Engineering Commons^™

Design Of A Lens System For A Structured Light Projector, Rick Joe Johnson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Code V, an optical design program, was used to design a lens for a three-dimensional mapping application. The purpose of the lens system is to project an array of spots of light onto the object of interest. The size of the projected spots can be used to determine the distance from the lens to the object. The design criterion for this system was a 2% accuracy of position with a two lens system. The use of anamorphic and aspheric surfaces was also investigated as a means to improve the design performance.

Continuous Statistical Distribution Curve Fitting And Analysis Tool, Gerald Robie

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This paper reports on the implementation and utilization of a micro-computer based simulation modeling verification and validation tool. The interactive software tool, written in BASIC, computes and displays the frequency distribution of a given set of input data, computes appropriate parameters for a continuous statistical distribution which the user selects as likely to represent the population from which the input data sample was obtained, performs several goodness-of-fit analyses on the resultant distribution and provides sensitivity analysis capability on the input data, distribution type selection and distribution parameters.

Motion And Intrusion Detection Using A Pyroelectric Detector, Randy R. Fields

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to describe a device that passively detects the presence of a warm-bodied object in a specified area. The detecting device used is a pyroelectric detector with an integral optical filter. By focusing infrared radiation generated by the object onto the detector, the resulting temperature change is converted to a voltage and then amplified. Modulation of the incoming radiation is accomplished by a rotating disk whose speed of rotation is dynamically controlled by a microprocessor. The resulting detector response is filtered and converted to a DC level. The signal is then passed through an analog-to-digital …

Design For Conversion Of Ucf's Supersonic Wind Tunnel To A Wind Tunnel With Hypersonic Capability, Huseyin S. Sivasligil

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A supersonic wind tunnel, currently in existence at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, is examined to determine feasibility for conversion to a wind tunnel with hypersonic capability. Computational data are presented, and the determination is made that the existing wind tunnel can be converted if alterations and additions are made. These changes include replacement of the existing two dimensional nozzle with a two dimensional nozzle specifically designed for operation at Mach number 7, and the addition of a vacuum tank and heater. The use of an axisymmetric nozzle design is recommended for conversion to Mach numbers higher …

Effect Of Non-Ideal Sampling On The Discrete Fourier Transforms Of An Object Function, Karen Marie Macdougall

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Fourier Series and Fourier Transforms can be used to determine the frequency content of a continuous signal. This paper investigates the situation where a two dimensional object function is sampled by a detector array of a finite size. Continuous Fourier analysis is not applicable to sampled data, so the Discrete Fourier Transform is used. The similarities and differences between the discrete and continuous cases are discussed and consideration is made as to how the spectrum is altered when the normal assumptions of ideal sampling and recovery are not made.

Electrical Testing Of Piezoelectric Transducers Applied To Accelerometer Design, Patrick L. Heron

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Piezoelectric transducers are, by nature, electromechanical devices. Methods historically used to characterize these transducers involve both electrical and mechanical measurements. The purpose of this paper is to propose a technique to characterize piezoids which will require electrical measurements only. Thus, characterization can be accomplished through the use of readily available calibrated electrical test equipment. This technique is based upon the assumption that some insight into the dynamic behavior of a piezoid can be implied by inspection of the transducer's static material properties. A necessary condition for the validity of the proposed technique is established. This test procedure is utilized in …

The Implementation Of Quality Control Circle Concepts Into American Industry, John R. Hunt

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

In light of the growing worldwide competition among industrial manufacturers as developing nations become more technologically viable, it becomes imperative that we, as a nation, become more conscious than ever of quality and productivity.

Our most serious competitors, the Japanese, have developed a nationwide sense of quality consciousness and have evolved a management and manufacturing system to achieve their goals of superior quality that is currently unrivaled.

One important element of their productive system is the concept of Quality Control (QC) circles; generally described as a problem solving group of working people, who as members of a team, identify, solve, …

Computer Simulation Of Dynamic Systems, Charles G. Smith

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Computer simulation of a control system is a valuable tool in design or performance evaluation. This is especially true when non-linear elements cannot be ignored and must be included within the model. A general purpose block diagram oriented simulation program will be developed which can utilize continuous, discrete and non-linear building blocks. The software tool will be demonstrated by means of an example.

