Vein Attachment
Team Members: Eric Hofferber (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Tasneem Bouzid (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Tuan Nguyen (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Erica Carder (BSEN, Albion, NE), Matt Benson (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client:-
YearSpring 2015
The time between removing the donor liver from ice to completing the surgical anastomosis of blood vessels in the recipient is too long. Our goal is to design a biocompatible system to reduce the time of each vein anastomosis to less than 10 minutes during a liver transplant while withstanding physiological conditions.TOP
Noise Abatement
Team Members: John Bader (BSEN, Gresham, NE), Sara Hutcheson (BSEN, West Allis, WI), Brenden Lopp (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Elizabeth Phillips (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Jeff Woldstad
Client: Schneider Electric
YearSpring 2015
Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy solutions for efficiency, power control, and renewable energy with operations in more than 100 countries. Their plant in Lincoln specializes in the manufacturing of circuit breakers. Manufacturing of these devices involves many metal parts and processes that produce excessive amounts of noise. A major source of this noise is the process of using the “hoppers,” which pick up and shake bins of metal parts onto a line to be plated. According to OSHA standards, there is a maximum amount of noise that workers can be exposed to on a daily basis. Our objective was to analyze and reduce the noise created by the “hoppers” and experienced by Schneider Electric employees. Implementation of our design will result in a safer work environment. TOP
Ebola Challenge
Team Members: Nick Vandenberg (BSEN, Tomahawk, WI), Ye Hui Zhang (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Rudolph Lackner (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Ethan Monhollon (BSEN, Lincoln, NE),
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Mark Riley
Client:-
YearSpring 2015
Our project is outlined in a Broad Agency Announcement from the United States Agency for International Development. Our group is to engineer improvements in current personal protective equipment protocol and/or design so as to maintain the utmost standard of safety while augmenting the comfort levels of and duration of time a singular protective suit can be worn by an Ebola care worker.TOP
McKenzie’s Mobility Team
Team Members: Kelli Rice (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Ted Kocher (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Emily Harrison (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Jared Beyersdorf (BSEN, Bellevue, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jennifer Keshwani
Client:McKenzie
YearSpring 2015
Our client, McKenzie, has athetoid cerebral palsy. Because her condition is severe, she must use a wheelchair. When she is at home, she sits in a tomato chair, which provides her with more comfort. Unfortunately, she has outgrown the base that goes along with the chair and needs a new chair base to allow her to move about the house on her own. Also, while using the tomato chair and base, McKenzie uses a tray to assist her in holding her Kindle, phone, etc. This is outdated, so she would like a new tray as well. Therefore, our goal is to design and fabricate a new chair base and tray table to give McKenzie more independence.TOP
Respiratory Rate
Team Members: Nicole Schuster (BSEN, Gibbon, NE), Thomas Bainter (BSEN, Seward, NE), William Denton (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Christopher Black (BSEN, Bolton, MA), Emily Olig (BSEN, Fargo, ND)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Carl Nelson
Client:Dr. Jenna Yentes
YearSpring 2014
The initial purpose of this project was to create a wearable device that could monitor the respiratory patterns of COPD patients and provide data to physicians for analysis. Currently, the most common device used to gather information about breathing rate is the spirometer. This device is not made for long term use, and would make daily tasks difficult if worn in normal situations. After preliminary research, it was determined that an appropriate sensor needed to be designed before a full device could be created. The design and testing of sensor alternatives therefore became the project focus. The final sensor design had to comply with a number of constraints and objectives. The constraints included both technical and nontechnical features. Key technical constraints included the ability to measure breathing rate and store data on the device. The data also had to be accessible at a later time. In addition, the device had to have its own portable power supply. The actual sensors needed to be noninvasive and safe to wear on bare skin. Nontechnical constraints focused on ease of use. The device sensors must be able to be easily removed and cleaned, and the design should make it simple for a patient to use the device daily. A cost constraint of $500 was selected in order to make the sensors and device accessible to the general public. Along with constraints, there were both technical design objectives. The technical goals were to create a device that had a simple design that was structurally sound and compatible with Arduino hardware and software. Simple data coding was desired to allow for changes if necessary. The ideal data collection would include the ability to remove the data from the device, such as on a flash drive or SD card. Accurate and easily distinguishable readings when compared with the spirometer were also an important objective. In the nontechnical area, the design should be the most comfortable option. It should be able to be worn for extended periods of time without causing distress to the patient. TOP
Hair Follicle Identification and Transfer Apparatus
Team Members: Nathan Mannebach (BSEN, Garden Plain, KS), Blakely Marsh (BSEN, Torrington, WY), Natalie Lenners (BSEN, Filley, NE), Mitchell Kuss (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Bryan Lee (BSEN, Penang, Malaysia)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client:Geneseek
YearSpring 2014
Our client, Geneseek collects hair follicles by punching from a hair sample card for DNA analysis. At this time, Geneseek employs a manual process which is both time intensive and makes a monotonous job for the employee completing this task. In addition, this introduces a risk of repeated stress injury for the technician. Based on these listed difficulties associated with the current process, Geneseek would like to see an increase in throughput/speed, walk away time, and decrease the potential repeated stress in juries. The primary goal of this project is the design of an apparatus that will create a more efficient process for Geneseek with an optimal time reduction and reduced repeated stress injury. This apparatus will need to identify, punch, and transfer hair follicles to a 96-well plate with a low error rate in order to be an appropriate substitute for the current process. TOP
Portable ECG
Team Members: David Szalewski (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Alexander Eggert (BSEN, Plattsmouth, NE), Quinton Reckmeyer (BSEN, Trophy Club, TX), Christopher Popp (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Aubrey Mueller (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Huihui Xu
Client:-
YearSpring 2014
This project aims to implement an affordable and easy-to-read device for capturing electrocardiogram (ECG) for educational purposes. ECG is defined as a transthoracic (across the thorax or chest) interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time, as detected be electrodes attached to the surface of the skin and recorded by a device external to the body. For the purpose of this project, a lead-I ECG prototype is expected to be implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB), which clearly demonstrates the importance of using an ECG to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats, for biomedical engineering sophomores or juniors. The student team is expected to build and test and ECG circuit, design a PCB for their circuit, then implement on the PCB. The Instrumentation lab can provide necessary resources for testing the device. TOP
