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Provided by ASME Logo The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
IDETC-CIE 2022
St. Louis Union Station Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri

Conference: August 14 – 17, 2022
Exhibition: August 15 – 17, 2022

Keynotes & Special Sessions

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Professor J.Y. Wong

Keynote Speaker: Professor J.Y. Wong; Professor Emeritus, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Keynote Title: Off-Road Mobility and Terramechanics - Theory into Practice

Abstract: A wide range of human endeavors, such as farming, natural resources exploration and exploitation, and defense operations, involve locomotion over unprepared terrain and wheeled or tracked off-road vehicles are commonly used. On highly deformable terrain, the thrust generated by the wheels or tracks may not be able to overcome the motion resistance and this would lead to immobilization. To predict off-road mobility, the understanding of the mechanics of vehicle-terrain interaction, which has now become known as terramechanics, is essential.

There are three basic issues in terramechanics: the measurement and characterization of terrain behavior; the elucidation of the mechanics of vehicle-terrain interaction; and the establishment of the relationships among mobility, vehicle design, and terrain characteristics. The aim of terramechanics is to provide guiding principles for the rational development and design of terrestrial off-road vehicles and extraterrestrial rovers in various operating environments. This lecture reviews the current status and future prospects of terramechanics.

A common technique for measuring the response of terrain to vehicular loadings uses a device known as the bevameter (conceived by Dr. M.G. Bekker, a pioneer in terramechanics). From measurements, parameters for characterizing terrain behavior are derived and they have become known as the Bekker-Wong (B-W) terrain parameters. They are adopted in the 2020 Standards of the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems.

Using the B-W parameters to characterize terrain behavior, the mechanics of vehicle running gear (wheel or track)-terrain interaction is elucidated. As a result, an analytical framework has been established and computer simulation models for performance and design evaluation of wheeled and tracked vehicles have been developed. A representative model for tracked vehicles is presented. Its basic features have been substantiated with field test data. The model has been employed to assist off-road vehicle manufacturers in many countries in the development of new products, as well as governmental agencies in the evaluation of vehicle candidates from the procurement perspective. An example of the applications of the model to the development of a high-mobility version of a tracked armored vehicle is presented.

With mankind's increasing interest in the exploration of the universe, manned or unmanned rovers have been deployed to the Moon and Mars for surface exploration. To assess the potential of a simulation model originally developed for terrestrial wheeled vehicles for evaluating the mobility of future generations of extraterrestrial rovers with flexible wheels, a study was conducted to use the model for predicting the performance of a wire-mesh, flexible wheel for the manned Lunar Roving Vehicle used in the NASA Apollo Program, and the results are encouraging. Methods have also been developed for predicting the performances of rovers and their wheels on extraterrestrial surfaces under various gravities from the test results obtained on earth under earth's gravity. The basic features of these methods have been substantiated with test data.

Prospects for further developments of terramechanics are discussed. Applications of computational methods, such as the discrete element method (DEM) and the finite element method (FEM) to the analysis of the mechanics of vehicle-terrain interaction are reviewed. Challenges and opportunities in the field are indicated.

Biography: Dr. Wong is Professor Emeritus, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. He received the degrees of Ph.D. and D.Sc. from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He has been engaged in research and development of ground vehicle technologies for several decades. Many of his research findings have found wide applications in the industry. In recognition of his significant contributions to the field, he has been presented with many awards by learned societies, including the George Stephenson Prize and Starley Premium Award (twice) of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, United Kingdom.

Dr. Wong has published extensively in this field and is the author of two widely recognized books. One is Theory of Ground Vehicles and its 1st edition was published by Wiley in 1978. Its 5th edition is currently in press. The Russian and Chinese translations of the book have been published in Moscow and Beijing, respectively. The other is Terramechanics and Off-Road Vehicle Engineering, currently in its 2nd edition, published by Elsevier. He is currently on the editorial/advisory boards of several international journals, including Vehicle System Dynamics, Journal of Terramechanics, International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, and International Journal of Vehicle Performance. He has also been a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Automobile Engineering, Part D of the Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, and International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems.

Dr. Wong has been a consultant to the vehicle industry and governmental agencies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He has lectured on ground vehicle technologies in many countries around the world. At the invitations of Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S.A.; European Space Research and Technology Centre, European Space Agency; and Canadian Space Agency, he has presented special professional development programs on extraterrestrial rover mobility to their staff members.

