Engineering

As additive manufacturing (AM) develops into a more mature manufacturing technology, the scope of experimentation with its limits and use cases has broadened. With the increasing implementation of these technologies, the energy usage of these machines is gaining significance, particularly in the context of climate change and conscious material consumption. The potential of AM in space exploration and colonization, where ... Read More

Walking is a crucial part of anyone’s everyday life, providing one with the ability to complete tasks and activities individually. However, some people cannot use this ability to its full potential given certain challenges such as the loss of muscle control and a decrease in strength, caused by old age or diseases. Through studies, it has been proven that exosuits ... Read More

This experiment seeks to determine whether carbon fiber is a viable alternative to brass, wood, or nickel in woodwind construction. The benefits of using carbon fiber include weight reduction, rigidity, and price reduction when mass-produced, resulting in access to affordable instruments for the underprivileged. The primary downside and reason that this is the first saxophone of its kind is that ... Read More

The research aimed to characterize hydrogen as a potential sustainable energy source for decarbonization. The first phase involved conducting a literature review that outlined the chemical and physical properties of the fuel and its end-use applications in emissions-intensive industries. The second phase involved conducting zero-dimensional and one-dimensional flame simulations through Python scripts using Cantera software to understand the characteristics of ... Read More

Biofuels play a critical role in transitioning towards a sustainable energy system. Affordable and low-carbon biofuels are especially important for hard- to-electrify transportation sectors, such as aviation. Cost and efficiency are the main challenges faced in the biofuel production process, with the separation of valuable organic acids from fermented broth accounting for 50% of the total energy use and up ... Read More

Post-stroke lower limb impairments cause significant challenges in balance during gait initiation. While studies have mainly focused on behavioral impacts of these impairments, the understanding of neutral constraints persist a significant gap. This study is aimed to investigate the abnormal hip extension- adduction coupling previously found in individuals with stroke. We hypothesize that when stepping with the non paretic limb, ... Read More

To further understand the neurological process of rat whisking this study utilizes a combination of projects, both computational and mechanical, in order to better understand the rat whisking system. Rat whiskers display an incredible ability to detect objects through contortion and contact, which send mechanical signals that help the rat process their surroundings. A series of videos of two different ... Read More

We engineer a haptic device that renders touch and force-feedback across the user’s entire body by stimulating the brain. Our technique builds upon transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a neuroscience technology that non-invasively stimulates the brain using an electromagnetic coil. Medical-grade TMS coils are typically large, handheld devices, which makes integrating them into an actuated system challenging. Our technical contribution is ... Read More

As autonomous vehicles (AVs) become increasingly prevalent, their interaction with human drivers presents a critical challenge. Current AVs lack social awareness, causing behavior that is often awkward or unsafe. To combat this, social AVs, which are proactive rather than reactive in their behavior, have been explored in recent years. With knowledge of robot-human interaction dynamics, a social AV can influence ... Read More