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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Development Of Object-Based Teleoperator Control For Unstructured Applications, Hyunki Cho Dec 1996

Development Of Object-Based Teleoperator Control For Unstructured Applications, Hyunki Cho

Theses and Dissertations

For multi-fingered end effectors in unstructured applications, the main issues are control in the presence of uncertainties and providing grasp stability and object manipulability. The suggested concept in this thesis is object based teleoperator control which provides an intuitive way to control the robot in terms of the grasped object and reduces the operator's conceptual constraints. The general control law is developed using a hierarchical control structure, i.e., human interface I gross motion control level in teleoperation control and fine motion control/object grasp stability in autonomous control. The gross motion control is required to provide the position/orientation of the Super …


Evaluation Of Segmentation For Bone Structures In 3d Rendering Of Ultrasound Residual Limb Images, Min C. Baker Dec 1996

Evaluation Of Segmentation For Bone Structures In 3d Rendering Of Ultrasound Residual Limb Images, Min C. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Prosthetists today widely practice manual socket fitting, which produces subjective, inconsistent results. To address this problem, the Computerized Anthropometry Research and Design (CARD) Laboratory is developing a computer-aided socket design system that acquires ultrasound datasets of an amputee's residual limb, creates a 3D model, and helps identify load- bearing and pressure-relief areas. This research project focuses on providing 3D visualization of a residual limb to support the CARD Laboratory's efforts. Creating the 3D model of the skin and two bone contours requires two major steps: segmentation to identify the objects of interest and a surface tracking algorithm to generate the …


Generalized Hidden Filter Markov Models Applied To Speaker Recognition, John M. Colombi Mar 1996

Generalized Hidden Filter Markov Models Applied To Speaker Recognition, John M. Colombi

Theses and Dissertations

Classification of time series has wide Air Force, DoD and commercial interest, from automatic target recognition systems on munitions to recognition of speakers in diverse environments. The ability to effectively model the temporal information contained in a sequence is of paramount importance. Toward this goal, this research develops theoretical extensions to a class of stochastic models and demonstrates their effectiveness on the problem of text-independent (language constrained) speaker recognition. Specifically within the hidden Markov model architecture, additional constraints are implemented which better incorporate observation correlations and context, where standard approaches fail. Two methods of modeling correlations are developed, and their …


Application Of Autoregressive Moving Average Linear Prediction Filters To The Characterization Of Solar Wind-Magnetosphere Coupling, Carter N. Borst Jan 1996

Application Of Autoregressive Moving Average Linear Prediction Filters To The Characterization Of Solar Wind-Magnetosphere Coupling, Carter N. Borst

Theses and Dissertations

Linear prediction filtering techniques have been used in studying the coupling processes between the solar wind and magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is a complex, dynamic system with at least two independent coupling methods for energy input, driven and unloading. Linear models were built and tested on the Bargatze data set, consisting of over 70 days of geomagnetic indices and solar wind data ordered in 34 intervals of increasing geomagnetic activity. Linear filtering techniques employing single-and multiple-input, autoregressive models predicted values of the magnetic index AL from solar wind data. The impulse response curves of the AL-coupling function groups showed amplitude peaks …


Optimal Mixed-Norm Control Synthesis For Discrete-Time Linear Systems, David R. Jacques Jun 1995

Optimal Mixed-Norm Control Synthesis For Discrete-Time Linear Systems, David R. Jacques

Theses and Dissertations

A mixed-norm approach to control synthesis for discrete time linear systems is developed. Specifically, the problem of minimizing the H2 norm of a transfer function, subject to a combination of ℓ1 and-or H norm constraints on dissimilar but related transfer functions is considered. The uniqueness of the optimal solution is shown, and numerical methods for approximating the optimal solution to within arbitrary accuracy are developed. These methods generally result in high order compensators which can not be implemented in most practical applications. In response to this, a numerical method is developed which solves for suboptimal solutions of …


The Effect Of Repeatedly Sampling An Embedded Metamodel On The Simulation Response, John Kent Patterson Mar 1995

The Effect Of Repeatedly Sampling An Embedded Metamodel On The Simulation Response, John Kent Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effect on simulation output of repeatedly sampling an embedded metamodel. A metamodel is said to be embedded within a simulation if it is used to replace a submodule of that simulation. Replacing a deterministic module with an embedded deterministic metamodel poses no apparent mathematical problems. However, using a deterministic metamodel to replace a stochastic simulation component could require additional corrective actions. This research was performed in two phases. The first phase dealt with a set of tandem queues. It was shown that as each queue was sequentially replaced with a metamodel, the total system variance was …