 

Azad M. Madni

Azad M. Madni, Ph.D., NAE

University Professor of Astronautical Engineering
Northrop Grumman Foundation Fred O’Green Chair in Engineering
Executive Director, Systems Architecting and Engineering Program
Professor, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Director, Distributed Autonomy and Intelligent Systems Laboratory
Professor, Keck School of Medicine and Rossier School of Education, USC

Keynote Title: Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering: Exploiting Convergence of Systems Engineering with Other Disciplines

Abstract: With ever-increasing systems complexity and the growing emphasis on sociotechnical systems, systems engineering is undergoing a significant transformation to increase both methodological rigor and flexibility of modeling methods. However, there is another trend that is equally important – the growing convergence of systems engineering with other disciplines. This trend is a key enabler of transdisciplinary systems engineering, which I define as a meta-discipline that exploits the convergence of systems engineering with other disciplines to frame and solve problems that appear intractable when viewed solely through an engineering lens. To illustrate the application of transdisciplinary systems engineering, my talk will focus on exploiting the synergy of Model Based Systems Engineering and Entertainment Arts. Specifically, I will show that by transforming system models into stories that can be executed in virtual worlds, it becomes possible to increase the understanding and participation of all stakeholders, especially in upfront engineering. I will illustrate the use of this approach within the context of a campus security system. I will conclude by reviewing key concepts from other disciplines that can also be exploited in systems engineering to increase system life cycle coverage and enhance system modeling and verification.

Biography: Dr. Azad Madni is a University Professor of Astronautical Engineering, holder of the Northrop Grumman Fred O'Green Chair in Engineering. He is the Executive Director of University of Southern California's Systems Architecting and Engineering Program. He is also the Founding Director of the Distributed Autonomy and Intelligent Systems Laboratory. He has joint appointments in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has courtesy appointments in the Rossier School of Education and Keck School of Medicine where he is a faculty affiliate of the Ginsberg Institute for Medical Therapeutics. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and Life Fellow/Fellow of several professional societies including AAAS, IEEE, AIAA, INCOSE, IISE, IETE, AAIA, SDPS, and the WAS. His research focus is on transdisciplinary systems engineering, adaptive cyber-physical-human systems, augmented intelligence, AI and machine learning in complex systems modeling, Model Based Systems Engineering for Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Twin Technologies for industrial and biomedical applications. He has received in excess of $100M from research sponsors in government, aerospace, and automotive industries. He serves on the research councils of two DOD centers, DOD's Digital Engineering Body of Knowledge Governance Board, IISE Body of Knowledge Steering Committee.

He is the founder and CEO of Intelligent Systems Technology, Inc., a high-tech company which specializes in model-based and AI approaches to addressing scientific and societal problems of national and global significance. He co-founded and currently chairs the IEEE SMC award-winning technical committee on Model Based Systems Engineering. he specializes in model-based systems engineering and digital twin development approaches for industrial, aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and medical applications (including medical devices).

He defined the field of transdisciplinary systems engineering to address problems that appear intractable when viewed solely through an engineering lens. He is the creator of the TRASEE™ educational paradigm which combines storytelling with the Science of Learning principles to make learning enjoyable while enhancing retention and recall. He is currently engaged in bringing together members of the engineering communities to contribute to advances in transdisciplinary systems engineering, and in conducting humanitarian projects that exploit transdisciplinary systems engineering methods. With respect to the former, he has created a Digital Twin Community of Interest portal. With respect to the latter, he is currently leading SARW, a humanitarian initiative to address river rejuvenation problems in the tropical parts of the world with collaborators from US and India. The focus is on bringing transdisciplinary systems engineering approaches to bear on this problem.

He is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering: Exploiting Convergence in a Hyper-Connected World (Springer 2018) and the co-author of Tradeoff Decisions in System Design (Springer, 2016). He is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of three proceedings from the Conference on Systems Engineering. He is the Co-Editor-in-Chief (with Norm Augustine) of the Handbook on Model Based Systems Engineering (Springer, 2022). He received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Engineering from University of California, Los Angeles. He is a graduate of AEA/Stanford Executive Institute.

Title: Education for Modeling and Simulation: Emerging Needs and Recent Trends

Abstract: Modeling and simulation (M&S) are becoming increasingly pervasive across multidisciplinary areas of mechanical engineering, design engineering and data science, whilst offering methods and tools for rapid design and modeling, cost-saving simulation, effective visualization, robust analysis, and communication across technical boundaries.

The landscape of this emerging field has been undergoing major changes as we transition from M&S of systems in the current era (e.g., internal combustion engines, planes, etc.) to modern systems (e.g., digital twins, robotics, additive manufacturing, quadcopters, drones, etc.) of the present and future. The complexity of models, model usage, and work environment has changed radically over these years. This raises the question of whether the educators are adequately preparing the engineering graduates with the proper M&S skills and academic requirements of the next generation.

In this panel, we will hear from experts in the industry, academia, and government about how the digital- and advanced technology trends and needs are changing the educational of M&S. Is the new workforce is properly skilled and trained for M&S adoption, integration and application? What are the respective revisions and interventions to be incorporated into the teaching and learning curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels?

Furthermore, the panel will discuss the advancement of remote teaching, hybrid learning and on-line education in the event of potential outbreak of airborne diseases, pandemics or prevention of disease transmission.