Implementation Of A Parallel Ynet Architecture, Julie Nadeau Leblanc

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A simulation of an alternate implementation of a redundant busing network based on the Teradata Ynet architecture is presented. An overview of the Teradata DBC/1012 data base parallel processing computer including the Ynet, an active logic busing network, is given. Other multiprocessor busing networks are examined and compared to the standard Ynet and the alternate Ynet.

In the standard Ynet system, two networks, called Ynets, process message packets concurrently. When one of the Ynet paths fails, the system is reset. The remaining Ynet path restarts using the previously interrupted packets and processing continues without the aid of the failed Ynet. …

Experimental Verification Of Laser Speckle Power Spectral Density, Christopher T. Chiles

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The dependence of laser speckle power spectral density on the autocorrelation of the aperture pupil function was verified using a charge injection device (CID) camera. Speckle patterns acquired by the CID array were processed to compute the power spectral density (PSD). Three aperture shapes were studied. There was good agreement between the theoretical and experimental power spectral density shapes, and the cutoff frequencies agreed within five percent error.

Human Factors Compatibility Concerns In The Selection Of Display Technologies For Computer And Data Terminals, Francis C. Westerfield

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Human factors considerations are often overlooked in the selection of electronic computer displays. When cost is used as the only determining factor, the resulting product may not be commercially successful because of an inadequate display.

To help avoid this situation, designers and users should be aware of the various factors involved in proper display selection. These factors were developed by a synthesis of existing scientific and industrial literature on the subject and are explained in this paper.

The first factor is a basic knowledge of the structure, characteristics, and function of the human visual system. The theory of sight, anatomy …

Implementing Path Control, English Motion Commands And Off Line Programming On Minimover-5 Robot, Mark S. Chen

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

According to Alan L. Porter and Frederick A. Rossini (1987), 50,000 robots are expected to be installed by year 2000. This increasing number of robots to be used in industry has lead to the need for skilled robot operators and programmers. However, to train this specific class of personnel using an industrial robot as a training tool can be expensive and dangerous due to the possibility of robot accidents. Therefore, in order to provide a safe, inexpensive, and effective training tool, the use of the Mini-Mover-5 educational robot is proposed. The MiniMover-5 has only a primitive programming capability. A use-friendly …

A Simulation Study Of A Limited Sensing Random Access Algorithm For A Local Area Network With Voice Users, Robert M. Spillers

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the perfonnance of a limited sensing random access algorithm in a local area network with voice users. Random access algorithms have proven to be very efficient in local area network environments with data users. However, in contrast to data packets, voice packets cannot be allowed to experience long delays, because of the requirement that a voice "data stream" must be played out at the receiver. If a voice packet does exceed its established maximum delay, it is discarded. This simulation study finds the number of voice users that a network can support, …

Diffraction Modelling For Saw Devices On Anisotropic Substrates, Melanie A. Roberts

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents two approaches to solving the diffraction problem for SAW devices on anisotropic substrates. Diffraction is a nonlinear second-order effect which alters SAW performance, and some of the difficulty in predicting the actual effect is the anisotropy of acoustic materials, which makes the Fresnel Integral solution non-trivial. An accurate model for diffraction effects will allow compensation to be made without iterations in expensive and time consuming fabrication and testing processes, especially since it is difficult to isolate diffraction from other second-order effects. Of the two methods of modelling, one is a Fresnel Integral evaluation approach, and the other …

Remote Data Acquisition And Error Analysis Of The Scattering Parameters Of Quartz Crystal Devices, Sallie Layton Douglas

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A two-port device can be described by the incident and reflected voltages at each port. The parameters used in this description are known as scattering parameters. Accurate measurement of the values are thus important in device evaluation and network design. Limitations arise with the measurement capability of the equipment. In order to reduce these limitations, the data acquisition is controlled remotely by a computer program. The program also offers an error correction analysis of the measurement results. The measurement setup and basic approach are discussed as well as the techniques of normalization and calibration of each scattering parameter. The computer …

Speech Signal Representation Through Digital Signal Processing Techniques, Debbie A. Kravchuk

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This paper addresses several different signal processing methods for representing speech signals. Some of the techniques that are discussed include time domain coding which uses pulse-code, differential, or delta modulating methods. Also presented are frequency domain techniques such as sub-band coding and adaptive transform coding. In addition, this paper will discuss representing speech signals through source coding techniques via vocoders. A comparison of these different signal representation methods is included.

