DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE

Dynamics and control of musculoskeletal systems inthe Movement Biomechanics LaboratoryFaculty: Katherine SaulStudents: Anthony Santago, Wei Cheng, Xiaotong Li, Carolyn Stolfi, Daniel McFarlandClinical movementdysfunction andrehabilitation of theupper limb can be challengingto both clinicians andresearchers; patients frequentlyhave multiple concomitantinjuries or disabilities andseveral treatments may beapplied concurrently. Thiscan result in a lack of clearguidelines for cliniciansregarding treatment choicesand highly variable functionaloutcomes following treatment.Better understanding of theroles of muscle structure, limbdynamics and neuromuscularLeft: Figure 1. Computational musculoskeletal model of human upper limb. Mathematical models of the anatomy,muscle mechanical properties, joint function, neuromuscular control algorithms and dynamic behavior are integratedinto this graphical model for use in surgical simulation and neuromuscular control analyses.Right: Figure 2. Micro-CT images of a normal shoulder (A, C) and deformed shoulder following nerve injury (B, D).Altered articulating surface shapes and reduced bone trabecular thickness and mineral density are present after injury.control in the production offunctional movement provides a foundation for clinical practitionersto optimize rehabilitation for their patients.Saul’s Movement Biomechanics Laboratory (MoBL) appliescontrol and compensations due to rotator cuff impairment toidentify clinical targets for treatment (such as strength trainingor surgical repair). Paralysis of upper limb muscles due tomechanical engineering techniques to improve treatmentneuromuscular impairment, such as spinal cord injury, peripheraloutcomes for neuromusculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb,nerve injury or stroke leads to loss of upper limb strength andusing both computational simulation and experimental methodsdexterity. Neuromuscular injuries that occur at or near birth,(including magnetic resonance imaging, motion capture andsuch as cerebral palsy, spina bifida and peripheral nerve injuries,functional assessments of upper limb performance). Hercan also cause dramatic changes to the affected muscles thatapproach uses computational simulation of muscle’s nonlinearcan alter loads on the developing bones and cause deformity.mechanical behavior and the dynamics of functional movementSaul’s group uses computational dynamics to simulate surgicalto compare treatment options and predict functional outcomestreatment options and to provide evidence for clinicians to(Figure 1). In addition, her group explores muscle coordinationselect appropriate treatments. She also uses anatomicaland movement compensations exhibited by impairedexperiments (e.g. Figure 2), musculoskeletal modeling (Figure 1),patients using physiologically relevant control algorithms andand finite element modeling to explore muscle-bone interactionsexperimental measures of movement strategies.after injury to identify the mechanical mechanisms leading toRecently, the MoBL has focused on two important clinicalbone deformity. Through interdisciplinary collaborations withapplications: 1) degenerative rotator cuff injury and 2) traumaticclinicians, the MoBL is able to translate this research into theperipheral nerve injury to the upper limb. Approximately 20-50clinic for improved patient care.percent of older adults live with rotator cuff tears, which canSaul’s research program has been supported from sourcesaccompany decreased shoulder strength and range of motionincluding the NSF, Office of Naval Research and NIH-supportedand which may exacerbate age-related changes to muscle.collaborations. Her work has also been recognized with severalSaul’s work has focused on characterizing shoulder movement,awards, including the American Society of Biomechanics Pre-image-based measures of muscle structure and neuromusculardoctoral Young Scientist Award in 2005. MAE NEWS 03

MAE faculty members have worked with the NC State men's basketball team on free-throw shooting technique.Building a better gameThe Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineeringsteel. Sorensen marketed it as the Gorilla Goal, the rights tohired a new faculty member named Frank Hart in 1964.which are today owned by Spalding, and high strength steelHart went on to found the Center for Acoustical Studies.became the standard (See photo on page 5).In his spare time, he applied basic engineering principles to theimprovement of the game of basketball.Hart began working with Sorensen Christian Industries, aIn the early 1980s, another MAE faculty member namedAl Eberhardt looked at the problem of breaking backboardsand discovered that their frames were being warped duringcompany based in his hometown of Angier, NC. Graduateinstallation, causing the glass to be pre-stressed and highlystudent David King focused on developing Sorensen's HydraRibsusceptible to breakage. He developed an installationlift system (this was during the period before the basketballprocedure that assured that the frame remained flat duringgoals were being lowered). The company’s sales manager wasinstallation, which solved the problem by eliminating pre-a tall, young basketball player by the name of Bobby Etheridgestressing. Hart then developed a Bellville spring approachwho was just beginning a political career, serving as a countyto relieve the tension between the backboard and the rimcommissioner and then state legislator. Working with Etheridge,— the precursor to the break-away rim. Later, Hart served asHart began to bring together a team to look into the basketballassociate dean for research and became the university provostproblems of the day.and vice chancellor for research and extension before leavingThey first considered the problem of the frequent breakingNC State in 1994 to become president of the Microelectronicsof backboards and the bending of playground rims. In the lateCenter of North Carolina (MCNC). Hart retired in 1998 and is1970s, Noral Stewart, a full-time faculty research assistant innow back home in Angier.MAE, proposed a rim-forming solution that used high strength04At about the time that Hart left NC State, independent of

