Digital Commons Network^™

Wireless Communication In Autonomous Vehicles, Ethan Paul Spalard, Alan Rubalcava, Jarnail Singh Sanghera

Electrical Engineering

This project focuses on building a realistic, standards based V2X communication platform using DSRC (IEEE 802.11p) to support future autonomous vehicle control research. The system is built around commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, specifically the NXP i.MX 8XLite – V2X Evaluation Kit, which integrates an automotive-grade processor and the SAF5400 V2X modem to handle low-level DSRC transmission in the 5.9 GHz band.

We successfully completed the hardware bring-up, verified over-the-air communication between two nodes, and performed initial RF characterization using a spectrum analyzer. The SAF5400 was confirmed to operate on all seven DSRC channels (172–184), maintaining the correct 10 MHz bandwidth …

Piezoelectric Actuator Driver System, Daniel Hoefer

Electrical Engineering

This work presents the design, fabrication, and testing of a high-voltage piezoelectric actuator driver system purposed for integration into defense and aerospace precision motion control applications, particularly those in laser optics. The core challenge addressed was the mismatch between the standardized 28V DC power bus used in military systems and the significantly higher voltage requirements of piezoelectric actuators. Existing commercial drivers were evaluated and found unsuitable for field deployment due to inadequate ruggedness, excessive complexity, or power limitations. Consequently, a modular system architecture was designed featuring four independent driver channels, each using a high-voltage, high-current linear amplifier topology to scale …

Direction Finding From Aerial Platforms With Amateur Radio Arrays, Ben Duval Iii, Esteban Perez

Electrical Engineering

This senior project presents the development of a communication network designed to remotely control and program a distributed digital antenna array for autonomous synchronization and calibration. The system facilitates command transmission using a custom BPSK communication protocol operating in the UHF band (430–450 MHz) and employs a two-tone waveform to extract frequency, phase, and timing offsets between array nodes. These offsets are critical for aligning received signals in preparation for digital beamforming. The array comprises four nodes: three aerial units and one ground-based control unit. Each node is built using a LimeSDR Mini 2.0, Raspberry Pi, portable battery pack, and …

Mesh-Networked Uav Swarm: Experimental Leader-Follower Formation Control, Toma Grundler, Jack Ryan

Electrical Engineering

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have demonstrated significant potential for multi-agent coordination applications, yet reliable formation control algorithms remain challenging to implement in real-world environments. This report presents the design, simulation, and hardware implementation of four leader-follower formation control strategies for UAV swarms. The implemented algorithms include a semi-rigid PI controller based on forward and lateral distance error, a hybrid PID controller utilizing mixed error signals with velocity and position feedback, a simplified velocity-based PID controller operating on individual coordinate components, and a GPS offset controller with direct positional control. MATLAB simulation validated controller performance in four different …

Framework For Multi-Agent Coordination And Distributed Localization In Micro-Uavs, Minwoo Park, Nikolas Tambornini

Electrical Engineering

Micro-UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) due to their inexpensive nature and compact form factor have shown an increase in prevalence throughout a multitude of applications including, but not limited to: search and rescue, military reconnaissance, and agriculture monitoring. However, for a majority of these high impact applications, a swarm of micro-UAVs are required and furthermore mandate that they are able to cooperatively and autonomously coordinate with each other. For long, controlling and communicating between a user and a singular micro-UAV has been a well known and solved problem, however the same can't be said for swarms of micro-UAVs. This project seeks …

Digital Drone Arrays: Two-Tone Communication, Armin Behbahani, Alejandro Martin Cosper, Landon Leroy John Foster, Mont Ziadoon Murad

Electrical Engineering

Over the last few years, there has been great interest in distributed antenna arrays. These arrays require each element to be precisely located and synchronized with each other in time, phase, and frequency. To this end, a drone-mounted, two-tone communication system was developed. It uses a transmit-retransmit-receive architecture, which obtains all of the necessary data required to compute and correct the phase, frequency, and time differences between each element while estimating distance. When integrated into a distributed array of drones, this two-tone communication system will be essential for reliable operation.

Test Equipment Automation And Remote Operation Curriculum Senior Project, Raheel Rehmatullah

Electrical Engineering

The goal of this project is to create new lab procedures and lab bench permutations for Cal Poly EE students to implement automated Test and Measurement equipment into their electrical engineering education. Currently EE students at Cal Poly have no classroom based opportunities to learn about leveraging software skills and test equipment knowledge in order to automate measurements, which is a valuable skill for an electrical engineer in the workforce. The curriculum outlined in this project will include three experiments, each leveraging an instrument controller, and Python as the primary scripting language. Each procedure will require students to write Python …

Autonomous Mapping Rover, Garrett Jones, Timothy Kyle Chu, Eugenio Caruso Pasos

Electrical Engineering

This report details the design, implementation, and evaluation of "Rovero," an autonomous mapping rover developed as a senior project. Rovero integrates state-of-the-art technologies, including ROS2 for communication, SLAM algorithms for mapping, and sensor fusion for accurate navigation. The project aimed to achieve robust autonomous operation in indoor environments, leveraging a combination of LiDAR, IMU, and encoder data for real-time decision-making. Key challenges addressed include path planning, obstacle avoidance, and integration of multiple sensor inputs. Results demonstrate successful mapping capabilities and efficient navigation performance.

