Award Data

The objective is an optical periodontal probe tailored to automatically measure and record multiple tissue parameters deemed important for disease detection and treatment monitoring. As a first step in the development of a multi-functional device, a probe designed to mimic the visual measurements made by dental clinicians to determine pocket depth, bleeding on probing (BOP) and tissue coloration w ...

The use of dedicated pulsatile ventricular support devices (VAD) for circulatory support is becoming an accepted treatment modality for adult patients requiring support due to post-cardiotomy pump failure or post-AMI cariogenic shock; the VAD could also be used as a bridge to transplant. Although temporary circulatory support in pediatric patients is being performed with ECMO or centrifugal pumps, ...

The limited availability of donor hearts for people with end stage heart failure has driven the condevelopment of mechanical circulatory support systems (MCSSs). MCSSs can be broadly classified intocontinuous flow systems. Pulsatile systems drive blood indirectly through blood pumps, resulting inThis disadvantage of these systems, however, is their relatively large size. Continuous flow systemssim ...

Minimal access abdominal surgery through the laparoscope has generally replaced surgical procedureslaparotomy for several common procedures, including cholecystectomy and appendectomy. More complicatgastrointestinal operations are also being attempted laparoscopically. Many of these procedures aretechniques which are not yet standard laparoscopic techniques. A basic surgical technique necessarythe ...

Calcification of blood contacting surfaces has been the key impediment to the development of polymevalve prostheses and other polymeric implantables. The deposition of calcium plaques as hydroxyapatiand potentially leads to valve dysfunction. That calcification proceeds preferentially along surfacestress only exacerbates the problem. This work is based on the hypothesis that calcification along fa ...

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In the field of seismic event identification, three spatial dimensions and one time dimension are almost always coupled together. This may create confusion in data perception and interpretation. A novel multi-D display device wchih can improve data visualization is needed. The object of this project is to develop a Volumetric Image Display (VID) capable of displaying multi-D volumetric images in a ...

Two approaches are proposed to attack the problems of fixturing process. First, a novel hardware holding system, Dexterous Vise, is proposed. Functionally, a single Dexterous Vise is capable of revealing four faces of the clamped workpiece to the cutting tool without re-fixturing, which actually increases one degree of freedom to the machine tool. A pair of Dexterous Vises, the "Dual-Vise", ena ...

The proposed effort investigates the use of smart materials (such as strain actuators and sensors) and modern control theory to suppress unsteady buffet loads encountered by vertical tail aircraft such as the F/A-18. The active smart material system proposed has distinct advantages over traditional passive damping treatments and active articulated control surface techniques. This innovative smart ...