UH Engineering Research Labs
Biomedical Engineering
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The mission of the BMERCL is to advance knowledge in biomedical engineering by promoting interdisciplinary research and training among engineers, biologists, chemists, and physicians. To this purpose we provide researchers with a single facility where they can access various tools to carry out their research in Molecular and Cell Biology, Imaging, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering.
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The research activities in this laboratory concern the development of novel methods for protein biosensing (based on nanooptics) and tissue functional and structural imaging (based on Optical Coherence Tomography and Optoacoustic techniques).
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
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Their research involves the application and development of theoretical methods for use on biological and organic molecular systems. Some current research involves AIDS, cancer, UHBD development, and arthritis.
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The overall basic research goal of our group is to understand the early evolution of life. It is our contention that one of the earliest components of the genetic machinery to appear in a form bearing resemblance to its modern equivalent was the ribosome.
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In the semiconductor industry, plasmas are widely used to deposit and etch thin films in integrated circuits. In this regard, plasmas have played and will continue to play a major role in the continuing nano-technology revolution in electronic devices. Micro-plasmas are also increasingly finding applications in such diverse areas as high-resolution displays and bioengineering. The research interests of this group focus on the field of semiconductor device materials processing, mainly plasma processing.
Civil & Environmental Engineering
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Environmental Engineering Biotechnology Laboratory
The Environmental engineering biotechnology lab is equipped with state of the art instrumentation for water quality, environmental microbiology, microscopy, and molecular biology research. Current research focuses on development of nano-based biotechnologies with carbon-based nanomaterials and nanocomposites with antimicrobial and heavy metal removal properties. Antimicrobial properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene oxides are investigated through standard microbiological and molecular biology techniques.
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The range of expertise of our faculty members covers the treatment of both soil and water using both chemical and biological methods. We also have expertise in modeling and conducting risk assessment for both air, soil and water pollutants.
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The research performed at UH CEE examines the geotechnical aspects of building foundations including instrumentation of and testing deep piles to determine new ways to sense failures and model data. Research is also being conducted to develop backfill material so that plastic pipes can be used effectively in the subsurface, and on several geotechnical aspects of road construction.
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The Structural Research Laboratory is located in the South Park Annex of the University of Houston. The facility includes 30 ft. by 60 ft. and 20 ft. by 60 ft. strong floors and houses over two million dollars worth of test equipment, including a biaxial fatigue testing machine, a 2.5 million pound MTS test system, and a universal panel tester. The universal panel tester can be used to perform biaxial and triaxial tests and is the only one of its kind in the United States and the most versatile of the three panel testers in the world. The laboratory also offers a fully equipped welding shop and concrete casting room, as well as student and faculty office space and a conference room.
Electrical & Computer Engineering
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The Applied Electromagnetics Laboratory specializes in antenna analysis and design, computational aspects of electromagnetics, and applications of electromagnetics. Research topics include computational electromagnetics, electromagnetic interference and compatibility, biomedical applications of electromagnetics, microstrip and printed antennas, dielectric resonator antennas, leaky-wave antennas, periodic structures, and high-frequency effects in microwave integrated circuits.
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Electrochemical Nanofabrication and Nanomaterials Synthesis Group
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The research interests of the group include image restoration, 3D reconstruction, Bayesian approaches to image restoration and reconstruction, 3D tomography, image modelling, multi-modality image registration and correlation,gated cardiac imaging, segmentation and analysis of time-varying 3-D medical images, statistical image processing, automated image analysis, segmentation and interpretation of magnetic resonance images.
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Instrumentation Laboratory
The research interests of the group include process measurement and control, laboratory and industrial automation, and novel sensors.
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Laboratory for Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems
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The broad long-term objective of our research is to elucidate the brain mechanisms underlying perception and cognition in biological systems and to apply this knowledge to the engineering of intelligent systems. Research is multi-disciplinary and combines theoretical (neural modeling) and empirical (visual psychophysics) approaches.
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The laboratory investigates the electric properties of reservoir rocks over a wide range of frequencies. In addition, theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out to obtain a better understanding of electric tool response in complex borehole environments, such as dipping formations, thin invaded beds, and anisotropic formations. All of these studies have the primary objective of improving interpretation of logs obtained with existing tools and issupported by a consortium of oil and service companies.
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The research areas of the lab can be categorized into three main areas: wireless networking, signal processing, and security. Some topics include opportunistic spectrum access and collaborative sensing for cognitive radios, physical layer security, compressed sensing, information assurance, network and distributed system security, distributed wireless networking using the game theory approach, collaborative transmission networks, wireless access in vehicular environments, dynamic wireless network resource allocation, multimedia transmission over wireless networks, ad hoc/sensor network design, ultra wide band networks, large network analysis using random matrix theory, underwater acoustic communication, smart deployment/movement of unmanned air vehicle, MIMO wireless communications, satellite communications, and biosignal processing and bioinformation processing.
Industrial Engineering
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Design and Free Form Fabrication Laboratory
The mission of the Design and Free Form Fabrication Laboratory is to developed and implement the infrastructure necessary for quality research and education in Rapid Response Design & Manufacturing. The research scope includes providing an environment for rapid response to design realization and flexible manufacturing, introducing new products frequently to retain/gain market share globally and loweing unit costs while increasing quality of rapid protoyping.
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For several decades, the City of Houston (Houston) has always been one of the important centers of many major businesses and industries both domestic and international one of the largest medical centers in U.S., the Texas Medical Center (TMC) located in the Harris County. Because of the unique geographical structure and location, the city of Houston often encounters with a number of thunder storms and hurricanes each year. The nature of these storms in Houston tends to include very large amounts of rainfall for a short duration. To resolve these problems, E2MAP is developing a decision support tool that integrates existing telecommunication technologies, and available TranStar’s Flood Monitoring tools. Providing such a tool to emergency service providers can help address the problem when certain areas are flooded.
Mechanical Engineering
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The Dynamic Systems and Control Laboratory at the University of Houston is involved in the analytical, numerical, and experimental aspects of Failure-Tolerant Intelligent Structural Systems (FTISS). Intelligent Structural Systems (ISS) are structures which integrate control and computational subsystems into a single structural entity. Ideally, ISS adapt their dynamic characteristics to meet performance objectives at any instant. FTISS in addition integrate the likelihood of control component and structural member failure in both the off-line and on-line control/structure design process. The need for FTISS is critical for complex and interconnected dynamic systems such as underwater vehicles, bridges and buildings, high-altitude powered platforms and satellites/space structures which are required to operate unattended for extended periods of time and/or are too intricate for human operators to discern problems.
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The Engine Control Research Laboratory (ECRL) at UH focuses on research, education and technology transfer aspects involving the optimization, control, monitoring and diagnostics of internal combustion engine and powertrain systems with the overall objective of optimizing their fuel economy, improving their reliability and minimizing the production of harmful emissions. ECRL promotes a systems approach investigating the interplay and integration of the various engine and catalyst subsystems with adaptive and multivariable monitoring and control algorithms.
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Heat Transfer Laboratory
Research activities in the Heat Transfer and Phase Change Laboratory emphasize boiling heat transfer, liquid crystal thermography, highly turbulent convective heat transfer, and novel applications of solar and geothermal energy storage systems. The faculty also has long term interests in the areas of thermodynamic property prediction, moving boundary freezing/melting problems, and energy conservation.
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