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Amanda Mills

Asst Professor

she/her/hers

Senior Director TE/TT Senior Design

Textiles Complex 3143

Bio

Dr. Amanda Mills is the principal investigator of SHIFT (Smart Holistically Integrated and Functional Textiles) Research Group, Senior Director of the TE/TT Senior Capstone Program, program lead for the TECS REU summer program, and an Assistant Professor in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science Department.

She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University in 2012 and continued her studies in Mechanical Engineering at NC State University, receiving her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 2014 and 2017 respectively. She began her research journey as an undergraduate student looking at piston design for improved combustion in diesel engines and conducting energy audits at small manufacturing plants with the Industrial Assessment Center. In graduate school, she created stretchable electronic sensors for physiological monitoring by embedding silver nanowires (AgNW) in elastic materials (PDMS) for her master’s research. After taking a course on knit product design, Dr. Mills shifted her research focus to thermal properties of knit structures. She conducted a study that compared the effect of knit structures on the thermal energy harvesting efficiency from the human body. She also generated a ‘body map’ that identified optimal locations for integrating thermal energy harvesters into garments.

After graduation, Dr. Mills worked as an industry project manager for the NEXT (Nano-EXtended Textiles) Research Group where she designed and made integrated electronic textile (e-textile) systems for a variety of applications including: electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyogram (EMG) monitoring, transcutaneous blood alcohol detection, haptic stimulation, and strain sensing. She worked with graduate students on ink-jet printing multi-layer structures on textiles, printed antennas, textile simulation, digital twins, and robotic handling of textiles for automation.

In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, crocheting, yoga, being active outdoors, cooking, reading, and spending time with her husband, Steven, and her dog, Tuna. She loves to travel, has a fascination of languages (although she only speaks English), and loves singing and dancing.

Education

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering NC State 2017

M.S. Mechanical Engineering NC State 2014

B.S. Mechanical Engineering Mississippi State 2012

Publications

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Grants

Date: 06/01/23 - 5/31/25
Amount: $98,997.00
Funding Agencies: US Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHHS)

A rigorous and systematic series of experiments designed to research optimal fabric composition, define embedded electrode sizing, optimize electronic-to-sensor interface sites to further explore longevity, enhance robustness, and promote manufacturability from Phase 1 prototypes.

Date: 03/19/21 - 8/31/24
Amount: $256,018.00
Funding Agencies: US Army - Soldier Systems Center (Natick)

In our proposed project we develop a predictive modeling method that will allow determination of the upper and lower mechanical parameters of specialty yarns, especially those with conductive properties, to inform if and how (i.e., construction) they can be used in fabrics. Furthermore, we will review and adapt current testing and evaluation methodologies to assess the end-product performance and to measure critical fiber, yarn or fabric input parameters that will allow prediction of end product performance. The initial set of tasks presented here will act as a demonstrator project and will focus on knitted goods, especially those applicable to the US Army. We will develop an analytical model (mathematical model with a closed-form solution) of knit fabrics with smart yarns. The model will integrate fiber and yarn properties, knit constructions and the potential energy stored from the stretching and bending during the manufacturing process, allowing a direct and universal solution to yarn knittability in one operation of partial differential equations. The model will be validated via experiments and FEA model simulations. The model may then be used to predict the mechanical requirements of specialty yarns and allow the prediction of knitted fabric mechanical performance. Furthermore, the tactile comfort of smart knitted textiles will be evaluated by the model and experiment as a demonstration of the production feasibility and usability for military use.

Date: 10/06/22 - 5/30/23
Amount: $62,633.00
Funding Agencies: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)

Product design in textiles is fundamentally driven by the ability to understand how the materials and components selection dictates the final performance of that product. Through a product inspection, one can understand the relationship between textile construction and the resulting product behaviors or functions. Learning from a working, finished product is vastly different from the understanding one gains when building a new device and can reduce the time needed to complete the design cycle on a new product.

Date: 09/01/21 - 12/15/22
Amount: $152,761.00
Funding Agencies: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)

Product design in textiles is fundamentally driven by the ability to understand how the materials and components selection dictates the final performance of that product. Through a product inspection, one can understand the relationship between textile construction and the resulting product behaviors or functions. Learning from a working, finished product is vastly different from the understanding one gains when building a new device and can reduce the time needed to complete the design cycle on a new product.

Date: 01/01/19 - 5/15/21
Amount: $110,000.00
Funding Agencies: NCSU Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP)

The objective of this project is to explore layered conductive structures using ink jet printing and to investigate toward manufacturing of simple electronic components. The scope of the investigation would include: ??????????????? The synthesis of fluid chemistries suitable for ink-jetting and their subsequent processing. ??????????????? Lab scale validation of multi-layered ink-jet printed metal/dielectric structures on flexible substrates. ??????????????? Detailed measurement of the multi-layered interface structure through processing (printing to annealing) the subsequent influence on capacitor device performance. ??????????????? Techno-economic analysis of the ink-jet printing of capacitor designs that details the benefits and challenges relating device performance characteristics to scale-up processing (manufacturing speed, material usage, and device pattern design).

Date: 09/19/18 - 12/03/18
Amount: $12,500.00
Funding Agencies: Porticos, Inc.

NC State will explore a number of prototype EMG electrodes using various conductive fabrics and materials according to specifications laid out by Porticos. After a down selection of the electrodes, 10 prototype headbands according to the pattern supplied by Porticos will be produced.


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