Tracking Motion Using Real-Time Detectors
Team Members: Adam Koch (BSEN, Cedar Rapids, IA), Trevor Geary (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Marissa McCormick (BSEN, Choteau, MT), Erik Moore (BSEN, Eagle River, AK), Mitchell White (BSEN, Broken Bow, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Huihui Xu
Client:-
YearSpring 2014
The goal of our project was to develop a monitoring system for tracking the activity of laboratory rat’s conditioned behavior while under the influence of different pharmaceuticals. Using MATLAB we have developed a system in which a real-time video file is analyzed to determine the position, velocity, and total distance traveled by a rat in a given test session. We customized the design in order to meet our client’s desired outcome by using an Infrared camera which works well in the dim lighting of the experimental conditions. A heat map and other graphical representations are also included in our designed analysis technique. Along with the computerized analysis of locomotion we designed a mount for the camera in order to take a top view of the conditioning chamber. The design of the mounting apprentice was done so as not to interfere with the experimental procedure. TOP
Intravascular Cutting Mechanism
Team Members: Liz Dudley (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Nick Philips (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Amy Mantz (BSEN and French, Elkhorn, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Ben Terry
Client:Dr. Jason MacTaggart, UNMC
YearSpring 2013
An arterial dissection occurs when an abnormal tear develops on the interior wall of an artery. When this tear happens a tissue flap is created that can block the artery or cause other complications. These complications can lead to stroke, thrombosis and ultimately death. Current methods to solve this problem involve open surgeries that can last over the course of several days. This leaves the patient susceptible to infections and further complications. Our objective for this project is to create an intravascular device prototype that will remove the flap and restore normal blood flow. This prototype will prove feasibility of use as a non-invasive method and can be scaled down to a useable size in the body.TOP
MRI Compatible Chamber for Tissue Engineering Constructs
Team Members: Eric Farris (BSEN, Mitchell, SD), Olivia Lambdin (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Gill Wright (BSEN and Biochemistry, Overland Park, KS)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client:Dr. Karin Wartella, UNL
YearSpring 2013
The TREM Lab in the Biological Systems Engineering department is currently seeking a new design for the tissue construct chamber in its bioreactor/MRI system. We are working with our project client and faculty consultant, Dr. Karin Wartella and Dr. HuiHui Xu, in creating an improved chamber that is both interchangeable with its current system and capable of properly securing multiple tissue samples, maintaining their orientation throughout the evaluation period of their growth phase.TOP
Radiation Sheath
Team Members: Jackson Miller (BSEN, Prior Lake, MN), Lauren Wondra (BSEN and Animal Science, Bellevue, NE), Samantha Triba (BSEN, Bennington, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Curt Weller
Client:Dr. Greg Gordon, UNMC
YearSpring 2013
Due to continual radiation exposure to the hands of our client and interventional radiologist, we are constructing a sheath extender and connector that will increase the distance between the doctor and the epicenter of radiation during a fistula gram. This extender will allow flexibility yet keep the integrity of the procedure.TOP
Portable Patient Lift
Team Members: Cat Tuong Nguyen (BSEN, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam), Alexandre Daly (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Jeremiah Meints (BSEN, Cortland, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Richard Stowell
Client:Dr. Greg Gordon, UNMC
YearSpring 2013
Currently, healthcare workers at the Omaha Veteran’s Affairs hospital are required to assist patients with transportation from the wheelchair to the imaging tables/beds and back, as well as aiding in supine to sit. Due to the strenuous physical requirements of this task, an increasing number of workers are injuring themselves. Existing lift devices are limited in patient positioning options, controlled movements, and assisting in patient support during diagnostic imaging studies. We plan on designing a device that addresses these weaknesses as it aids in the transportation of the patients, while protecting both the patients and the workers.TOP
Bodily Movement with Kinect
Team Members: Sheridan Nusz (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Alex Sellers (BSEN, Volga, SD), Alex Pieper (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Curt Weller
Client:Dr. Jeff Woldstad
YearSpring 2013
We are using the Microsoft Kinect to track body movement. This will then be compared to the expensive 8-camera system that is used in our client’s lab to see if the Kinect could possibly be used as an alternative.TOP
Development of a Feed Distribution System for use in a Mouse Home Cage Monitoring System
Team Members: Justin Rosenbohm (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Brooke Micek (BSEN, Duncan, NE ), Joseph Tran (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Keith Ozanne (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Richard Stowell
Client:Dr. Stephen Bonasera , UNMC
YearSpring 2013
Our client, Dr. Stephen Bonasera with UNMC, utilizes mice models to perform studies in the area of geriatrics. To monitor laboratory mice behavior, Dr. Bonasera and colleagues have developed a mouse home cage monitoring system which is able to track mouse location and water consumption. The current system is not capable of tracking food consumption or regulating periods of food availability, both of which are variables of interest to behavioral researchers. Our goal was to create a device capable of tracking food consumption in real time and regulating food availability while requiring minimal supervision and maintenance by lab technicians. We developed a load cell based detection system to monitor changes in food weight, which serves the dual purpose of tracking food consumption and prompting the system to distribute more food when the threshold for the minimum amount of available food is met. Alternatively, the system can be set to dispense a fixed amount of food at set times during the day or night, a great benefit to researchers performing studies which require overnight feedings. Food is distributed from a hopper via a stepper motor powered segmented wheel. A secondary motor was utilized to stir food within the hopper to ensure proper flow through the system. A photo gate was incorporated between the cage and the food supply, such that the photobeam breaks during feeding, providing additional means of identifying periods of food consumption. All code was written with NI LabVIEW.TOP
Eye-Tracking in Laparo-Endoscopic Single Site Surgical Training
Team Members: Patrick Brown (BSEN, Kansas City, MO), Jacob Campbell (BSEN, Bertrand, NE), Joe Dougherty (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Richard Stowell
Client:Bethany Lowndes and Dr. Mike Dodd, UNL
YearSpring 2013
Laparo Endoscopic Single Site (LESS) surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgery that uses a single entry point. Research aims to improve the safety, effectiveness, efficiency and outcomes of LESS and to systematically evaluate the physical and cognitive differences between conventional laparoscopic surgery and LESS. In this research, electronic eye-trackers collect video data of the surgeon’s pupil and field of view. The current system uses a 2D, stationary system. Improvements in technology have led to new 3D, portable eye-trackers. These new eye-trackers allow data to be collected during specific surgical training techniques. The goal of this project is to improve the old 2D eye tracking calibration system to accurately track gaze in 3D space in order to assist with the evaluation of laparo-endoscopic surgical techniques.TOP
