Projects and Research

Melendez-Calderon A, Piovesan D, Mussa-Ivaldi FA, inventors; Rehabilitation Institute Of Chicago, assignee. Haptic device and methods for abnormal limb biomechanics. United States patent US 10,529,254. 2020 Jan 7. Topic: The patent describes a device to assess the level of impairment in individuals with increased muscle tone. (US10529254) Collaborations: In collaboration with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Now Shirley Ryan Ability Lab)

• Morris NM, Piovesan D, inventors; Two Sparrows Learning Systems Inc, assignee. Adaptive Writing Utensil. United States patent US 10,636,19. 2020 Apr 28. Topic: The patent describes a device to assist children with disabilities, helping them to write. (US10636319) Collaborations: In collaboration with the Education Department Engineering Department at GU
  
  

2021

• Cardenas A., Quiroz O., Hernandez R., Medellin-Castillo H., Gonzalez-De Alba A., Maya M., Piovesan D., Vision- based control of a mobile manipulator with an adaptable-passive suspension for unstructured environments, ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, (IF 2.377), Oct 2021, 13(5): 050908. Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. We answered a call for paper regarding a Special Issue on “Mobile Robots and Unmanned Ground Vehicles”Topic: We designed and fabricated a mobile manipulator to traverse uneven terrain so that the loading platform is kept close to horizontal while crossing obstacles up to one-third of the size of its wheels. The System uses onboard cameras and an a sensor space control. The developed control approach allows us to estimate the position and orientation of the manipulator’s end effector and update its trajectory along the path toward the target. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Graduate Engineering School of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico
  
  

• Mravcsik M., Botzheim L., Zentai N., Piovesan D., Laczko J., The Effect of Crank Resistance on Arm Configuration and Muscle Activation Variances in Arm Cycling Movements, Journal of Human Kinetics (IF, 1.664), Special Issue on Motor Control, 76/2021, 175-189 DOI: 10.2478/hukin-2021-0053. Professionalism: This is  an open access interdisciplinary periodical offering the latest research in the science of human movement studies. Topic: Arm cranking may be suitable when the aim is to perform training under different load conditions, preserving stable and secure control of joint movements and muscle activations Contrary to the prevailing assumption that an increased motor noise would affect the variance of auxiliary movements, the influence of noise doesn’t appear at the joint configuration level even when the system is redundant. Our results suggest the separation of kinematic- and force-control, via mechanisms that are compensating for dynamic nonlinearities. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Department of Computational Sciences, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest, Hungary. Department of Information Technology and Biorobotics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Hungary.
  
  

• Coronado E., Gonzales-De Alba A., Cardenas A. , Maya M., Chiovetto E., Piovesan D., Self-Tuning Extended Kalman Filter Parameters to Identify Ankle’s Third-Order Mechanics,  Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (IF. 2.025), doi: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4048042.Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. Topic: The estimation of human ankle’s mechanical impedance is an important tool for modeling human balance. This work presents the implementation of a parameter-estimation approach based on a state-augmented extended Kalman filter (AEKF) to infer the ankle’s mechanical impedance during quiet standing. However, the AEKF filter is sensitive to the initialization of the noise covariance matrices. In order to avoid a time-consuming trial-and-error method and to obtain a better estimation performance, a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to best tune the measurement noise (Rk) and process noise covariances (Q) of the extended Kalman filter (EKF).. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Graduate Engineering School of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico
  
  

2020

• Piovesan D., Shanmugam S., Arumugam Y., Restifo A., Jackson C., Devine, N., Legters K., Improving Healthcare Access: a Preliminary Design of a Low Cost Arm Rehabilitation Device, ASME Journal of Medical Devices, (IF 0.539), March 2020; 14(1): 011103. . Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. We answered a call for paper regardin a Special Issue on “Healthcare Technologies for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged People and Populations”Topic: We designed and fabricated a low-cost training device to help individuals in need of arm rehabilitation. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Physical Therapy (Erie, PA Campus) and Mechanical Engineering Department at GU
  
  

• Yagiela M., Johnson R., Schmitz A., Steinbrink S., Piovesan D., Dynamic Analysis and Design of an Innovative Sit-To-Stand Gait Trainers, ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy, May 2020, 3(2): 021115. Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. We answered a call for paper for a Special Issue on “Rehabilitation Robots, Devices, and Methodologies.” Topic: We created a low-cost rehabilitation device to help individuals stand and walk. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Physical Therapy (Ruskin,FL Campus) and Mechanical Engineering Department at GU
  
