Engineering Commons^™

A Novel Brain Computer Interface Design, Steven Vogan

Senior Honors Theses

A brain computer interface (BCI) is a system which connects neural signals to a computer system. They have been used for controlling systems including robotics, on-screen computer control such as mouse movement, typing, and synthesizing audio signals. Invasive, or implanted, systems are often long-term medical solutions, or used for research where very clear signal is required. Non-invasive systems usually rely on exterior signals gathered through a headset using one or more electrode sensors. These signals are composed of sums of neuron activation potentials from brain activity and can be used to determine particular aspects of brain function. All BCIs rely …

Effect On Focusing Fields By Ferromagnetic Cell Cores In Linear Induction Accelerators, Cooper Guillaume

Senior Honors Theses

In the Los Alamos National Laboratories DARHT facility, there are two perpendicular linear induction accelerators, LIAs. The LIAs’ solenoids produce magnetic fields which focus the electron beam. Simultaneously, the accelerating pulse creates a magnetic field. These two field intensities act upon a ferromagnetic material in the cells to enhance magnetic flux density. Due to the nonlinearity of the material, this flux density will reach a saturation point. In turn, the magnetic field intensity of the axial solenoidal magnetic field will be affected and slightly altered. The width of the electron beam will increase, causing a decrease in effectiveness. Through simulation, …

The Challenges Facing Autonomous Vehicles And The Progress In Addressing Them, Garrett Johnson

Senior Honors Theses

Autonomous vehicles are an emerging technology that faces challenges, both technical and socioeconomic. This paper first addresses specific technical challenges, such as parsing visual data, communicating with other entities, and making decisions based on environmental knowledge. The technical challenges are to be addressed by the fields of image processing, Vehicle to Everything Communication (V2X), and decision-making systems. Non-technical challenges such as ethical decision making, social acceptance, and economic pushback are also discussed. Ethical decision making is discussed in the framework of deontology vs utilitarianism, while social acceptance of utilitarian autonomous vehicles is also investigated. Last, the likely economic impact is …

Designing A Robotic Platform For Investigating Swarm Robotics, Jonathan Gray

Senior Honors Theses

This paper documents the design and subsequent construction of a low-cost, flexible robotic platform for swarm robotics research, and the selection of appropriate swarm algorithms for the implementation of a swarm focused predominantly on target location. The design described herein is intended to allow for the construction of robots large enough to meaningfully interact with their environment while maintaining a low per-robot cost of materials and a low assembly time. The design process is separated into three stages: mechanical design, electrical design, and software design. All major design components are described in detail under the appropriate design section. The BOM …

Application Of An Intuitive, Glove-Type Remote Control With Haptic Feedback To Quadcopters, Luke M. Stacey

Senior Honors Theses

Although remote controllers for drones, based upon a classic two-joystick architecture, are unwieldy, they still see widespread use. As a replacement, we propose a remote control with a glove-based architecture that utilizes haptic feedback from the quadcopter. The proposed controller should be far more intuitive, making drone flight easier and more intuitive. Additionally, since the pilot will have one hand free, he or she can use maps, electronics, and other aids much more straightforwardly than with a two-handed controller. While our technology is designed for drones, it also could see further usage in a wide variety of civilian and military …

Utilizing Brain-Computer Interfacing To Control Neuroprosthetic Devices, Cheyne J. Angy

Senior Honors Theses

Advances in neuroprosthetics in recent years have made an enormous impact on the quality of life for many people with disabilities, helping them regain the functionality of damaged or impaired abilities. One of the main hurdles to regaining full functionality regarding neuroprosthetics is the integration between the neural prosthetic device and the method in which the neural prosthetic device is controlled or manipulated to function correctly and efficiently. One of the most promising methods for integrating neural prosthetics to an efficient method of control is through Brian-computer Interfacing (BCI). With this method, the neuroprosthetic device is integrated into the human …

Nanopulse Generators: Their Design And Application To Cancer Therapy Studies, Daniel P. Wernig

Senior Honors Theses

Effective nanopulse generators have become critical in recent decades concerning the study of subcellular affects in response to nanosecond pulsed electric fields. It has been observed that nanosecond duration electric pulses can target intracellular organelles, ultimately leading to cell apoptosis, suggesting the possibility of a new, minimally invasive, low risk cancer therapy methodology. The standard topology for developing a medical nanopulser is the Blumlein “transmission line” approach. This approach relies on the nearly infinitesimal, yet finite amount of time required for an electromagnetic field to propagate down a short transmission line. Prior to design, requirements and constraints must be defined …

A Technical Assessment Of Aperture-Coupled Antenna Technology, Justin T. Obenchain

Senior Honors Theses

Aperture coupling refers to a method of construction for patch antennas, which are specific types of microstrip antennas. These antennas are used in a variety of applications including cellular telephones, military radios, and other communications devices.

The purpose of this thesis is to assess the benefits and drawbacks of aperture-coupled antenna technology. To develop a successful analysis of the patch antenna construction technique known as aperture coupling, this assessment begins by examining basic antenna theory and patch antenna design. After uncovering some of the fundamental principles that govern aperture-coupled antenna technology, a hypothesis is created and assessed based on the …

Studies In Software-Defined Radio System Implementation, Harold A. Haldren Iii

Senior Honors Theses

Over the past decade, software-defined radios (SDRs) have an increasingly prevalent aspect of wireless communication systems. Different than traditional hardware radios which implement radio protocols using static electrical circuit, SDRs implement significant aspects of physical radio protocol using software programs running on a host processor. Because they use software to implement most of the radio functionality, SDRs are much more easily modified, edited, and upgraded than their hardware-defined counterparts. Consequently, researchers and developers have been developing previously hardware-defined radio systems within software. Thus, communication standards can be tested under different conditions or swapped out entirely by simply changing some code. …

Vehicular Motion Sensor: Developing A Wide-Range Motion Sensing Alarm System, Joshua Isaacson

Senior Honors Theses

Vehicular safety has become a serious concern in recent years. Many drivers have difficulty backing out of parking spaces, especially when large trucks and sport utility vehicles block the peripheral view from smaller vehicles. This can lead to accidents and pedestrian injuries when drivers are unable to see or do not pay careful attention to their surroundings.

Vehicular motion sensor systems can alert drivers of approaching obstacles when attempting to back out of parking spaces with limited visibility. This thesis aims to explain the limitations of current systems and the research conducted by the author to develop a prototype for …