bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental Model Development Using an Animal Brain Phantom to Study Neural Damage From Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Khandaker Morshed , Giri Amir , Nayak Pramod , Jarshaw Catherine , Kalay Onur Can , Karpat Fatih , Wolf Roman F. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
This study aims to conduct shock tube experiments to determine neural damage from realistic non-impact blast loading using an in vitro animal test model (ellipsoid filled with simulated tissue). Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by a sudden impact on the head that leads to the disruption of the brain’s normal function. Specific to war-related traumatic brain injuries include those which are blast-induced. Microbubbles measured in microns can form in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) inside the skull during the blast. The “formation and dramatic collapse” of these microbubbles, a process known as cavitation, could be responsible for neural tissue damage. As a pressure wave comes into contact with a head, a shock wave is transmitted through the skull, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue and causes a negative difference in pressure observed at the opposite side of impact. An event that causes a quick difference in pressure within the CSF, and comes with a directional force, may result in gas bubbles forming opposite the site of impact along with the brain-skull interface and accusing damage to the surrounding tissues. Using a rabbit brain phantom model, this research measured the impact of different ranges of shock on brain tissue. Our simplified surrogate model of the head consisted of a transparent and shatterproof spherical dummy, and a simplified phantom model of the head consists of a transparent ellipsoid with dimensions of a rabbit skull. This study made a custom design 3D printed multi-directional shock device for the blast on the brain. The first test group conducted on a simplified surrogate filled with degassed water to simulate CSF and tissue altogether. A second test group included the rabbit phantom model that was filled with degassed water. In the third blast tests, the phantom contained Sylgard gel, surrounded by a layer of degassed water, to represent brain tissue and the CSF, respectively. Blast pressure in the shock-wave tests conducted at 10–20 pounds per square inch (psi; 69–138 kPa). Pressure in the modeled CSF was determined by a pressure sensors placed at 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm distances from the shock tube film. In all tests, the pressure difference at the countercoup before and after the blast was measured using an impact sensor. This study successfully found microbubbles from the first group of test. In addition, we found decreasing pressure, impact and strain on the model in relation to distance from the blast source. The results of this study will be used in our finite element model to predict the occurrence of acute subdural hematoma due to the blast inside along the interface between various brain tissue in future study.
Fabrication of Photonic Microlasers via Microfluidic Double Emulsion
Authors: Pandit Jayanth , Kunam Bhanuprakash , Cavazos Omar , Manzo Maurizio 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Fluid control at a micro-level features unique properties that can be utilized to develop devices capable of biosensing. Microfluidics is a branch of technology that deals with microfluidic channels and the fluids confined within those channels. Singular droplets can be produced when perpendicular streams of immiscible fluids intersect with the main fluid stream. This intersecting stream must be different than the main fluid stream. One fundamental way of fabricating the spheres includes using a stream of water and oil. As oil and water do not mix, the stream of oil will separate the water stream and release a singular droplet. Photonic spherical microlasers manufactured by microfluidic systems exhibit a more consistent size control and are mass-produced easily; by controlling the pressure or flow rate of both dispersed phase and continuous phase, the size of the microlaser can be precisely controlled. The use of microlasers can open several paths toward susceptible sensing systems in a variety of biomedical applications, such as cancer detection and nerve cell electric potential detection via voltage-sensitive dyes. In the past, such sensing systems have been created using different UV curable biocompatible polymers doped with laser dyes. In this work, we consider testing various configurations of immiscible fluids for the disperse and continuous phases. Not only that, but the use of double emulsion microlasers will be advantageous over single emulsion types due to a promising increase of versatility in terms of multiplexed sensing and broad applications. This new solution involves microfluidic pumps and a flow-focusing droplet generator chip with microfluidic channels fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polycarbonate. Factors like the flow rate (Q) and pressure (P) of both continuous and dispersed phases determine the size of both the core and shell of these double emulsion droplets, which are made solid-state via the UV curing process. These sensors involve the whispering-gallery-mode phenomenon, where laser light is coupled to the microlaser generating optical resonances; the incoming photons resonate because light waves propagate throughout the inner walls of the sphere. This resonance can be shifted due to external conditions that change the traveling light’s optical path. The changes in the optical spectrum are monitored by using an optical spectrometer. Such sensors have the potential to be implemented as point-of-care (POC) devices and have the prospect of growing and becoming an impactful technology in biomedical research and industry.