  

• Piovanelli E.*, Piovesan D., Shirafuji S, Su B, Yoshimura N., Ogata Y., Ota J., Towards a Simplified Estimation of Muscle Activation Pattern from MRI and EMG using Electrical Network and Graph Theory, Sensors, (IF 3.031), 20(3), 724. Professionalism: This is a Prestigious Open-Access Journal concerned with all types of Measuring Sensors. We answered a call for paper for a special issue on “Smart Sensors for Healthcare and Medical Applications” Topic: We combined Magnetic Resonance measuring the shape of the muscle, and electromyography measuring the electrical activity of the muscle, to better characterize the control of force by unimpaired individuals. Collaborations: In collaboration with the School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, Japan
  
  

• Piovesan D., Bortoletto R., A Geometrical Approach to Compute Upper Limb Joint Stiffness, Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences (0.796), 2020; 123(1), 23–Professionalism: This is a well-respected Open-Access Journal concerned with all types of Computer Modelling. We answered a call for paper for a special issue on “Computer Methods in Bio-mechanics and Biomedical Engineering”Topic: We used a computer model to estimate the force and stiffness of each muscle of the arm based on the recorded electrical activity. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Intelligent Autonomous Systems (IAS) Lab at the University of Padua, Italy
  
  

• Cerda-Lugo A., González A., Cardenas A., Piovesan D., Modeling the Neuro-Mechanics of Human Balance when recovering from a fall: a continuous time approach, BioMedical Engineering OnLine (IF, 2.013), 2020; 19 (1), 1-24. Professionalism: This is a Prestigious Open-Access Journal published by Springer Nature. The journal is a well-known outlet for Biomedical Engineering ResearchTopic: We provided an experimental and numerical model to understand how humans maintain their balance and prevent a fall. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Graduate Engineering School of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico
  
  
 

2019

• Piovesan D, Kolesnikov M., Lynch K., Mussa-Ivaldi F.A., The Concurrent Control of Motion and Contact Force on the Presence of Predictable Disturbances, ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, (IF 2.377) Dec 2019, 11(6): 060903, JMR-19-1076, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4044599. Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. We answered a call for paper for a Special Section on “Mechanisms and Robots for Safe Human-Robot Physical Interaction”Topic: We used an experimental setup to estimate the force and stiffness of each muscle of the arm as a user interacts with a robot. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University, Chicago, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Now Shirley Ryan Ability Lab)
  
  
  

• Gonzales-De Alba A., Cerda-Lugo A., Cardenas A. , Maya M., Piovesan D., A Third Order Model of Hip and Ankle Joints during Balance Recovery: Modeling and Parameter Estimation, ASME Journal of Computational and Nonlinear Dynamics (IF: 1.996), October 2019, 14(10): 101001, CND-18-1345, doi: 10.1115/1.4042527. Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. We answered a call for paper for a Special Issue on “Nonlinear and Computational Dynamics in Biomedical Applications”Topic: We provided a new experimental and numerical model to understand how humans maintain their balance and prevent a fall. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Graduate Engineering School of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico

• Mihalko A., Felice J., Madura A., Piovesan D., Use of Polymer Scaffolding and Electroplating to Create Porous Metal Structures, ASME Journal of Engineering Material and Technology (IF: 1.354), July 2019, 141(3): 034501. MATS-17-1045, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4042660. Professionalism: This is an ASME Journal. Topic: This is a collaboration between the Physics and BISE departments and proposes a method to create porous material by electroplating a conductive plastic scaffold. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Physics Department at GU
  
  
  

• Crowe M., Femlee R., Smith J., Culp A., Lin J., Tuck J., Piovesan D., Force to Fracture: Simplified Biomechanical Model of Osteoporotic Fractures for the Medical Provider, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (IF: 5.711),  34(12) , 154-154. Professionalism: This is the Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. This issue contains all the abstracts of the ASBMR meeting. Peer-Review Process: follows what is described in the Technical Presentation description above. This conference is very competitive with only 20% acceptance on par with very prestigious journals Topic: to find an easy way to correlate the force at the hip generated during physical activity with the force necessary to cause bone fractures in patients with osteoporosis.Collaborations: In collaboration with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
  
