Duke MEMS

???Congratulations to Dr. Prajakta Prabhune! We are happy to announce that Prajakta Prabhune has successfully defended her Ph.D dissertation! Her thesis, titled?"Data Centric Modeling and Design of Polymer Nanocomposites for Mechanical and Dielectric Properties,"?explores the innovative field of polymer nanocomposites. These materials, which consist of a polymer matrix embedded with nanoparticles, offer enhanced mechanical strength, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity. Prajakta's research focuses on using advanced computational techniques to optimize these materials for various applications, including electronics, automotive, and aerospace. A special thank you to her Ph.D. committee members: Drs. Cate Brinson, Haozhe “Harry” Wang, Linda Schadler, and?Gaurav Arya,?for their guidance and support throughout her journey. Join us in celebrating Dr. Prajakta Prabhune's achievement! ???? #DukeEngineering #MaterialsScience #ResearchExcellence #STEM Prajakta P. https://lnkd.in/dpb5r8QF

Last week, we were thrilled to welcome to campus Professor Yonggang Huang from Northwestern University as he presented the 12th annual George W. Pearsall Distinguished Lecture at Duke University! His lecture explored innovative electromechanical structures that interact with human skin to create programmable, adaptive haptic feedback systems. These advancements hold significant potential for improving patient care and enhancing the quality of life for individuals with sensory impairments. The lecture series honors beloved Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science George W. Pearsall, who served twice as dean of the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, and aims to bring distinguished scholars and researchers to campus to share their groundbreaking work and inspire the academic community. https://lnkd.in/ewgQpwEd

Student Spotlight: Isabel Dudlyke "What excites me most about mechanical engineering is its ability to solve real-world problems through innovative and practical solutions," says Izzy Dudlyke. From her secondary school studies in Great Britain to her double major at Duke, Izzy has seamlessly combined her love for mechanical engineering and filmmaking. While at Duke, Izzy has worked with Pitch Story Lab, Duke University Union's Freewater Productions, and the Aaron Franklin Lab, as well as interning at DI BONAVENTURA PICTURES INC. Izzy's short film "Inner Demons" was featured in the 2023 Duke Cinematic Arts Student Film Festival. #StudentSpotlight #IsabelDudlyke #DukeMEMS #MechanicalEngineering #PrattSchoolofEngineering #CinematicArts #DukeUniversity #STEM #STEAM #Innovation

???Celebrating Excellence in Engineering! We are proud to introduce Dr. Junqin Chen, who has successfully defended her PhD dissertation. While a student in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Dr. Chen has shown exceptional dedication and expertise. Her dissertation, "Redefining the Role of Vapor Bubble Dynamics in Laser Lithotripsy," highlights innovative research and her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. Laser lithotripsy is?a minimally invasive medical procedure that involves using lasers to break up kidney stones into small fragments that can be passed through the urinary tract. Pictured from left to right: Drs. Chuan-Hua Chen, John Dolbow, Junqin Chen, Junjie Yao, Michael Lipkin, and Pei Zhong (advisor). #PhD #Engineering #DukeUniversity #MechanicalEngineering #DukeEngineering #MaterialsScience #LaserLithotripsy #AcademicExcellence #WomenInSTEM #Congratulations #PeiZhongLab #PrattSchoolofEngineering #DukeMEMS #DukeU #MakingHistory https://lnkd.in/dpb5r8QF

Congrats to Uzoma Ayogu, a Duke MEMS alum, on being recognized in Forbes 30 under 30 for co-founding Releaf Earth (YC W19).