Dr. Gaurav Ameta

Dr. Gaurav Ameta is a Senior Key Expert at Siemens Technology, USA. He leads technology vision for design representations and advanced manufacturing areas at Siemens Technology. He also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering (JCISE). Before joining Siemens in 2018, Dr. Ameta had served as associate professor and assistant professor at universities in India and the United States. He was also a guest researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA. He obtained his Ph.D. and MS from Arizona State University, USA, in 2006. His research interests include geometric algorithms, CAD/CAM, tolerancing, additive manufacturing and sustainable product design. He has published over 80 research articles. He was a recipient of Young Engineer Award from American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Computer and Information in Engineering Division in 2011 and several best paper/poster awards for his publications.

 

Dr. Daniela Faas

Dr. Daniela Faas was the senior preceptor in design instruction at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science at Harvard University, prior to joining Olin College. Dr. Faas was a Shapiro postdoctoral fellow in the Mechanical Engineering Department at MIT after receiving her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction from Iowa State University, developing low-cost immersive Virtual Reality applications for products and systems. Dr. Faas graduated from Bucknell University with her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and joint B.S./B.A. in Mechanical Engineering and International Relations. Dr. Faas is currently a research affiliate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. Her research focuses on the early-stage design process and methodology and engineering education with a focus on fabrication and prototyping in the classroom.

 

 

Dr. John Michopoulos

Dr. John Michopoulos is a Research Scientist/Engineer and head of Computational Multiphysics Systems Lab (CMSL) Code 6394, of the Center for Material Physics and Technology at the US Naval Research Laboratory (US-NRL), Dr. Michopoulos executes and oversees multi-physics modeling and simulation efforts and computational sciences research and development, operations and initiatives at CMSL. Some of his major initiatives include research and development on linking material performance to material processing via data and specification driven methodologies, additive and hybrid manufacturing process and material modeling, model order reduction for naval applications, electromagnetic launcher dissipative damage modeling and simulation, mechatronic/robotic data-driven characterization of continua, multiphysics design optimization and meta-computing. He is a member of the editorial board of several scientific journals and is member of the program committee of several international conferences and has chaired several of them. He has served in the executive committee of the Computers and Information in engineering division of the ASME. His technical work and leadership have been recognized by several national and international honors, including the 2015 Excellence in Research award by ASME’s CIE division, the 2015 Innovator Award by Wolfram Inc., and the 2013 “P.S. Theocaris” award for excellence by the National Academy of Athens. He has authored and co-authored more than 370 publications and patents. Dr. Michopoulos holds a Diploma/M.Sc. in Civil Engineering and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and Mechanics from the National Technical University of Athens and has pursued post-doctoral studies at Lehigh University on computational multi-field modeling of continua and Fracture Mechanics.

 

Michael Payne

Michael Payne was born in the UK. He received as BSc. In Electronic Engineering from Southampton University, an MSc. From Kings College, London in Physics of Semiconductor and Vacuum Devices, and an MBA from Pace University in New York. He has worked at Plessey Radar in the UK, where he was involved in the design or electronics for Radar Systems. Later he worked on various topics at RCA in NJ including semiconductors for a military program. He had various positions at Prime Computer, including the Director of CADCAM development. With Sam Geisberg and Danny Dean he went on to start the Company that became known as Parametric Technology (PTC). After PTC, with others he was a founder and VP R&D for SolidWorks which was acquired by Dassault Systèmes. He became the CEO of the Spatial, a Dassault Systèmes Company. With 3 others, he was a founder of SpaceClaim, now an Ansys Company. Currently he is CEO of Kenesto, which produces a cloud-based software product for the Construction Industry.

 

Dr. Cameron Turner

Dr. Cameron Turner is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University where he runs the Design Innovation and Computational Engineering Laboratory (DICE Lab) as part of the Clemson University Design Automation Research (CEDAR) Group. He has previously been on the faculty of the Colorado School of Mines for 7 years and was a technical staff member at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 13 years. Dr. Turner's research focuses on the use of computational tools to collaborate with engineers during the design and manufacturing process, including simulation, modeling, optimization, and artificial intelligence to facilitate CAD/CAM/CAE operations. Currently, Dr. Turner is primarily involved with the Virtual Prototyping for Ground Vehicle Systems (VIPR-GS) Center at Clemson University. VIPR is a $100M+ effort with the US Army Ground Vehicle Systems center to dramatically advance the design capabilities and use of virtual design in the development of the next generation of US Army vehicles. Through this center, Dr. Turner serves as the Principal Investigator for the Tradespace Exploration, Analysis and Decision-Making and the Cross-cutting Tradespace Techniques for Ground Vehicle Systems projects (totaling approximately $3M), and serves as a co-PI on four other projects within the VIPR center.

