Research
Groups
Applied Mechanics and Material
Research Group
Professor C. Rubin
Characterization of material behavior through
mechanical testing procedures and computer modeling of those materials
in mechanical components is the emphasis of this group. Recent work
includes various studies in indenting, rolling, and sliding contact behavior
in rail and bearing steels, fretting and fatigue studies riveted lap joints,
and studies of modified layers and coatings on materials and machine components.
Facilities include servohydraulic testing machines interfaced with high
speed data acquisition systems and a 3-ball-rod rolling contact fatigue
testing machine; finite element computer modeling is performed on the
Vanderbilt University mainframe computer and through remote access to
external supercomputing facilities.
Laboratory for the Design and Control of Energetic
Systems
Professor E. J. Barth
The
Laboratory for the Design and Control of Energetic
Systems seeks to apply a system dynamics and control
perspective to problems involving the control and
transduction of energy. This scope includes
multi-physics modeling, control methodologies
formulation, and model-based or model-guided design. The
space of applications where this framework has been
applied includes nonlinear controllers and nonlinear
observers for pneumatically actuated systems, a combined
thermodynamic / system dynamics approach to the design
of free piston internal combustion and external heat
source engines, modeling and model-based design and
control of monopropellant systems, hydraulic energy
storage, small-scale boundary layer turbines, and
energy-based approaches for single and multiple vehicle
control and guidance.
Center for Intelligent
Mechatronics
Professor M. Goldfarb
The design and control of electro-mechanical
devices is the primary concern of this center, in which major efforts
in the development of piezoelectrically-actuated small scale mobile robots,
of piezoelectric motors, and of macro-micro telemanipulator systems for
scaled bilateral teleoperation have been sustained. Other work has
involved issues related to the design of haptic interfaces and virtual
mechanical environments, and the development of smart material based actuators.
The center includes a full complement of facilities for the prototyping,
testing, and analysis of electromechanical devices.
Encapsulation of Living Cells
Professor T. G. Wang
Transplantation of cells to treat a variety of
human diseases such as hormone or protein deficiencies is limited because
cells are quickly destroyed by the recipient's immune system. To
overcome this limitation, the concept arose that hormone- or protein-secreting
cells could be enclosed in a semi-permeable membrane that would protect
cells from immune attack and yet allow the influx of molecules important
for cell function/survival and efflux of the desired cellular products
such as hormones. The principle of immunoisolation or immunoprotection
of cells for transplantation has two significant potentials: i) cell transplantation
without the need for immunosuppression and its accompanying side effects,
and ii) transplantation of cells from non-human species (xenograft) to
overcome the limited supply of donor cells for such diseases as diabetes.
Vanderbilt University investigators, an interdisciplinary
team of engineers, scientists, endocrinologists, transplantation surgeons,
and others, have developed a new biomechanical capsule that is able to
reverse diabetes in animals, where others have failed. This
research might provide relief in the near future to millions of patients
suffering from diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's, and hemophilia.
Laser Diagnostics
of Combustion Laboratory
Professor R. W. Pitz
Using advanced laser diagnostics, chemical reactions
and pollutant generation are studied in flames that simulate combustion
in gas turbines, direct injection spark ignition engines, and natural
gas appliances. Chemical species and temperature are measured in
laminar and turbulent flames with laser-induced Raman scattering and fluorescence.
The velocity flow fields are determined with phase Doppler anemometry
and advanced molecular methods such as ozone or hydroxyl tagging velocimetry.
The laser measurements are combined with computer simulations to determine
the effect of aerodynamics on combustion chemistry and mixing. New
laser methods are developed for imaging of chemical species, fluid mixing,
and fluid velocity. Extensive experimental facilities are available
including burners (laminar, turbulent), electronic cameras, lasers (excimer,
dye, YAG), computers, and spectrometers.
Medical & Electromechanical Design Laboratory
Professor Robert J. Webster III
In the MED Lab we are dedicated to improving medicine
through engineering at the "meso-scale" - from hundreds of microns
to tens of centimeters - which lies between the traditional macro
scale (e.g. industrial robot manipulators) and the micro scale (e.g.
