Mechanical Engineering
Motorsports Innovation and Its Impact on Modern Vehicle Safety and Efficiency
Presenter: Sean Curtin
Faculty Sponsor: Carolyn Crotty Guttilla
School: Massachusetts Bay Community College
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A80]

My project examines the impact of race car development on everyone. Americans spend 16% of their income on cars, so it’s important to be smart with that money and understand how racing development leads to safer and more innovative vehicles. 
 
Racing is more than just entertainment and marketing; it is a test bed for advanced creative solutions. The competition between racing manufacturers breeds innovations and makes all cars more efficient and better designed. This project looks at the "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday" model, three racing technologies in everyday cars, and the real costs behind them. 
 
I look at industry information and technical data to study how race cars lead to better efficiency and safety in standard road cars. I traced the origins of specific features, such as paddle shifters, carbon fiber implementation, and hybrid optimizations. 
 
Racing has disadvantages that have real costs, such as funding from vice industries, pollution from events, and the danger to the drivers, but it continues to be a worthwhile venture as it leads to innovations that make civilian vehicles safer and more efficient. 
 
Racing ventures are worth it financially for automotive companies due to the marketing and engineering advantages they gain. It affects everyone, even those who do not watch races, as the technology is used in everyday life.
The Incorporation of AI into Preventive Maintenance of Machine Milling Bits.
Presenter: Devin Current
Faculty Sponsor: Soumitra Basu
School: Fitchburg State University
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Room 163 [C21]


Throughout the years engineering has leaned more into automated systems to reduce the amount of error through controllable variables such as automated milling machines to meet near perfect precision. This project goes to expand on that idea, but looking more at our tools themselves for example milling bits. Undetected defects from micro fractures, unseen flute wear and the materials degrading down from extended use which all could lead to catastrophic tool failure in the worst case leading to unplanned downtimes, missed tolerances, and potentially bodily harm. This project proposes the implementation of the ever growing AI systems and developing it to identify early stages of tool failure. Integrating high grade imaging with a real time auto detection systems framework the aim is to identify critical structures and cutting regions to determine if the bit is suitable for the task at hand or if it should be sent to repairs. A custom designed rotational holder shall offer a full consistent image of the tool bits structure and flutes for the comprehensive inspection. Using the visuals provided from the high definition camera, it will be fed into a detection system which will help determine if the wear pattern predicted will interfere with tolerances with different bit materials such as carbide and HSS. The incorporation of intelligent tool monitoring will switch from a reactive preventive maintenance to a more proactive data driven maintenance standpoint which would continue to evolve and grow at the already fast paced evolving field of Engineering.


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Modeling and Simulation of a Structurally Sound Ergonomic Student Desk
Presenter: Jamisen Laplante
Faculty Sponsor: Soumitra Basu
School: Fitchburg State University
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Room 163 [C22]

Desks are an essential part of furniture needed in most environments. There exist many designs that address several customer needs. Thus, in my view, some needs can be better addressed by revisiting and revising existing designs, using an engineering approach. Let us consider a student desk in our university. There are different designs, but the one chosen for scrutiny is not comfortable for taller people or those with heavier frames. There is significant scope for improvement in ergonomics, with attention to students' arm, leg, torso, etc., dimensions. 

I will start with a student survey to determine which needs are most significant, using a Likert scale (1-5). This information will drive my quality function deployment tool, which will generate ratings for ‘how various needs can be addressed’. The tool will provide tasks related to engineering design in the areas of 1. Structural analysis, 2. Kinesiology, 3. Ergonomics, and 4. Safety and Reliability. These will be addressed using the engineering design process. Each of these tasks calls for specific design methodologies, and there will be a need to “synthesize” the recommendations or results from each pathway into one final design. I will create at least two variations that will be prototyped using SolidWorks. 

