Tissue Engineered Vascular Graft for Surgical Implantation

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Dustin Day and Professor Alonzo Cook, Chemical Engineering Introduction A common treatment for a dysfunctional blood vessel due to atherosclerosis is the autologous transplant of a patient’s own veins. Removing portions of a patient’s vein to substitute for an artery often presents difficulties to surgeons because of the diseased state of the transplant vessels. However, […]

Martensite Determination and Characterization Using Cross-Correlation EBSD

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Craig Daniels and Professor David Fullwood, Mechanical Engineering Introduction Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) is a microscopy technique that is used to characterize crystalline materials such as metals. An EBSD pattern taken at a given point can be used to easily characterize the crystal structure and orientation at that point. By examining EBSD patterns across an […]

Micro Four-line Probe to Test Lithium Ion Electrodes

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Andrew Cutler and Professor Brian Mazzeo, Electrical Engineering Purpose: To build a robust planar device that can take an in situ, non-destructive conductivity reading on thin cathode films. Introduction: Li-ion batteries are an omnipresent part of modern life. Because of their high energy density and performance after repeated cycles they have become the battery of […]

Characterization of the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Utilizing an Improved Characterization Technique

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Kara Boatwright and Professor Anton Bowden, Mechanical Engineering Experts have found that 80% of Americans will experience some sort of back pain in their lives. It is a prevalent problem and further information about the motion of the spine is necessary in order to improve techniques of alleviating and someday curing back pain. Ligaments are […]

Mathematical and Computer Modeling of Piezoresistive, Nano- Composite, High Deflection Sensors

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R. Adam Bilodeau and Dr. David Fullwood, Mechanical Engineering Introduction Mechanical engineers are constantly seeking better ways to analyze structures and systems, including both flexible, biological materials and rigid, metal structures. However, accurate and inexpensive tools for measuring the changing length of highly flexible systems are difficult to come by. The BYU Nanocomposites research lab […]

Optimal Performance of an Emergency Bio-mass Cookstove

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Cameron Bell and Dr. Matthew Jones, Mechanical Engineering The development of a light woodstove that is able to be conveniently packed is of great importance for anyone in an emergency situation. The ability to purify water by boiling it, cook food, and reduce food weight by bringing dry ingredients could dramatically increase the chances of […]

CNT Adhesion

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Devan Anderson and Professor Brian Jensen, Mechanical Engineering Introduction Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are grown on a silicon wafer that usually has had various metals deposited onto the surface. For many applications of CNTs it is desirable that the CNT arrays remain attached to the silicon wafer, however, thus far the CNT community has been unsuccessful […]

High-voltage Pulse Detection using Optical Fiber Sensors

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Leeland Woodard and Dr. Stephen Schultz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Introduction Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are a leading cause of the deaths of soldiers in militarized areas. Technology is being developed to disarm IEDs by coupling electrical energy in the blasting caps of the IEDs, but in order to do so effectively, a […]

Quantitation of Molecular Interactions Based on the Avidin-Biotin Complex by Dielectric Spectroscopy

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Stephen Wood and Dr. Brian Mazzeo, Electrical and Computer Engineering The interaction of proteins with other molecules is a common phenomenon that is relevant to various disciplines such as medicine and material science. There are several aspects regarding these molecular interactions that can be researched with one of several measurement techniques. Dielectric spectroscopy is an […]

An Investigation of Methods for Actuating Robot Arms: Direct vs. Pulley vs. Bowden Cable Actuation Methods

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Dallin Swiss and Dr. Mark Colton, Mechanical Engineering Introduction A group of BYU researchers and therapists designed a robot named “Troy” for use in studies to investigate robot-assisted therapy for children with autism [1]. Troy was considered effective and successful but studies suggest that developing a new robot with greater realism and additional capabilities may […]