What if robots could paint with light? Robotics students Richard Kim, Harrison York, and Aritra Acharjee answered this question with their Robot Arm Light Art project for ME 442. In ME 442: Introduction to Robotics and Automation, taught by Dr. Siobhan Oca, students learn the principles of design and are challenged to manipulate these principles in innovative ways. Rising to the challenge, the team transformed user drawings, SVG files, and DXF files into dynamic robotic movements using a UR5e arm fitted with a custom end-effector—capturing stunning long-exposure light art merging precision engineering with art. The team designed a custom end-effector with finger-like joints controlled by servos and fishing wire, enabling precise manipulation of RGBW LEDs for lighting effects. Leveraging SolidWorks for design and 3D printing for fabrication, they ensured the device was lightweight yet durable. The UR5e robot executed smooth trajectories in both simulation and real-world applications, with RViz providing real-time visualization. To simplify complex SVG and DXF file processing, they developed algorithms to normalize and resample paths while maintaining an artwork’s fidelity and leveraged a custom Python script to render even hand-drawn images. Take a look at the stunning artwork created by the robot and Go Duke! Interested in a Masters of Engineering in Robotics? Visit https://lnkd.in/eHTG322h

Innovating beach safety, Product Design team-Sydney Neal, Abby Paris, Ryan Rinel, and Joyce Hu- developed Life Launch, a pneumatic rescue launcher designed to save lives while keeping rescuers safe.? Rip currents are a leading danger for both beachgoers and emergency responders who face challenges when trying to reach someone in distress. The product design team recognizing this problem set out to design Life Launch: a pneumatic launcher equipped with an aim-assist distance tracker, an auto-inflate life jacket capsule, and a retrieval line with a reel. Constructed from pressure-rated PVC and utilizing a 2-inch sprinkler valve, the launcher system is designed to be pressurized to 90 PSI, supporting 3-5 launches before needing to be refilled. Upon water contact, the launched bobbin triggers inflation, causing the capsule ends to release and forming a large buoy for the victim to grab hold of. Under the guidance of Dr. Rebecca Simmons and Dr. Tyler Bletsch, students learn to design and develop a marketable device in 12 weeks as part of the ME490: Product Design class. During the 12-week design process, the group faced various challenges. Remarking on the challenges faced, the group writes “Challenges arose with the reeling mechanism. The initial wound design caused excessive friction, hindering projectile performance. Switching to a fly reel resolved this issue by minimizing tangles.”

Whirlpools are mostly associated with death and danger on the high seas, but these glowing vortexes are working to help humanity. One of the most difficult steps in creating diagnostic tests is purifying samples to remove unwanted particles while concentrating biomarkers of interest. Due to the specific wavelengths of vibrations used to create these whirlpools, they efficiently trap cells, bacteria and other larger bioparticles found in saliva while leaving antibodies and viruses free to flow forward through multiple biosensing chambers. Created by Tony Jun Huang, the William Bevan Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University, and his?Acoustofluidics Lab, they represent the first step in a new single-chip diagnostic prototype that can detect viral RNA and a full spectrum of antibodies to enhance our ability to navigate and neutralize future pandemics. https://lnkd.in/ehZ9CZJu Duke University Pratt School of Engineering #starrynight #engineering

After meeting with a professional sailor to discuss gaps in the sailing market, ME490: Product Design team Olivia Lee, Amanda Smith, Kate Flanagan, and Annie Lee concluded there was a gap in the market for improving the rigging process of sails. The group set out to design a smart sailing tensiometer that utilizes a 3-point bending mechanism to measure tension coupled with a user interface that displays real-time tension values and calculates the percentage of breaking tension for different rope diameters.? Under the guidance of Dr. Rebecca Simmons and Dr. Tyler Bletsch, students learn to design and develop a marketable device in 12 weeks as part of the ME490: Product Design class. During the 12-week design process, the group faced various challenges. Amanda Smith, current mechanical engineering student, remarks “The biggest mechanical challenge of this project was custom designing and machining an ACME threaded steel lead screw mechanism with an integrated load cell. We spent many hours in the student machine shop becoming familiar with the lathe, mill, and CNC lathe machines.”? The group presented the smart tensiometer at the Duke Product Design Presentation Fair and received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Looking to the future, the project group remarks “Many sailors have expressed interest in purchasing the device, even at this early stage, and we are excited about these opportunities for collaboration and growth.”

Duke MEMS builds community one disco ball at a time