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A Biomimetic FE Model of the Human Foot for Kinematic and Footwear Analysis
No full textThe idea of the present proposal is to develop a biomimetic foot model and validate the model accuracy in predicting plantar stresses on the foot, using insole pressure sensors. The incidences of foot pain can often be coupled with uncomfortable footwear and prolonged usage of a shoe may be associated with long-term musculoskeletal disorders in the lower limb. While multiple studies have tracked the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) or midfoot OA and have studied the effect of orthotic treatment on the foot pain across individuals [1], there are few biomimetic models of the foot that can study and associate the complex distribution of foot-stresses to the development or progression of such foot or foot-associated pathologies. Further, the model can be tested by simulating different combinations of shoe-wear geometries and therefore get an estimate of the development of stresses within the foot, and how it relates to foot pain
A Novel Microfluidic Device for Preclinical Testing of Chemotherapeutics
No full textThis work demonstrates the feasibility of a novel microfluidic tumor model that reproduces physiologically relevant nutrient gradients and endothelium–tumor interactions, validating its potential as a preclinical test platform. Finite element simulations of glutamine diffusion and fluid dynamics aligned with experimental tracer studies, and co-cultures supported directed endothelial migration toward tumor spheroids, confirming the device’s ability to mimic in vivo–like behavior.
Current preclinical models often fail to capture the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), limiting their predictive value for therapeutic testing. Nutrient availability and angiogenic signaling are critical drivers of tumor progression, yet they are poorly represented in traditional in vitro systems.
To address this gap, a microfluidic device incorporating a colorectal cancer tumor compartment with a central endothelial lined tube was designed. Computational models of transport were developed and compared to experimental measurements, and the device’s biological relevance was assessed with tumor–endothelial co-cultures. The findings highlight the device’s promise of bridging the gap between conventional in vitro assays and in vivo studies, ultimately advancing the development of more reliable platforms for therapeutic evaluation
Sparse Identification of Lagrangian for Nonlinear Dynamical Systems via Combinatorial Operation Network (CombOpNet)
No full textThis research project aims to extend the Combinatorial Operation Neural Network (CombOpNet) framework to discover Lagrangian of high-dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems from data. While recent advances in data-driven methods have shown promising results in recovering governing differential equations, most approaches focus on identifying the vectorized state-space representation rather than the underlying Lagrangian structure. The Lagrangian formulation provides deeper physical insights, such as conservation laws and symmetries, which are crucial for understanding complex phenomena in physics and engineering. By leveraging our recently developed CombOpNet architecture and modifying it to identify variational principles, this project will develop a novel data-driven framework capable of extracting interpretable Lagrangian formulations. This approach will be validated on several benchmark systems and then applied to more complex nonlinear lattice models that are prevalent in condensed matter physics and nonlinear optics
An Analysis of Neuroidal Memory Formation within D. melanogaster
No full textThe Neuroidal model poses a neurobiologically plausible theory for modeling the brain. This symbolic network has been shown to capture realistic memorization behaviors using the JOIN algorithm. The model has also been recently improved by incorporating Watts-Strogatz small-worlds within its base structure. From the efforts of neuroscience researchers, we have access to the Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) fruit fly’s connectome, which has been found to also contain small-worlds in this thesis. By synthesizing the Ocellar Ganglion (OCG) region of Drosophila, we compare a digitized version of a real-world brain with an instance of the Neuroidal model. In this thesis, we offer novel results that display the stability of JOIN within OCG, and a striking comparative evaluation between the Neuroidal model and OCG’s capacity for memories. This study further establishes the Neuroidal model as both an efficient and plausible neural network for general cognition
Creating Abolitionist Classroom Environments and Three Abolitionist Learning Activities
No full textIn this paper I describe some of the approaches I have developed over the past six years of abolitionist teaching in the classroom. I will focus on three activities for helping students grapple with abolitionist concepts, principles, and values experientially, with the goal of generating conversation about some of their most challenging aspects, and working through emotions around them. Specifically these exercises are: 1) Distinguishing between carceral and abolitionist reforms, 2) What do we do with “the dangerous people” and our feelings about them?, and 3) A mutual aid exercise in which I have students identify and choose together what they see as the most significant problem at their university, and develop a plan collectively for how to address it without involving the school administration, to help them understand how mutual aid works, and that they have tremendous power to address unmet needs. In addition to describing these exercises and providing their rationale, learning objectives, explanation, debriefing, and assessment, I also describe and discuss some of my experiences with them, as well as some guidance as to how I work to build community, trust, safe vulnerability, and an understanding of the dynamics of privilege and oppression in the classroom, and an interaction among everyone in the space that is guided by abolitionist principles. This context-building in the classroom is an essential part of creating the necessary kind of environment in which safe and vulnerable discussions generated by these exercises can take place, and in which abolitionist imagining can be ignited