Smoke Evacuation for Laparoscopic Surgery
Team Members: Tara Asgarpoor (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Dan Reiff (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Brad Hugenroth (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. George Meyer
Client:Mike Feloney
YearSpring 2013
Our objective is to improve visibility in the peritoneal cavity during laparoscopic surgery. We are designing a device to achieve this goal.TOP
Pressure Sensing Wound Dressing
Team Members: Jared Ostediek (BSEN, Columbus, NE), Katelyn Stanely (BSEN, Melbourne, CA), Monica Krause (AGEN, Hardy, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jennifer Keshwani
Client:Dr. David Mercer, UNMC
YearSpring 2013
When patients experience severe trauma to their body, they are commonly flushed with massive amounts of fluids. These fluids consist of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, painkillers, and intravenous fluids or possibly blood. When the body is bombarded with this intense fluid resuscitation there can be trapped fluid within differing compartments of the body. This phenomenon is referred to as abdominal compartment syndrome which is defined as an internal pressure of greater than 20 mmHg. Repercussions of increased pressure can include intense internal damage to organs and tissue. To alleviate the body of this pressure a common practice among surgeons is to perform open abdomen treatment on a patient. Open abdomen treatment is the intentional creation of a large incision lengthwise along the patient’s abdomen. Once these incisions are made the internal organs and substances have a high probability of being forced from within the body due to the high pressure. For sanitary and safety reasons the surgeons then cover these wounds with a variety of dressings that are currently available. However, these procedures experience some substantial shortcomings in the area of pressure monitoring of the patient throughout their stay in the hospital. Since the normal intra-abdominal pressure of an adult ranges from 10-15 mmHg anything that is considerably higher than that can cause irreparable damage to the patient. There is then a need for a device to provide a real time accurate data of the pressure found within the torso of a patient after they have received open abdomen treatment.TOP
Smoke Evacuation During Surgery
Team Members: Derek Shafer (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD), Catheryn Amenta (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Michaela Fischer (BSEN, York, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client:Dr. Mike Feloney, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Division of Urologic Surgery
YearSpring 2012
During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon’s view of the abdominal cavity is impaired due to smoke that is produced by cauterization of various tissues. The objective was to design a device that removes the smoke from the peritoneal cavity in a timely manner in order to restore visibility of the operating area. The design works as both a passive and active system by using a LabVIEW program to control wall suction during times of cautery and includes a passive filtering device for smoke removal when the suction is off. TOP
Radiation Shield for Hepatic Artery to Improve Liver Transplant
Team Members: Jonathan Zegers (BSEN, Gretna, NE), Haley Hatter (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Alek Erickson (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Huihui Xu
Client:Dr. David Mercer, MD, PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Transplant Program
YearSpring 2012
The objective of this project was to design a device or material that reduces the damage to the hepatic artery caused by radiation therapy for liver cancer patients. Reducing this damage will ensure the viability of the hepatic artery and enable transplantation to have fewer complications. The final design incorporates a radioprotectant therapy that can be administered to the patient via IV infusion.TOP
Automatic Detection of Brains Afflicted with Alzheimer’s
Team Members: Seely Kaufmann (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Tony Fleck (BSEN, Mandan, ND), Sihan Sun (BSEN, Jinan, China)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jeyam Subbiah
Client:Dr. Matthias I. Okoye, MD, JD, Nebraska Institute of Forensic Sciences, Inc.
YearSpring 2012
Final confirmation of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis requires a timely guess-and-check method. Automation the procedure will take the guesswork out of the procedure. Focusing on the change in protein formations and the ratio of gray to white matter, the objective of this project was to design an imaging system to detect tissue afflicted with Alzheimer’s. The final design includes a Near Infrared Hyperspectral imaging system, which can detect tissue differences on a large scale with a simple scanning procedure. Data from the NIR hyperspectral system will help form a statistical test with a threshold level. Any sample above the threshold level will be diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, increasing efficiency in the final confirmation of Alzheimer’s disease deaths.TOP
3D Model of Foot Using Minimal Photo Points for Orthotic Production
Team Members: Liz Hungerford (BSEN, Manhattan, KS), Beth Cowles (BSEN, Fargo, ND ), Tyler Borcyk (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Shadi Othman
Client:Dr. Jennifer Keshwani, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Department of Oral Biology
YearSpring 2012
An automated mixer was developed for a new bone cement being synthesized by researchers at UMKC. This device is to be used for mixing small batches of the new cement and is to be used instead of manual mixing. Features of the mixer include the option to mix under vacuum, variable speed control, and the ability to use custom amounts and ratios of the bone cement components.TOP
Novel Bone Cement Mixing Device
Team Members: Ghassan Softa (BSEN, Saudi Arabia), Katie Shanahan (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Steve Walker (BSEN, Chesterfield, MO)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jeffrey Woldstad
Client:Dr. Paul Coffin, DPM
YearSpring 2012
Because of the increase in prices that patients are paying for orthotics, the client wants to expand his business to the coastal area. The main objective for this project is to develop a process to use an imaging device to capture a 3D image of the patient’s foot and convert the image to a 3D wire frame, which would allow for orthotic production without the client having to travel to the patient site. With the device, the 3D image can be sent to the client’s office and the orthotic can be prepared from the given image.TOP
Air Leak Detection of the Pleural Space
Team Members: Max Twedt (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Abby Kelly (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Suzanne Higgins (BSEN, Grand Island, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jeyam Subbiah and Kim Cluff
Client:Dr. Jason Foster, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dept. of Surgery
YearSpring 2012
When there is an injury to the thoracic cavity, liquid and gas leak intro the pleural space, which can cause a collapsed lung. The current device used to drain the pleural space does not objectively measure the air leak. The objective was to design an inexpensive portable and marketable device capable of objectively measuring gas within the pleural space, while maintaining use of the current chest drainage system. The final design consists of a carbon dioxide and helium sensor and is connected to the current drainage system by a custom designed connector.TOP
A Novel Device for Remote Placement Guide for Internal Fracture Stabilization
Team Members: Ted Kocher (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Allison Mettler (BSEN, Cedar Rapids, IA), Cady Sargus (BSEN, North Canton, OH), Johnathan McCoy (AGEN, Scottsbluff)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Shadi Othman
Client:Dr. Jennifer Keshwani, UMKC School of Dentistry
YearSpring 2011
