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Todd Nelson

Dr. Todd G. Nelson

Assistant Professor of Engineering

Engineering Department

Director of Mechanical Engineering

Engineering Department

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Publications

Updated 8/12/2022 - see Google Scholar for most recent publications Google Scholar Page


 

Journal Publications

Sargent, B.S., Ynchausti, C.R., Nelson, T.G., Howell, L.L., “The Mixed-Body Model: A Method for Predicting Large Deflections in Stepped Cantilever Beams”, ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics Vol14, No. 4, 041001-1 to 041001-11 DOI: 10.1115/1.4053376, February 2022.

Nelson, T.G., Baldelomar Pinto, L.M., Bruton, J.T., Deng, Z., Nelson, C.G., Howell, L.L., “Deployable Convex Generalized Cylindrical Surfaces Using Torsional Joints,” ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, Vol. 13, No. 7, 031101, DOI: 10.1115/1.4049951, June 2021.

Nelson, T.G., Avila, A., Howell, L.L., Herder, J.L., Machekposhti, D.F. “Origami-Inspired Sacrificial Joints for Folding Compliant Mechanisms,” Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 140, pp. 194-210, DOI:10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2019.05.023, October 2019.

Badger, J., Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Halverson, D.M., Howell, L.L., “Normalized Coordinate Equations and an Energy Method for Predicting Natural Curved-Fold Configurations,” ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 86, No. 7, 071006-1 to 071006-9, DOI: 10.1115/1.4043285, 2019.

Nelson, T.G., Zimmerman, T.K., Magleby, S.P., Lang, R.J., Howell, L.L., “Developable Mechanisms on Developable Surfaces,” Science Robotics, Vol. 4, No. 27, eaau5171, DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aau5171, February 2019. 

Nelson, T.G., Herder, J.L., “Developable Compliant-Aided Rolling-Contact Mechanisms,” Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 126, pp. 225-242, DOI: 10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2018.04.013, August 2018. 

Lang, R.J., Nelson, T.G., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Thick Rigidly Foldable Origami Mechanisms Based on Synchronized Offset Rolling Contact Elements,” Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, ASME, Vol. 9, pp. 021013-17, DOI: 10.1115/1.4035686, March 2017.

Bruton, J.T., Nelson, T.G., Zimmerman, T., Fernelius, J., Magleby, S.P. and Howell, L.L., “Packing and Deploying Soft Origami To and From Cylindrical Volumes with Application to Automotive Airbags,” Royal Society Open Science, Vol. 3, pp. 160429 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160429, September 2016.

Nelson, T.G., Bruton, J.T., Rieske, N., Walton, P., Fullwood, D.T., and Howell, L.L., “Material Selection Shape Factors for Compliant Arrays in Bending,” Materials and Design, Vol. 110, pp. 865-877, DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2016.08.056, August 2016.

Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Pehrson, N.A., Magleby, S.P., and Howell, L.L., “Facilitating Deployable Mechanisms and Structures via Developable Lamina Emergent Arrays,” Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, ASME, Vol. 8, pp. 031006-10, DOI: 10.1115/1.4031901, March 2016.

Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Magleby, S.P., and Howell, L.L., “Curved-Folding-Inspired Deployable Compliant Rolling-contact Element (D-CORE),” Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 96, pp. 225-238, DOI: 10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2015.05.017, February 2016.

Von Forell, G.A., Nelson, T.G., Samartzis, D., and Bowden, A.E., “Changes in Vertebral Strain Energy Correlate With Increased Presence of Schmorl’s Nodes in Multi-Level Lumbar Disk Degeneration,” Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, ASME, Vol. 136, pp. 061002-1 to 061002-6, DOI: 10.1115/1.4027301, June 2014.

Book and Magazine Contributions

Nelson, C.G. and Nelson T.G. “A Fold-and-Cut Pi and e,” , Mathematical Association of America (MAA), 29:3, 35-35, DOI: 10.1080/10724117.2021.2001275, February 2022. This magazine article includes two fold-and-cut patterns I designed. 