Analysis Of Heads-Up Display Quickening Versus Handling Qualities, Gary M. Konnert Mar 1995

Analysis Of Heads-Up Display Quickening Versus Handling Qualities, Gary M. Konnert

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated an analytical means of selecting the quickening time constant for the standardized Heads-Up Display flight path marker. The theoretically determined time constant allowed a faster, less resource intensive means of selecting the quickening time constant. The theoretically best time constant for pilot-aircraft handling qualities was equal to the airframe pitch attitude high frequency zero time constant, Tθ2. Flight test indicated an empirical, more labor intensive method yielded better handling qualities, even though paper analysis indicated the theoretical method was better. The theoretically determined time constant gave slightly lower handling qualities. but was less costly to …


Analysis And Extension Of Model-Based Software Executives, Keith E. Lewis Jan 1995

Analysis And Extension Of Model-Based Software Executives, Keith E. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed a comprehensive description of the simulation environment of Architect, a domain-oriented application composition system being developed at the Air Force Institute of Technology to explore new software engineering technologies. The description combines information from several previous research efforts and Architect's source code into a single, comprehensive document. A critical evaluation of the simulation environment was also performed, identifying improvements and modifications that enhance Architecture's application execution capabilities by reducing complexity and execution time. The analysis was then taken one step further and presented extensions to the current simulation environment. The extensions included investigating the feasibility of mixed-mode …


Visage: Improving The Ballistic Vulnerability Modeling And Analysis Process, Brett F. Grimes Jan 1995

Visage: Improving The Ballistic Vulnerability Modeling And Analysis Process, Brett F. Grimes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to improve the process of modeling and analyzing ballistic vulnerability data. This was accomplished by addressing two of the more urgent needs of vulnerability analysts; the ability to display fault tree data and to edit target descriptions. A vulnerability data visualization program called VISAGE was modified to meet these needs. VISAGE was originally created to preview static shotline plots and subsequently grew into a full-featured visualization package for vulnerability target descriptions and analyses data. The next logical step in the programs evolution was to include the needed editing and fault tree display capabilities. The …


Multicriteria Mission Route Planning Using A Parallel A* Search, Michael S. Gudaitis Dec 1994

Multicriteria Mission Route Planning Using A Parallel A* Search, Michael S. Gudaitis

Theses and Dissertations

The Mission Route Planning (MRP) Problem falls into the general class of multicriteria path search problems. Multiple criteria are evaluated to select an optimal aircraft mission route through a hostile environment. Criteria for distance travelled and radar exposure are combined into a single cost function for route evaluation. Radar calculations are performed dynamically. The A* search algorithm is applied to the MRP problem, and a parallel implementation is developed and tested. A unique combination of distributed OPEN lists with a global CLOSED list strategy produced fast execution times on the Paragon. Test cases for scenarios with 15 radars took less …


Image Perception Wavelet Simulation And Enhancement For The Visually Impaired, Lemuel Ray Myers Jr. Dec 1994

Image Perception Wavelet Simulation And Enhancement For The Visually Impaired, Lemuel Ray Myers Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This research delves into the area of image enhancement for the visually impaired. Binocular macular degeneration a visual impairment, affects many Americans; since this condition could not be corrected with conventional glasses the literature suggested using an enhancement system which used a pre-emphasis algorithm to enhance the input image for output to the observer. The work of Dr. Eli Peli, a pioneer in the field of image enhancement, is examine and reproduced. Since his work concentrated mainly on frequency analysis of images, the bulk of this research involves using discrete wavelet analysis to augment that work. A biorthogonal wavelet set …


Artificially Intelligent Air Combat Simulation Agents, Daniel E. Gisselquist Dec 1994

Artificially Intelligent Air Combat Simulation Agents, Daniel E. Gisselquist

Theses and Dissertations

The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), in an effort to improve military simulations, has proposed a standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS). This network protocol will allow dissimilar applications to communicate simulation information. In the field of air combat, this will allow pilots in remote simulators to fly in a common simulation. The success of this standard is dependent on applications being able to work within that standard, as well as a large variety of Computer Generated Forces (CGFs) to complement interactive forces. CGFs are needed to help simulate the large combat scenarios that can only occur in wartime. By …