Project Owl: Quad Rc2, Ethan Cy Zane

Electrical Engineering

Quad RC2 is a new radio designed to be compatible with the Cluster Duck Protocol (CDP). It must be able to act as all parts of the mesh network and be able to find its location with GPS. Much of the RC2 effort is already completed. This project ports the previously developed firmware to the new board and runs tests to assess its capabilities.

An Analysis Of The Power Consumption Of Various Computer Vision Machine Learning Techniques On A Microcontroller Utilizing The Clusterduck Protocol, Kaveh Shafiei

Electrical Engineering

Constant data processing is essential for effective data collection, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The need for efficient, autonomous data acquisition and transmission is increasingly addressed by integrating machine learning within larger communication networks. This paper explores the application of machine learning techniques with Internet of Things (IoT) mesh networks. Utilizing the LoRa communication protocol, data is captured and analyzed on an edge device and transmitted to a larger communication network. The ClusterDuck Protocol (CDP), developed by OWL Integrations, serves as an IoT mesh network designed to allow for communication in areas lacking traditional static infrastructure such as WiFi …

Leader-Follower Platooning With Turtlebot3: A Low-Cost Ros Test-Bed Using Vision-Lidar Fusion, Patrick Kelly Crandall, Kalon Ma Bienz

Electrical Engineering

This report presents the design, implementation, and indoor validation of a two-robot leader–follower platoon built on low-cost Turtlebot3 platforms. Each robot runs ROS Noetic on an on-board Raspberry Pi 4, fusing a fisheye camera for HSV-based lane detection with an LDS-02 LiDAR for clustering-based leader identification. A dual-loop architecture (PD steering for lateral control and PID for longitudinal gap regulation) maintains a 0.40m headway and keeps the follower centered within +/- 5 cm of the lane midline, without any inter-vehicle communication or external localization. Track experiments at speeds up to 0.18m/s achieved mean gap error of +/- 3 cm and …

Developing Machine Learning Models And Graphene-Based Flexible Humidity And Temperature Sensors For Machine-Learning-Assisted Sensing, Seth Hajian

Dissertations

Flexible sensor technology has recently gained tremendous momentum in both academic research and industrial applications, transitioning from conceptual frameworks to practical implementations across diverse fields. This remarkable advancement can be attributed to several converging factors, including the maturation of nanomaterial science, the advancements of machine learning algorithms, and the critical demand for intelligent sensing solutions in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and industrial automation. The growing emphasis on personalized medicine and real-time health monitoring, accelerated by global health challenges, has further highlighted the necessity for accurate, cost-effective, and adaptable sensing platforms. This dissertation presents the fulfillment of three interconnected research projects focused …

Optical Character Recognition For Early Handwriting Legibility Assessment, Franceli L. Cibrian, Kayla Anderson, Yingying 'Yuki' Chen, Lauren Min, Lizbeth Escobedo

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Monitoring children’s handwriting, such as avoiding writing assignments, displaying uneven letter formation, or showing slow writing speed, can help identify developmental and academic issues early. Poor handwriting affects up to 34% of children, leading to academic and self-esteem challenges. Handwriting assessments, typically conducted by teachers, are often delayed due to workload and could be subjective and inconsistent. This paper explores the potential of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to augment and ease handwriting assessments. Based on an evaluation of 10 OCR algorithms using 33 handwriting samples assessed by two experts, the research indicates that Pen to Print and Google are …

Compact, Low-Power Underwater Acoustic Modem Characterization And Sensing Network Node Implementation, Lucas W. Lucia

Master's Theses

There is a growing market for compact, power-efficient underwater communication technology. Due to the limited propagation of electromagnetic waves through water, modulated acoustic waves have emerged as an effective means of wireless communication underwater. In decades past, many acoustic modems had been developed primarily for defense customers in larger systems functioning at high power. In recent years, smaller, relatively inexpensive acoustic modems have become available on the market—but data on their performance in a real-world environment is scarce. Companies such as OWL Integrations are interested in employing such acoustic modems as part of sensing networks across multiple mediums. For such …

