Mechanical Engineering
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Caldwell collaboration wins prestigious Office of Naval Research MURI grant
Professor Josh Caldwell was awarded a MURI grant from Office of Naval Research that provides up to $1.5M per year for five years to study twist optics using so-called two-dimensional materials with defined crystal misorientations, which has the potential to lead to new laser sources, compact optical components for on-chip photonics, and electro-optics. Read MoreApr 20, 2023
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Engineering seniors present capstone projects at annual Design Day event, April 24
A team of engineering seniors has designed an embedded thermoelectric generator to convert that wavy shimmer of heat that rises from hot asphalt—waste heat radiation—into electrical energy. To protect soldiers’ hands from heat burns while rappelling from helicopters, another team has created ‘fast rope’ insertion gloves. These design projects and 52 more will be on display at the Vanderbilt School of Engineering’s Design Day 2023, Monday, April 24. Read MoreApr 19, 2023
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Herowear exosuit technology launches with on-campus departments
An innovative exosuit developed by a team of Vanderbilt engineers comes full circle this semester with a pilot implementation in the Division of Administration. The pilot test includes the use of 27 Apex 2 suits over six weeks. During the pilot test, users will wear the suits in actual work conditions and provide feedback throughout the duration of the study. Read MoreApr 14, 2023
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Class of 2023: Lauren Grohowski focuses on being an empathetic engineer
Class of 2023: When mechanical engineering major Lauren Grohowski talks about her numerous projects, her face lights up with excitement. She not only geeks out over the joy of building and solving complex problems, but she also is passionate about using her skills to be an “empathetic engineer.” Read MoreApr 7, 2023
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How a graduate school “midlife crisis” inspired a breakthrough surgical device
By Lucas Johnson When Robert J. Webster III was working on an engineering project for his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University, he was struck with an unnerving thought: The technology he was helping create seemed interesting, but it wouldn’t reach patients for at least 20 years. “And that’s only if everything went well,” he recalls.... Read MoreFeb 28, 2023
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Team of Vanderbilt experts selected to develop low-cost training tools aimed at expanding global access to minimally invasive surgeries
Project will be led by Mechanical Engineering Professor Nabil Simaan, a globally renowned expert in robotic surgery A multidisciplinary team from the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering has received a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract to develop a low-cost simulation tool to train medical personnel in Kenya to perform minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. The project will... Read MoreFeb 7, 2023
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Team of Vanderbilt experts selected to develop low-cost training tools aimed at expanding global access to minimally invasive surgeries
Led by Nabil Simaan, professor of mechanical engineering and a globally renowned expert in robotic surgery, a multidisciplinary team from the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering has received nearly $4 million to develop a low-cost simulation tool to find solutions that allow safer, minimally invasive surgeries for a wider swath of the global population. Read MoreFeb 6, 2023
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Summer research opportunities available for undergraduates
Vanderbilt University and the School of Engineering offer undergraduates numerous summer research opportunities to expand their classroom knowledge and gain valuable practical experience. The Institute for Software Integrated Systems is hosting a virtual open house for interested students on Feb. 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. The registration deadline is Feb. 21. The School of... Read MoreJan 17, 2023
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Company co-founded by VU professor receives distinguished FDA breakthrough device designation for minimally invasive surgical tool
A company co-founded by Vanderbilt mechanical engineering professor Robert J. Webster III has received a breakthrough device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that could open the door for new diagnostic and therapeutic applications of flexible endoscopy. Read MoreJan 10, 2023
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Company co-founded by Vanderbilt professor receives distinguished FDA breakthrough device designation for minimally invasive surgical tool
A company co-founded by Robert J. Webster III, Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering and associate professor of medicine and urology at Vanderbilt University, has received a breakthrough device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that could open the door for new diagnostic and therapeutic applications of flexible endoscopy. The designation given... Read MoreJan 10, 2023
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Company co-founded by Vanderbilt professor receives distinguished FDA breakthrough device designation for minimally invasive surgical tool
A company co-founded by Robert J. Webster III, Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering and associate professor of medicine and urology at Vanderbilt University, has received a breakthrough device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that could open the door for new diagnostic and therapeutic applications of flexible endoscopy. The designation given... Read MoreJan 10, 2023
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Vanderbilt researcher receives nearly $2.7 million in NSF and NIH funding to explore how augmented reality can ease loneliness in older adults
Vanderbilt researcher Nilanjan Sarkar is partnering with Lorraine Mion of the Ohio State University and two Middle Tennessee long-term care facilities to investigate how augmented reality technologies can ease loneliness among residents. Read MoreSep 13, 2022
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Vanderbilt researcher receives nearly $2.7 million in NSF and NIH funding to explore how augmented reality can ease loneliness in older adults
As the population of older adults continues to boom across the U.S., Vanderbilt researcher Nilanjan Sarkar is partnering with Lorraine Mion of the Ohio State University and two Middle Tennessee long-term care (LTC) facilities to investigate how augmented reality technologies can ease loneliness among residents. Sarkar, the David K. Wilson Professor of Engineering and a... Read MoreSep 12, 2022
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Vanderbilt research shows how a gel that “melts” at cold temperatures can be used to start chemical reactions
A new study by Vanderbilt researchers demonstrates the ability to initiate chemical reactions by cooling materials instead of heating them. Read MoreAug 29, 2022
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Vanderbilt research shows how a gel that “melts” at cold temperatures can be used to start chemical reactions
A new study by Vanderbilt researchers demonstrates the ability to initiate chemical reactions by cooling materials instead of heating them— a counterintuitive process that could open new vistas for applications ranging from monitoring shipping conditions to developing smart clothing that guards against dangerously low temperatures. The paper, published in August by the journal RSC Advances,... Read MoreAug 29, 2022
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Vanderbilt professor to use portion of $2.3 million grant on robot technology to help patients avoid invasive colectomies
Robert Webster, Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering and associate professor of medicine and urology at Vanderbilt University, is part of a collaborative team that has received a more than $2.3 million grant to further develop technology that seeks to prevent patients from having invasive colectomies by using steerable robot-like instruments. Under his second startup... Read MoreAug 25, 2022
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Vanderbilt, 101st Airborne collaborate on development of exoskeleton for soldier use in inaugural Pathfinder Project
A team of Vanderbilt engineers have completed a collaborative project with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell to design and test a first-of-its-kind exoskeleton that supports U.S. Army soldiers participating in sustainment and logistics operations. Read MoreAug 17, 2022
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Three engineering faculty win Vanderbilt grants to support early-stage pioneering research
Three engineering faculty members have received grants to support the early stages of pioneering research projects identified as likely candidates for further funding from federal, foundation and industry sponsors. Spring 2022 Seeding Success Grants were awarded to 14 faculty and are the second cycle of the internal early investment funding initiative. The grants, awarded to faculty spanning the... Read MoreJun 29, 2022
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Vanderbilt rocket team earns 2022 NASA Student Launch Project Award
The Vanderbilt rocket team won the coveted NASA Student Launch Project Review Award for the best documentation of the project progress through 2021-2022. The national Student Launch rocketry competition was held in April and results were announced June 3. This is Vanderbilt’s 15th year to participate in the annual NASA event and teams have won the... Read MoreJun 14, 2022
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Army Futures Command awards Pathfinder seed funding to Tonia Rex and Doug Adams
by Jenna Somers Two Vanderbilt professors were awarded Pathfinder seed funding for a project that could benefit soldiers by optimizing their neurological performance through suggested behavior protocol and by improving aircraft design and equipment to reduce the effects of in-flight vibration and percussion. The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute... Read MoreMay 2, 2022