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AI in Production Monitoring of Machining Processes
Presenter: Jamesohn LaValley
Faculty Sponsor: Soumitra Basu
School: Fitchburg State University
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Room 163 [C23]

This project presents the concept and design for an AI system that monitors manufacturing production lines, with a specific focus on tool performance. It will also be able to predict replacements of cutting tools before a fall in machining efficiency occurs. The proposed system would utilize censored data from the machines to continuously monitor tool behavior, output quality, and production rates. To start with this the AI program would first observe the different tools or machines in a production line and store data on how long their life spans are and note where the threshold is for being inefficient and affecting productivity per tool. Once the AI has enough data collected in its database, it can then use all that information and start to predict when tools will start to dip in efficiency so that the necessary adjustments can be made to prevent that and develop a preventive maintenance strategy. Overall, this AI system will be able to estimate when specific tools are likely to require servicing or replacement. This enables proactive scheduling, reduces unplanned downtime, and improves overall equipment effectiveness.
Human-Technology Partnerships in the Era of Trucking Automation: Findings from a Multistakeholder Workshop
Presenter: Keshav Garg
Group Members: Sophia D. Hoffman
Faculty Sponsor: Shannon Roberts
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 163 [C10]

As automation-equipped (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Automated Driving Systems) trucks progress toward deployment, they introduce changes to safety management, human-truck interaction, and workforce sustainability. Yet despite this rapid development, there is limited data on the perspectives of different stakeholders affected by trucking automation. 

To address this gap, we convened a multistakeholder workshop at the 2025 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's Safe Mobility Conference, examining the current state of trucking automation by analyzing human-technology interaction and workforce training needs. Using Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework, we conducted a thematic analysis on audio recordings and participant notes from 11 stakeholders.

Four themes and nine subthemes emerged from the data. Our findings show that trust in AI systems evolves with experience and driving conditions, and that misaligned training, expertise, and regulation introduce risks such as cognitive overload and skill erosion. Driver responsibilities are also shifting from vehicle operation to automation supervision, with uneven impacts across industry sectors. Coordinated investment, driver-centered design, and structured certification pathways are still needed to build the conditions for safe human-AI teaming. We recommend systemic policy and training changes that consider truckers' perspectives, differences between small and large companies, changes in the workforce, and the misalignment and risks of implementing technologies to support the efficiency and safety of automation-enhanced truck use. Our research will help improve the safety in human-system interactions, inform technology, training, and workforce transition recommendations, and inform policy design for improving the future of trucking automation.
Using Spectrophotometry to Determine IVSP Infusion Errors During Secondary Medication Administration
Presenter: YeEun Lee
Faculty Sponsor: Juan Jiménez
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 163 [C11]

Intravenous smart pumps (IVSPs) are widely used in clinical settings to improve medication safety. However, accurate delivery of secondary medications remains highly dependent on correct physical setup, creating a critical yet underrecognized source of dosing error. Proper secondary infusion requires the manufacturer-provided hanger to be fully extended to maintain an adequate head-height differential between primary and secondary fluids. Failure to achieve this configuration can result in unintended mixing of primary and secondary fluids, leading to medication under-delivery that may go undetected by clinicians and contribute to subtherapeutic dosing and reduced treatment efficacy. 

This study investigates how hanger configuration and programmed flow rate influence secondary medication delivery accuracy using spectrophotometry. A controlled laboratory protocol was developed to simulate clinically relevant infusion conditions using a linear peristaltic IVSP, with Patent Blue VF dye serving as a model secondary medication. Three hanger configurations were evaluated: fully extended (FH), half hanger (HH), and zero hanger (ZH), across multiple programmed flow rates. Delivered medication concentration was quantified at discrete infusion volumes using absorbance measurements and Beer-Lambert analysis. 

Results demonstrated that hanger configuration significantly affected delivered concentration, with inadequate head-height differential (ZH) producing substantial under-delivery and unintended mixing with primary fluid. FH and HH configurations maintained acceptable delivery accuracy at lower flow rates, although reduced accuracy was observed at higher flow rates in HH conditions. 

By directly quantifying infusion errors, this study addresses a critical gap in prior observational research and provides evidence to inform safer clinical practice, device design, and patient safety guidelines.
Harvesting Energy from Human Motion: Feasibility of an Axial Flux PCB Motor for Wearables
Presenter: Florian Sabatini
Faculty Sponsor: Ashwin Ramasubramaniam
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 163 [C12]

