Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons^™

Pso-Style Social Influence In An Ant Colony Algorithm For Continuous-Domain Optimization, Ashraf M. Abdelbar, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

ACOR is a well-established Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm for continuous-domain optimization. In this paper, we propose an extension (which we call ACOR∗) in which several fundamental modifications are made to ACOR's solution construction process, including the incorporation of a social influence mechanism borrowed from Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Our modifications to the ACOR algorithm are intended to promote search diversity and combat premature convergence. We experimentally evaluate our proposal in the context of training feedforward neural networks for classification using 65 widely used datasets from the University of California Irvine (UCI) repository, as well as the optimization of several …

A Comparative Study Of Model Predictive Control And The Stanley Method For Vehicle Path Tracking Applications, Noah S. Fitzgerald

Master's Theses

This thesis compares a model predictive controller (MPC) and a lateral Stanley controller for vehicle path-tracking applications under simulation-based and perception-driven operating conditions. Both controllers were evaluated in simulation using a nonlinear dynamic bicycle model executing single and double lane change maneuvers. Following simulation-based evaluation, both controllers were implemented on hardware within a perception-driven steering-control pipeline. This pipeline utilized recorded sensor data from the MXcarkit 1/8^th-scale autonomous vehicle platform, incorporating lane instance segmentation and homography-based roadway estimation.

Under idealized simulation conditions, the MPC demonstrated improved trajectory-tracking performance during aggressive maneuvers while requiring greater steering activity and computational effort …

Constructing Orthonormal Bases With The Residuals Of Successive Approximations, An Introduction To Multiresolution Analysis, Elijah J. Guptill

Master's Theses

Wavelets and wavelet analysis are used in the study of signal processing, quantum field theory, functional analysis, multifractal analysis, and various other areas of mathematics. Multiresolution analysis provides a framework for building a wavelet basis of $\mathcal{L}^{2}(\mathbb{R})$ from a scaling function $\phi$, whose dyadic dilations and translations, $\{2^{j /2}\phi(2^{j}x-k):j,k\in \mathbb{Z}\}$, approximate $\mathcal{L}^{2}(\mathbb{R})$. One of the key properties of  $\phi$ is that it must satisfy $\phi(x)=\sum_{k\in \mathbb{Z}}{p_{k}2^{j /2}\phi(2^{j}x-k)}$ with respect to the norm on $\mathcal{L}^{2}(\mathbb{R})$. This equation is called a two-scale difference equation. Such equations enforce a regularity on the ordinary generating function $2^{-1 /2}\sum_{k\in \mathbb{Z}}{p_{k}z^{k}}$, known as the quadrature condition. …

Discrete S-Band Low-Noise Amplifier Designs For High Data-Rate Cubesat Uplink, Alejandro Martin Cosper, Alejandro Cosper

Master's Theses

In the world of small satellites, there is growing interest in higher-data-rate systems and the technologies that enable them. Due to limitations in the extremely reliable and proven Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) systems, the current CubeSats developed by the Cal Poly CubeSat Laboratory operate at 9600 Baud. However, the low Baud rate is rooted in decades of proven flights and is very resistant to many forms of signal degradation. While a slow but simple system was critical to past successes, future satellite payloads may require higher data rates to drastically reduce the number of passes needed to transfer large amounts of …

A Study On Quantization And Hardware Cost Tradeoffs In A 5g Nr Ldpc Decoder On Fpga, Giancarlo Acosta

Master's Theses

The fixed-point implementation of a 5G New Radio LDPC decoder forces a tradeoff between precision and hardware cost, governed by the variable node word length W_L, the check node message width W_R, and the normalized min-sum correction factor α. This thesis characterizes how these three parameters affect both error correction performance and FPGA resource utilization for an LDPC decoder on an established LDPC decoder architecture. A bit-accurate MATLAB core model records bit error rate (BER) and frame error rate (FER) while a verified HDL Coder model generates synthesizable VHDL for Vivado synthesis, and both are swept …

Deep Learning For Affect Recognition: A Comparative Study Of Physiological Sensor-Based And Facial Image-Based Approaches, Ravi Panchal, Ravi Panchal

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates deep learning approaches for affect recognition using wearable physiological signals and facial image data. The sensor-based component evaluates stress and affect recognition on the WESAD dataset using wrist-based physiological windows and examines multiple temporal modeling strategies, including convolutional, recurrent, hybrid CNN-LSTM, attention-based, ensemble, and time-frequency approaches.

The image-based component evaluates hard-label facial expression recognition on AffectNet+ using pre-trained ResNet-50, EfficientNet-B3, and ConvNeXt-Tiny architectures across Easy, Challenging, and Difficult subsets representing different levels of expression ambiguity.

