BioMechanical Engineering Lab

The BioMechanical (Biomedical) Engineering Research Lab (BME Lab) is established to design and manufacturing orthoses and devices for people with all sorts of deformity. The patented biomedical devices are composite devices comprised of polymer, and carbon fiber (or metal).

We are currently looking for licencees/manufacturers who can help us bring the composite biomedical supports to the market. Please email the inventor.

The BME lab is designed to integrate mechanical testing with experimental techniques from fundamental anatomy to clinical studies (including direct patient studies). This BME laboratory includes facilities for 3D printing, mechanical testing, deformity measurements. The results are then compared with the results obtained by advanced computer simulation (using Solidworks, MATLAB, etc.).

Projects People Equipment

 

Patents and Papers News/ Media Appearance

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Projects

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  Finger Support

  Finger deformation is very common and has many causes and severity. Most of the available finger supports are not resizable and comfortable. They are mainly designed to fully restrict the finger’s motion when there has been any type of injury. However, for example in the case of early stages of arthritis, the patient should be able to use them whenever they want. Furthermore, the available finger supports cannot be adjusted considering various fingers’ sizes and positions. In this research, seven models of a polymer-metal composite finger support are designed. They are made of a soft polymer with inserted sheets of aluminum, steel or carbon-fiber. The optimal models are strong, and allow for size and finger position adjustments, and can be used for patients who already have distorted fingers and are working on them to regain some functions. Extensive finite element analysis of the support under the distributed loads of the finger, confirmed by the results obtained by a MATLAB program, shows that the new support tolerates the applied forces without any permanent deformation. Finally, the fabricated part using 3D printing validates the results.

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  Foot Support

  This work details the development and fabrication of an external support, designed to noninvasively correct mild to moderate cases of hallux valgus (HV), or bunions. Current methods for HV correction require extensive surgery and extended recovery times. The use of an external support will allow the patient to wear a device daily, providing a noninvasive method to correct the deformity. 

  Two external orthopedic models, constructed from composite materials, are developed. These models are based on previously designed, fabricated and mechanically tested finger support investigated before (Nasseri, et. al., 2017). Each model consists of a polymeric shell wrapping around the foot and two toes, and an insert that keeps the large toe straight. The models allow for the toes to stay spaced and parallel. The second model was designed to accommodate various foot sizes easily. The top part has an adjustable closure, which makes the support ‘one size fits all.’ It has many holes on one side and a snap closure on the other side. It also allows the rotation of the ball of the foot with respect to the toes via three different mechanism.

  Features were built into the design to allow for simple manufacturing and changes to be made as the patients’ recovery progresses. The models were designed using Solidworks and analyzed with the included finite element analysis (FEA) package. The trial inserts have been made of aluminum, steel and carbon fiber. The first model was constructed using 3D printing techniques to validate the findings. An insole, a composite band-aid and flip-flop are also conceptualized and designed. 

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  Spine Support

  Many patients suffering from back deformity (such as scoliosis, kyphosis and Scheuermann's diseases) can benefit from the newly designed spine or back support, which is designed to correct deformity in the whole spine (not just back or just neck). 

  The new support is strong, and allow for size and position adjustments, and can be used for patients who already have distorted members and are working on them to regain some functions. These accommodations have not been addressed by any current support and currently, there are no support in the market which can accommodate these advantages. The available supports are made of rough fabrics/Velcro straps, or thermoset plastics without any flexibility. Also, most of them cannot be used for functional positions, whereas with this new support, the patients can wear them and do their normal life tasks.

  The spine or back support is designed based on the same idea of a composite polymer-metal finger or foot support. For this new invention, a model is selected to have the least effect on the user’s everyday life and still provide correction for the patient. 

  The model developed has very thin wraps or belts for around the head, for under the chest and for around the waist connected by a strong beam inside the polymeric shell. These locations are selected to provide correct alignment for the whole spine and neck. This arrangement helps to correct the deformity by pulling the upper body and neck in the opposite direction of the deformity. The dimensions of the thin wraps are designed in a way to be modified easily. Both the diameters of the wraps and also the distance between them can be adjusted via the modular supporting beam. The beam has many holes which allow the wraps to be relocated.

  The spine support is constructed of a polymer based material and a solid support beam used to correct the deformity. The solid support beam is going to be simulated to be three different materials and results will be gathered. The support will be constructed using a 3d printed polymer such as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPU or TPE) which is soft, extensible and tear resistant.

  The beam is designed in a way that its length can be shortened. This not only accommodates the height of various people, but also, it can accommodate the deformity only in the lower part of the spine region and not the upper part or neck. In that case the upper wrap can be completely removed. So the model allows the user to have only two wraps instead of three, for targeted areas of deformity.