Open fracture stabilization is an important concern with traumatic limb injury. Research efforst involving a novel material have shown promise which surpasses the performance of current stabilization methods and materials for open fracture stabilization. Testing of this novel material using mouse femur models has given rise to the need for a placement guide for the uniform application of the material around a fracture site. Uniformity of the material at the fracture site is necessary to ensure repeatability, reproducibility and equal distribution of mechanical strength. The objective of this project is to design and test a removable placement guide that will contain the novel material and allow for the formation of a uniform, polymerized layer of the material around a fractured mouse femur.TOP
A Novel Device for Remote Differentiation of Tissue Types
Team Members: Liz Thrailkill (BSEN, Seward, NE), Stephanie Berger (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD), Ian Bargar (BSEN Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Shadi Othman
Client:Dr. Greg Bashford
YearSpring 2011
Differentiation between tissues can be useful in certain applications where they cannot be identified by sight or touch, such as automated food product quality control, tissue research application, or minimally invasive surgery. Without the possibility of sensory differentiation, different tissues must be identified according to characteristic properties. We hypothesize that vibrations will propagate through tissues differently according to their characteristic mechanical properties. A system of two piezoelectric actuators was employed, one sending a pulsing signal through the tissue and one receiving the propagated vibration of the tissue a short distance away, and the amplitude and frequency spectra of the received signals were analyzed and compared. We found statistically significant differences in the amplitudes and low frequency to high frequency ratios of the signals received from materials with varying stiffnesses; therefore, this device is suitable for remote differentiation of various tissues.TOP
A Novel Device for Remote Automated Tissue Location and Acquisition System (ATLAS)
Team Members: Dan Owen (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Trent Carlson (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Tyler Scherr (BSEN, Aberdeen, SD)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jeyam Subbiah
Client:Dr. George Casale, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Lied Transplant Center
YearSpring 2011
The goal of this project was to design an automated process for locating and acquiring images of muscle tissue biopsy samples mounted on microscope slides. The samples are used to better characterize and stage peripheral arterial disease. Utilizing ImagePro Plus software, an automated system was developed to locate and acquire hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue samples at 10X magnification with brightfield microscopy across eight slides. The implementation of this system will save the client both time and hard drive storage space.TOP
Maintaining a Sterile Environment in the Operating Room
Team Members: Brian Taylor (BSEN, Firth), Steve Nogel (BSEN, Omaha), Anne Bradford (BSEN, Lincoln)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Jennifer Wagner, Veterans’ Administration
Client:Dr. Jason M. Johanning, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Surgery
YearSpring 2011
Surgeons are unable to interact with surgical screens directly due to risk of compromising the sterile field. To circumvent this problem, work was done to develop a single device that a surgeon uses to interact with non-sterile surgical screens and sterile patients. The device is used as a marker and a stylus while maintaining sterility of the device as well as the operating room. TOP
Monitoring Respiration Rate of Stringed Instrument Musicians
Team Members: Mechael Crowe (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Jordan Dau (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Umeda Mirzokarimova (BSEN, Toronto, Canada)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Clark Potter, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Music
YearSpring 2011
The design objective is to develop a system that will record physiological response of respiration and heart rate in real time for string instrument musicians. This system is nonintrusive and does not interfere with the musician’s performance. A hot-wire anemometer and ear lobe pulse oximeter were used in a head apparatus which displays the information in a LabVIEW program. TOP
Refining a Neck Model for Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Biopsy
Team Members: Luke Lingenfelter (BSEN, Plainview, NE), Jessica Mills (BSEN, Houston, TX), James Dalton (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Russell Smith, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Surgery
YearSpring 2011
Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (UGFNB) is a procedure by which a physician directs a needle to the tissue of interest using a real-time ultrasound image. This procedure requires high technical ability and practicing physicians should have access to useful training models. Out project is to design and produce an affordable model that accurately mimics a human neck in an ultrasound image to train physicians for UGFNB. This training will aid the efforts of physicians for early detection of thyroid and lymph node cancers. TOP
Needle Biopsy
Team Members: Dana Tabor (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Heidi Gengenbach (BSEN, Blair, NE), Ross Wollenburg (Ag Econ)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Russell Smith, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2010
Physicians use ultrasound-guided, fine-needle biopsy to diagnose over 30,000 cases of lymph node and thyroid cancer annually. A need exists for a responsive training tool that accurately simulates the human neck on an ultrasound machine. For this project, material selection, with properties for attenuation, impedance, and scatter, was the most important criteria. The final model employed alginate, a hydrogel made of over 99% water, which closely mimics human tissue. When different concentrations of alginate are cross linked with a calcium solution, hydrogels of varying stiffness are produced. This allowed alginate to be used for both the internal structures (lymph nodes, thyroid, and blood vessels) and the filler material, and improved the ultrasound image. Graphite powder added to the raw alginate gave the material a brighter appearance on the ultrasound. Through image analysis using MatlabTM, the images obtained a similar brightness ratio to images of real necks. Attenuation and impedance from the model was compared to native tissue and were found to be very similar. TOP
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgical Heart Retractor
Team Members: Brad Balogh (BSEN, Monroe, MI), Bethany Lowndes (BSEN, Gretna, NE), Aaron West (BSEN, Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Susan Hallbeck and Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Edward Raines, Bryan LGH, Lincoln, NE
YearSpring 2010
Heart Surgery has been transformed from the conventional sternum-splitting method to a minimally invasive process. This practice is very appealing to patients and surgeons, due to decreased recovery time and scarring. Surgical technology has not kept pace with these contemporary techniques. Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery (MIMVS) uses a simple, but outdated instrument that manipulates heart tissue in one range of motion. A novel device was developed that allows the surgeon to have a greater range of motion while maintaining stability and an uncompromised viewing space. This device was designed to fit adult MIMVS patients and to be reusable via autoclave sterilization. TOP
Pilot Scale Purification of Plasmid DNA for Vaccines
Team Members: Simeng Zhang (BSEN, Sidney, NE), Daniel Menter (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier and Dr. Curt Weller
Client: Mr. Aaron Carnes, Nature Technology Corporation
YearSpring 2010
