In the last several years, there has been interest in the development of flexible batteries as a substitute for traditional Li-ion batteries. Flexible batteries can fold, bend, and twist; studies have shown that mechanical stresses and fatigue may decrease battery performance and cause defects. In this paper, the viability of producing a mechanical fatigue-testing device from 3D printed and other off-the-shelf components was explored. The device was made using a servomotor and LCD screen controlled by a programmed Arduino board, and successfully met the expectations to be cheap, easily reproducible, versatile, and applicable to the testing of battery components. In a proof-of-concept test, the device was used to perform repeated folding tests on lithium cobalt oxide cathodes in different configurations, which were then characterized using a laser microscope. 3D topographical renderings suggested that bending at acute angles induces defects on the surface of the electrode where the electrode is creased. In future work, the device will be used to further explore the effect of mechanical fatigue on Li-ion battery components.
Minority mental health patients face many health inequities and inequalities that may stem from implicit bias and a lack of cultural awareness from their healthcare providers. I analyzed the current literature evaluating implicit bias among healthcare providers and culturally specific life traumas that Latinos and African Americans face that can impact their mental health. Additionally, I researched a current mental health assessments tool, the Child and Adolescent Trauma Survey (CATS), and evaluated it for the use on Latino and African American patients. Face-to-face interviews with two healthcare providers were also used to analyze the CATS for its’ applicability to Latino and African American patients. Results showed that these assessments were not sufficient in capturing culturally specific life traumas of minority patients. Based on the literature review and analysis of the interviews with healthcare providers, a novel assessment tool, the Culturally Traumatic Events Questionnaire (CTEQ), was created to address the gaps that currently make up other mental health assessment tools used on minority patients.