Other Engineering Commons^™

Incorporating Spatial Data And Gis To Improve Sea Of Land Use Plans: Opportunities And Limitations: Case Studies In The Republic Of Ireland, Ainhoa Gonzalez Del Campo

Doctoral

This research aimed at establishing whether spatial data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can contribute to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). To achieve this, an integrated GISEA approach was developed and applied to a number of spatial planning SEAs in the Republic of Ireland. The practical applicability of the approach was examined, evaluating the potential benefits derived from using spatial data and GIS in SEA and assessing the potential barriers to an effective GIS use. The implementation of the SEA Directive incorporated a new dimension into plan-making by calling for the assessment of potential environmental effects that may derive from implementing …

Developing Effective, Sustainable, Mutually Beneficial International Collaborations In Engineering And Technology, Mike Murphy

Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of 3pls Internet Technology In Supporting Extended Enterprise: An Exploratory Survey, Pietro Evangelista, Emilio Esposito, Edward Sweeney, Erica Staller

Conference papers

It is well accepted that ICT and Internet technology have the potential to facilitate firms’ innovation processes as it offers new and more effective support to conduct business operations. This is particularly true in the context of Extended Enterprise (EE) concept where new technologies are critical in ensuring the effective integration of physical and information flows among participating companies (Dresner et al., 1999). The role of third party logistics providers (3PLs) in logistics outsourcing has evolved along the last few years (McKinnon, 1999). Such companies are transforming their business configuration from simple transport service providers to supply chain integrators. Internet …

The Application Of Web 2.0 Technologies As An Experimental Method Of Teaching Remote Sensing At Dit, Ireland, Avril Behan

Conference Papers

This paper describes the implementation of an experimental method of delivery for a module of remote sensing material to second year students on the BSc (Hons) in Geomatics at the Dublin Institute of Technology. The project began as a reaction to poor levels of student engagement and unsatisfactory grades, as well as the requirement to focus more on real-world type problems due to the implementation of a work-placement semester for third year students. Both pedagogical considerations (movement towards formative feedback, interactivity and group-based work) and the effect of technological drivers, such as the popularity of the internet in general and …

Metrology And Proportion In The Ecclesiastical Architecture Of Medieval Ireland, Avril Behan, Rachel Moss

Conference Papers

The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which detailed empirical analysis of the metrology and proportional systems used in the design of Irish ecclesiastical architecture can be analysed to provide historical information not otherwise available. Focussing on a relatively limited sample of window tracery designs as a case study, it will first set out to establish what, if any, systems were in use, and then what light these might shed on the background, training and work practices of the masons, and, by association, the patrons responsible for employing them.

High-Rise As Only Answer Is Tall Tale, Lorcan Sirr, Conor Skehan

Media

No abstract provided.

Proactive Planning Will Make Most Of Regional Differences, Lorcan Sirr, Conor Skehan

Media

No abstract provided.

Planning For A Future That Is Going To Happen, Not Against It, Lorcan Sirr, Conor Skehan

Media

No abstract provided.

Look After The Risks, Ask The Right Questions – And Know How To Get Out, Lorcan Sirr

Media

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Approach To The Teaching Of Numerical Methods To Engineering Students, Garrett Keane, Michael Carr, Patrick Carroll

Conference papers

In Technological University Dublin, historically, numerical methods were taught to engineering students using a format of traditional mathematics lectures, to a large class group consisting of students from five different engineering disciplines, complemented by small class tutorials. Assessment was by a single, written exam only.

In order to improve the overall effectiveness of the students’ learning experience, it was deemed beneficial to also introduce practical computing classes in which the students would be required to apply the general mathematical methods covered in lectures to discipline-specific examples.

Three different practical computing assignments were devised for the students to undertake, and 20% …

Extended Nonnegative Tensor Factorisation Models For Musical Sound Source Separation, Derry Fitzgerald, Matt Cranitch, Eugene Coyle

Articles

Recently, shift-invariant tensor factorisation algorithms have been proposed for the purposes of sound souce separation of pitched musical instruments. However, in practice, existing alogorithsm require the use of log-frequency spectrograms to allow shift invariance in frequency which causes problems when attempting to resynthesise the separated sources. Further, it is difficult to impose harmonicity constraints on the recovered basis functions. This paper proposes a new additive synthesis-based approach which allows the use of linear-frequency spectrograms as well as imposing strict harmonic constraints, resulting in an improved model. Futher, these additional constraints allow the addition of a source filter model to the …

Preparation And Accreditation Of Level 7 Engineering Programmes, Mark Mcgrath

Conference Papers

Accreditation of 3^rd level educational programmes by a suitably recognised professional body is of particular relevance in relation to engineering. The completion of a sequence of modules which leads to the attainment of this professionally recognised award is viewed as integral to the undertaking. The engineering technology fields are developing and expanding rapidly and the third level sector must keep abreast of these changes. This is essential if the third level institutions wish to continue delivering programmes which produce graduates who can successfully complete the transition from 3rd. Level to the various engineering sectors.

