable exoskeletons specifically designed to assist with rehabilitation. A compact cycloidal gear transmission was designed to satisfy the compactness requirement while ensuring the minimum torque is required for backdriving the mechanism. The joint was designed based on the compact cycloidal drive specifications, and the backdrivability test was performed to measure the minimum torque required (1.20 Nm) to backdrive. The joint design incorporates various important features such as rotation lock feature to prevent hyperextension, a housing design that offers the benefit of …

Microparticle Propulsion For In Vivo Navigation, Louis Rogowski

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Microscale propulsion impacts a diverse array of fields, with simplistic microrobots allowing for novel innovations in microscale surgery and drug delivery. Propulsion at the microscale is constrained by physics, with time-reversal and geometric symmetries limiting available propulsion mechanisms. However, certain fluid environments and surface coatings allow for the propulsion of microparticles through externally applied magnetic fields. Presented here is a detailed analysis of microparticles propelling using spontaneous symmetry breaking, flagella surface coatings, and multi-modal actuation mechanisms. Spontaneous symmetry breaking in nonlinearly viscoelastic fluids is presented for the first time in literature, with two equal and opposite propulsion states existing along …

Constitutive Modeling Of Force-Controlled Fatigue Testing In Human Meniscus Tissue, Bradley Scott Henderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The meniscus is a wedge-shaped fibrocartilaginous tissue located between the femur and tibia that helps stabilize the knee and protect the underlying cartilage. There are 2.5 million reported knee injuries each year, making it the most injured joint in the human body. Nearly twenty percent of these injuries are due to a torn meniscus, leading to over half a million meniscus surgeries performed in the United States annually. Therefore, it is critical to understand the failure modes of meniscus tissue to prevent these debilitating injuries. A failure mode that accounts for one-third of all meniscus injuries is repeated exposure to …

In Vitro Method To Quantify And Visualize Volumetric Wear In Meniscus Subjected To Joint Loading Using A 3d Optical Scanner, Kate J. Benfield

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The menisci are fibrocartilaginous soft tissues that act to absorb and distribute load across the surface of the knee joint. As a result of mechanical wear and large repetitive loading, meniscus tissue can begin to breakdown, or degenerate. Meniscus degeneration increases the risk of tearing, weakened tissue integrity, and the progression of osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the wear behavior of whole human meniscus to identify conditions that may significantly increase the risk of degeneration.

The objective of this study is to develop and validate an in vitro methodology for characterizing volumetric wear behavior in whole human meniscus …

Understanding The Effects Of Long-Duration Spaceflight On Fracture Risk In The Human Femur Using Finite Element Analysis, Keyanna Brielle Henderson

Master's Theses

Long-duration spaceflight has been shown to have significant, lasting effects on the bone strength of astronauts and to contribute to age-related complications later in life. The microgravity environment of space causes a decrease in daily mechanical loading, which signals a state of disuse to bone cells. This affects the bone remodeling process, which is responsible for maintaining bone mass, causing an increase in damage and a decrease in density. This leads to bone fragility and decreases overall strength, posing a risk for fracture. However, there is little information pertaining to the timeline of bone loss and subsequent fracture risk.

This …

Final Design Review Report: The Underdogs, Parker Johnson, Jack Montgomery, Katherine Thomas

Mechanical Engineering

Aspen is a three-legged dog with mobility issues from Berkeley, California. She was hit by a car and her rear left leg was amputated at the hip. Robin Swanson, Aspen's owner, and her friend, Audrey Beil, are the sponsors for this project. Jack Montgomery, Katherine Thomas, and Parker Johnson, “The Underdogs”, are tasked with helping Aspen regain some of her mobility and the ability to go on walks. Research was done into the problem by talking with the sponsors and looking into existing products, designs, and patents. This document, the Final Design Review Report, outlines the background information, problem specification, …

Deep-Sea Water Collector, Chandler Jones, Jenny Verheul, Michael Di Giorgio

Mechanical Engineering

Properties such as nutrients, DNA, pH levels, and primary productivity are difficult to measure onboard an Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (UROV) as mobile submarine sensors are highly expensive and conventional water capture devices are too large to be equipped. However, these properties provide an integral view into our oceans, the species that inhabit them, and our influence on the environment. Collected samples of seawater taken back to labs allow researchers to see a clearer picture of ecosystems’ inhabitants and lifecycle with the analysis of Environmental DNA (eDNA) among many other properties. The scope of this project is to design a …

In The Pursuit Of Assistance: A Team's Desire To Not Let A Congenital Amputation Get In A Young Boy's Way, Carl Russell Iii, Gavin Loucks, Kirsten Wozniak

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

EPICS is a service-learning design program run through Purdue University. It strives to teach students design skills through providing for individuals, communities, and organizations in the surrounding area while mirroring engineering industry standards. BME (Biomedical Engineering) is a team within EPICS that strives to serve community partners through biomedical applications. William Sevick is an elementary school student with a congenital arm amputation. William and his family have been working with the BME team for the past three years designing assistive devices with the purpose of improving his actions in daily life such as eating, playing games, and riding his bike.