48440 research outputs found
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Robotic Optical Coherence Tomography with Multi-Angle, Extended-Area Imaging
No full textExisting kidney transplant assessment methods are often biased and prone to overestimating graft failure, leading to the discard of usable organs. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), with its high-resolution, non-contact imaging of tissue microstructure, offers a promising alternative. However, conventional OCT suffers from limited field of view and directional shadowing, causing information loss in steep or occluded regions—potentially overlooking key indicators of organ health. This thesis presents a robotic OCT system that performs multi-angle imaging by rotating the probe about its lateral axis, enabling recovery of shadowed regions and improving surface continuity. The setup integrates a 7-DoF Franka Emika Panda robot, spectral-domain OCT, and a ROS-based dual-workstation framework with real-time feedback based surface tracking and trajectory planning. Multi-angle datasets are fused post-acquisition to reconstruct continuous 3D depth-maps and 2d B-scan stitches. Validation on a phantom showed a reduction in reconstruction error from over 7.0mm³/100mm³ to 1.70mm³/100mm³. Imaging of porcine kidney tissue demonstrated enhanced visualization of renal structures and reduced shadow artifacts
Accelerating and Standardizing Robotics Development Through Platform & Frameworks
No full textWPI’s Automated Design Lab is developing humanoid robots for the purpose of assisting in elder care. The robots are based on the open-source Poppy Project [1], and the lab’s work continues to be open-source. Currently, team members develop robotics software independently, often without a standardized process, leading to inconsistencies and difficulty in maintenance and integration. In the past, this has contributed to the destruction of physical robot components during testing. We present a unified platform for safe, simple, and standardized robotics development. The platform includes a Python library for intuitive robot programming, a web interface for accessible usage and logging, and an autonomous agent to broker information between them. The platform is designed to simplify the development process, reduce the technical learning curve, and enable easier integration throughout the project. Early deployment of the platform shows great potential to increase safety, standardization, and development speed within the lab
An in vitro model to mimic altered molecular transport in uterine myometrium
No full textUterine fibroids, benign monoclonal tumors of uterine smooth muscle affecting up to 80% of women of reproductive age, feature excessive ECM remodeling that alters transport yet lack representative in vitro models. The primary objective of this project was to develop a reproducible, tunable in vitro model that mimics both mechanical and transport properties of uterine myometrium and fibroid tissue, supporting normal and pathological cell behavior. The model fabrication was an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) type I collagen gels (3 mg/mL) infiltrated with alginate (15-30 mg/mL) for 30-120 min and crosslinked with CaCl₂ for 10-30 min. Oscillatory rheology demonstrated that 60 min infiltration with 20 mg/mL alginate and 20 min crosslinking yielded storage moduli within the physiological myometrium range (350-600 Pa). Molecular transport of 40 kDa dextran was tuned by adjusting crosslinking time. IPNs also supported growth of embedded NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblast spheroids used to model fibroid 3D architecture. This IPN provides a proof-of-concept model for investigating fibroid pathophysiology for basic research and future treatment development
Development of an Artificial Tongue Prosthesis for Oral Cancer Patients
No full textGlossectomy, the surgical removal of all or part of the tongue, is frequently required in cases of oral cancer, which has been found to be on the rise in recent years. The American Cancer Society reports that around 59,660 new cases of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States. Approximately 10 percent of these cases need a total glossectomy, complete tongue removal. Undergoing this procedure can greatly impact a person's ability to speak, swallow, and taste, leading to profoundly overwhelming difficulties in their daily lives. Current rehabilitation options, such as passive prosthetics and compensatory swallowing techniques, often lack the dynamic functionality necessary to transport a food bolus effectively. To address these challenges, this project aims to design, model, and prototype a self-contained oral prosthetic tongue and retainer to restore swallowing function in total glossectomy patients. The prosthetic system incorporates a compliant tongue link made of thermoplastic polyurethane material to mimic the flexibility of a natural tongue. It facilitates smooth and controlled bolus movement while also eliminating the need for screws and multiple links to be assembled. A two-leveled retainer that houses the electronics, motor and transmission system and allows for placement of the tongue link has been created and modified to secure the electronics from being damaged by saliva and have the link to sit so that the soft palate is hit during swallowing. The electronics and link are also encased by a thin layer of polydimethylsiloxane silicone to reduce the friction of the bolus, set the bolus’ trajectory during swallowing, and ensure the electronics are not exposed to any bodily fluids or food. Additionally a cam-follower actuation system has been developed to move the compliant tongue link to effectively propel a 5g bolus from the front to the back of the mouth with at least 100 actuation cycles per meal. To enhance the portability and usability, the project also focuses on miniaturizing the electronic components and creating a compact, custom PCB to optimize energy efficiency and precision. The integration of biomechanical analysis, compliant mechanisms, material