View the Event Flyer

Title: The Role of Hackathon Mechanism in Promoting Data Science in Mechanical Engineering Research and Education: Perspectives from Academia and Industry

Organizers:
Dr. Hyunwoong Ko, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
Dr. Zhuo Yang, Research Associate, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Panelists:
Dr. Yan Lu, Information Modeling and Testing Group Leader, NIST –SEIKM Award Chair
Dr. Zhenghui Sha, Assistant Professor, UT Austin – ASME SEIKM TC Chair from 2018-2019, ASME CIE Hackathon Chair in 2020, and Co-Chair in 2021 and 2022

Panelists:
Dr. Yan Lu, Group Leader, Information Modeling and Testing Group, NIST – SEIKM Award Chair
Dr. Zhenghui Sha, Assistant Professor, UT Austin – ASME SEIKM TC Chair from 2018-2019, ASME CIE Hackathon Chair in 2020, and Co-Chair in 2021 and 2022
Dr. Nikhil Gupta, Professor, NYU
Ye Wang, Principal Research Scientist, Autodesk
Daniele Grandi, Sr. Research Engineer, Autodesk

Title: Virtual Environments and Systems for Makers

Organizer: Vinayak R. Krishnamurthy
Assistant Professor and Morris E. Foster Faculty Fellow II
J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Computer Science and Engineering (By Affiliation)
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

Abstract: Recent years have seen a significant academic, industrial, entrepreneurial, and public interest in virtual environments and systems as well as making. On the one hand, the rise of maker culture has led to heavy investment in additive manufacturing, digital fabrication, and prototyping-based design. On the other hand, novel technologies in extended (virtual/augmented/mixed) reality have started becoming integral to industrial as well as entertainment applications. The purpose of this panel discussion is to explore: (1) where these two domains (VES and making) meet, (2) how they will give rise to new research and development opportunities, (3) what intellectual challenges lie ahead in operationalizing VES for makers, (4) how such a combination may impact innovation in design and manufacturing, and (5) what steps we should take as researchers to investigate this exciting avenue. We will seek views and arguments from a panel of experts coming from a wide range of areas including computer-aided product design, digital fabrication, design education, and virtual environments and systems.

Panelists:

Julie Linsey

Julie Linsey
Professor
School of Mechanical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology, USA

Dr. Nicholas Meisel

Dr. Nicholas Meisel
Associate Director of Engineering Design Graduate Programs, Associate Professor
School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs
Engineering Design
Mechanical Engineering
Pennsylvania State University, USA

Marco Rossini

Marco Rossini
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Lightning Talks

  • Sara Behdad, Associate Professor at the University of Florida
  • Junfeng Ma, Associate Professor at Mississippi State University
  • Paul W. Witherell, Mechanical Engineer at NIST
  • Jeremy Faludi, Assistant Professor at Delft University of Technology (Tu Delft)

Keynote

Jena L Holtberg-Benge

Jena L Holtberg-Benge

General Manager, John Deere Reman Business
Power Systems Group
Deere & Company

Keynote Title: Remanufacturing and Design for Remanufacturing in the Global Transition to a Circular Economy

Biography: Jena Holtberg-Benge is responsible for John Deere’s remanufacturing strategy, sourcing and production with facilities in Springfield, MO and distribution globally. John Deere remanufactures engine, drivetrain, hydraulic, fuel, and electronic components, as well as sources rotating electrical, AC compressors and turbos. Jena is a strong believer in the value of remanufacturing to provide quality products to customers while executing on sustainability goals.

Holtberg-Benge joined Deere in 2001 and subsequently held roles in marketing, customer support, quality, operations, strategic planning and business development in the US, India and China. In 2014 as Director, John Deere WorkSight™, she was responsible for the strategy and execution of technology and innovation for construction and forestry equipment. Prior to Deere she was instrumental in the start up of Laura Mercier Cosmetics and the development of a management designate program for HQ Global Workplaces.

Jena holds a bachelor's degree in International Studies from Vassar College and an MBA (International Business) from Thunderbird, the School of Global Management.

Dr. Sudarsan Rachuri

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sudarsan Rachuri, Technology Manager of the Advanced Manufacturing Office, EERE, and DOE

Keynote Title: Revisiting DfX with smart manufacturing technologies– Can we realize roundtrip engineering across lifecycle

Abstract: Smart manufacturing essentially is about smartly extracting information from the manufacturing system to improve the overall efficiency of networked enterprises. Smart manufacturing provides an effective and secure cyber-physical system platform for better decision-making and improving the overall productivity and efficiency of manufacturing across the networked enterprise. Smart Manufacturing has the potential to fundamentally change how products are designed, manufactured, supplied, used, remanufactured, and eventually retired. The talk will describe how smart manufacturing can be an innovation engine for enabling round-trip engineering for product and process lifecycle across the networked enterprise. The talk will also present how these technologies can be a vehicle for industrial decarbonization, disruptive technologies, industry best practices, verification and validation of systems, and more importantly workforce and skills development.

Biography: Dr. Sudarsan Rachuri is a Technology Manager in the Advanced Manufacturing Office, EERE, and DOE. He is the Federal Program Manager for the CESMII. Before joining DOE, he was the program manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and also a research professor at George Washington University and worked in the CAD/CAE/PLM software industry.