Real Time Markerless 3D Hand Tracking for Intuitive Robotic Arm Control
No full textThis thesis presents a real-time, markerless motion-capture system for intuitive control of a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm. Using two synchronized RGB cameras and stereo-vision triangulation, the system reconstructs the three-dimensional position of a user’s hand without the need for physical markers or wearable sensors. The reconstructed 3D coordinates are mapped directly to the end-effector position of the Quanser QArm, a four-degree-of-freedom educational manipulator. Developed entirely in Python, the system integrates stereo camera calibration, 3D hand tracking with MediaPipe, coordinate transformation, and inverse kinematics into a unified real-time control pipeline operating at approximately 200 Hz. Calibration is performed through a checkerboard-based stereo method to obtain precise intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters. The user’s baseline hand position is first recorded and used to define a neutral reference point; subsequent movements are then interpreted as relative displacements within the robot’s workspace. Experimental evaluation includes idle-stability tests, controlled path tracking, high-speed motion trials, latency characterization, and gripper-actuation reliability. Performance was compared across two stereo-camera configurations: Logitech C270HD webcams operating at 720p and 30 fps, and OBSBot Tiny 2 cameras operating at 1080p and 60 fps. The system consistently maintained an idle percent error below five percent, achieved reliable gesture-based gripper activation in more than ninety-five percent of trials, and exhibited a step-response time constant of approximately 1.1 ± 0.1 s. These results confirm that low-cost stereo cameras, coupled with open-source software, can deliver responsive, stable, and intuitive robotic teleoperation suitable for education, research, and remote operation in hazardous environments
Making Lab Manuals for Optimizing Student Engagement and Learning
No full textThrough the Engineering Possibilities in College (EPIC) program, high school students explore various engineering majors offered at Cal Poly. Survey reports filled out by students reflect areas of growth for the program and the engineering labs that they participate in. We expanded on this feedback by creating an effective lab manual based on the student feedback, aiming to optimize student engagement and learning
Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances Fate Across California Wastewater Treatment Plants: A Meta-Analysis of Formation, Distribution, and Persistence
No full textPer- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants that move through municipal and industrial wastewater systems with limited attenuation. As a result, they are increasingly detected in drinking water supplies. Despite growing regulatory concern, a systems-level understanding of PFAS behavior across multiple treatment facilities and watershed settings remains incomplete. This study compiled influent, effluent, and biosolids datasets from more than one hundred California wastewater treatment plants to evaluate PFAS occurrence, transformation, and partitioning across diverse treatment configurations. Analytical steps included calculating removal efficiencies, assessing precursor-to-product oxidation, evaluating co-contaminant correlations, and grouping facilities by process design to quantify configuration-specific fate patterns. Results show that apparent “removal” is dominated by solids-associated partitioning and specific biotransformation pathways: long-chain PFAS preferentially sorb to biosolids, while short-chain acids persist in effluent due to higher solubility, weak hydrophobic interactions, and low affinity for organic matter. Negative removal efficiencies provide evidence of in-plant oxidation of fluorotelomer and sulfonamido precursors to terminal perfluoroalkyl acids. Statistically significant correlations with divalent cations and TSS support ionic and solids-mediated controls on PFAS attenuation rather than biological degradation. Advanced treatment processes such as GAC, IX, and RO achieve high long-chain PFAS removal but concentrate PFAS into waste residuals requiring destruction. Collectively, these findings show that wastewater treatment plants function as reactive conduits that redistribute PFAS rather than eliminate them, underscoring the need for integrated treatment processes, waste residuals management, and precursor-focused monitoring to safeguard drinking water resources
Early Mechanical Coordination for Gateway Decathlon
Get PDFThis senior project focuses on finding an efficient mechanical system for the Gateway Decathlon prefabricated house unit. As a collective group, students working on the project decided to focus on using mass timber for the construction of the housing unit. Over the past year, the layout and design of the housing unit has been in the planning stage. Once drawings were made, the next step was to focus on the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system. Research and professional help allowed for a team of students to come together and design these systems. Choosing the equipment for the mechanical system was based on how efficient and sustainable the equipment was, and how it would be installed into a prefabricated housing unit. For the main HVAC system, it was decided that the best fit option was to use a 3-way, multi-zone system. The system includes three ductless air handlers and a condenser unit that will provide air-conditioning throughout the housing unit