Plasmid DNA (pDNA) is a potential alternative for vaccine media, as opposed to using dead or weakened viruses, in order to remove any risk of the virus harming the individual. Plasmids have been shown to induce immunity in animals with no adverse responses. As a result there has been a push to begin human clinical trials of DNA plasmid vaccines. A method for manufacturing large quantities of high-quality plasmid needs to be developed. Nature Technology Corporation (NTC) has developed fermentation and autolytic extraction processes that produce high-quality DNA at a bench top scale (10 L fermentation). The project goal was to scale up their plasmid DNA harvest and purification process to pilot plant scale (100 L fermentation) and increase the quality of plasmid to meet Food and Drug Administration standards. The design uses tangential flow filtration to harvest the fermentation broth and extract the plasmid. Following harvest and lysis, the plasmid is purified by anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Finally, plasmid is suspended in a phosphate buffered saline solution using another tangential flow filtration to remove the elution buffer from chromatography. TOP
Pediatric Breathing Circuit Improvement
Team Members: Brad Staskiewicz (BSEN, Springfield, NE), Brenden Boyle (BSEN, Plattsmouth, NE), Nick Behm (BSEN, Hamiliton, MT)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford and Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. David Miller, Product Development Engineer, King Systems
YearSpring 2010
The challenge for this team was to improve an audible airflow by-product in the Universal Pediatric F2 Breathing Circuit, an anesthesia device produced by King Systems, by identifying the source producing the high-pitched by-product and to develop a practical solution to eliminate, or reduce, the noise in the breathing circuit. A protocol for the measurement of sound output was developed for this purpose. Generated data suggested that tubing with a smooth interior surface could greatly reduce sound output, and that the implementation of a coiled configuration into the physical setup of the tubing could help filter the high-frequency waveforms. The final design used comparative analysis of the existing King Systems circuit to purchased samples of corrugated tubing of varying lengths, diameters, patterns, and physical configurations. Based on these findings, we recommended that King Systems manufacture a polyethylene inspiratory tube with exterior corrugation and a smooth interior surface, and that King Systems incorporate a coiled configuration into the practical use of the product in hospital settings. TOP
MEG Compatible Bicycle
Team Members: Andrea Gilkey (BSEN, Overland Park, KS), Santiago Arciniegas (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Cassandra Wehling (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Max Kurz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Motion Analysis Laboratory, Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2010
Learning to walk is a major challenge for many cerebral palsy patients. Providing effective therapy, which results in improvements in motor-controlled brain activity, is vital to the treatment of the disease. Current methods for measuring brain activity, such as the use of magnetoencephalography (MEG), lack the ability to measure neural activity while walking due to geometric constraints of the chair and gantry. A stationary MEG compatible bicycle was proposed to provide an analog to walking. The apparatus is unique in that the patient’s upper body can be relatively stationary while their legs move. A wooden frame to support the chair, a wooden wheel base, and wheel attached to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) axle and pedal assembly enable lower body movement through pedaling. Researchers will be able to observe the brain activity produced by pedaling, and determine if the therapy is resulting in the desired progress. TOP
Method for Quantifying Stiffness of Lingual Muscles
Team Members: Chance Thayer (BSEN, Imperial, NE), Nguyen Thao Nguyen (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Peter Nelson (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Shadi Othman
Client: Jordan R. Green, Ph.D., Corwin Moore Chair in Communication Disorders, Barkley Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
YearSpring 2010
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), most commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” is the most common motor neuron disorder in the world. A side effect of ALS is different degrees of stiffness in the lingual muscles of the patient. Determining the stiffness of the muscle is critical to diagnose ALS, but has not been quantitatively determined. This design presents an innovative method to determine the stiffness (shear modulus) of the tongue for more accurate diagnosis of ALS. Stiffness is intrinsically found as a ratio of the input frequency and the resonant frequency. From this design, the resonant frequency data of different representations of the tongue is obtained and interpreted. TOP
Radiation Shielding for the Hepatic Artery
Team Members: Kathlyn Do (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Yueying Zhong (BSEN, Shijiazhuang, China)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client: David F. Mercer, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Intestinal Rehabilitation Program, Assistant Professor of Surgery Liver/Small Bowel Transplant Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2009
Klatskin tumors, described by Dr. Klatskin in 1965, are types of cholangiocarcinoma located at the bifurcation of the common bile duct. When the tumor involves both sides of the liver and/or bile duct, surgery is usually not possible. The current treatment requires radiation therapy to reduce the size of the tumor, followed by a liver transplant. Radiation damages the hepatic artery, which increases the likelihood of a surgical splice of the hepatic artery that does not heal properly, leading to internal bleeding and death. The design an implantable shielding device to effectively attenuate the radiation delivered to the hepatic artery during external beam radiation treatment. The proposed implantable radiation device can be implanted in the body for up to six months and reduce 25% of the X-ray radiation exposure. The device, made of two half hollow cylinders, can easily be positioned and fixed around the hepatic artery. In addition, it can be fabricated from one of the three suitable metals for implants: rhenium, platinum, or tantalum. Tantalum was recommended as the optimum choice since it is the most biocompatible and has excellent corrosion resistance. TOP
A New Design for Intubation: Modify the Laryngeal Tube to Accommodate an Endotracheal Tube and/or Video Stylet
Team Members: Hanieh Kamelian (BSEN, Mashhad, Iran), Thuy Nguyen (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Amanda Loeck (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Carl Nelson
Client: Dr. David Miller, Karl Storz Endoscopy – America, Culver City, CA
YearSpring 2009
Intubation devices, such as the Endotracheal Tube (ETT), Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA), and the Laryngeal Tube (LT), are used to protect the patient’s airway and provide a means of mechanical ventilation. Currently, the LT cannot be used in long surgical procedures and the ETT does not block the esophagus. The project objective was to modify the existing LT to accommodate an ETT and/or/ video stylet. The new LT design is larger in diameter to allow the ETT to be inserted and removed as needed. It is also compatible with current existing video technology. This LT design simultaneously provides esophageal blockage and tracheal intubation. TOP
Device Design for Monitoring Breathing During Stringed Instrument Use
Team Members: Lisa Karel (BSEN, Firth, NE), Mary Regier (BSEN, Julesburg, CO), Brian Watt (BSEN, Holdrege, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Clark Potter, UNL School of Music faculty, Lincoln, NE
YearSpring 2009