MEMS devices). We work with Doctors to understand the limitations of
current surgical practice and tools, and then apply the principles
of electromechanical science (design, robotics, mathematical
modeling, sensing, dynamics, control, etc.) to improve patient
outcomes. Examples of our research include steerable needles,
dexterous meso-scale scopes and lasers, enhanced laparoscopic tools,
and pill-sized endoscopic capsule robots.
Materials Processing Laboratory
Professor A. V. Anilkumar
The primary focus of this laboratory is to examine
interdisciplinary fluid physical issues as pertinent to materials processing.
The current work is two fold: (i) to provide experimental and theoretical
support to the ongoing materials processing investigations on the International
Space Station, and (ii) to conduct bench-scale ground based simulation
experiments, with potential applications to other interdisciplinary fields
like biotechnology.
In collaboration with scientists at NASA Marshall
Space Flight Center, the ongoing Space-based experiments examine the issues
of porosity formation and thermocapillary-based bubble migration during
controlled directional solidification. Conducted with transparent metal
analogues, this study has direct implications to all materials processing
experiments in Space. The ground based counterpart experiments are examining
porosity formation in microchannels. Carefully grown tubular micro/nano
pores in such channels can serve as molecular sieves in biotechnological
applications.
Another Space-based collaborative experiment
examines the fluid physics of soldering in Space. The focus of this study
is the surface-tension dominated behavior of molten solder and residual
flux during melting and solidification, along with the problem of porosity
formation in solder joints. Space travelers on an extended mission would
need to be ready to do small repairs in Space, and this study would lay
the groundwork for this.
Micro/Nanoscale Thermal Fluids Laboratory
Professor Deyu Li
Research in the micro/nanoscale thermal fluids
laboratory focuses on development of novel devices for energy conversion
and biomedical studies. We pursue fundamental understanding of thermal
and fluid transport through nanowires and nanotubes by molecular dynamics,
Monte Carlo simulation and experimental techniques. The acquired knowledge
is used to develop high efficiency thermoelectric energy converters and
nanofluidic lab-on-a-chip devices.
Robotics and Autonomous
Systems Laboratory
Professor N. Sarkar
The focus of this laboratory is both theoretical
investigation into the dynamics of mechanical and electro-mechanical systems
and the application of advanced planning and control strategies for controlling
such systems. Primary research efforts are on the dynamics and control
of autonomous dynamic systems, such as robotic manipulators, mobile robots,
mobile manipulators, and other robotic devices. The aim is to combine
the advantages of several robotic systems to design a more versatile autonomous
system. The potential applicaitions of such research can be in manufacturing,
medical robotics, and in various service areas where robotic assistance
is useful to the human operators. Other research interests of this
laboratory include the areas of modeling and control of hybrid dynamic
systems and biologically inspired robotics. Hybrid dynamic systems
involve both discrete and continuous time dynamics and are useful in a
variety of applications. Biologically inspired robotics seeks to
improve the design and performance of robots by studying living systems
(e.g., insects, animals, etc.). Future work will include the use
of predictive virtual environments for autonomous exploration.
The
Tennessee Space Grant Consortium
Professor A. M. Strauss
The Tennessee Space Grant Consortium is funded
via a NASA grant and is based in Vanderbilt's Mechanical Engineering Department.
The Consortium's mission is to promote space and science research and
education from K-12 to the graduate level. Since 1990, the Consortium
has supported Space Grant Fellows within the Mechanical Engineering Department,
in other areas of the University, and at its member and affiliate institutions
throughout the state. These fellowships provide both tuition and
stipend support to qualified students conducting research in space and
space education related areas. For more information about the Tennessee
Space Grant Consortium, visit its Web site at
http://research.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/tsgc/.
Welding Automation Laboratory
Professor A. M. Strauss
Thermal
Physics Laboratory
Professor D. G. Walker
The Thermal Physics Lab is dedicated to scientific
discovery at the frontiers of heat transfer. Current research includes
investigation of new transient thermometry using thermographic phosphors,
modeling and simulation of noncontinuum energy transport in microelectronic
devices, quantum energy conversion devices, radiation effects in nanostructures,
and novel electronics cooling technologies. All efforts are grounded in
fundamental thermo-physical processes but expand the boundaries of traditional
heat transfer applications.
