Digital Commons Network^™

Boron Induced Surface Modification Of Transition Metals, Raghasudha Vangaveti

Theses

Boronizing is a thermo-chemical surface treatment of metals in which boron atoms diffuse into the metal substrate and form hard metallic borides. As a result of boronizing, several properties such as hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high temperature oxidation resistance improve which make the metal substrate more suitable for industrial applications. These boronized parts are used in many industrial applications like ingot moulds, crucibles, biomedical implants, die-casting moulds, magnetic head applications, drawing dies etc.

The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of boronizing on the properties of transition metals. Three transition metals, tantalum, niobium and tungsten …

Demarcation Of Coding And Non-Coding Regions Of Dna Using Linear Transforms, Krithika Venkat

Theses

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) strand carries genetic information in the cell. A strand of DNA consists of nitrogenous molecules called nucleotides. Nucleotides triplets, or the codons, code for amino acids. There are two distinct regions in DNA, the gene and the intergenic DNA, or the junk DNA. Two regions can be distinguished in the gene- the exons, or the regions that code for amino acid, and the introns, or the regions that do not code for amino acid. The main aim of the thesis is to study signal processing techniques that help distinguish between the regions of the exons and the …

Impact Of Missed Beats On Heart Rate Variability Using Time-Frequency Analysis, Kilbrom T. Hailu

Theses

ECG recordings, especially during an exercise stress test, are exposed to artifacts. The source of artifacts can be due to technical problems, biological events and errors in the automatic detection. As a result missed beats, extra beats and ectopic beats can occur. In this study analysis of missed beats is performed using time-frequency analysis. Some of the patient's data had missed beats.

Fourier spectral analysis was first applied to the missed beats during the resting state. The impact of missed beats using Fourier spectral analysis is significant, especially, when the missed beats are in a row. The Fourier spectral analysis …

Modification Of Clays With Ionic Liquids For Polymer Nanocomponents, Neung Hyun Kim

Theses

In attempts to prepare nanofillers with enhanced compatibility with a polymer matrix, cationic and anionic clays susceptible to exchange of their interlamellar ions with a variety of other cations or anions, were selected.

In order to treat cationic clay, montmorillonite, which contains sodium ions as interlayer ions, reagents having cations differing in size and structure included three ionic liquids ([EMIM]⁺ [Br]^-, [HXMIM]⁺ [Cl]^-, and [Epty]⁺ [BF4]^-). Results indicated that cationic exchange did occur from aqueous solution as confirmed by FTIR, EDX, WAXS, TGA, and elemental analysis. WAXS indicated a significant increase …

New Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (Harq) Combining With Space Time Block Coding (Stbc) In Invariant And Variant Fading Channel, Guillem Ernest Malagarriga Vilella

Theses

Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) combining for space time block coding Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system consisting of N transmit antennas and M receive antennas (NxM) in a time invariant channel and in a time varying channel is proposed and its performance is analyzed. Based on the measured channel matrix, the receiver chooses the best retransmission order and communicated it to the transmitter.

The scheme, where this algorithm is performed, is a combination of a precombining HARQ scheme and the Multiple Alamouti Space-Time Block Coding (MASTBC), which is suitable for more than 2 transmit antennas. The combination of this …

Electrochemical Corrosion Testing Of Boronized And Unboronized Steels, Kranthi K. Pallegar

Theses

Boronizing is a thermo-chemical surface coating technique with which surface properties of materials are enhanced substantially. One of these properties is corrosion resistance. Corrosion resistance testing has been performed in many ways right from the traditional weight loss methods to the latest electrochemical techniques. These electrochemical techniques are more reliable and less time consuming and hence are widely accepted for corrosion testing in the industry.

In the present work, direct current (D.C) corrosion testing studies of both boronized and unboronized steels have been discussed. Three types of steels, AISI 1018, AISI 4340 and AISI 304 stainless steel, were considered for …

Direct Application Of The Least Action Principle To Solve (Human) Movement Dynamics Without Using Differential Equations Of Motion, Amitha Kumar

Theses

This thesis explores the numerical feasibility of solving motion 2-point boundary value problems (BVPs) by direct numerical minimization of the action without using the equations of motion (EOM) as an intermediate step. The proposed direct least action (DLA) approach using the downhill simplex method (DSM) is applied to both the single and double pendulum systems as beginning test problems. The solutions so obtained are compared to numerical solutions of the corresponding Lagrange BOM solved using a first order Euler algorithm for the same mechanical problems. The output path obtained by both of the methods essentially superimpose on each other.

Future …

Efficient Strategies For Robust Constrained Model Predictive Control, Marcin Tomasz Cychowski

Theses

Practical difficulties associated with the implementation of stabilizing robust model predictive control (MPC) laws are well known. The algorithms typically rely on the solution of the so-called min-max optimization problem. All such algorithms display a large online computational burden and often suffer excessive conservativeness. In this thesis, two original algorithms will be developed that address the conservativeness and complexity issues in min-max MPC.