  
• Gonzales-De Alba A., Gonzalez-Galvan E., Maya M., Cardenas A., Piovesan D., Estimation of CSM parameters by means of an Extended Kalman Filter: Applications to parallel robots, International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems (1.223), April 24, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1177/1729881419842987 Professionalism: This is a Prestigious Open-Access Journal published by SAGE. The journal is a well-known outlet for Robotics ResearchTopic:We presented an innovative way to control a parallel robot using a set of cameras. Collaborations: In collaboration with the Graduate Engineering School of the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico
  
  
  

2020

• Ohu IP, Carlson JN, Piovesan D. The Hurst Exponent: A Novel Approach for Assessing Focus During Trauma Resuscitation. In Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology 2020 (pp. 139-160). Springer, Cham. Evaluation criteria:Peer-Reviewed, Professional, Communicated;Boyer Scholarship: Integration, Discovery. Professionalism: This is a book published with Springer nature, which is the follow-up to the 2018 IEEE SPMB conference. We were invited to write a chapter based on the great interest in our presentation during the conference Peer-Review Process: follows what is described in the Journal description above. Topic: This is a collaboration with St. Vincent to find an objective method to quantify focus based on non-verbal cues. (Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology)

2020

• Kosnik S., Piovesan D., Within Cast Curing of Polymeric Biomaterials: Lessons Learned, ASMEManufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (MSEC 2020), 2020, (Conference Cancelled due to COVID-19, Presentation online forthcoming. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: We analyzed how to induce solidification of different types of glues, after they are posed in a mold.
• Smith J., Felmlee R., Macaulay M., Leamer D., Budd E., Steinbrink S., Crowe M., Piovesan D., Gravity Compensation Walker: Structure and Lifting Mechanism, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE, 2020, forthcoming. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: We proposed a design for an actuator that can help impaired individuals stand and walk.
• Piovanelli E, Piovesan D., Shirafuji S., Yoshimura N., OgataY., Ota J., Muscle Activation Patterns Estimation during Repeated Wrist Movements from MRI and sEMG, Intern. Conf. on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics IEEE BioRob, 2020, forthcoming. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: we proposed a refinement to our previously proposed method to estimate the electrical activation of deep muscles that are not immediately accessible for measurements.
• Michael R., Gee D., Piovesan D., Undergraduate Engineering Design Projects That Involve Inter-Departmental Collaborative, 2020 ASEE North Central Section Conference, 2020, Professionalism: This is an ASEE regional conferenceTopic: we proposed a case study for project based learning between different majors. The conference has been canceled due to COVID-19, but the publication is available online
• Swierski E., Burke M., Arenas M., Bernat J., Yankton J., Manzer J., Miller M., Piovesan D., Design and Fabrication of a Cost-effective Ankle Foot Orthosis, RESNA's annual conference, 2020,. Professionalism: This is an ASEE regional conferenceTopic: we proposed a case study for project based learning between different majors. The conference has been canceled due to COVID-19, but the publication is available online