Author of a chapter in a book edited by Wentworth, N., Plummer, K., and Swan, R., “Decision-Based Learning: An Innovative Pedagogy that Unpacks Expert Knowledge for the Novice Learner,” Emerald Publishing, published Sept 2021.  The chapter I composed is titled “Exploring Decision-Based Learning in an Engineering Context”.

Morgan, D.C., Halverson, D.M., Magleby, S.P., Bateman, T.C., Howell, L.L., “Y Origami?: Explorations in Folding,” American Mathematical Society (AMS), Print ISBN: 978-1-4704-3674-2, 2017, Composed multiple sections with accompanying activities for this book that explains the connection between origami and engineering for a non-technical audience. The activities include showing elementary to middle-school-age students how they can use origami to fold a parabolic solar oven and a small catapult.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings (Full papers)

Sargent, B.S., Ynchausti, C.R., Nelson, T.G., Howell, L.L., “The Mixed-Body Model: A Method for Predicting Large Deflections in Stepped Cantilever Beams,” Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Online (virtual), Aug 17-20, 2021, DETC2021-71332.

Nelson, T.G., Baldelomar Pinto, L.M., Bruton, J.T., Deng, Z., Nelson, C.G., Howell, L.L., “Deployable Convex Generalized Cylindrical Surfaces Using Torsional Joints,” Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, St. Louis, MO, Aug 16-19, 2020, DETC2020-22551 (accepted).

Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Implementation of Rolling Contacts for SORCE Joints,” 4th IEEE/IFToMM International conference on Reconfigurable Mechanisms and Robots (ReMAR 2018), Delft, The Netherlands, June 20-22, 2018, Paper ID: 11 (Best Application Paper Award for conference)

Lang, R.J., Nelson, T.G., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Kinematics and Discretization of Curved-Fold Mechanisms,” Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Cleveland, OH, Aug 6-9, 2017, DETC2017-67439.

Lang, R.J., Nelson, T.G., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Thick Rigidly Foldable Origami Mechanisms Based on Synchronized Offset Rolling Contact Elements,” Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Charlotte, NC, Aug 21-24, 2016, DETC2016-59747.

Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Large-Curvature Deployable Developable Structures via Lamina Emergent Arrays,” Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Boston, MA, Aug 2-5, 2015, DETC2015-46636.

Abstract-reviewed Conference Proceedings

Nelson, T.G., “Decision-based Learning in Engineering Contexts,” 2019 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium, Presentation, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN, Feb. 6, 2019 (abstract accepted for oral presentation Dec. 14, 2018).

Badger, J.C., Nelson, T.G., Lang, R.J., Howell, L.L., “Explaining Curved-Fold Behavior through Normalized Coordinate Equations and Energy Methods,” Presentation, 7OSME Origami Science Maths Education, Oxford, UK, Sept 5-7, 2018.

Von Forrell, G., Stephens, T., Nelson, T.G., Samartzis, D., and Bowden, A.E., “Biomechanical rationale for variations in the prevalence of low back pain and Schmorl's nodes found in different patterns of multi-level disc degeneration,” Poster, 43rd Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, Seoul, Korea, Jun. 3-7, 2014.

Von Forrell, G., Nelson, T.G., Stephens, T., and Bowden, A.E., “Pre-failure Model of Achilles Tendon Lengthening Surgery Correlates Maximum Stresses and Induced Tendon Sliding Gap,” Presentation, 11th International Symposium of Computer Methods in Biomechanics, Salt Lake City, UT, April, 2013.

Von Forrell, G., Nelson, T.G., Samartzis, D., and Bowden, A.E., “Vertebral Strain Energy Correlates with Increased Presence of Schmorl's Nodes in Multi-level Lumbar Disc Degeneration,” 2013 ORS Annual Research Meeting, Poster 1592, San Antonio, TX, Jan 26-29, 2013.

Nelson, T.G., Von Forrell, G., and Bowden, A.E., “Increased vertebral strain energy correlates with increased presence of Schmorl Nodes in multi-level lumbar disc degeneration,” Poster, Emerging Ideas in Biomedical Research, Provo, UT, Oct. 18, 2012.