In an attempt to enhance string musicians performance, this team developed a device for the purpose of measuring breathing during playing. The device functions under the principles of hot-wire anemometry. After reviewing existing technology and identifying the shortcomings, they formulated a novel design that met the functional requirements. The design employs a thermal-convection flow meter, which consists of a temperature sensitive tungsten filament and corresponding circuitry. The analog signal from the sensor is converted to a digital signal via a data acquisition card and is manipulated, displayed, and stored on a computer using a G program. TOP
Power Mobility with Supportive Seating for Developmentally Disabled Toddlers
Team Members: Michaela McBride (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Stephanie Canny (BSEN, Salt Lake City, UT), Abby McTaggart (BSEN, Dubuque, IA)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Carl Nelson
Client: Ann Kruger, Physical Therapist, and Max Kurz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Motion Analysis Lab, University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2009
Children with developmental disabilities often have a lack of muscle tone and postural control, and power mobility allows these children to discover their environment independently. Controlling a power wheelchair is a learned skill and health insurance companies will not pay for a power wheelchair unless the ability to use the wheelchair is demonstrated. The client currently uses a powered cart from Enabling Devices, a company that creates assistive technologies for the disabled, to teach children the concepts of power mobility. The purpose of the project was to solve several problems with this cart. A Solid Works model of the ideal cart design incorporated functional requirements and included reduced cost, ease of transport, lower weight, and improved access to the control panel. The modifications to the current cart included a supportive car seat, (attached to be stable, yet easy to remove), moving the seat position back to maintain stability while providing easier access to the power panel, and adding a stable, removable tray. TOP
A Flow Chamber for Imaging and Analyzing Hepatocytes in Real Time
Team Members: Mike Bierle (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Donna Lounsbury (BSEN, Eudora, KS), Violetta Balayan (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD), and Harrison Hoffman (BSEN, Colton, SD)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client: Dr. David F. Mercer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2009
Research on Hepatitis C has long been hindered by the lack of appropriate biological models in which to grow and culture infected hepatocytes. The team developed a parallel plate flow chamber and accompanying circuit to create an environment which more closely mimics physiological conditions. The circuit was designed around the use of a peristaltic pump and a custom-built parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC). The flow chamber circuit induced a laminar flow of media across a microscope slide seeded with hepatocytes, while allowing real-time monitoring of the cell’s condition through the use of light and fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the flow, the media, and the temperature of the environment, the flow circuit and chamber will help culture and sustain liver cells for the continuation of our client’s research. TOP
Development of an Ultrasound Neck Phantom for Medical Training
Team Members: Joseph Bremer (BSEN, Auburn, NE), Ishwari Poudel (BSEN, Baltimore, MD), Prakash Chapain (BSEN, Baltimore, MD), Joseph Rose (BSEN, Big Springs, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Russell Smith, M.D., Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2008
With the projection of 300,000 expected cases of thyroid and lymph node cancer in 2008 comes a need for skilled surgeons who can detect and treat the cancer. One method for early detection is ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy. Today’s surgeons need to hone their skills on a training platform before performing biopsies on patients. This design created a reusable ultrasound phantom of the neck with inexpensive materials and contains realistic anatomy structures with biopsy sites for fine needle biopsy training. TOP
Hydrogel Patch with Physical Guidance for Cardiomyocyte Growth
Team Members: Andrea Tuma (BSEN, Waukomis, OK), Dipika Singh (BSEN, Lucknow, India), Erica Levorson ( Shawnee, KS)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Angela Pannier
Client: Dr. Tatiana Segura, UCLA
YearSpring 2008
Nearly 80 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease in 2004, resulting in over 800,000 deaths. One of the results of myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, is areas of the heart become ischemic as a result in a lack of blood flow in the heart tissue. One idea to treat ischemia is to impose a flexible, biodegradable patch on the affected area in order to guide new blood vessel formation across the cardiac tissue. This team designed a hydrogel patch with physical guidance for cardiac tissue regeneration. Hydrogel is a material made of an insoluble network of polymer chains that is 98% water. The goal for the team was to establish stable channels in the hydrogel to support the growth of new vessels. TOP
Regaining Surface ECG Signal During Defibrillation Testing
Team Members: Rob Corn (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Megan Krause (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Issar Yazhbin (BSEN, Yaven, Israel)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Andy Merliss, Bryan LGH East
YearSpring 2008
When implanting an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator), the physician tests the ICD operation by inducting cardiac arrest. The ICD then delivers an electrical shock, which overloads the ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring system, so that monitoring is unavailable for 1 – 3 seconds. During this short time, the physician remains unaware of whether the test was successful and if the patient has recovered normal cardiac rhythm. While typical ECG signal is on the order of 1mV, the system is equipped to handle up to 110mV. A defibrillation signal that originates in the ICD will be on the order of 100V on the skin surface. The goal of this project was to provide a solution that would reduce the time delay between the defibrillation shock and the physician’s ability to monitor the patient’s status. The team introduced a simple design of a serial electrical circuit, placed between the patient and the ECG monitoring system, which would protect it from overload, while not interacting with the process of defibrillation. TOP
Samani Suture Passer II
Team Members: Wei Chin (BSEN, Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia), Chi Min Seow (BSEN, Penang, Malyasia), Cze Song Yeo (BSEN, Johor Bahru, Malaysia)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford and Dr. Carl Nelson
Client: Dr. David Samani, M.D., Bryan LGH West, Lincoln, NE
YearSpring 2008
Current orthopedic instruments used to pass sutures in minimally invasive surgeries lack a flexible distal end and therefore severely decrease maneuverability in a small surgical opening. Surgeons desire to retrieve loose ends of suture from within the body through an instrument cannula. Unfortunately, the small operating area and limited orientations of current instruments frequently lengthen operation time and even prevent a minimally invasive approach. The Samani Suture Passer is an articulating and suture-grasping orthopedic instrument that allows surgeons to manipulate the angle of the distal end of the tool from outside the body, while the distal end remains in the surgical opening via a cannula. A continuation of a previous Capstone Design project, this project improved ergonomics of the Samani Suture Passer allowing surgeons to operate the tool with comfort. The Samani Suture Passer is anticipated to increase efficiency during surgery and at the same time reduce operation and recovery time. TOP
Alleviating Musculoskeletal Injury in Sonography
Team Members: DelShawn Brown (BSEN, Omaha, NE, insert) and Aaron Ryan (BSEN, North Platte, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. David Jones
Client: Mrs. Fern Coon, Bryan LGH Medical Plaza
YearSpring 2007