Next Generation Real-Time Systems: Investigating The Potential Of Partial-Solution Tasks, Robert E. J. Caley Dec 1994

Next Generation Real-Time Systems: Investigating The Potential Of Partial-Solution Tasks, Robert E. J. Caley

Theses and Dissertations

While the cyclic executive and fixed-priority scheduling strategies have been sufficient to handle traditional real- time requirements. they are insufficient for dealing with the complexities of next-generation real-time systems. New methods of intelligent control must be developed for guaranteeing on-time task completion for real-time systems that are faced with unpredictable and dynamically changing requirements. Implementing real-time processes as partial-solution tasks is one technique that may be beneficial. This type of task. when combined with intelligent control, has the potential for increasing pre-runtime schedulability, system maintainability. and runtime robustness. This research investigates the benefits of partial-solution tasks by experimentally measuring the …


The Photo-Realistic Afit Virtual Cockpit, Milton E. Diaz Dec 1994

The Photo-Realistic Afit Virtual Cockpit, Milton E. Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has pursued research in virtual environments since 1988. This research expands the current capabilities of the AFIT Virtual Cockpit (VC) by increasing the realism of the cockpit environment and improving the pilot's command interface. Realism is improved creating console elements from texture maps and polygonal models; these elements include working dials, switches and circuit breakers. The pilot command interface is improved in part by adapting the AFIT Information Pod using a two-dimensional mouse input to the virtual three-dimensional environment. This immersive virtual environment is also improved by modifications to the Head Mounted Display …


Development Of A Mammographic Image Processing Environment Using Matlab, John L. Kelley Dec 1994

Development Of A Mammographic Image Processing Environment Using Matlab, John L. Kelley

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a disease that accounts for a disturbingly large number of deaths in females each year. Its prevalence is a topic of concern to all of us since it can affect our families, friends, and coworkers. Although mammographic screening is the most effective method currently available for the early detection of breast cancer, it is far from being an infallible procedure. Mammographic reading is error prone, partly because of the complexity of the task and partly because of the variability in human performance. Computers offer high reproducibility, and when used as an adjunct by the radiologist, may improve …


Survey And Implementation Of Commercial Manual Controllers For A Generic Telerobotics Architecture, Thomas E. Deeter Dec 1994

Survey And Implementation Of Commercial Manual Controllers For A Generic Telerobotics Architecture, Thomas E. Deeter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine an input device for the Air Force's generic telerobotics architecture for large aircraft maintenance and repair. One area of concern is the human to machine interface, more specifically, which manual controller should be used for the specified tasks in this architecture. We mailed a survey to 68 companies in order to compile a list of possible input devices that the telerobotics architecture could use. 32 companies responded which gave me enough data to generate a list that described the physical traits of the input devices. We then divided the required tasks into …


Embedology And Neural Estimation For Time Series Prediction, Robert E. Garza Dec 1994

Embedology And Neural Estimation For Time Series Prediction, Robert E. Garza

Theses and Dissertations

Time series prediction has widespread application, ranging from predicting the stock market to trying to predict future locations of scud missiles. Recent work by Sauer and Casdagli has developed into the embedology theorem, which sets forth the procedures for state space manipulation and reconstruction for time series prediction. This includes embedding the time series into a higher dimensional space in order to form an attractor, a structure defined by the embedded vectors. Embedology is combined with neural technologies in an effort to create a more accurate prediction algorithm. These algorithms consist of embedology, neural networks, Euclidean space nearest neighbors, and …


Multirate Time-Frequency Distributions, John R. O'Hair May 1994

Multirate Time-Frequency Distributions, John R. O'Hair

Theses and Dissertations

Multirate systems, which find application in the design and analysis of filter banks, are demonstrated to also be useful as a computational paradigm. It is shown that any problem which can be expressed a set of vector-vector, matrix-vector or matrix-matrix operations can be recast using multirate. This means all of numerical linear algebra can be recast using multirate as the underlying computational paradigm. As a non-trivial example, the multirate computational paradigm is applied to the problem of Generalized Discrete Time- Frequency Distributions GDTFD to create a new family of fast algorithms. The first of this new class of distributions is …


Application Of Sequential Quadratic Programming To Large-Scale Structural Design Problems, Mark A. Abramson Mar 1994