Dr. Rachuri is the Editor-in-Chief of ASTM Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing Systems journal. Rachuri is the founding member and was the vice-chair of the ASTM subcommittee on sustainable manufacturing (E60.13) and a member of the ASTM Smart Manufacturing Advisory Committee. Rachuri is the founding member and the Chair of the standards committee on ASME V&V 50 Verification and Validation of Computational Modeling for Advanced Manufacturing. Dr. Rachuri was a member of many ISO and ASME standards committees. Dr. Rachuri is a Fellow of ASME and AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science). Dr. Rachuri received the 2016 ASTM International President’s Leadership Award. Dr. Rachuri won first prize in the 2017 World Standards Day (WSD) Paper Competition, awarded by The Society for Standards Professionals. Dr. Sudarsan Rachuri was recently honored with the Excellence in Research Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Computers and Information in Engineering (CIE) Division.

 

The ASME Journal of Mechanical Design (JMD) and The Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering (JCISE) are committed to ethical practices for publishing that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the full community of journal stakeholders, such as authors, reviewers, associate editors, editors, and publisher. To that end, JMD and JCISE are hosting the inaugural workshop to explore best practices, opportunities for improvement, and broadly solicit input from stakeholders to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and prevent bias in the process of archival scholarly publication. The workshop will consist of brief opening remarks from the organizing team addressing best practices and current strategies to ensure DEI, panel Q&A and open floor discussion, individual table level discussions, and a closing survey. We encourage the attendance from the broad ASME journal community.

Organizers:
Dr. Dan McAdams - Diversity Advocate, the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design
Dr. Wei Chen - Editor-in-Chief, the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design
Dr. Satyandra K. Gupta - Former Editor-in-Chief, the ASME Journal of Computing and Information Science in Engineering

Foundations and Emerging Perspectives in Design for Manufacturing and the Life-Cycle

Panelists:

Sara Behdad

Sara Behdad
Associate Professor, Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment
University of Florida

David Rosen

David Rosen
Professor Georgia, Institute of Technology

Harrison Kim

Harrison Hyung Min Kim
Professor and Donald Biggar Willett Scholar
Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering (ISE)
Grainger College of Engineering
Beckman Institute
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Academic Co-Director, Hoeft Technology and Management (T&M) Program
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

This interactive, hands-on, special session will be led by Kathryn Jablokow, program director of the NSF EDSE. This will be an opportunity for the DTM community to get together and brainstorm ideas for future funding opportunities.

Kathryn Jablokov

Kathryn W. Jablokow, Ph.D., Program Director, Engineering Design & Systems Engineering, National Science Foundation

Biography: Dr. Kathryn Jablokow is a Professor of Engineering Design and Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University and currently serves the National Science Foundation in the Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Division as Program Director for the Engineering Design and Systems Engineering program. Dr. Jablokow is widely recognized for her expertise in cognitive diversity and its impact in engineering education and practice, including manufacturing education and student design experiences. Dr. Jablokow has received many major teaching and research awards, including the W. M. Keck Foundation Teaching Excellence Award and the ASME Ruth and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award. Dr. Jablokow is a Fellow of ASME, a Senior Member of IEEE, and a Member of ASEE, Sigma Xi, and the Design Society. She earned her BS, MS, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University in 1983, 1985, and 1989, respectively.

Philip Feng

Keynote Speaker: Philip Feng, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida

Keynote Title: Atomically Thin Dynamical Nanomechanical Systems

Abstract: Emerging 2D semiconductors (such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and black phosphorus), along with their heterostructures (particularly with graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers), offer compelling platforms for creating new resonant nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) for multiphysics transducers, where the unconventional properties of these crystals can be harnessed for engineering both classical and quantum signal processing and sensing schemes. In this presentation, I will describe some of my research group’s latest endeavors and results on advancing resonant NEMS based on 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures. I will first review the important fundamentals of resonant 2D NEMS with their linear and nonlinear dynamic characteristics. I shall then demonstrate examples of how the special properties of these 2D structures have led to new device functions and performance beyond conventional NEMS. Toward quantum engineering, atomistic defects in ultrawide-bandgap h-BN crystal support intriguing quantum emitters (QEs). Built upon our earlier attainments in SiC photonics and 2D devices, we explore these platforms and their hybrid integration, toward developing quantum transduction and information processing functions in chip-scale integrated systems.

Biography: Philip Feng is a Professor in ECE at University of Florida. His research is primarily focused on emerging semiconductor devices and integrated micro/nanosystems, especially those in advanced semiconductors, 2D materials and heterostructures, and their heterogeneous integration with mainstream technologies. Feng received his Ph.D. in EE from Caltech. His awards include the NAE Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and several Best Paper Awards (with his students) at IEEE and other international conferences. He has served for IEEE IEDM/MEMS/Transducers/IFCS, and was a chair for IEEE MEMS 2021.

Zhong You

Keynote Speaker: ZHONG YOU (BS, MS, PHD); Professor of Engineering Science; University of Oxford

Keynote Title: Compact Folding of Flat Arrays Composed of Panels with Uniform Thickness

Biography: Dr Zhong You obtained his Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 1994 and is currently a Professor of Engineering Science at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of Magdalen College, University of Oxford and serves on the editorial board of some renowned journals, including ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics (Associate Editor) and IMechE Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science Part C. Dr You's research is concerned with the design and realisation of novel deployable and origami structures, a type of unconventional structures capable of large shape changes. Dr You has published many ground-breaking research papers in prestigious journals including SCIENCE and PNAS. His work was selected for the Science Day Exhibition at Buckingham Palace in 2007, organised by the Royal Society. SCIENCE introduced Zhong's research work in their “profile” section. He developed a flow diversion stent to treat cerebral aneurysms. Oxford Endovascular, a university spin-off company, was founded to commercialise this technology.