Backboard V (Dail Basketball Center, 2014)Gorilla Goal (Spalding, 2014)those efforts, two more MAE faculty members continued thetradition of applying engineering to the game of basketball.Larry M. Silverberg and Chau M. Tran began to study basketballtrajectories. They published a paper entitled “NumericalAnalysis of the Basketball Shot.” It showed how to simulatemillions of shots very accurately, taking into account the rimbackboard interactions, which made it easier to study bestpractices in shooting and a player’s shooting percentages. Inthe early 2000s, they applied their work to best practices inthe free throw. At the suggestion of Larry Hunter, an NC Stateassistant coach under men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek,Silverberg and Tran began to focus on the bank shot. By early2010, they had discovered that the best bank shots coalesceon a V-shaped line on the backboard (the backboard rectangleproved not to be particularly useful) and share a common focalline behind the backboard. This formed the basis of a trainingtool for the bank shot. Student Chris Laue designed andfabricated the training tool (a photo of the tool in NC State’sDail Basketball Center practice facility appears above). Krystal Barrett drives for a basket during a women's basketball gameversus the University of Virginia.MAE NEWS 05

FEATURED ALUMNUSGraduatedegree drivesalumnus'successby Lane Miller, Ph.D.In this issue, we spotlight another of our outstanding alumni,Lane Ross Miller (Ph.D. ME 1988), whose success aftergraduation makes him an exceptional representative of theMAE Department. Miller was an inaugural inductee intothe MAE Hall of Fame and is a leader in technology andinnovation in his professional career. Today, Miller serves asvice president of global technology at the LORD Corporation,overseeing the company’s continuing innovation in adhesives,coatings, vibration attenuation and motion control. LORDis also one of the major corporate supporters of the MAEDepartment. Since 2013, the LORD Corporation DoctoralFellowship has sponsored first year doctoral students toLane MillerIgrew up on a small dairy farm in Pennsylvania, developing astrong work ethic and mechanical aptitude. Somewhere inmy gene pool I was given a modest ability for mathematicsand more importantly a fascination that the physical world canincrease the participation of domestic and underrepresentedbe described with equations. With this interest, I completed mydoctoral students in research areas relevant to the workB.S. in mechanical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh atof the LORD Corporation. This generous and competitiveJohnstown, Pa. in 1979 and my M.S. at Penn State in Erie, Pa. inaward is an attractive recruitment opportunity for the best1982. One of the best decisions in my life (besides marrying mygraduate student candidates, strengthening MAE’s graduatewife Louise!) was to work for LORD Corporation. After startingand research programs. Further, LORD has supported MAEmy career in Erie in 1979, LORD gave me the opportunitystudents through the MAE Bridge Program, which hires ourto transfer to Cary, NC to a newly created research andstudents in the summer after completing their undergraduatedevelopment center. I was excited to transfer to work on cutting-degree and before beginning their graduate degree.edge technology and pursue a Ph.D. in mechanical engineeringMiller’s own story highlights the ongoing influence ofhis MAE graduate education at NC State and the strongconnection between NC State and the LORD Corporation.at NC State.When I joined LORD, the company had a mechanicaldivision that produced components to reduce vibration and achemical division that produced adhesives. Truly committedto be the technology leader, LORD had embryonic ideas thatsomeday vibration could be controlled electro-mechanically.These ideas were quite avant-garde, given that this predated8-bit microprocessors! Active vibration control captured my06