Wearable devices enable continuous health monitoring and activity tracking but remain constrained by finite battery life and the need for frequent charging, limiting long-term usability and user convenience. This project investigates the feasibility of harvesting energy from human motion using an eccentric-mass axial flux printed circuit board (PCB) motor designed specifically for wearable applications. Accelerometer data collected during human walking was used to drive a dynamic system model developed in MATLAB, enabling coupled simulation of mechanical motion and electrical power generation. Motor geometry and electrical parameters were selected and refined through an iterative modeling process informed by physical constraints, expected operating conditions, and wearable form-factor considerations. Electrical power output was estimated using established analytical relationships for axial flux motor behavior. Simulation results indicate that, under idealized conditions, the proposed system is capable of generating power levels comparable to the average energy consumption of a smartwatch during typical operation. While mechanical losses, bearing friction, and power-conversion inefficiencies have not yet been incorporated into the model, the results provide a meaningful proof of concept. These simulation findings collectively demonstrate the potential of PCB-based kinetic energy harvesting systems to supplement onboard batteries and reduce reliance on conventional charging methods in future wearable devices.

Accelerating Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Methods
Presenter: Francis Padilla
Faculty Sponsor: Ehsan Roohi
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 163 [C13]

This poster aims to summarize my studies in Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), which is a method of Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFDs) for rarefied gas dynamics. A great challenge in flow simulation is when a continuum can no longer be assumed and there is a need to directly simulate “superparticles” that represent a macroscopic neighborhood of real particles. However, yielding accurate results comes at the tradeoff of computational cost. There are three main families of algorithms that I have implemented in order to increase accuracy and to reduce computational time. 

The first controllable factor is how to pair the particles. It’s not feasible to simulate every collision. A major family of pairing algorithms are the Bernoulli Trials (BT) schemes that reduce the amount of pair considerations and increase a statistical weight to maintain accuracy. Second, the scattering behavior of the particles. I have worked with Variable Hard Sphere (VHS), which is a macroscopic post-collision model, and Ab-Initio (ABI), which is a quantum based microscopic post-collision model. ABI is a more accurate model, but also at the cost of more expensive computations. Thus, the third algorithm I will implement is Neural Networks (NN). The aim is to use NNs for predictive fluid flow to reduce computational time while maintaining the high accuracy ABI offers. 

I aim to generalize my results to many fluid problems. These include relaxation, Couette flow, Fourier flow, and hypersonic cavity problems. I will conclude my poster with comparisons of different combinations of methods with the goal of implementing a high-efficiency-high-accuracy DSMC model.

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Flow-Induced Oscillations and Wake Interactions in Floating Spar-Buoy Wind Turbine Platforms
Presenter: Ava Towfigh
Faculty Sponsor: Yahya Modarres-Sadeghi
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Concourse [B10]

Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) effects play a critical role in the performance and reliability of offshore structures exposed to unsteady flows. This study examines flow-induced oscillations of model floating spar-buoy wind turbine platforms, resulting from vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) and wake interactions. The model spar consists of a 3D-printed uniform cylindrical buoy, moored and tested in a recirculating water tunnel and free to oscillate about its mooring attachment point near the center of mass. To investigate wake effects between neighboring structures, a second identical buoy was placed downstream in tandem with varying spacing. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize vortex shedding patterns and measure wake velocity fields, while the in-line motion of each buoy was recorded to determine oscillation amplitude under different flow conditions. MATLAB was used for image processing, data analysis, and visualization of wake interactions and oscillation trends.

This research will identify trends in how an upstream buoy alters the flow experienced by a downstream buoy, leading to changes in oscillatory behavior that depend on buoy spacing and flow velocity. Modern offshore wind turbines within wind farms are prone to VIV from wake interactions between neighboring turbines. Understanding these effects is important for improving platform stability and supporting wind energy applications.

 

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Experimentally Observing Coupled-Mode Flutter
Presenter: Dominique Habchi
Faculty Sponsor: Yahya Modarres-Sadeghi
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Concourse [B11]