Requirements Elicitation: Impacts of Gamification on Variety, Novelty, and Completeness
Authors: Khade Vinayak , Masoudi Nafiseh , Acena Dane , Freeman Guo , Rai Rahul , Gorsich David , Rizzo Denise , Castanier Matt 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Elicitation of requirements is a critical step in any product development process. An effective elicitation process can lead to capturing more requirements with higher degrees of novelty, variety, and completeness. Current elicitation techniques such as questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, prototyping, and brainstorming often fail to keep the stakeholders and designers engaged and may face issues, such as lack of stakeholder involvement and poor communication and collaboration. Thus, these techniques become prone to capturing ambiguous or incomplete requirements or even missing some requirements. In recent years, the application of gamification (e.g., leveraging gaming features in non-gaming contexts to create engaging and interactive user experiences) has shown promising effects in improving the motivation and participation of users in different design activities. In this paper, we present the results of a preliminary study on the impacts of gamification features on requirements elicitation activity. An experiment was conducted using two versions of a survey to elicit requirements: (1) a gamified questionnaire and (2) a non-gamified, conventional questionnaire. In both surveys, the participants were asked to generate a list of requirements. The gathered sets of requirements were then analyzed using statistical methods and compared based on three metrics: completeness, variety, and novelty. Our findings suggest that gamification positively impacts participants’ engagement, leading to a greater number of requirements. The preliminary results indicate differences in all three metrics considered here. However, there is no statistical significance in these differences to have confidence in the made observations due to the small sample size. As an initial attempt to investigate the impacts of gamification and how they could be evaluated, our study develops a preliminary understanding of the effects of gamification on requirements elicitation.
Electro-Mechanical Design of a Vacuum Chamber With Vibration and Noise Damping Capabilities on an Autonomous Undersea Vehicle
Authors: Cunha Matthew , Martel Richard , Chagnon Philip , Jackson Benjamin , McCusker James , Ma Gloria 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
This paper presents the development of an Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (AUV) that is capable of an acoustically stealth delivery of a payload. The payload is composed of a black box noise maker and the goal of this “stealth mission” is to minimize the amplitude of the acoustic signal emitting from the noise maker.
Various approaches are utilized to reduce the transmission of sound produced by the payload. The design incorporates a vacuum chamber to minimize the noise transmitted through air molecules surrounding the noise maker by removing the air. In addition to a vacuum chamber, both active and passive vibration damping techniques are considered as viable methods of vibration damping, further reducing the sound output. The applied passive damping system has the advantage of using simple mechanical devices, which provides significant advantages in the application to an undersea vehicle with power and space constraints. To complete the mission, a vacuum chamber with a passive vibration damping system was developed and tested by sending the payload through a sound measuring choke point which validated the efficiency of the proposed design.
CARDYNET: Deep Learning Based Navigation for Car-Like Robots in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Herr Gurtajbir , Weerakoon Lasitha , Yu Miao , Chopra Nikhil 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Recently, there has been an increased interest in learning based navigation solutions for robots operating in dynamic environments. Navigation in such environments is particularly challenging due to several reasons. The decisions made by other agents may only be partially observable to the robot, and they may have conflicting objectives. The robot may have imperfect or no knowledge of other agents’ goals and planned routes. Several of the recent studies focus on differential drive robots. However, unlike the differential drive, car-like robots are subjected to additional motion constraints that make the problem harder. In this work, we first utilize an optimization based planner, namely TEB local planner, as the expert to generate high quality motion commands for a car-like robot operating in a simulated dynamic environment. We utilize these labels to train a deep neural network that learns to navigate. The deep learning based planner is further augmented with safety margins to enhance its effectiveness in collision avoidance. Finally, we experimentally evaluated the performance of our proposed method by comparing it with deployable TEB planner based local planners in the stage_ros simulator as well as real world experiments. Our method demonstrated superior performance in terms of obstacle avoidance as well as successful mission completion.
Summer Grants ‘Verão Com Ciência’, From Foundation for Science and Technology, in Portugal: Experience and Achievements
Authors: Rodrigues Nelson , Teixeira Inês , Carvalho Violeta , Abreu Inês , Gonçalves Inês , Graçoeiro Diogo , Amaral Rita , Marques João , Silva João , Ferreira Ana , Teixeira José , Alvelos Filipe , Rodrigues Cristina , Teixeira Senhorinha 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Following up the call for research projects launched by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) after the first pandemic event in Portugal, and bearing in mind the positive results obtained, during the summer of 2021, a new call was launched with a shorter duration.
During one month just before starting the university academic year, undergraduate students could join a research team in a research lab, and by applying a “learning by doing” approach, students experienced a research atmosphere and got involved with the main activities being developed by the research group. For engineering students, this is an opportunity to bring theory to practice, get experience, and ingress into research teamwork.