Application Of Sequential Quadratic Programming To Large-Scale Structural Design Problems, Mark A. Abramson

Theses and Dissertations

Large-scale structural optimization problems are often difficult to solve with reasonable efficiency and accuracy. Such problems are often characterized by constraint functions which are not explicitly defined. Constraint and gradient functions are usually expensive to evaluate. An optimization approach which uses the NLPQL sequential quadratic programming algorithm of Schittkowski, integrated with the Automated Structural Optimization System ASTROS is tested. The traditional solution approach involves the formulation and solution of an explicitly defined approximate problem during each iteration. This approach is replaced by a simpler approach in which the approximate problem is eliminated. In the simpler approach, each finite element analysis …


A Simulation Approach To Granite Sentry System Analysis, Marilyn J. Bauer Mar 1994

A Simulation Approach To Granite Sentry System Analysis, Marilyn J. Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

This study demonstrated the use of simulation modelling to analyze Granite Sentry system performance. The availability simulation model constructed provides a number of system performance measures as a function of component MTBFs and MTTRs. Analysis of failure data prior to model construction supported the generally accepted use of exponentially distributed failure rates and lognormally distributed repair times.


A Fortran Based Learning System Using Multilayer Back-Propagation Neural Network Techniques, Gregory L. Reinhart Mar 1994

A Fortran Based Learning System Using Multilayer Back-Propagation Neural Network Techniques, Gregory L. Reinhart

Theses and Dissertations

An interactive computer system which allows the researcher to build an optimal neural network structure quickly, is developed and validated. This system assumes a single hidden layer perceptron structure and uses the back- propagation training technique. The software enables the researcher to quickly define a neural network structure, train the neural network, interrupt training at any point to analyze the status of the current network, re-start training at the interrupted point if desired, and analyze the final network using two- dimensional graphs, three-dimensional graphs, confusion matrices and saliency metrics. A technique for training, testing, and validating various network structures and …


Assessing The Vulnerability Of Multi-Commodity Networks With Failing Components, Alan R. Robinson Mar 1994

Assessing The Vulnerability Of Multi-Commodity Networks With Failing Components, Alan R. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This research proposes an analytical approach for assessing flow disturbance, or compromise, based on limited sampling of arc flow information in multi-commodity, or multiple origin-destination O-D, networks with failing arcs. There were three objectives established for this research. The first objective was to bound the expected flow, given the arcs fail with certain probabilities, which was accomplished by reviewing current approaches for single-commodity networks and extending the results to the multi-commodity case. The second objective was to determine the best placement of flow monitors to obtain the most accurate estimates of O-D pair volumes. This was accomplished using a multi-criteria …


The Effective Use Of Animation In Simulation Model Validation, Christopher L. Swider Mar 1994

The Effective Use Of Animation In Simulation Model Validation, Christopher L. Swider

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined two animation displays moving icons, bar graphs at two presentation speeds to determine how each of these factors affected the animations ability to communicate violations of model assumptions. Subjects viewed animation displays individually and in combination at each presentation speed. Eight problem scenarios were presented to evaluate each animations ability to communicate violations of different assumptions. Each animations communication ability was measured subjectively and objectively. Subjective measures in the form of pairwise comparisons were used to calculate normalized preference ratings for each animation. objective measures included problem identification accuracy and problem time. Subjective results indicated that moving …


Clustering Techniques In Speaker Recognition, Douglas N. Prescott Mar 1994

Clustering Techniques In Speaker Recognition, Douglas N. Prescott

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a comparison based on identification rate, of three clustering techniques applied to cepstral features for speaker identification. LBG vector quantization as developed by Linde, Buzo and Gray; is used to provide benchmark performance for comparison with Fuzzy clustering (based on the unsupervised fuzzy partition-optimal number of classes, UFP-ONC algorithm by Gath and Geva) and an Artificial Neural Network, the Multilayer Perceptron. Cepstral features from the TIMIT, King and AFIT93 corpus speaker databases are used to produce speaker-identification classifiers using each of the clustering algorithms. The experiment reported evaluates the speaker identification performance using the 20-dimensional cepstral features …


Design And Construction Of The Aerobot Robotic Manipulator (Arm), William L. Cochran Dec 1993

Design And Construction Of The Aerobot Robotic Manipulator (Arm), William L. Cochran