Wind energy has surged in popularity in the recent decade prompting research to be done to extend the lifecycle and increase the efficiency of wind turbines. One of the difficulties faced in turbine blade design is combatting wind instabilities as they can create strong vibrations that can shorten the lifespan of a blade. Coupled mode flutter is an aerodynamic instability that occurs when the first torsional mode and the third flapwise bending mode merge, causing a bending-twisting movement that over time will damage a wind turbine. This project explores the geometrical constraints of wind turbine spine and airfoil design. Four models of the NREL 5MW turbine blade have been experimentally observed in uniform flow with the intention of seeing coupled mode flutter. The initial model utilized a 40cm long rectangular spine lined with identical NACA 12 airfoils. After this model was tested and found to only display single-mode flutter, alterations were done in an attempt to create a more tip-driven blade susceptible to flutter. The second model utilized a 40cm long rectangular spine with NACA 12 airfoils tapering down the blade. The third model, 70cm long, was designed with a tapered blade, with a trapezoidal cutout in the center, lined with the same airfoil profiles as found on the original NREL 5MW blade. The last model, following the same blade shape and airfoil profiles as the one before, was 40cm long. Only single mode flutter has been achieved, suggesting a tapered spine will not increase the likelihood of coupled-mode flutter.

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Fluid-Structure Interactions of Flexible Cylinders in Axial Flow
Presenter: Ryan O’Meara
Faculty Sponsor: Yahya Modarres-Sadeghi
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Concourse [B12]

Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI) of flexible cylinders in axial flow has been studied extensively, motivated by applications in heat exchangers, nuclear fuel assemblies, and towed arrays. These systems display rich dynamic behaviors including static divergence, flutter, and transitions to quasi-periodic and chaotic motion driven by the exchange of energy between the moving fluid and a deformable structure. While much of this work has used vertical experimental configurations, horizontal setups introduce gravity acting perpendicular to the cylinder axis, producing static sag and asymmetric initial conditions that can meaningfully shift instability thresholds and modify three-dimensional response patterns. This work experimentally characterizes the FSI of cantilevered flexible cylinders in axial flow using a horizontal water tunnel, examining how head and tail geometry and material properties influence the observed dynamical regimes. A particular focus is the introduction of a flexible tail fabricated from the same flexible material as the cylinder body. This configuration is largely absent from the existing literature, where end conditions are typically modeled and fabricated as rigid ogival pieces. Different combinations of head geometry, tail flexibility, and flow speed are tested, with the goal of building a comprehensive regime map linking structural and geometric parameters to observed behaviors such as static deflection, divergence-like buckling, and flutter-like oscillations. 

The Simulation of Tuned Heave Plates for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines
Presenter: Connor M. Geary
Faculty Sponsor: Matthew Lackner
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A62]

Floating offshore wind is a rapidly growing renewable energy technology, yet platform stabilization remains a key challenge for long-term performance and reliability. Excessive vibrations and heave motion – motion in the vertical translational direction – can lead to accelerated structural fatigue, reduced power production efficiency, and increased maintenance requirements over the turbine’s operational lifetime. Heave plates are commonly used as passive damping mechanisms in semisubmersible platforms, but recent research suggests that tuned heave plates (THPs), which incorporate springs and viscous dampers tuned to the natural frequency of the larger floating structure, can provide enhanced vibration mitigation. There remains a notable gap between theoretical development and practical implementation, particularly within industry-standard numerical simulation tools. To address this gap I am developing and validating an approach to accurately simulate a tuned heave plate within OpenFAST, the current industry-standard simulation framework for offshore wind turbines. By improving the fidelity of THP modeling in OpenFAST, this research aims to provide a foundation for more accurate design evaluation and broader adoption of advanced vibration mitigation strategies in floating offshore wind systems.

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Design and Analysis of Blade Damper for Offshore Wind Turbines
Presenter: Rebecca Ciaffi
Faculty Sponsor: Matthew Lackner
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A63]

Offshore wind turbines face harsh environmental conditions from waves and wind, which can decrease efficiency and cause damage or failure. Methods of structural control can be used to help mitigate this, such as tuned mass dampers (TMDs) which absorb and dissipate energy from the main structure, effectively decreasing excess motion. While much research has been conducted on turbine tower dampers, less research has explored structural control in turbine blades. A circular liquid column damper (CLCD) is a proposed design meant to damp blade vibrations in the edgewise direction (in-plane). The damper consists of a circular tube filled with a specified amount of liquid that can oscillate inside the tube. The unconventional design is more compatible with the rotating reference frame in which the blades operate, unlike many TMDs that are meant for more simple or linear motion. The CLCD design has been developed and simulated, but only theoretically. This research builds upon previous CLCD work by first recreating the theoretical model and running code to find optimal damper design parameters. This project aims to go further than a simulated model, and create a physical prototype of the proposed CLCD design, using parameters found during the optimization process. The prototype will also be tested through simulations that mimic vibrations experienced by turbine blades. The results are expected to roughly match previous simulations, and prove that the CLCD design would effectively damp edgewise blade vibrations. This development would help improve the overall performance and lifetime of offshore wind turbines.