imagination and satisfiedmy math-predicting-naturefascination. Graduating in1988, I am grateful for LORDsupporting my Ph.D. andallowing my dissertationtopic to be active vibrationcontrol. Also, I am gratefulthat mechanical engineering atNC State accommodated meas a student who had a job,mortgage and family.While I was focusing onnew technologies, others atLORD saw a quality in methat I didn’t fully appreciate —leadership. As a result, in 1986I became an R&D manager,leading a team of engineers.Today, I am vice presidentof global technology with anorganization of 350 scientists,engineers and technicians,and LORD continues to be aworld-wide leader with annualsales approaching one billionLORD dynamic components react loads and allow motion to enable helicopters to fly.dollars. While my days are filledwith non-technical activities, I have never stopped being anengineer and never disengaged from the technology.One of my chief responsibilities is to champion innovation.At LORD, innovation means transforming technology to createvalue. Neat ideas and fancy technology alone do not qualify asinnovation. Creating value means that somebody is willing to buyyour technology at a profit. An example is active vibration control“I have never forgotten that myengineering education is the basisfor what success I have had.” — Lane Millerfor helicopters. While reducing vibration is critical, the value ofactive vibration control is that it eliminates heavy all-mechanicalvibration treatments, reducing the weight of the helicopter byup to 200 lbs. This translates into an extra passenger, more fuelLORD Fellowship that allows the department to recruit topand a greater range. Providing clear economic advantage to ourstudents into the graduate program. Through the years, LORDcustomers, LORD is today the world’s leader in this technology.has hired many interns and full-time NC State engineers, andIn addition to mechanical and chemical businesses, LORDnumerous LORD engineers have benefitted, like I did, in earningnow has a rapidly growing electro-mechanical business withgraduate degrees. This relationship is a true win-win for NC Statea portfolio of active technologies. I am proud to have played aand LORD.small part in creating this new business.I have never forgotten that my engineering education is theAfter 35 years at LORD, I am starting to think about what isnext for me. I keep being pulled back to my fascination that mathbasis for what success I have had. Today, I am a championcan describe nature. I actually plan to take graduate physicswithin LORD to maintain a close relationship with mechanicalcourses, or maybe teach a few engineering classes. Remainingand aerospace engineering at NC State. LORD has financiallyconnected to NC State not only feels like the right thing to do,supported a number of graduate students and today funds thebut also the fun thing to do! MAE NEWS 07

Carl Zorowski: a top-speed educatorBorn in 1930, the third son of Eastern European immigrantparents, Carl Zorowski grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa. Hisearly childhood and teen years coincided with the GreatDepression and World War II. In 1948, he attended CarnegieInstitute of Technology (CIT), now Carnegie Mellon University(CMU), earning baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees inmechanical engineering. He began teaching as a graduate studentat CIT in 1953. The experience set him on a lifelong academiccareer. In 1956, he was appointed an assistantprofessor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at CITteaching engineering mechanics and mechanical design.In 1962, he left CIT to take on updating the mechanicalengineering program at NC State. One of his early programZorowski began participating in amateur motorsports in 1969.reform initiatives was the creation of the current MAE 415as an associate faculty member of the College of Textiles as itAnalysis for Mechanical Engineering Design and MAE 416developed a Ph.D. graduate program and was a consultant toMechanical Engineering Design classes. These courses provideChemstrand in RTP in tire cord mechanics. As time progressed,students with opportunities to apply their engineering knowledgehis research interests turned more to engineering educationto the solution of real engineering problems. With a grant fromreform. Publications in these three areas number over a hundred.the National Science Foundation (NSF), he established the firstHe also served as thesis advisor for 125 master's and Ph.D.design project laboratory in Broughton Hall in the mid-1960’s.candidates over the years.The design project concept provided students with not only theAlthough his career included academic administration,challenge of coming up with a practical engineering solutiondiscipline research, industrial outreach and consulting, it wasconcept but the experience of physically prototyping and testingclassroom teaching, student interaction and educationaltheir design solutions in the laboratory. Thisprogram development that provided thedesign project experience is still ongoing ingreatest satisfaction and joy. His passion wasthe undergraduate program with industrialto help students develop their creative andsupport in expanded shop and laboratoryinnovative capabilities and to apply engineeringfacilities.fundamentals to the modeling and solving ofHis academic career at NC State includedreal engineering design problems.time as the head of the Department ofFor five years, he served as director of theMechanical and Aerospace Engineering,South East University and College Coalitionassociate dean for academic affairs in thefor Engineering Education (SUCCEED), anCollege of Engineering and co-founder andNSF-funded engineering education reformdirector of the Integrated Manufacturingprogram led by NC State involving theSystems Engineering Institute. Establishedengineering programs at VPI, NC A&T, UNCin 1985, the Institute was one of the earliestCharlotte, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Universityself-sustaining interdisciplinary master’sof Florida and Florida State University. Hedegree programs on campus that involvedretired from NC State in 1997 after 35 yearsmultiple engineering departments withof faculty service and is currently Reynoldsparticipation and support from industry. It remains a continuingProfessor Emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.and viable program today providing practical student internshipsHe has continued teaching part time at the graduate level for thewith local manufacturing firms.College's Engineering Online distance education program. InHis early research at CIT centered on metal forming2010, he developed and directed a summer study-abroad designmechanics but switched at NC State to deformable textileprogram for NC State engineering students with students fromstructure mechanics (there were no steel mills in NC) with anZhejiang University and involving the Caterpillar Corporation inemphasis on automotive tire deformation mechanics. He servedHangzhou, China.08

