Joint Mechanics

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Bob Freeman ME Robotics Design
VaNTH at UTPA
Steve Crown ME ThermoFluids, Graphics
Measurements
Bob Jones ME Materials NanoTech
LS Ed.
Miguel Gonzalez MANE Process Planning
Ergonomics
Mounir BenGhalia EE Controls AI
Arturo Fuentes ME Solid Mechanics Vibrations
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Outline

• UTPA
• Impact on Faculty
• Impact on Students
• Impact on School
• Specific activities
• Summary

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Impact on Faculty

• Summer funding
• Application of research expertise to simple
  problems in biomechanics
• Awareness of current issues in bioengineering
• Bioengineering research
• Interaction with Learning Science and Assessment
  Evaluation experts

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The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA)

• 17,000 students
• 26,000 in 2015
• 87 Hispanic
• 2nd largest in Hispanic enrollment
• 6th largest in Hispanic engineering
• 829 undergraduate students (71 masters students)
  with 30 faculty
• 420 students with 11 faculty in ME

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Impact on Students

• Introduction of Bioengineering to traditional
  Engineering students gt Adaptive Expertise
• Exposure to Problem Based Learning via the Legacy
  cycle (over 150 students have participated in
  courses using the HPL curricular modules)
• Upward Bound Math and Science Program high school
  students assisted in the development of a VRML
  simulation of a simple leg model to be used in a
  kinematics measurement module
• Two undergraduate students reproduced the Knee
  module in Spanish
• Graduate student experience in curriculum
  development, delivery, and assessment design
• Undergraduate student interest in course on
  Engineering Education

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Impact on School

• Department level reform
• Four dimensional HPL learning environment
• Taxonomy driven desegregation of course content
  via Problem Based Learning
• Curriculum Development Projects
• VaNTH Project Manual
• Curriculum Design Teams
• Curriculum Effectiveness
• Joint proposals

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Specific Activities

• Development of eight Biomechanics Problem-based
  Learning (PBL) Modules
• Biomechanics Technical Elective
• eLMS delivery of module re-authored in CAPE
• Implementation and Expansion of three VaNTH
  Curricular Modules in traditional ME courses

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Learning Module Development

• Human Knee Joint Mechanics
• To develop students understanding of the
  functional anatomy of the Knee.
• MECE 3380 KD of Mech.
• MECE 4333 Intro. Biomechanics
• Dr. Robert A. Freeman, Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Selection for Biological Systems
• To promote students understanding of the complex
  issues surrounding the application of engineering
  materials to biological systems.
• MECE 2440 Materials
• Dr. Robert Jones, Mechanical Engineering, Dr.
  Mauli Agrawal (UTHSC-SA).
• Planar Biomechanical Model-Based Control of a
  Human Leg
• To develop students understanding of the
  neuromuscular skeletal system from a control
  systems perspective.
• ELEE 4321 Controls
• Dr. Mounir Ben Ghalia, Electrical Engineering
• Muscle Work Capacity Development and Retention
  Models
• To learn the concepts of energy expenditures
  during muscle work, and the physiological changes
  that take place during the use of muscles.
• MANE 2340 Fund. of Industrial Engineering

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Learning Module Development

• Solid Mechanics
• To illustrate the relationship between classical
  mechanics of solids and finite element stress
  analysis
• MECE 3321 Mechanics of Solids
• MECE 4322 Introduction to the Practice of Finite
  Elements
• Dr. Arturo A. Fuentes, Mechanical Engineering
• Skeletal Representation
• To promote students learning of engineering
  graphics software by creating a model of the
  human skeleton (leg)
• MECE 1221 Engineering Graphics
• Dr. Stephen W. Crown, Mechanical Engineering
• Motion Measurement
• To develop students understanding of standard
  engineering data acquisition systems by measuring
  human body (leg) motion
• MECE 3320 Measurements and Instrumentation
• Dr. Stephen W. Crown, Mechanical Engineering
• Virtual World delivery Environment (VRML)
• To provide tools for faculty development of
  interactive web-based environment
• Faculty resource

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MECE 4333 Intro. to Comp. Biomechanics

• New course and first Biomedical Engineering
  course ever taught at UTPA (Spring 2004,5,6)
• Would not have been offered without interaction
  with VaNTH
• Comprised solely of VaNTH Modules
• Iron Cross 1 gt 2 Challenge(s)
• Initiated at Vanderbilt University (Roselli)
• Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory (VBL) 3
  Challenges
• Initiated at UT-Austin (Barr)
• Jumping Jack (JJ) 3 Challenges
• Initiated at UT-Austin (Pandy)
• Knee 1 gt 3 Challenge(s)
• Initiated at UT- Pan American (Freeman)
• Coverage expanding to include new modules /
  challenges
• Cross Fertilization Enhancement of IC, VBL, and
  JJ modules via creation of new granules and
  challenges

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Preliminary Results

• MECE 4333 Intro. to Computational Biomechanics
• 16 students
• 15 Hispanic 1 Anglo
• 11 Male 5 Female
• Effect Size
• ES (mposttest mpretest)/spooled
• ES gt 0.5 perceptible, ES gt 0.8 markedly
  perceptible
• Module Effect Sizes
• Iron Cross
• ES 1.06
• VBL
• ES 1.41
• JJ
• ES 1.69
• Knee
• ES 1.65
• Overall course
• ES 1.81
• Student Opinion Survey

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eLMS delivery of module re-authored in CAPE

• Knee Module
• Challenge 1
• Can you voluntarily tear your ACL in a maximal
  effort knee extension exercise?
• Legacy cycle in CAPE
• Expert perspective / tutorial movie
• Adaptive learning activities via eLMS

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Legacy Cycle in CAPE
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Expert perspective Tutorial MovieEnglish
Spanish
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eLMS Adaptive Learning Activities in Research
Revise Phase
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VaNTH Curricular Module Implementation

• Iron Cross
• Statics equilibrium, indeterminacy resolution
  schemes
• Virtual Biomechanics Laboratory (VBL)
• Statics composite body center of mass
• Jumping Jack
• Dynamics ballistics, linear impulse and momentum
• KD of Machines Dynamic simulation via numerical
  integration
• Controls optimal control algorithm (new
  in-house)
• Incorporation into traditional course delivery
  method(s) is problematic
• Modification of materials to better suit
  course-dependent learning objectives

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Summary

• More general infusion of VaNTH principles at UTPA
• Systematic approach to HPL learning environment
  design
• HPL incorporated into other courses and
  disciplines ME, EE, MANE
• VaNTH developed biomechanics materials utilized
  in traditional ME courses
• VaNTH Project Manual Curriculum Development
  Projects
• Project Profile
• Modular Design Template
• Design Teams (LS, AE, LT)
• Assessment Articles
• Interaction with VaNTH was FANTASTIC
• Learning experience for faculty
• Enhanced student learning

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Questions?