Experimental results show that the proposed Multi-Branch Attention CNN-BiLSTM (MBA-CNN-BiLSTM) model achieves the strongest wearable stress- and affect-recognition performance among the evaluated …

Me3329 Modular Phonograph Gearbox, Garrett Andrik Leighton, Preston Robert Hupe, Gavin Carter Ebner, Andrew Renato Reyes

Mechanical Engineering

The Mechanical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), seeks to develop a laboratory tool allowing students to reinforce concepts of gears for Mechanical Systems Design (ME329). Some current laboratories do not provide students with hands-on interaction, and the department lacks equipment and documentation to support a standardized lab. With ME329 expanding from ten to fifteen weeks, there is an opportunity to create a physical gearbox design lab allowing students to reinforce lecture material in engaging ways, while standardizing student learning. This senior project is presented and sponsored by Professor Alan Zhang. It will be …

Collagen Gene Expression Is Linked To Aging And Lifespan Extension In C. Elegans, Archer J. Wang, Blake M. Geppert, Daniel Beck, Yanqing Ji, Yiyong Liu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Collagens, long regarded as structural molecules, also regulate stress responses and longevity. In this study, we analyzed our RNA sequencing data and publicly available gene expression data to define their role in Caenorhabditis elegans aging. Collagen expression broadly declined with age, with 16 collagen genes consistently downregulated across independent studies, establishing collagen downregulation as a genetic hallmark of aging. In contrast, meta-analysis of 66 datasets (128 comparisons between normal and long-lived animals) showed collagen upregulation in 84% of long-lived conditions, identifying collagen induction as a conserved signature of lifespan extension. Using π-values to integrate fold change and significance of …

Develop & Test Radar Assignments For Future Graduate Curriculum, Thomas Ky Hong, Christopher William Hoferer

Electrical Engineering

With Cal Poly’s switch to semesters, many upper-level electives lack enough depth and structured content for the new 15-week format. In addition, while the Electrical Engineering department currently offers approximately five weeks of RADAR-focused laboratory material within EE 424: Intro to Remote Sensing, this limited exposure is insufficient to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of RADAR theory and practical applications. The semester conversion presents a timely opportunity to expand this existing five-week RADAR segment into a full 15-week course that integrates both lecture and laboratory content. To address the current curriculum gap, we have seamlessly extended the RADAR exercises …

Vision-Guided Motion Planning For Autonomous Catch With A Robotic Arm, Kayla Go-Oco, Ashik K. Islam, Raegan Gritzmacher

Electrical Engineering

Modern robotic systems are often evaluated using static and highly controlled tasks, such as pick-and-place demonstrations, which do not fully represent the uncertainty and adaptability required in real-world environments. A major challenge in robotics research is enabling robotic systems to perceive, track, and respond to dynamic objects in real time while maintaining accurate and reliable motion control. This project addresses these challenges by developing an autonomous robotic platform in which an OpenMANIPULATOR-Y robotic arm detects, tracks, and attempts to catch a moving tennis ball using a vision-guided control system. The system integrates YOLO-based object detection with an Intel RealSense D455 …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Vibration On Signal Reflection In Coaxial Cable Connectors For Vibration Sensing In Aircraft Structures And Systems, Saidanvar Esanjonovich Valiev, Anthony C. Okafor, Jeremiah J. Rittenhouse, Daniel S. Stutts, Jie Huang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper investigates the effects of vibration on signal reflection (S11) in aerospace data transmission line (ADTL) and commercial data transmission line (DTL) connectors for their alternative use as vibration sensors. The impact of vibration on the S11 signal was investigated on five ADTL and four DTL connectors at six vibration frequencies (20 Hz, 40 Hz, 80 Hz, 160 Hz, 320 Hz, and 640 Hz) and four vibration accelerations (0.5G, 1 G, 2 G, and 4G). The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with a cable type assigned as the main-plot factor, with vibration frequency and acceleration as subplot …

2–4 Ghz Reconfigurable Rf Filters, Jason Corn, Roman Junes

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

Wireless communication systems employ radio frequency (RF) filters to isolate desired signals while suppressing interference and noise. Conventional RF filters rely on fixed-frequency architectures that restrict system operation in increasingly dynamic communication environments. This project features the design and optimization of a reconfigurable RF filter prototype using coupled microstrip resonators and electronic tuning components. The filter design demonstrates a tunable range of 2−4 GHz. Future design of reconfigurable microstrip architectures must take steps to maintain signal integrity across active elements. Power loss may be mitigated through the selection of higher quality factor components and less lossy prototyping materials.

Custom Animatronic Puppet, Jake Schuman, Fredy Herrarte, Madison Reedy, Jackson Reynolds

Mechanical Engineering

This project involved the design, fabrication, and implementation of a custom audio-animatronic puppet modeled after Dr. Brian Davis for the California Polytechnic State University Mechanical Engineering Department. The objective was to create an expressive, lifelike character capable of synchronized speech, head movement, arm gestures, and seated-to-standing motion while demonstrating the integration of mechanical design, controls, manufacturing, and artistic fabrication.