Sonography, also known as ultrasound, uses sound waves to create images used in medical diagnosis. The goal of this project was to eliminate or reduce musculoskeletal injury to the technician while performing the procedure. The first solution incorporates ultrasound technology that uses 3-D imaging techniques. The second uses a robotic arm in place of the human hand/wrist. TOP
Articulating Suture Passing Orthopedic Instrument
Team Members: Jake Riggle (BSEN, Elkhorn, NE), Al Provorse (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Nick Tomsen (BSEN, Minden, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. David Jones
Client: Dr. David Samani, Bryan LGH West
YearSpring 2007
Arthroscopic and other minimally invasive surgeries require sutures to be routed through tissues and the loose ends of the suture to be retrieved through the surgical opening. The group designed a minimally invasive instrument with an articulating distal forceps tool that can be actuated by the surgeon from outside the body, but is able to grasp and retrieve sutures from within the tissues. This device could lead to shorter times in surgery with less invasion. Several applications include: minimally invasive rotator cuff and meniscus repairs, long bone spiral fracture stabilizations, tendon repair, and other processes requiring suture retrieval. TOP
Strain Analysis of Reconstructed Rat Fibula
Team Members: Gwenn Skar (BSEN, Millard, NE), Jake Johnson (BSEN, Harvard, NE), Carmen Ayala (BSEN, Humphrey, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Michael Kocher, Dr. David Jones, Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. Dennis Chalkkalakal, Ph.D., VA Medical Center
YearSpring 2007
The client and his research associates are attempting to determine whether employing dynamic forces can increase the positive effect of applying a demineralized bone matrix to healing bone. Another goal was to gain more knowledge about bone regeneration. This group developed a four-point bending device that obtains strain analysis curves that met several criteria: low cost, ease of use, and large range of application. Early results show that applying dynamic loading to healing bone at low levels results in faster bone regeneration. TOP
Atrium Retractor Device
Team Members: Kim Cluff (BSEN, Mesa, AZ), Ai Pheeng Wee (BSEN, Selangor, Malaysia)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford, Dr. Carl Nelson, Dr. Roger Hoy
Client: Dr. Edward Raines, MD, Bryan LGH Heart Institute
YearSpring 2007
The goal of this design team was to create an improved and more flexible device to hold the left atrial flap in place during minimally invasive heart surgery for mitral valve repair. The current device has limited degrees of freedom for positioning. The team designed an atrium retractor with a snake-like flexible arm capable of being locked in numerous positions. It is small in diameter to accommodate the minor incision made in minimally invasive surgery. TOP
Mechanical Device for Aortic Drug Delivery
Team Members: Sarah Book (BSEN, Sioux City, IA), Brant Hubbard (BSEN, York, NE), Crystal Bryan (BSEN, Falls City, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Edward Raines, MD, Bryan LGH Heart Institute
YearSpring 2007
Cardiac surgeons currently use a bulky device to deliver a cardioplegic solution, via a needle in the aorta. This procedure requires complex pre- and post-operation sutures for attaching the needle and then closing the hole upon completion. Based on the design of the PAS-Port® (a tool produced by Cardica), the team designed a tool that incorporates a conduit for drug delivery via a sophisticated clamping mechanism. When the surgery is complete, the conduit is clamped and cut off just above the clamp, leaving a small portion of the conduit in the aorta. The new design eliminates the need for invasive suturing created by the original insertion of the needle. TOP
Physical Activity Detection Using Body Media SenseWear Armband
Team Members: Tate Augustin (BSEN, Juniata, NE), Amy Dimick (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD), Tanner Augustin (BSEN, Juniata, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Dr. Judy Burnfield, Ph.D., P.T. Director, Movement Sciences Center
YearSpring 2006
The SenseWear2 Armband is an unobtrusive, user-friendly body monitoring device developed by Body Media, Inc. Using various sensors, including a biaxial accelerometer, it is able to measure energy expenditure and detect physical activity. This project resulted in an algorithm that distinguished specific physical activities (jogging, wheel chair propulsion) using the sensors included in the armband. The algorithm was developed from observing 10 subjects performing 10 different activities. The algorithm was implemented within MATLAB and used Fast Fourier Transforms to quantify the significant frequencies in the signals. TOP
Gait-O-GramTM 2.0
Team Members: Nick Anderson (BSEN, Papillion, NE), Abby Luettel (BSEN, Lincoln, NE), Reggie Rector (BSEN, South Sioux City, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford and Dr. George Meyer
Client: HPER Biomechanics Laboratory, Nick Stergiou, Ph.D., Director
YearSpring 2006
The client desired to improve an existing system that detects heel and toe strikes of an ambulatory patient undergoing physical therapy or diagnosis. The improvements to the system include providing sufficient strikes on force sensors embedded in the sole of shoes, incorporating a remote, wireless data logging system that stores 24 hours of data, and developing a computer interface to access and evaluate the data. TOP
Electromagnetic Field Cancer Treatment
Team Members: Daniel Sova (BSEN, Sioux Falls, SD), Ann Nadurata (BSEN, Omaha, NE), Jessica Graul (BSEN, Hildreth, NE), Jonathon Camp (BSEN, Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Dennis Chakkalakal, Creighton University Medical Center and VA Medical Center
YearSpring 2005
BioTech Engineering worked with Creighton University Medical Center faculty member Dr. Dennis Chakkalakal's VA Medical Center research team on developing a new form of cancer treatment. His team had been achieving promising results in treating cancer cultures with the chemotherapeutic drug, Adriamycin, while concurrently applying a low-level magnetic field. Dr. Chakkalakal's team desired to test the effectiveness of the drug with a higher-strength magnetic field, which their current setup was not capable of producing. BioTech Engineering developed a new prototype solenoid magnet system composed of a custom wound solenoid coil, a wave-form generator, and an amplifier. The solenoid coil was designed to produce a uniform magnetic field in the center of the coil to ensure consistent results. TOP
Oxygen Flow Rate Regulator
Team Members: Kara Niemeir (BSEN, Fort Scott, KS), Beth Tieszen (BSEN, Canistota, SD), Joel Stenberg (BSEN, Lexington, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Michael Kocher and Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. Joseph Norman, University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2005
The goal of this project was to help patients who are dependent on supplemental oxygen to use oxygen more efficiently. Oxygen saturation levels in the blood are measured by a pulse oximeter. This reading is transmitted to the regulating device to determine the amount of oxygen needed by, and then delivered to the patient. The objective is to allow the oxygen to be used more efficiently, thus increasing the amount of time a patient can be active, or even decrease the size of the tank they carry, and improving the quality of life for the patient. TOP
Re-engineering a Dental Bone Wash Device
Team Members: Imran Khader (BSEN, Philadelphia, PA), Andrick Maganga (BSEN, Gabon), and Tosin Adekoya (BSEN, Lagos, Nigeria)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. David Jones
Client: Richard A. Reinhardt, DDS, Ph.D., BJ and Ann Morgan, Professors of Periodontology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry
YearSpring 2005
The client uses a device to inject sterile saline through gum tissue to the surface of the tooth bone. The tool also retrieves the saline and isolates biomarkers for analysis and can be used to deliver a medical gel containing bone-growth stimulants. The team redesigned the tool to make it longer, narrower, and more streamlined. The re-engineering of this device involved conducting material analysis, stress and pressure tests, and tissue impaction tests. TOP