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis designed, constructed, and tested a robotic arm for the Aerobot Aerial Robot. The main purpose of the ARM is to enable the Aerobot to retrieve objects for use in an annual robotics competition. Design of the ARM involved synthesizing the characteristics of simplicity, weight, strength, and size. The result was a three-degree-of-freedom manipulator that uses electric motors, cable linkages, and telescoping tubes to access a work space below the Aerobot. Forward and inverse kinematics were investigated to enable automation of the ARM. Data was collected from infrared sensors to validate the model. Manipulation of the ARM is presently …


A Numerical Study Of High-Speed Missile Configurations Using A Block- Structured Parallel Algorithm, Douglas C. Blake Dec 1993

A Numerical Study Of High-Speed Missile Configurations Using A Block- Structured Parallel Algorithm, Douglas C. Blake

Theses and Dissertations

A numerical analysis of the aerodynamic phenomena associated with the high-speed flight of a sharp-nosed, four-finned, high-fineness ratio missile using a block-structured, parallel computer algorithm is presented. The algorithm, PANS-3EM, utilizes a second-order-accurate, shock-capturing, Total Variation Diminishing scheme and incorporates a Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model. PANS-3EM allows for extreme flexibility in the choice of computational domain decomposition and computing machine of implementation. Developmental work consists of conceptualization and verification of the algorithm as well as parallel performance and scalability studies conducted on a variety of computing platforms. Using PANS-3EM, the aerodynamic characteristics of the missile are investigated. Drag and pitching moment …


Using Discovery-Based Learning To Prove The Behavior Of An Autonomous Agent, David N. Mezera Dec 1993

Using Discovery-Based Learning To Prove The Behavior Of An Autonomous Agent, David N. Mezera

Theses and Dissertations

Computer-generated autonomous agents in simulation often behave predictably and unrealistically. These characteristics make them easy to spot and exploit by human participants in the simulation, when we would prefer the behavior of the agent to be indistinguishable from human behavior. An improvement in behavior might be possible by enlarging the library of responses, giving the agent a richer assortment of tactics to employ during a combat scenario. Machine learning offers an exciting alternative to constructing additional responses by hand by instead allowing the system to improve its own performance with experience. This thesis presents NOSTRUM, a discovery-based learning DBL system …


A Method For Populating The Knowledge Base Of Aptas, A Domain-Oriented Application Composition System, Raleigh A. Sandy Iii Dec 1993

A Method For Populating The Knowledge Base Of Aptas, A Domain-Oriented Application Composition System, Raleigh A. Sandy Iii

Theses and Dissertations

A formal process is described for populating the knowledge base of the Automatic Programming Technologies for Avionics Software APTAS system. This process was developed using a general knowledge base population process that applies to many knowledge-based software engineering systems. This general process is also described. The formal process for APTAS was demonstrated by storing new information from the radar tracking domain into the knowledge base of APTAS. Several procedures some automatic and some manual were implemented to support the formal process.


Integration And Enhancement Of The Saber Wargame, Karl S. Mathias Dec 1993

Integration And Enhancement Of The Saber Wargame, Karl S. Mathias

Theses and Dissertations

The Saber wargame is a theater-level air/land battle wargame written in Ada that is being developed for the Air Force Wargaming Center at Maxwell AFB, AL. This thesis documents how the user interface and simulation engine were integrated. Integration was accomplished by developing a portable object-oriented database system (OODBMS) interface. The interface was implemented in Ada and tied to an OODBMS also written in Ada. Using the interface, both subsystems were able to work from a consistent database and exchange information. The user interface was enhanced by converting it from the Software Technology for Adaptable Reliable Systems Ada/X Window System …


Developing A Graphical User Interface To Support A Real-Time Digital Signal Processing System, Jeffrey C. Miller Dec 1993

Developing A Graphical User Interface To Support A Real-Time Digital Signal Processing System, Jeffrey C. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

A graphical software user interface for a VMEbus-based real-time digital signal processing system was designed. Use, requirements were defined and the Rumbaugh object-oriented analysis and design technique was applied to analyze the requirements and produce an object-oriented design. The software design includes a graphical, mouse- and keyboard driven user interface, specialized hardware driver modules, and operating system interfaces. An implementation plan was also developed to map the design into the C programming language using existing system code, automatically generated code, and newly written code. Based on the implementation plan, a limited software system prototype w successfully developed and demonstrated. The …