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People

Simin Nasseri (Ph.D., P.E.), Currently a full professor at Kennesaw State University

Dr. Simin Nasseri currently works at the department of mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University (USA) as a full professor. She is recognized as the University's Distinguished Professor. Simin does research in Mechanical Engineering. At the moment, her recent projects are related to manufacturing engineering and biomechanical engineering. Formerly, she conducted research projects related to Rheology and viscoelasticity, Polymer processing, Biomechanical engineering (artificial organs and soft tissue rheology), Computational Mechanics and CFD (Parallel Computing via PVM, Finite Element Method, Boundary Element Method, Completed Double Layer Boundary Element Method), Robotics, and Micromachinery. See more here.

Kyle Vitale Castellano (Lead Student), Currently a PhD student at Auburn University

Vitale "Kyle" Castellano is currently an Auburn University graduate student, pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University, formerly Southern Polytechnic State University. He graduated with his Bachelors of Science Summa Cum Laude and was the 2017 MET Student of the Year. Kyle has extensive knowledge in machine design, 3D printing, and computer aided engineering. He has been using computer aided design software for over ten years and holds the Certified SolidWorks Professional License. He is an expert when it comes to implementing the engineering design process to solve complex problems in a timely manner.

George Williams (Lead student), Currently a Mechanical Engineer at Compass Technology Group

George Williams enrolled at Kennesaw State in 2017 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering, which led to his meeting Dr. Nasseri and joining her research team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Under her guidance, Williams has explored how to create low-cost, customizable composite supports to correct painful body disorders that would otherwise require expensive surgery. The approach uses 3D printing to produce wearable supports to reduce joint pain. See more here.

 

 

 

Timothy Plowman, Currently working as Continuous Improvement Engineer at StimLabs

Tim obtained his Bachelor's degree from Auburn university and his Master's degree from Kennesaw State University and worked as a Research Assistant in the BME research group, performing extensive computer simulations using Solidworks for foot and spine supports.

 

 

Salim Kortobi is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, with minors in Engineering Design Graphics and Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University. He has extensive experience in SolidWorks and is a Certified SolidWorks Expert in Mechanical Design (CSWE). Salim also has extensive knowledge in 3D printing and has used that knowledge to assist in equipment procurement and the establishment of the BioMechanical Engineering Lab (BME Lab) at KSU. As Dr. Nasseri’s research assistant, his work has included various research projects including the finger support, foot support and spine support. He also has used his knowledge in Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) to run various SolidWorks simulations as part of the BME research. 

Former students in this research group:

Click on the image to see a larger size.

Jesse Pressley, Bailee Garcia, Logan Willis, Mushfequr Kotwal, Levi Brindle, Shanice White, Tammy Ong, Barrett Tallant and Anthony DeDiego Jr. 

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Patents and Papers

Patents:

• Full or Non-provisional patent: Systems and Methods for Appendage Support, 2021 (EFS ID TBA, and Application number TBA). Filed on 01/14/2021. For modified bunions supports,  bunions insoles, bunions band-aids and spine supports. Application Number: 17/148891, Publication Number: US2021212850A1 (07/15/2021). Ranking: Top Assignees for A61F.
• Full or Non-provisional patent: Systems and Methods for Appendage Support, 2020 (EFS ID 38293251, and Application number 16742520). For finger and foot supports.
• Designing the spine supports for patients with deformity, 2020 (EFS ID 38293386, and Application number 62960984).
• Designing finger and foot supports for patients with deformity, 2019 (EFS ID 34846513 and Application number 62792099). Patent Application Publication: US20200222222A1.

Papers and Posters:

• Design, Simulation and Fabrication of  a composite Food support for Bunions, Presented at National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), Kennesaw, Ga, April 2019.
• Design, simulation and fabrication of a new finger support. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol 8, No 4, July/Aug 2018.
• On fabrication and mechanical testing of a new finger support. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol 8, No 4, July/Aug 2018.
• "Reserach methods in desgining various finger supports for patients with deformity," Presentation in the 6th Annual Southeast Preeminent Regional Research & Creative Endeavors Conference, Georgia College & State University, Oct 27-28, 2017.

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Equipment

          

3D Printer (Raise 3D Pro3)
Build Plate with Protector Pro 3 / Pro 3 Plus
Interchangeable Hot End Assembly Pro 3 / Pro 3 Plus
V3 Hardened Nozzle - 0.4mm
Infinite Material Solutions AquaSys 120 1.75mm
Filament Guide Tube - Pro 3 / Pro 3 Plus
PrintDry Filament Dryer PRO
PrintDry Vacuum Container
BEAMNOVA 6" Metal Sheet Cutter 
Digital Protractor
Digital Level
Digital Hand Dynamometer
Digital Newton Meter
Digital Goniometer
Flexible Ruler
Strain Gauges
Angle Vise with Swivel Base
HATCHBOX TPU
Overture TPU Filament
CC3D Silk PLA
Carbon Fiber Sheet 1mm
3M Micropore Paper Tape
Digital Caliper 8"
Digital Dial Gage
Pipe/Tube Cutter
Weight Set
Neoprene Rubber Sheet (1/32")

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Media Appearance:

• KSU news: Engineered Recovery (Designing finger and foot supports to correct deformities)
• Medical Design Briefs
• Cobb Chamber
• Synectic
• KSU News on George Williams

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