2019

• Grubbs R., Yough M., Rose O., Lee A. P., Sicree T., Tiari S., Piovesan D., Temperature Regulated Sleeve for Leg Prosthesis,  ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE, 2019.. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: This is the development of a senior design project.
• Mihalko A., Michael R. J., Piovesan D., Predictive Modeling of Polymer Saturation in Porous 3D Printed Matrix, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE, 2019.Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: This is the development of Adam Mihalko Thesis, looking at the improvement of a 3D Printing Post Processing.
• Vijaya Kumar, A. K., Schweitzer E. E., Bear J., Piovesan D., Design and Fabrication of a Universal Gripper for Children with Special Needs, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE, 2019. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: We worked with the Barber National Institute to create a Gripper to help Children with Disabilities.
• Cerda-Lugo A., Gonzales-De Alba A., Cardenas A. , Piovesan D., A strategy of human balancing based on Lessajous curves, ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference, DSCC, 2019. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: We investigated possible strategies used by the vestibular system to control balance.
• Yagiela M., Steinbrink S., Piovesan D., Combining Gait Trainers and Partial Weight Bearing Lifters: Passive Modulation of Lift Force via Cam Profile, ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference, DSCC, 2019. Professionalism: This is an ASME conferenceTopic: We investigated an actuation sub-system to use on a lifter to help impaired individuals stand up.
• Cerda-Lugo A., Gonzales-De Alba A., Cardenas A.,Piovesan D.,  Experimental Validation of a Second Order, Double Inverted Pendulum for the study of Human Balancing, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, EMBC, 2019 Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: Modelling the control of human balance using a hip and ankle strategy.
• Kehoe M., Piovesan D., Summary Taxonomy of Two-Dimensional Terrestrial Locomotion, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, EMBC, 2019. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: This work presented a taxonomy of locomotion that can be sed to better designing mobile robots.
• Piovanelli E., Piovesan D., Shirafuji S., and Ota J., A Simple Method to Estimate Muscle Currents from sEMG using Electrical Network and Graph Theory, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference, EMBC, 2019. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: we proposed a method to estimate the electrical activation of deep muscles that are not immediately accessible for measurements.
• Piovanelli E., Piovesan D., Shirafuji S., and Ota J., Estimating Deep Muscles Activation from High Density Surface EMG Using Graph Theory, IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR, 2019. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: we proposed a new protocol to estimate the electrical activation of deep muscles that are not immediately accessible for measurements.
• Jarrett C., Shirota C. McDaid A., Piovesan D., Mussa-Ivaldi F.A., Melendez-Calderon A., A framework for closing the loop between human experts and computational algorithms for the assessment of movement disorders, IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR, 2019. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: we proposed a method to estimate the force of deep muscles that are not immediately accessible for measurements.
• Botzheim L., Mravcsik M., Zsenak I., Piovesan D., Laczko J., Jerk decomposition during bimanual independent arm cranking, IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR, 2019. Professionalism: This is an IEEE conferenceTopic: we proposed a method to estimate the irregularities of movements during arm cranking that can help improve arm rehabilitaton. 

Melendez-Calderon A, Piovesan D, Mussa-Ivaldi FA, inventors; Rehabilitation Institute Of Chicago, assignee.

Topic

The patent describes a device to assess the level of impairment in individuals with increased muscle tone. (US10529254)

Collaborations

In collaboration with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Now Shirley Ryan Ability Lab)

S. Tiari, A. Hockins, M. Mahdavi. (2021) Numerical Study of a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System Enhanced by Varying Fin Configurations. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering. 25,100999.

Professionalism

Case Studies in Thermal Engineering (IF 4.724) is an international journal that provides a forum for the publication of short, structured Case Studies in Thermal Engineering and related Short Communications. It provides an essential compendium of case studies for researchers and practitioners in the field of thermal engineering and others who are interested in aspects of thermal engineering cases that could affect other engineering processes.

Topic

A multiphase transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study the effect of varying fin configurations on the thermal performance of a latent heat thermal energy system. The model allowed to find the fin configuration that is associated with the optimal thermal performance of the system.

Collaborations

In collaboration with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Gannon University.

S. Tiari, K. Tofani. (2021) Magnetic Nanoparticle Hyperthermia for Cancer Treatment: A Review on Nanoparticle Types and Thermal Analyses. ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy. 4 (3): 030801.

Professionalism

Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy is a unique publishing forum for the international community of engineers, scientists, and medical researchers with a shared vision to use knowledge from mechanical engineering as well as other engineering and scientific disciplines to accelerate biomedical innovation, trial and commercialization.

Topic

Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia (MNH) is a localized cancer treatment that uses an alternating magnetic field to excite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) injected into a tumor, causing them to generate heat. Once the temperature of the tumor tissue reaches about 43 °C, the cancerous cells die. Different types of MNPs have been studied, including iron oxides with various coatings, Cu-Ni alloys, and complex manganese/zinc particles. In this paper, we reviewed different types of MNPs and assesses them by magnetization, specific absorption rate (SAR), and Curie temperature. We also reviewed the achievements and limitations of the works in this field.

Hockins, A., Moretti, S. & Tiari, S. (2021) Experimental Investigation of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System Enhanced by Annular and Radial Fins, ASME ES2021 15th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Virtual.

Professionalism

The American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Energy Sustainability (ES) Conference is focused on identifying innovative technologies, research and design advances, and solutions toward a path of renewable and other energy sustainability options, including utility-level integration.

Topic

In this study, the thermal characteristics of a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) system enhanced with annular and radial fins are investigated experimentally. A LHTES unit with Rubitherm RT-55 as the phase change material (PCM) was constructed and tested. A thermal imaging camera was used to take thermal images of the system as it operates. The effects of different number of annular and radial fins on the thermal performance of the latent heat thermal energy storage system have been studied.