The final system consists of an 18-degree-of-freedom animatronic platform utilizing servo-driven facial and upper-body actuation combined with a pneumatic standing mechanism. A modular aluminum and 3D-printed structural framework was developed using SolidWorks and validated through engineering analysis. Character shells were digitally …

Mass - Modular Acoustic Suppression System, Julia Megargle, Michael A. Milner, Lucas Kaemmererer, Jonathan Corvera, Gabriel Choi, Emmi Cayer

Mechanical Engineering

The Modular Acoustic Suppression System (MASS) is a mass tuned damper that reverberates a membrane atop a cavity to absorb select acoustic frequencies produced by the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) within NASA's Artemis Human Lander. The height of the reverberation chamber is adjusted to mitigate a range of varying tonal frequencies within the human lander.

Autonomous Vision-Based Litter Collection Rover, Dante Michael Benedetti, Benjamin Scott Tavares, Nathan Heil

Electrical Engineering

This report documents the design, implementation, and testing of an autonomous litter-collection rover developed as a Senior Project Design Lab (EE 460/463/464) at California Polytechnic State University. The rover integrates autonomy, computer vision, embedded real-time control, mecanum-wheel omnidirectional mobility, and a two-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to detect, approach, and collect small ground-level litter such as bottles, wrappers, and paper fragments.

The system uses a two-layer compute architecture: an NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano running ROS 2 for perception, SLAM, and path planning, paired with an STM32L4A6ZG microcontroller for real-time motor control and odometry. The robot is built on a multi-level aluminum frame …

Elevate Grill, Brady Alexander

Electrical Engineering

The Elevate Grill Senior Project is a Santa Maria style grill with an electrical lifting/lowering mechanism and temperature sensor feedback. The grill allows for a dynamically controlled cooking surface, able to be automatically set or manually set by the user. The grill’s user interface informs the user about the temperature in different zones on the grill and alerts the user when the target temperature is hit. Additionally, the user can program preset temperature ranges and apply them to the grill’s control system. The system incorporates safe failure modes in the event of a power outage and also allows the user …

Pcb Design For Place Cells Vlsi Chip, Gavin Reaksecker, Alex Krier, Joshua Lin

Electrical Engineering

This project presents the design and implementation of a 2 layer test-bench printed circuit board (PCB) for evaluating the functionality of a custom 40-pin VLSI integrated circuit. The objective is to create a reliable and portable platform capable of supplying configurable bias voltages, generating variable input signals, and monitoring both analog and digital outputs. The board integrates adjustable bias networks using potentiometers, digital and analog buffering stages, and optional battery supply operation. The VLSI device under test is mounted in dual-in-line (DIP) sockets to enable rapid replacement and repeated characterization. Dedicated test points are incorporated throughout the PCB to facilitate …

Solving Linearly Constrained Quadratic Programs Using Field Programmable Analog Arrays, Tyler Wynn, Alonzo Arroyo

Electrical Engineering

This paper presents a field-programmable analog array (FPAA) implementation for solving linearly constrained quadratic programs (LCQPs) directly in the analog domain. The solver is based on a continuous-time primal-dual control architecture with integral action, anti-windup compensation, and a piecewise-linear nonlinearity for enforcing affine inequality constraints. A switched-capacitor implementation using three AN231E04 FPAAs is developed, and coefficient scaling methods are introduced to keep internal and output signals within the voltage limits of the hardware. A global scaling factor is used to reduce internal signal excursions, while solution-space scaling is shown to modify the implemented optimization coefficients and alter the local closed-loop …

Autonomous Rover Solar And Battery Management System: Team B, Karla Jazmin Lira Gonzalez, Paige Ambriz, Kunj Shah, Elhom Delasa Sheykhi

Electrical Engineering

This project focused on the software and printed circuit board (PCB) integration for Poly1Rover’s battery management system (BMS). Poly1Rover is a student organization dedicated to building a low-cost autonomous rover designed to operate on Mars. Since solar availability, temperature, and other conditions on Mars vary, the rover requires a reliable battery management system that accurately monitors battery health and status. This team’s work included the communication and control side of the BMS. The subsystem was designed around the Renesas ISL94202 battery monitor and the MSP430 controller. Battery information was read from the ISL94202 registers through I2C communication, converted from raw …

Design And Evaluation Of An Open-Source Ac/Dc Power Converter For Microgrid Applications, Ryan J. Rayos

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an open-source bidirectional power conversion platform intended for microgrid applications. As distributed energy resources, battery storage systems, and hybrid AC/DC architectures continue to increase in adoption, there is a growing demand for flexible, low-cost, and programmable power electronic platforms capable of interfacing between DC and AC subsystems. Existing commercial solutions are often proprietary and expensive, limiting their accessibility for educational, research, and rapid prototyping applications. This work expands upon the existing open-source Atinverter platform by increasing its operating voltage capability, integrating bidirectional power flow, and implementing telemetry systems suitable for microgrid …