Abstract: Many aerospace arrays have large flat profiles composed of regular polygonal panels. They need to be packaged into small volumes for launch, and subsequently deployed to seamless flat surfaces once in orbit. Examples of such structures include solar arrays and reflectarray antennas, which are made from rigid thick panels. It is always very challenging to package such arrays compactly without any voids, especially when they are composed of panels with uniform thickness and are designed to have bi-directional deployment with a small number of degrees of freedom. In this talk, I shall demonstrate a kirigami based approach that enables compact folding of such arrays without any voids.

Origami and kirigami have great advantages in folding large thin sheets into compact volumes. However, when thick panels are involved, origami based approaches often lead to large gaps along the hinges or uneven surfaces in deployed states. In the newly proposed approach, a thick-panel deployable kirigami element is first introduced using the Hamitonian circuit in which eight panels with shapes of isosceles triangles and parallelograms are connected together by revolute joints. It is effectively an eight-link closed kinematic chain, named as an 8R element, that can be folded compactly without any voids. After that, four such elements are coupled together to form a deployable structure with a single degree-of-freedom. More 8R elements can be added to tessellate a plane. Although slits are introduced in the tessellation to accommodate thick panels during the folding process, they are completely closed in the fully deployed states. Therefore, a completely flat array made from thick panels with uniform thickness is obtained that retains the compact folding property of its constituent elements.

View the 2022 SEC-sess Speakers

Speakers

Laura Blumenschein, Purdue University
Talk Title: Understanding Robot Motion by Growth

Jared Butler, Penn State University
Talk Title: Reimagining Orthopedic and Deployable Devices Through Compliant Mechanism Design

Dongming Gan, Purdue University
Talk Title: Discrete Variable Stiffness Actuators and Mechanisms for Safe Human-Robot Interaction

Parviz E. Nikravesh

Keynote Speaker: Parviz E. Nikravesh, Professor in the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona

Keynote Title: Determination of Effective Mass for Continuous Contact Models in Multibody Dynamics

Abstract: Collision between bodies could occur in some applications of multibody systems. To include a precise and accurate representation of impact or contact in the equations of motion of a system, we must consider the deformation, shape, and possibly other features of the contacting bodies. However, in multibody dynamics, we need to combine all of these attributes into a very simple and therefore approximate representation. For such a simplified representation, two different approaches are mostly considered. In one approach, known as the piecewise or intermittent analysis, it is assumed that the impact results in an instantaneous change in the velocities. A classical method to determine the change in the velocities considers balancing the system’s momenta before and after an impact based on a given coefficient-of-restitution. In the other approach, known as the continuous analysis, it is assumed that the impact causes the contacting bodies to have local deformation in the contact region.

Either of the two methods is suitable for computational impact analysis in multibody dynamics. Either method requires accurate determination of the exact times of contact and loss of contact between impacting bodies. However, since the piecewise method requires special attention to several computational issues related to the discontinuities in the velocities, it is more common to apply the continuous method.

In the continuous analysis, it is assumed that when two bodies collide, although the contact period is very small, the change in the velocities is not discontinuous—the velocities vary continuously during the period of contact as the contacting bodies undergo local deformations. The deformation is represented as a logical linear or nonlinear spring-damper element that applies a pair of resistive forces on the two bodies during the period of contact. The parameters of this logical element that need to be determined are the effective mass, stiffness, damping coefficient, and the form of the nonlinearity.

In the past half-century, various models have been proposed that consider the force of the spring to be a nonlinear function of the deformation, where the stiffness could be adjusted based on the material properties of the contacting bodies. The models differ on whether the damping force, besides being a function of the deformation speed, should also be a function of the deformation or not. For these models, different formulas have been reported relating the damping coefficient to a desired value of the coefficient-of-restitution. Another parameter that needs to be determined for all of these models is the effective mass. This parameter can be determined for simple systems based on the kinetic energy of the bodies. However, for multibody systems containing kinematic joints or other constraints, and for systems having more than one degree-of-freedom, determination of the effective mass using the kinetic energy becomes more complicated.

In this presentation an overview of several continuous contact models is provided. Then simple formulas to compute the effective mass are derived based on the concept of impulse–momentum. The formulas are applicable to both constrained and unconstrained multibody equations of motion regardless of the number of degrees-of-freedom. Several examples are presented to clarify the use of these formulas.