A Review of Hand Arthritis Types, Challenges, and Solutions
Presenter: Anabella Rose
Faculty Sponsor: Douglas Eddy
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A77]

Hand arthritis is a debilitating disease that causes damage to various joints, limits mobility and functionality, and creates pain, all of which can severely impact patients’ quality of life and their performance of activities of daily living. While there are many adaptive aids on the market, our hypothesis is that they aren’t effective because their design doesn’t consider the proper functional limitations. For example, a tool that needs to be gripped for a long time might consider the maximum grip strength of an individual but not their ability to maintain a grip, thus leaving out a crucial part of the design. We performed a literature review and interviews of 8 individuals with hand arthritis to gather insight on the most extreme physical limitations that stem from a range of arthritis types. We also investigated how these limitations impact patients’ daily quality of life. Analysis of these results helped determine the most prevalent limitations and most important tasks that require assistance. By utilizing inclusive design principles to consider human factors, we developed a preliminary guidebook for other aid developers to consult for insights and instructions. Overall, this study underscores a need for inclusive design of adaptive aids for hand arthritis. This would allow patients with various arthritis types and abilities to use these tools, which will help them fulfill their basic physical needs and lead more independent and confident lives.
Upper Body Injury Prevention in Extravehicular Activity Suits
Presenter: Brigid Kathleen Duffy
Faculty Sponsor: Douglas Eddy
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A78]

Upper body movement in the context of Extravehicular Activity suits (space suits) has been historically compromised by what is called the Hard Upper Torso (HUT) of the suit: a fiberglass shell that acts as a central structural component to the suit to contain pressure and joint bearings that interact with the extremities of the suit. In past models, the HUT was a major mechanism of upper body injury even just in the donning stage, due to its inability to conform to a person’s torso. With that however, comes larger issues, the most prevalent being that the HUT causes abrasion and impingement  injuries to the top of the shoulder both during movement and rest in a partial gravity environment. This project looks to characterize the fatigue and abrasion in the shoulder caused by interactions with the HUT and looks to provide a prototype of an assistive mechanism to prevent such injuries in context of full-day overhead intensive extravehicular activities. The project will employ the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, as well as an iterative design process that is informed by preliminary evaluations on the prototype’s pressure distribution and ability to conserve the range of motion necessary for the shoulder in mission-specific movements. In a broader context, this project assists in the goal of prolonged extravehicular activities in lunar surface missions, such as Artemis, and beyond.
Inflammation-Induced Micro-Injury and Tissue Repair: Cellular Mechanisms and Implications for Electroporation-Based Drug Delivery
Presenter: Ann Nanyunja
Faculty Sponsor: Govind Srimathveeravalli
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Mechanical Engineering
Location: Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Room 163 [C11]

Inflammation is a protective biological response that defends tissues against infection, injury, and other harmful stimuli. However, the processes associated with inflammation can also cause microscale tissue damage, affecting cell membranes, blood vessels, and the extracellular matrix. These micro-injuries can occur in both acute and chronic inflammation and may be a result of immune cell activity, oxidative stress, cytokine signaling, or mechanical stress. When inflammation is properly regulated, it activates repair processes that restore tissue structure and function. Understanding how these small inflammatory injuries heal is crucial for studying controlled cellular injury, such as electroporation, which temporarily disrupts cell membranes to enhance drug delivery. A literature review was conducted to explore the mechanisms by which inflammation causes microscale tissue injury, as well as the cellular and molecular pathways involved in repair. The review focused on immune signaling, cell migration, membrane-repair mechanisms, and research related to small-scale membrane damage. The findings indicate that coordinated immune signaling, timely recruitment of cells, changes in cell phenotype, and membrane-repair pathways (including resealing damaged membranes and removing compromised components) are essential for resolving micro-injuries. A proper transition from pro-inflammatory to pro-resolving states supports tissue restoration, while prolonged inflammation can hinder healing. These insights into cellular recovery after electroporation may lead to improved strategies for enhancing membrane resealing, thereby supporting safer and more effective drug delivery methods.