science, soft robotics, and actuation mechanisms ensures that the prosthetic is both functional and biocompatible. CAD modeling and simulations through SolidWorks are used to refine the design before 3D printing and physical prototyping, and the final prototype will undergo testing in a simulated oral environment to evaluate its performance in bolus propulsion and patient swallowing. By restoring essential oral function, this device aims to significantly improve the quality of life and independence of total glossectomy patients by offering them improved variety in nutrition and critical organ function. The results of this project may also contribute to advancement in swallowing aid research and prosthetic technology for future effective rehabilitation solutions. Ultimately, this research is driven by a commitment to enhancing quality of life and creating a more supportive system and environment for patients affected by total glossectomy
Designing a Youth Center for Râșnov
No full textRâșnov is a town in the Transylvania region of Romania. The community has identified a need for youth-centered third places during the winter months to offer more opportunities for youth to socialize and improve their civic engagement. The Mioritics Association, an organization headquartered in Râșnov that strives to preserve the town’s cultural heritage through youth engagement, has initiated the process for creating a youth center in Râșnov. Our project used participatory design with the local youth to develop an actionable plan for the youth center. The plan includes 27 programs, recommendations for potential locations, space visualizations, and a four-year tiered budget designed for future expansion. This plan will be used by Mioritics to establish a preliminary youth center this year
Urban Coexistence: Human-Wildlife Management in New Zealand
No full textIn Aotearoa New Zealand, human-wildlife conflict threatens both biodiversity and public safety. In partnership with the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, this project examined the root causes of human-wildlife conflict to address and diminish this issue in New Zealand. Using results from archival research, expert interviews, and public surveys, the project team identified underfunding, inadequate public education, and ineffective legislation as primary factors. The team developed three sets of recommendations to enhance educational programs, improve law enforcement, and increase funding. Implementing these recommendations can foster a better coexistence and decrease human-wildlife conflict in Aotearoa New Zealand
Screening siRNAs targeting ADAM33 expression in asthma
No full textAsthma is a chronic respiratory disease affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Current therapies primarily address inflammation and symptoms, but do not modify the underlying molecular drivers of disease. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) offer a targeted approach by silencing disease-associated genes. In this study, we performed a functional screen of 70 siRNA candidates targeting ADAM33, a gene implicated in asthma susceptibility. Candidates were evaluated across two concentrations and biological replicates using a ddPCR-based readout. Top-performing siRNAs were identified using Boolean selection criteria for consistent target knockdown. These siRNAs will be prioritized for in vivo validation as potential disease-modifying therapeutics for asthma
Exploration of Novel Methods for a More Efficient Implementation of the Feature Embedding Method
No full textThis project explores novel approaches of the feature embedding method aimed at enhancing image classification in reduced-data scenarios. The team has developed a classification pipeline that uses a multinomial Naive Bayes classifier based on adapting concepts from natural language processing like TF-IDF and class-based TF-IDF for image data. The team investigated different methodologies, including t-SNE and the Hungarian algorithm, alongside CNN baselines. The proposed c-TF-IDF model does not match CNNs in terms of accuracy but does present extremely low training time and greater efficiency, especially when data is limited. This project provides the groundwork for future researchers to develop a potential alternative for traditional image classification in reduced data scenarios
Identifying Consumer Attitudes and Market Trends in Vegan Cosmetics in Thessaloniki
No full textThe goal of this project was to assess consumer awareness of vegan cosmetics in Thessaloniki to identify challenges impacting the vegan cosmetics market and to improve consumer perception of these products. The results from surveys and interviews disclosed that consumers and professionals lack education on vegan cosmetics. Educational infographics were developed to specify the definition of vegan cosmetics versus natural and organic products, state the importance of third-party certifications, and outline how to avoid greenwashing tactics. Recommendations were provided on how to distribute these infographics and this report, as well as how to create an online training platform that addresses misconceptions of vegan cosmetics and improves consumer and professional knowledge
Development of a Eutrophication Simulation for High School Curriculum
No full textComputer science has become an essential skill for scientific inquiry. This project extends the curriculum of the Bio-CS Bridge, a National Science Foundation-funded initiative to develop a curriculum integrating computational thinking with biology concepts to cover the topic of eutrophication. Using the backward design framework, two new learning activity modules were created. Each module is accompanied by a simulation, bridging the gap between computer science and biology while teaching students about aquatic pollution in a tangible and engaging way. The tools in the model allow them to modify parameters and run experiments. The agent-based modeling approach enables students to better visualize the ecosystem they are working with and see the causes and effects in their experiments