Josep Maria Font Llagunes

Josep Maria Font Llagunes, Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)

Lecture Title: Biomechanics of Human Movement: From Multibody Dynamic Simulation to Clinical Practice

Abstract: In the last decade, there has been an exponential growth in the number of rehabilitation and assistive technologies for people with neuromuscular impairments. Such technologies range from wearable human movement monitoring devices to exoskeletons and rehabilitation robots aimed at maximizing motor function recovery. Most of these technologies require a comprehension of mechanical aspects of the human neuromusculoskeletal system and its interaction with the device, which can be modelled by means of multibody dynamics techniques. This keynote lecture will explore how multibody human models could be used in clinical practice to improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with movement disorders. Particularly, the lecture will discuss the different steps and challenges involved in the development of personalized neuromusculoskeletal models. Moreover, attention will be paid on how these models can be used to predict physically-consistent novel motions. Finally, two application examples that could potentially be used in real clinical practice will be presented. The first example is a computational approach to personalize controller parameters for a knee-powered lower limb exoskeleton that actively assists walking in people with spinal cord injury. The proposed method could be a better choice compared to the current trial-and-error approach based on the therapist experience. The second example is an IMU-based wearable system to capture arm kinematics in real-life conditions for pediatric patients with muscular dystrophy. This device runs a multibody kinematic model to quantify objective biomechanical metrics that could help clinicians monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy, and guide therapy decisions to maximize the patient’s mobility.

Biography: Josep M. Font-Llagunes is Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). He is also the Director of the UPC Doctoral School and the Biomechanical Engineering Lab (BIOMEC). Prof. Font-Llagunes' lab develops computational methods for the analysis and prediction of human movement, innovative robotic exoskeletons for gait assistance, and wearable monitoring technology for rehabilitation. He has published more than 40 articles in indexed journals, 130 conference papers, and has supervised or co-supervised 7 PhD theses. He is Editorial Board member of the journal Multibody System Dynamics, and currently chairs the Technical Committee for Multibody Dynamics of IFToMM. Prof. Font-Llagunes also co-founded the company ABLE Human Motion, which develops exoskeleton technology for people with mobility impairments. His work has been recognized by several awards, such as the Agustín de Betancourt y Molina Medal awarded by the Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering, the OpenSim Outstanding Researcher Award, the Leonardo Grant by the BBVA Foundation, and the UPC Award for Social Commitment.

Darryl Thelen

Darryl Thelen, Weideman Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lecture Title: Gauging Force by Tapping Tendons

Abstract: Muscle-tendon units are the actuators that drive human movement. However, despite many decades of work, we still cannot readily assess the forces that muscles transmit within the human body. Direct measurement approaches are invasive and modeling approaches require many assumptions. We have been investigating both imaging and wearable sensor approaches to characterize in vivo kinetics of muscle-tendon units. In this seminar, we will first review our use of shear wave elastography to probe spatial and load-dependent variations in tendon tissue elasticity. We then show both analytically and experimentally that, under loading, shear wave propagation in tendon increases directly with axial stress. The complexity of the relationship between wave propagation, fibrous structure, elasticity, and loading is explored through computational models of multi-layered tissues. Based on this work, we have introduced a wearable shear wave tensiometer that uses micron-scale taps and skin-mounted accelerometers to track tendon wave speeds, and hence loading, during dynamic movements. We will discuss the application of the tensiometers for investigating the biomechanics and motor control of movement, and the potential to use the technology to enhance the surgical and conservative treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and movement disorders.

Biography: Darryl Thelen is the Weideman Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the Bollinger Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Prof. Thelen’s neuromuscular biomechanics lab develops computational models, novel sensor technologies and dynamic imaging protocols to investigate the structure, mechanics and behavior of musculoskeletal tissues within the human body. Current projects are aimed at improving orthopedic treatments of gait disorders in children, enhancing rehabilitation following tendon rupture and disease, and investigating the modulation of muscle loading with exosuit devices. His research has been supported by the NIH, NSF, DOD and several private companies and foundations. Dr. Thelen received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University in 1987 and his MSE and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1988 and 1992, respectively. He has been on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2002.

Description: To what extent can our existing design theories and methodologies be used to solve the most extreme challenges and wicked problems? Are our current approaches enough, or do we need to create new methods, tools, and figures of merit – and if so, what would they look like? What changes are required in our thinking and problem framing when we are faced with challenges that push familiar variables to extreme values or significant redefinition? And to what degree do our product-based frameworks need to adjust to consider more complex systems, societal, and market-based perspectives? How can we clearly delineate the key aspects of multi-faceted problems that go beyond the purely technical to include economic, societal, industrial, environmental, political, and other factors?

NSF and NASA invite conference participants to an interactive workshop to explore these and other questions surrounding the most difficult problems within and beyond design engineering. Participants will engage with examples of extreme design challenges and wicked problems – some provided by the speakers and others of their own invention. Both agencies will describe current programs and projects related to the workshop themes and will invite discussion on the latest research, key challenges, and emerging opportunities.