Extending The Power Bandwidth Of A Piezoelectric Bender Actuator, Jerrold Pavlinko

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Scanning mirrors are a control element used in electrooptical systems. A scanning mirror system is a position control system that directs an image to an optical receiver or projects the output of an optical source to a target. A scanning mirror, as part of an infrared image generation system, could be used to scan an array of infrared detectors with a television camera to produce a raster image. Conversely, a scanning mirror could be part of a laser engraving system where the mirror moves the laser beam across the surface of a material to engrave characters, drawings in the material.

Two Point Resolution Of A Defocused Multi-Aperture System Eyelet, Steven A. Marlow

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Multi-aperture optical systems based on the insect eye offer an alternative to the common optical system based on the human eye. Some of the advantages of a multi - aperture system include the ability to perform parallel processing, have super resolution and have available large amounts of system redundancy.

An individual eyelet of a multi-aperture system consists of a gradient index lens coupled to optical fibers which transfer the incident light on the lens to individual detectors.

A mathematical model of an individual eyelet was developed. It is a flexible model allowing various system parameters to vary. Computer based algorithms …

Image Reconstruction After Transform Coding Using Relative Entropy And Maximum Entropy, John S. Bodenschatz

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Presented are two new methods based on entropy for reconstructing images compressed with the Discrete Cosine transform. One method is based upon a sequential implementation of the Minimum Relative Entropy Principle; the other is based upon the Maximum Entropy Principle. These will be compared with each other and with the conventional method employing the Inverse Discrete Cosine transform. Chapter 2 describes the traditional use of the Discrete Cosine transform for image compression. Chapter 3 explains the theory and implementation of the entropy-based reconstructions. It introduces a fast algorithm for the Maximum Entropy Principle. Chapter 4 compares the numerical performance of …

Implementation Of A 35 Ghz Microstrip Antenna System, Rachel S. Albritton

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Millimeter waves, corresponding to the frequency range 30 to 300 GHz, have characteristics which make them ideal for many applications. Antennas at these frequencies have the advantage of reduced size and weight and can be fabricated as an integral part of the system they are used in. Millimeter wave microstrip antennas have been extensively researched over the past decade. The purposed of this report was to build and test 35 GHz microstrip antennas as well as put into operation a high voltage klystron power supply, Micro-Now Model 756. The antennas were fabricated and tested in the lab and the results …

Tessellation For Computer Image Generation, Michael J. Panzitta

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Of the vast number of algorithms used in modem computer image generation, most rely upon data bases comprised of polygons. This constraint on the image generation system becomes a severe impediment when curved objects must be modeled and displayed with an acceptable level of speed and accuracy. A technique is needed which provides a means of modeling curved surfaces, storing them in a data base, and displaying them using existing algorithms.

Tessellation is one method of achieving such goals. A curved object is represented by some characteristic geometry of the object's surface, such as points and tangent vectors. A set …

Effect Of Manufacturing Tolerances On The Number Of Load Carrying Fasteners In A Joint Subjected To A Shear Load: A Statistical Approach, Larry John Borkowski

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Within the elastic range, the number of load-carrying fasteners in an interchangeable manufactured joint subjected to a shear load is dependent upon the following characteristics: 1. Material properties of the constituent parts in the shear joint. 2. Geometry of the shear joint. 3. Manufacturing tolerances of the constituent parts in the shear joint. 4. Number of fasteners in the shear joint. 5. Preload on the fasteners in the joint. 6. Static coefficient of friction between the joint surfaces. Neglecting the effects of preload and friction, the number of load-carrying fasteners is determined for a theoretical bolted joint design as a …

Applications Of Artificial Intelligence In Military Training Simulation, Igor V. Golovcsenko