Distributed Formation Control Of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots: Safety-Critical Leader-Follower Approach With Obstacle Avoidance And Dynamic Reconfiguration, Kelvin C. Villago

Master's Theses

Networked control systems for multi-agent robotics have emerged as a critical paradigm for executing complex coordinated tasks in diverse environments. While formation control serves as the backbone of such systems, real-world deployment introduces significant challenges including communication constraints, environmental obstacles, and the need for adaptive reconfiguration. This research addresses these challenges by developing a novel unified framework that seamlessly integrates obstacle avoidance algorithms with dynamic formation reconfiguration capabilities, specifically designed for communication-limited networked control architectures. The proposed framework represents a significant advancement over existing approaches by simultaneously handling both static and dynamic obstacles while maintaining system cohesion under communication constraints. …

Ev Microgrid Inspired Open-Source Power Inverter, Bryan A. Carrillo Martinez

Master's Theses

The development of open-source power electronics platforms plays an instrumental role in accelerating microgrid deployment, electric vehicle (EV) integration, and educational access to embedded power electronic converters. This thesis presents the design, implementation, and validation of the Atinverter V2, an open-source DC to AC inverter intended for low power EV microgrid applications and educational settings. The Atinverter V2 integrates various hardware and software subsystems centered around the ATMEGA328P microcontroller, enabling PWM-based sinusoidal power inversion, DC/AC voltage and current sensing, and embedded control features. Software development leverages a C++ object-oriented library and multiple Arduino-based modules to facilitate modular and scalable operation. …

Study On The Application Of Smart Electric Meters For Secondary Voltage Protection, Jayaditya Sisodia

Master's Theses

The purpose of our research is to utilize PG&E’s Smart Meters installed across California to protect the Secondary Voltage delivered to the meter. This means detecting electrical faults between the utility’s distribution transformer and the installed Smart Meter. Our goal is to propose and implement various solutions through additional devices and protocols to detect and prevent these faults, communicate them with the meter, and forward fault information to the utility. A device will be designed to be installed on the transformer, detect faults, shut off power transmission, and communicate to the meter via fiber optic cable. Research will then be …

Remote Monitoring And Control Of Protection Relays Via Programmable Logic Controller, Rio Mcgown-Kauffman

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the ability of a programmable logic controller (PLC) to wirelessly monitor and control power protection relays. The technologies surrounding power protection and industrial automation are ever evolving and have developed significantly in recent history. Industrial power applications call for consistent condition monitoring and status updates for various high-importance components. The high-importance components have power protection schemes that are managed by digital relays to trip circuit breakers in fault or unsafe operating conditions. The smart relays have a wide range of capabilities, including communications. Cal Poly assembled a collection of relays from Schweitzer …

Modeling And Efficiency Analysis Of Hybrid Ac/Dc And Conventional Ac House Electrical Systems For Net-Zero Energy Homes, Tyler Bury

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design, simulation, and comparative efficiency analysis of hybrid AC/DC residential homes versus conventional AC homes for Net Zero Energy Homes (NZEH). Motivated by the increasing prevalence of DC-native technologies such as solar photovoltaics, battery storage, and DC-powered electronics, this work evaluates whether hybrid AC/DC distribution can offer measurable efficiency benefits over traditional systems. Twelve detailed house models were developed—six employing a hybrid AC/DC architecture and six based on conventional AC systems, each supplying a combination of AC and DC residential loads. Simulations were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink to model steady-state efficiency under various loading conditions. Grid configurations …

Load Balancing In Mobile Networks Using Deep Reinforcement Learning And Traffic Prediction, Shorouk Raafat Mokhtar Abouamasha

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless communication networks are advancing at a rapid pace, driven by various challenges and ambitious goals. This rapid growth is driven by a range of applications, including technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as innovations in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and more. Different applications demand specific performance criteria such as high data throughput, low latency, robust reliability, and efficient energy usage. In this thesis, we investigate two enhancements that can be adopted in wireless networks to tackle the challenges of resource optimization and network management. The motivation behind this is the fact that future networks will face …

Time Synchronization For 5g And Tsn Integrated Networking, Zixiao Wang, Zonghui Li, Cheng Long, Yiming Zheng, Bo Ai, Xiaoyu Song

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emerging industrial applications involving robotic collaborative operations and mobile robots require a more reliable and precise wireless network for deterministic data transmission. To meet this demand, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is promoting the integration of 5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology (5G) and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). Time synchronization is essential for deterministic data transmission. Based on the 3GPP’s vision of the 5G and TSN integrated networking with interoperability, we improve the time synchronization of TSN to conquer the multi-gNB competition, re-transmission, and mobility problems for the integrated 5G time synchronization. We implemented the improvement mechanisms and systematically validated the …