Pressure Pillow For Burn Patients
Team Members: Andy Nickel, BSEN, (Omaha, NE), Nick Barber, BSEN, (Lincoln, NE) John Callen, BSEN, (Lincoln, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Glenn Hoffman and Dr. David Jones
Client: Dr. David Voigt, St. Elizabeth Hospital Burn Unit, Lincoln, NE
YearSpring 2004
This team designed a hospital pillow for distributing pressure to a patients head to prevent the formation of bed sores. Their solution is a system of three inflatable chambers consisting of a center cylinder and two concentric rings. These chambers inflate and deflate at specified intervals to maintain acceptable pressures on the scalp. TOP
Articulating Laparoscopic Tool
Team Members: Jonathan Morse, BSEN, (Pender, NE), Lawton Verner, BSEN, (Fremont, NE)
Faculty Consultant:M. Susan Hallbeck
Client: Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov, University of Nebraska Medical, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2004
This team designed and developed a prototype for an articulating tip and integrated control mechanism for a laparoscopic tool that will provide a surgeon the necessary wrist-like action with the tool during surgery. TOP
Self Regulation of Oxygen Saturation
Team Members: Jeff Schmeckpeper (BSEN, Bloomfield, NE), Melissa Halverson (BSEN, North Platte, NE), Adam Roeser (BSEN, Grand Island, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford, Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. Joseph Norman, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2004
The team addressed the problem that oxygen regulators are not self-regulating to match the immediate needs of each patient. The objective of the design was to develop and implement a means to adjust oxygen flow suited to specific patient activity and need by modifying an existing regulator. The design was constrained by the parameters of the existing technology. Further constraints included the need for compactness and portability, safety and reliability, and ease of patient use. TOP
Developing a Secondary Joint for Disc Replacement
Team Members: Jeremy Albin (BSEN, Broken Bow, NE), Sarah Berg (BSEN, Watertown, SD), Randy Ankeny (BSEN, Yankton, SD)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Greg Bashford, Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. Russ Alberts, Omaha, NE, Dr. Arun-Angelo Patil, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2004
Back pain from disc ruptures is often treated with surgical procedures that immobilize portions of the spinal column. The result is decreased mobility and flexibility for the patient. The design team addressed this issue by designing a ball and socket arrangement to maintain alignment of the vertebrae while allowing acceptable degrees of flexion for more mobility. TOP
Nasal Stimulating Device
Team Members: Anna Charron, BSEN (Central City, NE), Abbi Dorn, BSEN (Minden, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. Rhonda Brand and Dr. George Meyer
Client: Donald A. Leopold, M.D., UN Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2002
The purpose of this project was to design a device to be used during research and surgery. The device provides a stimulus in the nerve endings in the nose, and to provide greater knowledge of neural density in the nasal cavity. The final design is an air pulse system which delivers a pressure stimulus that is detected by touch-sensitive nerves. The five components of the design are an air supply from a compressed oxygen tank with pressure regulator, tubing to connect the components device systems, a flow control solenoid valve with a driver circuit, a robot micro controller to regulate voltage to the valve controller, and finally a spinal needle with a side port to deliver the air pulse within the nasal cavity. TOP
Improving Rat Fibula Regrowth
Team Members: Ron Scheer, BSEN, (Omaha, NE), Andy Graham, BSEN, (Omaha, NE)
Faculty Consultant:Dr. C.W. Solomon and Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Dennis A. Chakkalakal, Omaha, NE and Dr. Mohammed Akhter, Creighton University
YearSpring 2002
The mechanics associated with the healing of broken bones were studied and measured in this research project. This team designed and prototyped a mechanical bending apparatus for applying uniform force on a broken bone in the study of bone growth response to mechanical stress. They studied how such a device could be fitted to a rat fibula, isolating forces, and placement of pads to ensure uniform force. TOP
Surgical Stapler Modification
Team Members: Ryan Ebmeier, BSEN (Glenwood, IA) Krista Evans, BSEN (Bellevue, NE), Leighton Anderson, BSEN (Mesa, AZ)
Faculty Consultant:Rhonda Brand and Lorraine Olson
Client: Dr. David C. Anderson, M.D., Surgeon, Mesa, AZ
YearSpring 2002
This team modified, redesigned, and prototyped a surgical stapler known as the ligation and divide stapler (LDS). The LDS is a device used by surgeons to cut, staple, and divide blood vessels in many different types of abdominal surgeries. The team’s modified device allows it to be used in laproscopic surgeries. After the design and analysis were completed, a model was created using rapid prototyping which builds a plastic model from computerized drawings of an object. The internal mechanism of the device was then prototyped using traditional machining. Their goal of bringing a concept into a manufacture-ready format, was accomplished. TOP
Universal Testing System for Total Knee Replacement Evaluation
Team Members: Gregory Wigington- BSEN (Beatrice, NE), Nicholas Renter- BSEN (Wisner, NE)
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Mike Kocher
Client: Dr. Hani Haider, Orthopedic Testing Lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
YearSpring 2001
The objective of this project was to design a testing device for the machine testing of knee replacement implants. The problem was that when implants were received by the orthopedic testing lab, the test set-up time was too long, implants were often damaged, and the alignment capability of the test system was inadequate. The team’s solution consisted of modified clamps mounted on pivoting bearings and a motorized rotating shaft with a torque load cell to accurately and efficiently test a wide variety of implant forms. TOP
Filtration of Cardiotomy Suctioned Blood
Team Members: Blaine Christensen- BSEN (Papillion, NE), Tieuvi Nguyen- BSEN (Lincoln, NE), Michael Kimmel- BSEN (Columbus, NE)
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Rhonda Brand
Client: UN Medical Center, Omaha, NE
YearSpring 2001
A major source of complication during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery is the retransfusion of blood suctioned out of the thoracic cavity. This blood has a higher level of contamination than blood removed directly from the heart because it potentially comes in contact with many impurities. The final design of the filtration system includes a screen (arterial line) filter followed by a leukocyte depleting filter. The screen filter removes particulate matter from suctioned blood, while the leukocyte filter removes activated leukocytes. The system was tested to assure minimal pressure drop across the filters. Because the system consists only of unmodified components, used according to manufacturer’s specifications, it can be implemented immediately at the discretion of a perfusionist. TOP
Biliary Pancreatic Diversion Clamps
Team Members: Alastair Hoyt- BSEN (Williamsburg, VA), Aaron Jacobsen- BSEN (Marquette, NE), Jon Trombino- BSEN (Nebraska City, NE)
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Rhonda Brand and Dr. George Meyer
Client: UN Medical Center-Surgery, Omaha, Nebraska
YearSpring 2001
The group designed and fabricated clamps for the gastric bypass surgery known as biliary pancreatic diversion. The new design assists in making the biliary pancreatic diversion procedure more effective and repeatable. The team carried the design from a conceptual problem statement to a second-generation prototype. This project involved traditional aspects of mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics, a fair amount of physiology and anatomy, and experimental clinical application. TOP