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This report is a survey of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology contributions to military training. It provides an overview of military training simulation and a review of instructional problems and challenges which can be addressed by AI. The survey includes current as well as potential applications of AI, with particular emphasis on design and system integration issues. Applications include knowledge and skills training in strategic planning and decision making, tactical warfare operations, electronics maintenance and repair, as well as computer-aided design of training systems. The report describes research contributions in the application of AI technology to the training world, and it …

Computerized Flow Process Charting System And Applications, George H. Griffin

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A computerized flow process charting application program of dBase III+ has been developed to aid in resource requirements planning and operations analysis. Traditional flow process charting has used as the following data elements: assembly number, assembly sequence number, distance travelled, time required for the activity and an activity symbol. The computerized system adds several variables to these in order to customize the application at Martin Marietta Electronic Systems. These additional variables include work center identification, machine number identification, lot sizes, set up and run times and manufacturing specifications. Additionally, the circle or operations symbol has been expanded to differentiate between …

The Design Of A Processing Element For The Systolic Array Implementation Of A Kalman Filter, John P. Condorodis

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The Kalman filter is an important component of optimal estimation theory. It has applications in a wide range of high performance control systems including navigational, fire control, and targeting systems. The Kalman filter, however, has not been utilized to its full potential due to the limitations of its inherent computational intensiveness which requires "off-line" processing or allows only low bandwidth real-time applications.

The recent advances in VLSI circuit technology have created the opportunity to design algorithms and data structures for direct implementation in integrated circuits. A systolic architecture is a concept which allows the construction of massively parallel systems in …

Ada Tools For The Description And Simulation Of Digital Signal Processing Systems, Mark D. Happel

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

While specialized hardware description languages allow for maximum capability and efficiency in a design automation system, the use of a general purpose language in the same role can make the system more available or more available or more practical for a larger set of users. This project demonstrates the use of ADA* for the description and simulation of small digital signal processing systems. Building on conventions and primitives proposed by Denyer and Renshaw, a simple subsystem was described in ADA and then tested with a small simulator also written in ADA.

* ADA is a trademark of the United States …

Implementation Of Inversion Algorithms In Reconfigurable Systolic Arrays, Haritini E. Andre

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Reducing the computing time of the matrix inversion has been a concern of many authors. The use of Systolic architectures containing orthogonally connected processing elements capable of few instructions multiple data have allowed for new algorithms to be implemented. Two algorithms are examined that rely on the triangularization methods for matrix inversion. One can be applied to the general non-singular matrix and the other to the symmetric matrix. The throughput in both implementation is revolutionized. The speed improvement over Liu and Young’s implementation of the symmetric matrix inversion is by a factor of three.

The throughput in both implementation is …

The Use Of A Portable Microcomputer As A Data Collection Tool To Support Integrated Simulation Support Environments: A Concept, James E. Wilkinson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Advances in simulation methodology, and the computer support systems to implement these methodologies, have led to the development of integrated simulation support environments. These environments, or collection of software tools, seek to aid the analyst in developing models, data management and analysis, and data presentation.

While an integrated simulation environment provides a more organized structure for managing and performing simulation projects, and provides a database management structure for storing, manipulating, and analyzing data, they do not address the actual process of going out and obtaining the data. As a result, many of the common problems associated with poor problem and …

The Creation Of An Expert System For Teaching Piano Lessons, Carol Chew

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Combining the arts with science and technology has had many beneficial results. Computers and music have been connected for many years. Computers have been used in music composition, electronic keyboards, music publishing and digital sound processing. Artificial intelligence has been used in creating expert systems for training people in various fields. An attempt will be made to tie together expert systems for training with current computerized music technology.

This research report proposes that an expert system be developed to teach piano lessons. The fields of music and artificial intelligence will be drawn upon in developing this expert system structure. While …

Influence Of Bromide Upon Trihalomethane Formation And Speciation, Thomas J. Christ

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated the influence of bromide-ion concentrations upon trihalomethane (THM) formation and speciation. There is some speculation that bromide will increase the amount of THMs on a mass and/or molar basis. Previous research had indicated that bromide will affect the speciation to form the more brominated forms of THMs, but the extent of this speciation has not been clearly defined. Speciation is important when evaluating THM removal processes. The brominated species may require activated carbon for removal as opposed to air stripping for removal of the volatile species (chloroform).

To investigate the role of bromide ion, a half-fractional, factorial …