Electrical and Electronics Commons^™

Performance Evaluation And Integration Of Distortion Mitigation Methods For Fisheye Video Object Detection, John Benedict Du, Gian Paolo Mayuga, Maria Leonora Guico

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The distortion observed in fisheye cameras has proven to be a persistent challenge for numerous state-of-the-art object detection algorithms, instigating the development of various techniques aimed at mitigating this issue. This study aims to evaluate various methods for mitigating distortion in fisheye camera footage and their impact on video object detection accuracy and speed. Using Python, OpenCV, and third-party libraries, the researchers modified and optimized said methods for video input and created a framework for running and testing different distortion correction methods and object detection algorithm configurations. Through experimentation with different datasets, the study found that undistorting the image using …

The Rise Of Bread: Leveraging Open-Source Process Control, Finn Keith Hafting

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Industrial pilot projects and the automation of experiments often rely on expensive and proprietary electronic hardware, known as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, to control and monitor areas of their processes. The Broadly Reconfigurable and Expandable Automation Device (BREAD) framework was created to address the need for inexpensive SCADA systems. New BREAD Slices were designed and compared to commercial heating, motor, pump, and pH controllers, exceeding all in functionality and cost. In each case, the decreased accuracy of the BREAD controller had little impact on the final products but greatly reduced the cost of the system. The modularity …

Design Of A Portable Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Device Utilizing Pulse Width Modulation For Waveform Generation, Nora Szymkowski

Masters Theses

Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV) is a widely used electrochemical technique for real-time measurement of the brain’s chemical messengers, including the molecule dopamine, with high temporal resolution. Currently the financial burden of performing FSCV is quite high, ranging from $8,000 to $20,000+ making the barrier to entry nearly insurmountable for laboratories and classrooms at small institutions. The purpose of this project was to develop a Do-It-Yourself (DIY), portable, and cost-effective FSCV system for use in laboratory and classroom settings. The project aimed to create a compact and cost-effective system that could be used by researchers and educators to study dopamine …

Synthesis Of Nanoparticles And Their Applications In Power Module Packaging And Organic Electronics, Xinsong Zhang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticles can greatly change the properties of regular materials due to their special structures. In this research nanoparticles, such as silver nanowires, silver nanospheres and expanded graphite, are used in interconnection materials for power module packaging, and in conductive films for organic electronics. Silver nanowires synthesized by polyol synthesis, are used as fillers in micron silver paste. The electrical and mechanical properties of the sintered hybrid silver paste are investigated and compared with those of micron silver paste. The composites of silver nanospheres and expanded graphite are mixed with PEDOT:PSS solutions in 5 different weight ratio. The electrical and optical …

Filter Incidence Narrowband Infrared Spectrometer For Space-Based Methane Measurement And Plume Detection, Bruno Mattos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Monitoring methane emissions from space is essential for reducing global warming. This dissertation introduces the Filter Incidence Narrowband Infrared Spectrometer (FINIS), a compact, lightweight instrument designed for nanosatellites to accurately measure methane emissions. FINIS uses two innovative imaging spectrometers to capture the Earth's reflected light, focusing on the strongest methane absorption feature at 1666 nm. By using tiled interference filters, each imager collects detailed spectral data, allowing precise methane detection. FINIS has been significantly improved from its prototype to its space-ready version, set to launch on the ACMES CubeSat in late 2025. The new design includes a binocular optical system …

Reconfigurable, Reliable And Online Learning Enabled Memristive Neuromorphic Core Design For Brain-Inspired Computing, Nishith Nirjhar Chakraborty

Doctoral Dissertations

For several years, the von Neumann architecture has served as the foundation of contemporary computers due to its straightforward, cost-effective architecture for processing units and memory. However, this design encounters a significant impediment in meeting the growing demand for increased parallelism in complex computations. Additionally, the post-Moore's law era emphasizes the need for energy-efficient computing with fewer resources and reduced space. As a response to these challenges, researchers are actively seeking alternatives to the von Neumann architecture, with neuromorphic computing emerging as a promising candidate. Neuromorphic computing garnered attention initially for its ability to harness the parallelism inherent in bio-inspired …

Converter-Based Microgrid Testing Platform Development And Fault Detection Method For Inverter-Based Resources By Utilizing Instantaneous Power Theory, Nattapat Praisuwanna

Doctoral Dissertations

Renewable energy sources (RESs) are rapidly being installed into electric systems. Most RESs are inverter-based distributed generations (IDGs). To better manage energy from IDGs, microgrids will play a crucial role. However, microgrids that have high penetration of IDG will have modification in fault current levels and bidirectional power flow causing protective devices to misoperate, so the traditional protection system does not correctly function in the microgrids. Therefore, the integration of IDGs into the microgrids establishes some significant consequences on protection systems.

Overcurrent protection is widely utilized in the electric distribution systems today; however, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between …

Novel Polymer-Derived Ceramic Antennas For Hypersonic Applications, Peter J. Alley

Masters Theses

With recent advances in three dimensional [3D] printing of polymer-derived ceramics [PDCs], and the controllability of electrical continuity thereof, interest has risen in potential applications resultant from these techniques in the realm of radio communication, particularly in cases where extreme high temperatures are ambient. The following investigates the electrical properties of both insulating and conductive variants of these PDCs, the interaction between each, and the performance characteristics observed when combined using microstrip antenna design theory for high temperature applications.

Development Of A Smart Power Lab For Advanced Power Electronic Research, Joseph Lentz

Theses and Dissertations

In the pursuit of enhancing power systems efficiency, reliability, and sustainability, the establishmentof advanced research laboratories plays a pivotal role. This thesis dives into the development and integration of a cutting-edge power laboratory aimed at fostering innovation across three key domains: Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) analysis, Microgrid studies, and Energy Storage exploration. The first section focuses on the creation of an EMI laboratory tailored for the comprehensive evaluation of both radiated and conducted emissions. EMI poses significant challenges in modern electronic systems, necessitating meticulous analysis and mitigation strategies. By meticulously designing and equipping an EMI lab, researchers can gain insights into …

Hardware-Based Solutions For Improving Situational Awareness In Power Systems With High Renewable Integration, Yuru Wu

Doctoral Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation addresses the evolving challenges in power system frequency dynamics as the penetration of renewable energy sources increases, leading to a decrease in system inertia. The integration of these renewable sources, particularly those involving electronic inverters, introduces high-frequency harmonics and oscillations, necessitating enhanced accuracy and wideband measurement capabilities for effective monitoring and situation awareness in power systems.

The dissertation makes several significant contributions to this field. In Chapter 2, the dissertation introduces a review of the related literature, detailing the development and application of monitoring devices in modern power systems. Chapter 3 proposed a variety of hardware devices …

Power Controller For Insulated Solar Electric Cooker, Ryan Koshy, Justin Tae-Hoon Kim

Electrical Engineering

Insulated Solar Electric Cookers, or ISECookers, are devices created to aid those in impoverished regions improve safety, sustainability, and quality of life regarding their cooking practices. ISECookers present an alternative to traditional biofuel/biomass energy sources and provide a closed-loop, self-sustaining system that can be used in a variety of environments. These devices present solutions to widespread issues such as pollution, deforestation, and hazardous emissions as a result of traditional cooking in developing regions around the world. A notable obstacle of these devices is power delivery. Given the varying conditions experienced by a solar panel (inclement weather, irradiance irregularities, etc.), it …

Growth And Studies Of Novel Quantum Materials, Niloufar Yavarishad

Theses and Dissertations

By harnessing the extraordinary properties of quantum materials, researchers are not just conducting experiments but shaping the future of technology. Quantum materials enable the development of smaller, faster, and more efficient electronic components, potentially surpassing the physical limits of silicon-based devices. This dissertation will delve into quantum materials' electrical, optical, and thermal characteristics, specifically focusing on cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2) crystalline platelets. This topological semimetal, which is a three-dimensional analog of graphene, has potential in applications such as infrared light detection and thermoelectricity. The study also explores the possible uses of a heterojunction formed by combining bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3), a topological …

Enhancing Interactions Among Dipole Excitations Using Surface Plasmon Polaritons: Quantum Entanglement And Classical Interactions, Jay Berres

Theses and Dissertations

The interaction of light with matter at the nano-scale continues to be an important research area for the application of nano-optical devices in wide ranging areas such as biosensing, light harnessing, and optical communications, to name a few. An important aspect of this is the interaction among dipole excitations (which includes classical dipole emitters, and dipole approximations of atoms, molecules, and other quantum objects), mediated by the device medium where they are located. Since the dimensions of these devices, by design, are at the nano-scale, the size of the dipole-dipole interaction space is much less than the wavelength of light …

Shape Memory Alloy Capsule Micropump For Drug Delivery Applications, Youssef Mohamed Kotb

Theses and Dissertations

Implantable drug delivery devices have many benefits over traditional drug administration techniques and have attracted a lot of attention in recent years. By delivering the medication directly to the tissue, they enable the use of larger localized concentrations, enhancing the efficacy of the treatment. Passive-release drug delivery systems, one of the various ways to provide medication, are great inventions. However, they cannot dispense the medication on demand since they are nonprogrammable. Therefore, active actuators are more advantageous in delivery applications. Smart material actuators, however, have greatly increased in popularity for manufacturing wearable and implantable micropumps due to their high energy …

Technologies For Wearable Seizure Detection: A Systematic Review, Rhema Losli

University Honors Theses

Knowing when a seizure occurred is helpful because this information can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of seizure interventions and possibly alert caregivers to emergency situations. The current practice for recording seizures outside of a hospital and without sensors is through keeping a self-reported seizure diary. This practice may be unreliable if the diary is not updated or the person having the seizure does not realize it is happening. Wearable seizure detectors aim to solve this problem by reliably recording when a seizure happened and either sending out an alert or storing the data for later analysis. In this …

Physical Effects On The Worst-Case Delay Analysis And Signal Integrity Of Buses And Spirals, Mahmoud Mahany

Theses and Dissertations

Physical effects have a significant impact on the IC design which will be investigated in this thesis. Moving toward advanced technology nodes, magnetic effects become more dominant than capacitive effects. As the dimensions of the devices go down and the interconnect manipulates the circuit behavior more and more. Cross talking and voltage drops are affecting the design heavily, however - going to the full electromagnetic point of view - current return path (CRP) adds significant parasitics to the performance of the chip. Neglecting the CRP gives wrong intuition and simulation of the designs, especially that the environment and surroundings can …

2024 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition, Nora Riedinger, Miles Mikkelsen, Brendan Stratford, Derek Tom, Zach Kwast, Harmon Yanikian-Sutton, Kennedy Urcelay, Tori Thomas, Brady Caron

Mechanical Engineering

PolyWave Energy is the second team from California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo to compete in the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition. PolyWave Energy consists of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Business Administration students who have worked together from September 2023 to May 2024 on designing, building, and testing a marine power device to serve a selected market.

In response to the escalating concerns surrounding carbon emissions, climate change, and the depletion of fossil fuels, California Polytechnic State University’s Polywave Energy team has developed a sustainable and reliable energy source for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) charging. Through extensive research of …

Design Of A Dynamic, Reconfigurable, Self-Balancing Battery Pack, Alexander Hallett Neiman

Master's Theses

This thesis details the design and testing of a reconfigurable battery array. Reconfigurable battery arrays, specifically for mobile applications, have the potential to reduce or eliminate use of auxiliary charging, balancing, and inverter systems. Design work included a bidirectional solid state switch and a cell-to-cell bidirectional current-limiting power converter. While the overall efficiency, size, and cost of the battery pack was not competitive with existing options, it demonstrated cell-to-cell balancing and native four-level square wave AC inverter output with an array of only two cells. This demonstrates viability of the concept as well as reveals important requirements and safety features …

2-Channel Eeg Neurofeedback System, Tim Erwin, Donna Nikjou, Sebastian Turkewitz

Electrical Engineering

This work describes the design of an EEG-based neurofeedback system which provides users with real-time feedback on their level of focus or relaxation. By analyzing the spectral content of the brain activity measured via scalp electrodes, focus and relaxation levels can be quantified. Based on these measurements, live feedback in the form of moving bar graphs is provided to users, allowing them to gain awareness of their mental-state and more efficiently learn how to consciously relax or focus. This project covers the design of the system, including amplification and filtering stages, digitization, and signal processing. The system interfaces with a …

Impact Force Helmet Device For Concussion Monitoring, Patrice Mulligan, Karina Mealey, Zack Borthwick, Benjamin Fick

General Engineering

To track head trauma in football, our device is placed inside a football helmet to measure both linear and gyroscopic (rotational) accelerations. These measurements are taken using an ADXL375 linear accelerometer and an LSM6DSOX accelerometer and gyroscope. The data from these sensors is processed and transmitted wirelessly by a SparkFun Thing Plus microcontroller to another SparkFun Thing Plus microcontroller connected to a laptop on the sidelines. Our program on the laptop stores the acceleration impact data into a .csv file for each player. If a likely concussive impact is detected, the program displays a popup warning. Testing results were promising …

Formula Sae Vehicle Dynamics Controller, Luke Edward Bosworth

Electrical Engineering

Throughout the history of motorsports, engineers have continuously pushed the boundaries of speed and control in the pursuit of enhancing vehicle performance on the track. Today’s top performing motor-vehicles leverage electric motors to the deliver instantaneous torque to the vehicle’s tires. While these electric motors can deliver a lot of power very efficiently, the delivery must be well controlled to get the most performance out of the tires. The Formula SAE Vehicle Dynamics Controller (VDC) senior project integrates vehicle modeling, state estimation, and yaw moment controls into a small- scale Formula-one style electric vehicle, improving vehicle performance and laying the …

Design Of High Efficiency Doherty Power Amplifier, Kobi G. Kelly, Severin Pindell

Electrical Engineering

The project includes design and fabrication of a high efficiency power amplifier for a student design competition held at International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2023. Efficient power amplifiers are critical for base station communication requiring efficient use of available power. The final design optimizes power added efficiency (PAE) and linearity. The amplifier will operate at 2.45 GHz. Competitive PAE above 50%, and C/I above 30 dB is achieved by leveraging a Doherty class amplifier using accurate discrete CGH4006P transistor models to simulate an efficient and linear design. Unique design features include optimal transistor bias point selection and power split ratios between …

Light Based Wireless Communication, Nick Ghaffarian, Gibson Puckett

Electrical Engineering

The demand for high-speed, secure wireless communication is escalating, particularly in high-density environments like urban areas, and critical sectors such as healthcare and defense. Traditional Wi-Fi struggles with issues like signal congestion, electromagnetic interference, and security vulnerabilities, compromising connectivity quality. LiFi is much more suitable for areas like hospitals which contain equipment highly sensitive to electromagnetic interference, has a high bandwidth far away from standard radio waves which enables strong communication in highly congested areas.

We developed a small scale, low-cost LiFi system to demonstrate a proof of concept of LiFi that grants the user full access to the internet. …

Cal Poly Gen 2 Battlebot Electrical System, Kelvin C. Villago

Electrical Engineering

BattleBots is a popular robot combat sport where engineers from all over the world design and construct a robot with the aim to disable or impair the opposing robot. The Cal Poly Gen 2 BattleBot aims to complete a robot from scratch with hopes to compete in the official competition. This report focuses on the electronic design behind the robot, specifically the printed circuit board (PCB) and component selection. The design process of this project involved choosing specific motors and microcontrollers based on cost, efficiency, and benefits with the end goal of a complete printed circuit board (PCB). Brushed motors …

Design And Characterization Of A Broadband Rf Switch Utilizing Surface Mount Devices, Daniel Bracamontes

Master's Theses

High frequency solid-state switches are critical elements in communication systems, radio frequency (RF) systems and instrumentation. Key parameters to an RF switch include insertion loss while on and off-state isolation. Power handling and linearity are important to consider for a cost-effective construction. This becomes a design challenge into K-band frequencies as components required need to be small, dielectric losses and transmission lines need to be physically matched for proper isolative and through states. This thesis presents a novel single pole eight throw (SP8T) hybrid design composed of commercially available surface mount technology solutions to achieve high isolation and low insertion …

Motor Controller Board For Cubesat Reaction Wheels, Tanner Ehlers

Electrical Engineering

Reaction wheels are crucial for CubeSats, providing precise attitude control and stability in the environment of space, enabling successful mission execution. The ‘Reaction Wheels’ project in the Cal Poly CubeSat Lab is in need of a new motor controller board due to the current board’s malfunction and inefficiencies in terms of size, complexity, power usage, and cost. Previously, other students have completed work on the mechanical design of the system, but little work has been done for the electrical components. The goal of this project is to design and test a new motor controller board that is compact, lightweight, power …

Echoes Of Nature: Using Biodata Sonification To Model Electrical Communication In Plants, Penelope Anna Alioshin

Electrical Engineering

The use of biodata sonification as a tool to visualize biological data is a response to recent developments in the intersection of art and technology. This project explores the intersection by converting the electrical impulses given off by plants into audio signals. By processing and amplifying the voltage difference between two electrodes on a plant, its communication is quantified. The goal is to use this communication model as a tool to increase ecological awareness as well as improve machine learning models. A deeper understanding of non-human communication systems, specifically those that employ superposition decision matrices, could help to drastically increase …

Baja Motherboard, Jay Henry Kahling V, Kyle Robert Tse

Electrical Engineering

The Baja Racing Motherboard is a compact PCB device that connects multiple electronics modules together in order to control the Baja SAE vehicle’s transmission. It uses multiple buck converters to regulate the voltage to microcontrollers, sensors, and multiple data logging devices while still being compact, lightweight, and serviceable. It uses IP-67 rated bulkheads to prevent water ingress in difficult conditions. The motherboard streamlines integration while still maintaining modularity, so when individual components are damaged the whole system need not be fully scrapped. The motherboard will save future team members time, money, and effort as it is a modular device that …

A Hybrid Computer To Solve The Selective Harmonic Minimization Problem In Single-Phase Inverters, Dillon Nguyen

Master's Theses

Power electronics possess forms of non-ideality due to the nonlinearity present in physical switches. These switches are driven with pulse width modulation (PWM), which properly down-converts or up-converts based on converter topology. When these switches turn on or off, they introduce the main proponent of efficiency loss: harmonics. This becomes a nonlinear optimization problem with many converters. The solution proposed in this thesis is an analog/digital hybrid computer that utilizes the speed of analog computation and the accuracy of digital computing together. A Plexim RT Box provides the programmability needed for algorithms, while the analog circuit provides low-power, high-speed computation …

An Analysis Of Indoor Air Quality At Cal Poly For Sensor Design, Isabella M. Santi

Master's Theses

Prior research has shown that indoor air quality (IAQ) impacts cognitive performance. At Cal Poly, many older buildings are unable to maintain appropriate IAQ because of their outdated ventilation systems and the increasing number of students in the rooms. This work analyzes the IAQ of different buildings at Cal Poly, with a focus on Building 20. Carbon dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity inside classrooms are collected using an integrated circuit sensor and a microcontroller. A total of 38 hours of data was collected, with 22 of those hours in Building 20 specifically. We find that unlike temperature and relative humidity, …