This paper outlines various aspects …

Development Of A Construction Sub-Sector Embodied Energy Hybrid Analysis, Adolf Acquaye, Aidan P. Duffy, Biswajit Basu

Working papers

Embodied energy analysis is used to evaluate the total energy consumed by any product during all the stages leading up to its manufacture and delivery and can also be used to determine the energy-related environmental impacts such as CO2 emissions of buildings and other built infrastructure. In the wake of increase global awareness on climate change and the strong link between global warming and CO2 emissions, the role of new and improved analytical models to evaluate the energy embodied in products and its associated environmental impacts therefore takes an important role in environmental research studies. The development of a new …

Machine Annotation Of Sets Of Traditional Irish Dance Tunes, Bryan Duggan, Mikel Gainza, Padraig Cunningham

Conference papers

A set in traditional Irish music is a sequence of two or more dance tunes in the same time signature, where each tune is repeated an arbitrary number of times. A turn in a set represents the point at which either a tune repeats or a new tune is introduced. Tunes in sets are played in a segue (without a pause) and so detecting the turn is a significant challenge. This paper presents the MATS alogrithm, a novel algorithm for identifying turns in sets of traditional Irish music. MATS works on digitised audio files of monophonic flute and tin-whistle music. …

Violin Timbre Space Features, Jane Charles, Derry Fitzgerald, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

Signal processing techniques, from which the quality of a violinist's playing can be assessed by a computer are presented in this paper

Musical Source Separation Using Generalised Non-Negative Tensor Factorisation Models, Eugene Coyle, Derry Fitzgerald, Matt Cranitch

Conference papers

A shift-invariant non-negative tensor factorisation algorithm for musical source separation is proposed which generalises previous work by allowing each source to have its own parameters rather a fixed set of parameters for all sources. This allows independent control of the number of allowable notes, number of harmonics and shifts in time for each source. This increased flexibility allows the incorporation of further information about the sources and results in improved separation and resynthesis of the separated sources.

The New Engineer: Between Employability And Social Responsibility, Eddie Conlon

Articles

The reasons behind the demand for what is sometimes called the New Engineer are critically examined and it is argued that a focus on employability alone is not sufficient to prepare socially responsible engineers. By examining issues around work organisation and sustainability it is proposed that engineers need to understand the wider social context in which they work. It is argued that the focus of ethics education should be broadened to focus on the social structure and the way it both enables and constrains socially responsible conduct. There is a call to refocus engineers’ attitudes towards the systems of regulation …

An Investigation Of Block Searching Algorithms For Video Frame Codecs, Jerome Casey

Other Resources

Block matching is the most computationally demanding aspect of the video encoding process. In many applications real-time video encoding is desired and therefore it is important that the encoding is fast. Also where handheld devices such as a PDA or mobile phone are concerned a less computationally intensive algorithm means a simpler processor can be used which saves on hardware costs and also extends battery life. An optimised algorithm also allows these devices to be used in low bandwidth wireless networks. The challenge is to decrease the computational load on the system without compromising the quality of the video stream …

Responses Of Engineering Students To Lectures Using Powerpoint, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This contribution reports on, reflects on and evaluates engineering students responses to the use of PowerPoint in a lecture environment, compared to a more traditional lecturing approach. The contribution concludes that, on average, students value PowerPoint based lectures both as a means of better understanding the material and for the mediums structural and organisational advantages. Students also strongly favour the PowerPoint lectures being available on-line and that a paper copy of the PowerPoint presentation be distributed at the lecture.

Swelling Effects In Dynamic Equi-Biaxial Testing Of Epdm Elastomers By The Bubble Inflation Method, John Hanley

Doctoral

The thesis describes the effect of oil swelling on the fatigue life of EPDM under conditions of multi-axial fatigue using bubble inflation. The motivation for the research is outlines, along with a review of previous research conducted on the topic. Initial test results are presented and the evolution of the procedure for the final set of tests is described. One principal requirement identified when carrying out the fatigue tests was the need for constant stress control. Following development of the final test procedure, specimens were subjected to varying degrees of swelling in reference oils and cycled at constant engineering stress …

Detect: Developing Sustainable Pathways Towards Innovative, Sustainable Collaboration Between Four Engineering, Design And Technology Education Institutions, Michael Dyrenfurth, Mike Murphy, Donal Mchale, Richard Hayes, Robert Herrick, Dhushy Sathianathan, Heinz Schmidt-Walter, Eugene Coyle, Robert Simpson

Conference papers

No abstract provided.

Philosophy Matters In Engineering Studies, William Grimson, Mike Murphy, Steen Hyldgaard Christensen, Erik Erno-Kjolhede

Conference papers

This article explores the rationale for including in an integrated five-years Masters Engineering programme liberal arts subjects, in particular Philosophy and the History of Science and Technology. We argue that the tools of philosophy should be used to provide additional insight into how engineering was and is 'performed'. We first review the challenge, next we present some results of an empirical case study carried out at AU-IBT in Denmark. The purpose of the case study was to examine a sample of engineering teachers´ attitudes towards the relevance and scope of liberal arts subjects for engineering students. Finally we conclude with …

Single Channel Sound Source Separation Combining Delay Estimation And The Adress Algorithm, Mark Leddy, Dan Barry, David Dorran, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

A method for single channel source separation is proposed in this paper, which uses estimates fo the delay co-efficient of individual sources within an echoic mixture using autocorrelation, following which a "pseudo-stereo mixture" is generated, to which the ADRess algorithm can be applied. The system is evaluated in a theoretical situation, where the mixture signal to be separated consists of two individual source signals, and a delayed version of each signal. Estimates of the individual delay lengths are made and then used to create a pseudo stereo mix, where one channel consists of the orginal mixture signal, and the second …

Integrating Engineering Ethics And Research Skills In A First Year Programme, Eddie Conlon

Conference papers

A first year module which introduces students to the social dimension of engineering is described. The key teaching tool is the use of group projects to develop students’ learning skills. The importance of addressing the motivation for engineering students studying non-technical modules is emphasised. Data used to evaluate the module is presented. It is shown that the nature of the project undertaken affects the attainment of learning outcomes. The conclusion focuses on some shortcomings of the module and highlights the importance of appropriately structuring the learning environment to facilitate self-directed learning by early year students.