This paper presents and discusses the main achievements of this initiative, in particular, the research experience of three undergraduate students and their host research teams, from the Algoritmi center, from the School of Engineering of the University of Minho, Portugal. The students’ opinions on the developed projects were quite satisfactory and they recognized that joining this type of scholarship opens horizons, promotes an inquiring spirit, teaches research strategies and, above all, students can see their knowledge applied to engineering research and on the advancement of science.
Design of a Low-Cost Autonomous Mobile Robot for Outdoor Applications
Authors: Morris Cameron , Chauhan Vedang 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In today’s world, many companies are looking for low-cost automated alternatives to industrial processes that can save time and money. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR’s) are an appealing new alternative to complete tasks with base chassis and interchangeable tops that allow for standardization along with multifunctionality. With improvements in motors, motor controllers, location technology, vision, and IR sensors and a variety of other sensors, many complex tasks are attainable and simpler to complete. AMR’s can also be adapted to the operating environment whether it is on a manufacturing floor or in the field exposed to different elements. Using this equipment and implementing an odometry positioning method, an AMR can be designed to travel to pre-planned coordinates and perform desired tasks at each target point. Calculations to select hardware that satisfies requirements for this application are discussed. Strategies for motion control and positioning are also shown along with their advantages and disadvantages. Other subsystems are designed and attached to the robot to allow the robot to operate with awareness of its environment. To test the AMR’s abilities, a series of experiments are designed to analyze the robot’s strengths and identify sources of error. With these tests, data is collected to compare the position calculation accuracy and analyze the speed and orientation of the robot. Based on these results, there will be suggested adjustments for future work of AMRs in this field.
Investigation of the Effect of Multiple Aging Temperature Profiles on the Constitutive Behavior of Neoprene Rubber Stored in Thermo-Oxidative Environment
Authors: Alazhary Sharif , Shaafaey Mamoon , Bahrololoumi Amir , Dargazany Roozbeh 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Cross-linked polymers are widely used in various industries in the modern era. Their usage could range from medical devices to electronic components. According to their usage in harsh environments, makes them susceptible to the so-called aging phenomena. Aging is a multi-physics phenomenon that induces microstructural changes to the polymer matrix morphology. In this respect, aging can be categorized into different clusters due to the active environmental elements which cause aging. These environmental factors could be present solo or concurrently in the aging domain. Thermo-oxidative and hydrolysis mainly refer to the single aging phenomenon due to the single available environmental element which is oxygen and water respectively. On the other hand, hygrothermal and photo-oxidative aging results from the presence of oxygen plus either water or UV radiation which could be classified as a dual aging mechanism. As oxygen is one of the main environmental elements in nature, and understanding the behavior of the material during thermo-oxidative aging is very important. Accordingly, in this paper, the effects of temperature on the constitutive response of Neoprene rubber material are investigated. In fact, Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that is in high demand and widely used in many applications. Accordingly, Neoprene rubber specimens were exposed to the various thermo-oxidative aging environments in controlled laboratory conditions to study the post-aging variations in the behavior of the material. To this end, the effect of different temperature profiles on Neoprene rubber material were considered. Here, the aging temperature (T) was considered as a function of the aging time (t). In this respect, the material was subjected to different aging temperature (T) profiles which were constructed from a summation of two different step functions. The study was conducted on samples that were aged in two different temperature levels T1 and T2 for different aging durations t1, tT in three cases as follows: i) T1 = T2, ii) T1 &gt; T2, and iii) T1 &lt; T2. It should be noted that this approach was utilized to investigate the path dependency of thermal aging phenomena. To this end, uniaxial tensile failure, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and cross-linking density analysis (swelling tests) were carried out on the aged and unaged samples. Both mechanical and chemical tests results were in agreement which shows that the aging of Neoprene is a non-conservative phenomenon which means that the thermo-oxidative aging of Neoprene is mainly a function of the total energy that the material had absorbed during the storage process.
Lifecycle Analysis to Improve the Sustainability of the United States Army’s Non-Tactical Vehicle Fleet
Authors: Faust Madison , Ortman Zachary , Chambers Austin , Fitzpatrick Mark , Gibson Jamir , Norris Forde , Williams Matthias , Johantges Adam D. , Kim Jae , Riser Brian , McCoy Brad , Davidson F. Todd 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In recent years, the United States Army has increasingly pushed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across all installations and operations. This push is part of a broader effort to increase the sustainability and resilience of critical defense assets, by allowing them to operate for longer periods of time, with lower environmental impacts, lower costs, and increased mission readiness. One proposed solution to help reduce the emissions of Army installations is to replace conventional internal combustion engine vehicles with fully electrified vehicles. In particular, the non-tactical vehicle fleet is of primary interest to be rapidly converted to electrified drivetrains. The primary purpose of this work is to assess whether fully electrified vehicles have the lowest life-cycle emissions when considering the specific mission requirements and infrastructure present at Army installations. This work uses lifecycle analysis methods to compare the carbon emissions for vehicles with different drivetrains, located in different electric grid regions across the United States, while driving different distances to achieve the necessary missions of their operators. These variations in how the vehicles are designed, charged, and used showcases that, while electric vehicles are the best for many scenarios, they are not always the correct choice to maximize the total reduction in carbon emissions associated with transportation services at Army installations.