He is the recipient of many awards for academic andprofessional service and achievement. Among these are:RJ Reynolds Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 1969, theQuarles Holladay Medal for Excellence awarded by the NC StateUniversity Board of Trustees in 1999.For extra curricular enjoyment and pleasure, Zorowski hasCharles Russ Richards Memorial Award by Pi Tau Sigma andparticipated in amateur motorsports since 1969 as a licensedAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1975, adriver with Sports Car Club of America and currently the VintageFellow of ASME in 1987, the RJ Reynolds Tobacco CompanyDrivers Club of America. Beginning in small European sportsAward for Excellence in 1989, a Fellow of the American Societycars, he now competes in classic Formula Vee. of Engineering Education (ASEE) in 1997, and the AlexanderAWARDS & HONORSrequires teams to provide a proposal, PDR, CDR, FRR, and PLARto NASA. Teams were able to pick between a mini-MAV (MarsAscent Vehicle) and a maxi-MAV. The mini-MAV required teamsto find a sample on the ground and place it into their rocketautonomously. The maxi-MAV required teams to find the sample,place it into the rocket, raise the rocket to 85 degrees and insertan igniter autonomously. During the launch, the vehicle needed toreach an apogee as close to 3,000 feet as possible and then ejectthe payload section at 1,000 feet. The MAE team competed in themaxi-MAV and was also entered in the NASA Mars Ascent VehicleFACULTY HONORSCentennial Challenge and took first place in that competition.Dr. Scott Ferguson awarded ASME Design AutomationYoung Investigator AwardAerial Robotics Club takes first placeThe ASME Design Automation Young Investigator Awardrecognizes an outstanding young investigator who is makingnoteworthy contributions in the area of design automation,including research in design representation, design optimization,design evaluation and/or design integration. Ferguson wasrecognized for his contributions in the areas of market-basedproduct design and the design of complex engineered systems.Dr. Yong Zhu – Recipient of 2015 Alcoa Foundation EngineeringResearch Achievement AwardDr. Chih-Hao Chang – Inducted into NC State Academyof Outstanding TeachersDr. Eric Klang – Recipient of 2015 George H. BlessisUndergraduate Advisor AwardDr. Jack Edwards – Named Angel Family Distinguished ProfessorSTUDENT HONORSThe ARC took first place at the 2014 Association for Unmanned VehicleSystems International Unmanned Air Systems competition.MAE team takes first place in NASA competitionThe HPRC and Space Senior Design Team 1 competed in theNASA Student Launch competition, an eight-month designchallenge, and this year the team combined with the NASA MarsAscent Vehicle Centennial Challenge for a greater challenge forthe teams that chose to compete. The Student Launch projectMAE NEWS 09

PHOTO HENDRICK MOTORSPORTSKeith Rodden (left) is the crew chief for driver Kasey Kahne (right).Wolfpack in BMotorsportsrian Wilson ’03 works from his cubicle at a NASCAR garagein Mooresville, NC, looking for an edge in the next race.Wilson is not a driver or a mechanic, but his work will go along way toward determining what sort of success 2012 Sprint Cupchamp Brad Keselowski will have in the #2 Miller Lite car during therest of the season. Wilson is Keselowski’s race engineer and muchof his work is done at a desk that looks out onto the Penske RacingFacility’s garage floor.Wilson seldom touches the cars. Instead, he helps designthose high-priced race cars so that they cut through air andMAE alumni makerace teams gostick to the track, roaring at speeds of 190 miles per hour with a700-horsepower V-8 engine pulsing for a heart. Mechanics usesockets and wrenches and other tools to work on the cars andengines, and Keselowski relies on his skill with brakes and thesteering wheel to navigate the racetracks. But Wilson draws up thedimensions for the next car using his computer and textbooks.In the last 15 years, Wilson and other MAE graduates havebecome a force in NASC

SPRING 2015 MAE NEWS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS 02 DR. CARL ZOROWSKI'S LEGACY IN MAE 08 MAE GRADS DRIVE NASCAR TEAMS 10 HARDWOOD HEROES MAE faculty members applying engineering to basketball have studied everything from rims to free throws. DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL