Other Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons^™

Lyfi, Kianoosh Salami, Justin Cotton, Elush Shirazpour

Electrical Engineering

This paper will cover the steps necessary to design, build, and manage networkable smart light switches over WiFi via a mobile application. It contains a microcontroller running a real time operating system, a WiFi module, a Java server with SQLite databasing, and a mobile phone application.

LyFi is designed to turn on/off and dim household lights while only requiring the same installation procedure as a less capable dimmer switch. Once installed and connected to a network, LyFi will self-discover and configure. The server automatically propogates a database of nodes where any mobile device running an application can receive an updated …

Touchspice: Physical-Virtual Circuit Emulator, Kevin Christopher Peters

Master's Theses

This thesis involves the creation of a system of embedded touchscreen devices called touchSPICE to aid in the learning of basic circuits. Traditionally, circuit theory is taught to students in two different methods, lectures and laboratory exercises. Lectures focus on auditory and visual learning and are largely passive learning. Lab experiments allow students to physically interact with the circuits, and learn visually through viewing output waveforms from simulators or on measurement devices. The goal of the touchSPICE project is to develop a physical system for virtual, real-time SPICE simulation that mimics the laboratory experience. In touchSPICE, touchscreen devices act as …

Linear Power-Efficient Rf Amplifier With Partial Positive Feedback, Matthew E. King

Master's Theses

Over the last decade, the number of mobile wireless devices on the market has increased substantially. New “multi-carrier” modulation schemes, such as OFDM, WCDMA, and WiMAX, have been developed to accommodate the increasing number of wireless subscribers and the demand for faster data rates within the limited commercial frequency spectrum. These complex modulation schemes create signals with high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPR), exhibiting rapid changes in the signal magnitude. To accommodate these high-PAPR signals, RF power amplifiers in mobile devices must operate under backed-off gain conditions, resulting in poor power efficiency. Various efficiency-enhancement solutions have been realized for backed-off devices …

Towards The Deployment And Adoption Of Location-Based Services For Optimal Mobile Communication Operations In Africa, Folasade Dahunsi

The African Journal of Information Systems

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent with about one billion people. Mobile phones are a major source of communication and means of taking information and technology to rural and remote areas of the continent. With low-cost and readily available mobile phones, underprivileged, low-income earners and rural dwellers can also participate in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution. Services are introduced by mobile operators and vendors to enhance and optimize this mobile evolution. One of such service is location-based services (LBS); LBS make available personalized services based on the geographical location of the subscriber’s phone. …

Bluebeats, Aaron Martinez, Jake Muir, Mishal Shah, Richard Wissemann

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Our group’s senior project is called BlueBeats. The BlueBeats product was created in order to provide a wireless audio gateway between Bluetooth enabled devices. Users of BlueBeats can use an Android or computer application to interface with the BlueBeats device. The Android and computer applications allow the user to easily scan for devices, add/remove devices from their personal list, and pair/connect with a selected Bluetooth enabled device. Once the user is connected to the BlueBeats device, he/she has two options. The first option occurs when the user connects the BlueBeats device to a device with speakers (using 3.5mm audio jack …

Dynamical Model Of Harmonic Generation In Centrosymmetric Semiconductors At Visible And Uv Wavelengths, Michael Scalora, Maria Antonietta Vincenti, Domenico De Ceglia, N. Akozbek, Vito Roppo, M. J. Bloemer, Joseph W. Haus

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We study second and third harmonic generation in centrosymmetric semiconductors at visible and UV wavelengths in bulk and cavity environments. Second harmonic generation is due to a combination of spatial symmetry breaking, the magnetic portion of the Lorentz force, and quadrupolar contributions from inner core electrons. The material is assumed to have a nonzero, third-order nonlinearity that gives rise to most of the third harmonic signal. Using the parameters of bulk silicon we predict that cavity environments modify the dependence of second harmonic generation on incident angle, while improving third harmonic conversion efficiency by several orders of magnitude relative to …

Bluebeats, Jake Muir, Aaron Martinez, Mishal Shah, Richard Wissemann

Computer Engineering

Our group’s senior project is called BlueBeats. The BlueBeats product was created in order to provide a wireless audio gateway between Bluetooth enabled devices. Users of BlueBeats can use an Android or computer application to interface with the BlueBeats device. The Android and computer applications allow the user to easily scan for devices, add/remove devices from their personal list, and pair/connect with a selected Bluetooth enabled device. Once the user is connected to the BlueBeats device, he/she has two options. The first option occurs when the user connects the BlueBeats device to a device with speakers (using 3.5mm audio jack …

Verification Of Particle Image Velocimeter For Study Of Martian And Lunar Regoliths, Kristopher Burch, Eric Wright, Jozey Mitcham, Alfredo Bravo Iniguez

College of Engineering Poster Presentations

The behavior of dust, or regolith, on Mars and the moon is critical to our understanding of the Martian and lunar environments. The dust interaction with space suits and other equipment is a major concern for long term space missions. Dust on the moon greatly deteriorated the space suits in NASA’s Apollo program. We have developed a test enclosure for the study of dust motion. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a Particle Image Velocimeter (PIV) to measure the velocity and size of thousands of moving particles. The PIV was developed as a demonstration project for use on possible …

Information Encryption And Retrieval In Mid-Rf Range Using Acousto-Optic Chaos, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee, Abhinay Kundur

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In recent work, low-frequency AC signal encryption, decryption and retrieval using system-parameter based keys at the receiver stage of an acousto-optic (A-O) Bragg cell under first-order feedback have been demonstrated [1,2]. The corresponding nonlinear dynamics have also been investigated using the Lyapunov exponent and the so-called bifurcation maps [3]. The results were essentially restricted to A-O chaos around 10 KHz, and (baseband) signal bandwidths in the 1-4 KHz range. The results have generally been satisfactory, and parameter tolerances (prior to severe signal distortion at the output) in the ±5% - ±10% range have been obtained.

Periodic AC waveforms, and a …

Using Qr Factorization For Real-Time Anomaly Detection Of Hyperspectral Images, Kelly R. Bush

Theses and Dissertations

Anomaly detection has been used successfully on hyperspectral images for over a decade. However, there is an ever increasing need for real-time anomaly detectors. Historically, anomaly detection methods have focused on analysis after the entire image has been collected. As useful as post-collection anomaly detection is, there is a great advantage to detecting an anomaly as it is being collected. This research is focused on speeding up the process of detection for a pre-existing method, Linear RX, which is a variation on the traditional Reed-Xiaoli detector. By speeding up the process of detection, it is possible to create a real-time …

Near Earth Object Detection Using A Poisson Statistical Model For Detection On Images Modeled From The Panoramic Survey Telescope And Rapid Response System, Curtis J. R. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research effort is to develop, simulate, and test a new algorithm to detect Near Earth Objects (NEOs) using a Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) based on a Poisson statistical model for the arrival of photons. One detection algorithm currently in use is based on a Gaussian approximation of the arrival of photons, and is compared to the proposed Poisson model. The research includes three key components. The first is a quantitative analysis of the performance of both algorithms. The second is a system model for simulating detection statistics. The last component is a collection of measured data …

A Threshold-Based Approach To Calorimetry In Helium Droplets: Measurement Of Binding Energies Of Water Clusters, William K. Lewis, Barbara A. Harruff-Miller, Michael A. Gord, Joseph R. Gord, Elena A. Guliants, Christopher E. Bunker

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Helium dropletbeam methods have emerged as a versatile technique that can be used to assemble a wide variety of atomic and molecular clusters. We have developed a method to measure the binding energies of clusters assembled in helium droplets by determining the minimum droplet sizes required to assemble and detect selected clusters in the spectrum of the dopeddropletbeam. The differences in the droplet sizes required between the various multimers are then used to estimate the incremental binding energies. We have applied this method to measure the binding energies of cyclic waterclusters from the dimer to the tetramer. We obtain measured …

Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting For Hydrogen Production With Metal Oxide (Hematite And Cupric Oxide) Based Photocatalysts, Houwen Tang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Solar hydrogen is one ideal energy source to replace fossil fuel, as it is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Solar hydrogen can be generated in a number of ways. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is one of the most promising methods for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. In this research project, metal oxide-based photocatalysts, especially hematite (fÑ-Fe2O3) and cupric oxide (CuO), were investigated for use as electrodes in PEC water splitting for solar hydrogen production.

In our research project of hematite-based electrodes, we started with the incorporation of transition metal, particularly titanium (Ti), in hematite thin films to modify the valence and …

Examination Of The Nonlinear Dynamics Of A Chaotic Acousto-Optic Bragg Modulator With Feedback Under Signal Encryption And Decryption, Mohammed A. Al-Saedi, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An acousto-optic Bragg cell with first-order feedback, which exhibits chaotic behavior past the threshold for bistability, was recently examined for possible chaotic encryption and recovery of simple messages (such as low-amplitude periodic signals) applied via the bias input of the sound cell driver. We carry out a thorough examination of the nonlinear dynamics of the Bragg cell under intensity feedback for (i) dc variations of the feedback gain (β˜) and the phase shift parameter (α^ 0) and (ii) ac variations of α^ 0; total under signal encryption, investigating both from two different perspectives: (i) examining chaos in view of the …

Commentary And Interpretations Of Tagore’S 'Ode To Africa', Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This is a commentary/interpretation of Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Ode to Africa."

Time Dynamics Of Self-Pumped Reflection Gratings In A Photorefractive Polymer, Partha P. Banerjee, S. H. Buller, C. M. Liebig, S. A. Basun, Gary Cook, Dean R. Evans, Pierre-Alexandre Blanche, J. Thomas, Cory W. Christenson, N. Peyghambarian

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The time dynamics of self-pumped reflection gratings in a commonly used photorefractive polymer PDCST:PVK:ECZ-BBP:C60 with no additional electron sources or traps is investigated. While holes are normally the mobile charges and responsible for grating formation, our experimental observations, analyzed using multi-exponential fitting curves, show evidence of electrons in addition to holes as charge carriers, particularly above an applied field of 40 V/μm.

The dependence of effective carrier mobilities on the applied electric field, deduced from experimental results, show stronger field dependence of electron mobility at high electric fields. At an applied field of 70 V/μm, electron and hole mobilities become …

Mobispatial: Open Source For Mobile Spatial Interaction, Junjun Yin, James Carswell

Conference papers

This paper describes our Mobile Spatial Interaction (MSI) prototype MobiSpatial, which benefits from location and orientation aware smartphones and existing open source spatial data initiatives to facilitate user interaction with the geospatial query process. We utilize today’s ubiquitous mobile device as the central computing platform to calculate a mobile user’s visibility shape at his/her current location. MobiSpatial uses this shape as a query “window” in a spatial database to perform line-of-sight, field-of-view and 360º Isovist visibility searches. These visibility based spatial queries reduce the risk of “information overload” by exploiting “hidden query removal” functionality to retrieve only those objects that …

Openness, Intellectual Property And Standardization In The European Ict Sector, Carl Mair

IP Theory

No abstract provided.

Material Characterization Of Zinc Oxide In Bulk And Nanowire Form At Terahertz Frequencies, Forest Emerson Kernan

Dissertations and Theses

Many new applications are being proposed and developed for use in the terahertz (THz) frequency region. Similarly, many new materials are being characterized for possible use in this area. Nanostructured forms are of particular interest since they may yield desirable properties, but they remain especially challenging to characterize. This work focuses on the characterization of zinc oxide (ZnO) in bulk and nanowire form. A method for characterizing nanostructures at THz by use of a parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) is presented. This method is novel in that it is simple, both in theory and practice, and does not require the use of …

Evolved Design Of A Nonlinear Proportional Integral Derivative (Npid) Controller, Shubham Chopra

Dissertations and Theses

This research presents a solution to the problem of tuning a PID controller for a nonlinear system. Many systems in industrial applications use a PID controller to control a plant or the process. Conventional PID controllers work in linear systems but are less effective when the plant or the process is nonlinear because PID controllers cannot adapt the gain parameters as needed. In this research we design a Nonlinear PID (NPID) controller using a fuzzy logic system based on the Mamdani type Fuzzy Inference System to control three different DC motor systems. This fuzzy system is responsible for adapting the …