The first algorithm is a min-max MPC based on the concept of closed-loop prediction. The synthesis procedure is realized using linear matrix inequalities and thus the implementation of the closed-loop min-max MPC control law can be performed …

Ultra Wide Band Radar For People Location And Tracking, Julien Le Kernec

Theses

The development of the UWB radar for people location and tracking was motivated by the need for a location and tracking system that performs well indoor. The objectives of the project are:

1. Conduct literature surveys of Ultra Wide Band and Location & Tracking.

2. Determine which UWB pulse is the most suitable for the UWB radar.

3. Design the concept of the UWB radar based on the literature reviews and the UWB pulse chosen.

4. Build an UWB radar prototype.

5. Measurement and Evaluation of the prototype.

This thesis introduces UWB key historical developments and properties; but also, its …

A Low Noise Amplifier For An Ultra Wideband Receiver, Tomasz Waliwander

Theses

The Ultra Wideband Technology, although derives from the early works on time-domain electromagnetics, only recently attracted the attention of the research and industrial institutions, mainly thanks to establishing a proper frequency mask by Federal Communication Commission. The FCC regulations allocate the immense 3.1 - 10.6 GHz microwave band that has never been accessible in a one segment before.

The intrinsic features of the UWB radio such as low power, immunity to multipath fading and eavesdropping, high 3D resolution capability and ability of'seeing' through the solid obstacles with addition to achievable very high data rates, makes it very attractive for many …

Next Generation Heterogenous Telemetry Modules, Pierce Brady

Theses

Remote monitoring is used in many applications within the scientific, industrial and commercial communities. These applications can range from the simple monitoring of wind farm generators to the complex behavioural monitoring of a local fox habitat to the simple but extremely urgent monitoring of water depth for a flood prone river. Each application of remote monitoring requires different aspects of the remote monitoring device, but typically, not all these applications can be implemented, as the technologies required for their construction are extremely large, expensive, energy inefficient, slow and do not meet the constraints for the given application.

However with the …

Disappearing User Interface In Ubiquitous Computing: A Pointing And Gesture Sensing System Using An Ultrasonic And Radio Frequency Location Technology, Stephania Yimana Kigadye

Theses

Weiser’s [1] vision of ubiquitous computing presents a different paradigm of computing which attempts to push computers into the background towards invisibility. Therefore “new concepts for human-computer interaction have to be developed when envisioning ubiquitous computing scenarios [1]. Instead of a single screen-based user interface (UI), humans will interact with a number of devices that are distributed and interconnected. These eomputers range from highly personal and mobile applianees to systems that are integrated in everyday environments and are more or less invisible.”[7] As this project suggests, a disappearing user interface in ubiquitous computing can be designed as a gesture recognition …

Development Of A Service-Oriented Communication Platform For Heterogeneous Voice Over Ip Networks., Aisling O'Driscoll

Theses

As broadband services have become more widespread in recent years due to a variety of government initiatives and the establishment of Wireless Internet Service Providers, user requirements have evolved and the market has become more competitive. Whilst this is beneficial for consumers it means that Internet Service Providers must offer a more diverse range of services coupled with standard broadband packages to distinguish themselves from their competitors, generate new revenue and strengthen their competitive advantage. Therefore many providers are looking to Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs) to provide communication platforms, enabling services such as Voice over IP (VoIP) along with other …

System Identification Of A Pasteurisation Process: A Comparison Of Direct And Indirect Methods, Niel Canty

Theses

The primary focus of this research is to identify a linear model for a direct steam injection (DSI) pasteurisation process which is a component of a large-scale pilot evaporation process widely used in the dairy industry. The pasteurisation process has been identified as a key component of the evaporation process. The author believes that no previously published work has focused on identifying models for a DSI pasteurisation process which makes this work an original contribution to the area. The pasteurisation process can be modelled as a single-input, single-output (SISO) process with a measurable disturbance. Thus two transfer functions were required …

Linux Based Pda Gateway For Wireless Sensor Networks, Áine Mccarthy

Theses

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the development and deployment of intelligent sensors and their use with a plethora of networking protocol technologies. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) can be used to monitor the environment, objects in the environment and the interaction of these objects with each other. Examples include environment and habitat monitoring, structural monitoring, disaster management and emergency response. The deployment of such large-scale WSN possess many challenges, the most important being scalability, portability, fault tolerance, adaptability and ubiquitous connectivity. There also exist many challenges when trying to establish communication with WSN. WSN can function as a …

Fabrication Of Array Microstructures By Localized Electro-Deposition, Nidal Khalaf Alshwawreh

Theses

Localized Electro-Deposition (LED) is now highly receiving scientists and researchers attention for its advantages over conventional fabrication techniques. These advantages include simplicity of the setup thus reducing the overall fabrication cost, capability of producing 2D and 3D high aspect ratio microstructures and its ability to fabricate microstructures from various raw materials. Efforts now are taking place in order to standardize the fabrication by LED to develop a commercial setup that is capable of producing complex microstructures which, in tum, can be integrated in different applications including microelectronics, microelectrochemical systems (MEMS) and sensors applications. The standardization process is performed by studying …

Microwave Modeling And Characterization Of High-Tc Superconducting Thin Films, Thamer Mousa Badarneh

Theses

Because of the high critical temperature (Tc) that the new superconductors can reach, thin films can be used in a number of technological applications. One of the major applications of thin films is in the microwave devices, where superconducting strips are used as resonators, filters, delay lines, etc. The importance of the superconductors resides in the low losses incurred during the transmission along the strip. For example, the surface resistance of a high-Tc superconductor is at least one order of magnitude less than a similar one made of ordinary conductors. Because of this advantage, there is an increase in the …