Participation is limited to the first 50 attendees

Speakers

Kathryn W. Jablokow

Kathryn W. Jablokow, Ph.D., Program Director, Engineering Design & Systems Engineering, National Science Foundation

Biography: Dr. Kathryn Jablokow is a Professor of Engineering Design and Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University and currently serves the National Science Foundation in the Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Division as Program Director for the Engineering Design and Systems Engineering program. Dr. Jablokow is widely recognized for her expertise in cognitive diversity and its impact in engineering education and practice, including manufacturing education and student design experiences. Dr. Jablokow has received many major teaching and research awards, including the W. M. Keck Foundation Teaching Excellence Award and the ASME Ruth and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award. Dr. Jablokow is a Fellow of ASME, a Senior Member of IEEE, and a Member of ASEE, Sigma Xi, and the Design Society. She earned her BS, MS, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University in 1983, 1985, and 1989, respectively.

Anna-Maria R. McGowan

Anna-Maria R. McGowan, Ph.D., NASA Senior Executive for Complex Systems Design

Biography: Dr. Anna-Maria Rivas McGowan is the Agency Senior Executive for Complex Systems Design at NASA. She serves as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Agency focusing on research, design, development, and operations of complex systems including human, organizational, societal, and engineering challenges. Her work incorporates quantitative and qualitative methods to integrate fields external to aerospace with engineering approaches to improve aerospace system performance, innovation, and broader societal impacts. Dr. McGowan has over 30 years of experience and has served as a NASA Senior Project Manager, DARPA Agent, NSF Visiting Scientist, NATO Consultant, International Short Course Instructor, Flight Test Leader, Wind-Tunnel Test Engineer, and Researcher in engineering and organization science. Dr. McGowan has a B.S. in Aero/Astro Engineering from Purdue University, M.S. in Aerospace Engineering/Engineering Mechanics from Old Dominion University, and Ph.D. in Design Science from the University of Michigan.

Philip Bayly

Keynote Speaker: Philip Bayly, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in Saint Louis

Keynote Title: Instability and Oscillations in Cilia and Flagella

Abstract: Cilia and flagella are slender organelles that beat rhythmically to move fluid (such as mucus in human airways) or to propel cells (such as motile sperm). Despite their ubiquity and importance, the mechanism that produces the autonomous, propulsive oscillations of cilia and flagella remains mysterious. The common cytoskeletal structure of these organelles is the "9+2" axoneme, which comprises nine outer doublet microtubules and a central pair of microtubules, all connected by radial spokes and circumferential links. Motion is driven by molecules of the motor protein dynein, which form cross-bridges between pairs of microtubule doublets, exerting active forces on each doublet. Mathematical models of axoneme mechanics, assuming steady, distributed axial "follower" forces (generated by dynein molecules) acting in opposite directions on coupled beams (arrays of microtubule doublets) in viscous fluid, exhibit oscillatory, wavelike motion under a wide range of realistic parameters. This phenomenon, which we call "viscoelastic flutter," is related to the well-known flutter phenomena that occurs in aircraft wings above a critical speed and in flexible pipes conveying fluid. Thus dynamic instability provides an intriguing theoretical explanation of ciliary and flagellar beating.

Biography: Phil Bayly is The Lee Hunter Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Bayly earned an A.B. in Engineering Science from Dartmouth College, an M.S. in Engineering from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University. He has been a member of the faculty at Washington University since 1993. His research involves the study of waves, instability, and oscillations in mechanical and biological systems, and exploits novel imaging methods to understand the mechanics of cells and biological tissues. Dr. Bayly’s research in biomechanics and biophysical oscillations has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Office of Naval Research.

Suyi Li

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Suyi Li, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech

Keynote Title: Dynamics Under the Fold ─ Using the origami Principle to Architect Meta-structures, Soft Robots, and Mechano-intelligence

Abstract: Since its creation, origami has undergone explosive evolutions in its beauty and complexity, and it is now a popular subject of study among artists, mathematicians, educators, and engineers. The seemingly infinite possibilities of developing 3D geometries via cutting and folding have inspired many deployable structures and devices, shaping our modern life. However, origami's potential extends beyond geometry, and there has been a paradigm shift from just using the kinematics of folding to harnessing its mechanics and dynamics. This talk will highlight our current efforts to accelerate this shift, focusing on how to exploit origami folding to generate unique dynamic and vibrational functionalities. For example, we can manipulate origami (or kirigami) to architect geometric periodicity, creating meta-structures with programmable elastic wave propagation bandgaps. We can exploit the multi-stability in origami to sequence robotic crawling locomotion gaits without any electronics. We can also harness the reservoir computing power hidden in origami's nonlinear vibration to develop intelligence in the mechanical domain. There are still many untapped potentials from exploiting the origami dynamics and vibrations, ensuring vibrant research activities for years to come.

Biography: Dr. Suyi Li is an associate professor in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2014. After spending two additional years at Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow, he moved to Clemson University as an assistant professor and established a research program on origami-inspired meta-structures and robotics. He held that position until 2022. Dr. Li has secured close to two million dollars of research funding, including the prestigious NSF CAREER award. He is also the recipient of the ASME Freudenstein Young Investigator Award, ASME Gary Anderson Early Career Award, and Clemson CECAS Junior Researcher of the Year Award. His research has generated close to 80 journal and conference publications.