Feasibility Study and Design of a Seawater Air-Conditioning System for a University Building in Fiji
Authors: Ali Muzammil , Prasad Reemal D. , Ahmed Mohammed Rafiuddin 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
The demand for space cooling in Fiji is increasing rapidly due to a high infrastructure development rate in the country. Seawater air conditioning is a solution to the problem of space cooling using renewable energy. In this work, a feasibility study and design of a SWAC system for a university building is carried out. The feasibility study included the cooling load calculations, the availability of seawater and the location of the building. The cooling load was estimated using CAMEL software which came to be about 509 kW. Local bathymetry charts were studied to determine the depth of ocean to be 1000 m closest to the shore at which water temperatures about 6°C can be obtained. The distance from shore at which the cold water was available was approximately 12 km. A 1:15 scaled down model of the building was constructed to find the ideal chilled water supply rate and temperature. Optimal design parameters were found to be a chilled water temperature of 7°C and a cold-water flow rate of 100L/min. A temperature of 23°C was achieved inside the building after about 15 mins. The design phase of the system included the entire buildings supply and return duct system divided among 5 AHUs. The length of the seawater suction pipeline was estimated using the depth and the distance to be around 12 km. The diameter of the seawater suction pipe was optimized using cost of pipe installation and pumping power to be 0.4m, corresponding to a pumping power of 5 kW. A heat exchanger with a capacity of 500 kW, like the total cooling load of the project was selected to transfer heat between the seawater loop and the chilled water loop. The chilled water pumping power was calculated after the design of the full chilled water supply pipeline to be 4 kW. The total cost for the implementation of the SWAC system for the Marine Sciences building was estimated to be $1.04M and the payback period was estimated to be 13.8 years compared to a conventional split-type system.
Optical Full-Field Strain Visualization on Bone
Authors: Haji Nahel , Fernandez Ryan , Haji LaRance , Jawad Badih , Vejdani Hamid , Fernandez Vernon 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In this paper, we compare the response of a bone to a three-point bending load configuration. The response of the bone was analyzed using full-field digital image correlation (DIC) to measure the strains on the surface of the bone and using dial gauges to experimentally measure the deflection under loading conditions. The strain distribution and deflections at various locations along the length of the bone were used to make a comparison with standard Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to mark the differences between the two methods. The Young’s modulus was reduced in the FEA to match the deflections obtained from the three-point bending test. The full-field DIC image was then compared with the strain map obtained from FEA. Understanding the properties of bone and visualizing how bone reacts under stress can help clinicians to broaden their knowledge of fracture patterns. The knowledge gained from this study can also be used to introduce correction factors into the FEA methodology to numerically obtain comparative results.
Thin Steel Plate Surface Rust Recognition Using Processing Light Measurement for Reduction of Laser Cutting Defect False Recognition
Authors: Ishiguro Mizuki , Warisawa Shin'ichi , Narita Naoyasu , Miyoshi Hironobu , Fukui Rui 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Recently, laser cutting is an essential technology for high-speed flexible sheet-metal processing. The problem of defective cutting has occurred even with appropriate cutting parameter settings. The authors have constructed a defect recognizer that uses data of light generated during thin plate cutting, and have achieved a high recognition rate. On the other hand, some misrecognition occurred, and all of the misrecognized data were found to be workpieces with rust on the surface. Therefore, as a method to reduce misrecognition, rust information should be acquired and used for defect recognition before cutting. This study aims to acquire rust information on the workpiece surface by sensing and to recognize the existence of rust in order to reduce the false recognition in thin plate cutting defect recognition. The proposed method consists of three steps. In the first step, the surface of the workpiece is irradiated by a low-power laser, and the light generated is measured using a spectrometer installed in the laser head. In the second step, the acquired spectral data is converted into a spectrogram, and the image is binarized using Otsu’s binarization method to obtain features. In the final step, a one-class support vector machine recognizes the existence of rust on a workpiece surface from the extracted features. Verification tests using a normal and two kinds of rusted surface plates data confirmed that the proposed method accurately detected the existence of rust. (Precision = 0.89, Recall = 1.0.) It was also confirmed that the low-power laser irradiation trace did not affect the spectral data of the cutting for defect recognition.