Distributed Energy Resources: A Systematic Literature Review, Midrar Adham, Sean Keene, Robert B. Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The traditional power grid, characterized by its centralized nature and one-way power flow, has long been the backbone of electricity supply and distribution. Grid operators have historically found various ways to accurately predict demand, anticipate faults, and prepare appropri- ate responses. However, with the rapid integration of Distributed Energy Resources such as Photovoltaic, storage systems, grid-interactive generation, and flexible-load assets, energy consumption and production patterns have become less predictable, transforming the grid into a two-way power flow system. Managing the potential of these Distributed Energy Resources requires advanced management systems that provide monitoring, coordination, and aggregation capabilities to …

Rotating Scatter Mask System Optimization Study For Determining Optimal Image Recreation, Seth L. Grover

Theses and Dissertations

The Rotating Scatter Mask (RSM) system is a radiation imaging technology currently limited by the mask design and governing identification algorithm parameters. To optimize the RSM design, Dakota—an optimization software—was integrated with a ray tracing code that simulates particle interactions with the RSM detector, and with the Locally Competitive Algorithm (LCA), which reconstructs the source image based on the ray tracing code’s Detector Response Matrix (DRM). Since the original ray tracing code was developed in MATLAB, it was translated into Python to improve compatibility with both Dakota and LCA. The Python version of the ray tracing code was then integrated …

Hunting, Feiyang Zhuang

Masters Theses

This writing is about fragility and revelation of technological systems. It considers how brokenness, delay, and opacity are not flaws but openings—opportunities to reimagine our relationship to technology as something grounded, sensory, and continuous with the natural and material world.

Colloidal Quantum Dots: A Path Toward Making Mid-Wave Infrared Sensing A Ubiquitous Technology, Mohammad Mostafa Al Mahfuz

Dissertations

Reducing the size, weight, power consumption, and cost (SWaP-C) of infrared detectors could make infrared sensing more widely accessible. In the critical mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) spectral range of 3-5 gm, commercially available detectors are limited by the high costs associated with epitaxial growth and hybridization, as well as the need for cryogenic cooling. These factors restrict their use to defense and space applications.

Colloidal quantum dots present a promising material for overcoming these challenges, with wafer-scale monolithic integration and Auger suppression being the key material capabilities to minimize the sensor's SWaP-C. Infrared sensors based on colloidal quantum dots have been …

The Interplay Of Accommodation And Oculomotor Vergence Within Young Adults With Binocularly Normal Vision And Typically-Occurring Convergence Insufficiency, Sebastian Fine

Dissertations

Concerted binocular coordination evoking oculomotor and refractive responses to visual stimuli are essential to daily function. Oculomotor dysfunctions can inhibit binocular responses to visually-near stimuli and have high comorbidities to accommodative dysfunctions. Three visual cues for inward (convergent) and outward (divergent) oculomotor movements, when presented concertedly create natural-viewing conditions: disparity- the binocular difference in light cast onto the fovea due to differing ocular perspectives, blur- the acuity of a visual target which stimulates accommodation, and proximal- the perceived distance of a visual stimuli based on size.

This study aims to quantitatively investigate oculomotor vergence and accommodation performances between individuals with …

Next-Generation Extended Reality Systems With Real-Time Edge Artificial Intelligence And Mobile Computing, Pedro H. Regalado

Dissertations

Mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR) systems are reshaping digital experiences by seamlessly integrating physical and virtual environments. This dissertation presents a comprehensive framework for next-generation immersive systems, combining advances in real-time data processing, multi-user synchronization, and secure communication. The core contributions are structured around three interconnected systems: MediVerse, TeleAvatar, and MultiAvatarLink, each addressing critical challenges in mobile MR.

MediVerse is a secure and scalable framework for real-time health and performance monitoring, integrating intelligent IoT sensors, wearable technologies, and MR interfaces. It supports multi-camera fusion, adaptive compression, and real-time three-dimensional (3D) point cloud generation, enhancing data accuracy and responsiveness …

A System Of Systems (Sos) Meta-Architecture Approach To Design Digital Platform-Based Domestic Worker Distribution System, Prithbey Raj Dey, Cihan H. Dagli, David Lee Enke

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this research, a System of Systems (SoS) meta-architecture is conceptualized to design a digital platform-based system framework for the distribution of domestic workers to boost the crowd-sourced economy. While an Object Process Methodology (OPM) is used to articulate the relationships between the objects and functions, a Design Structure Matrix (DSM) has been applied to address the interactions between individual components to categorize them into subsystems to create the SoS architecture. This SoS architecture incorporates several Key Performance Attributes (KPAs) and Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) to systematically evaluate the meta-architectures. The Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP), Pugh’s Evaluation Matrix, and Technique …

Gamified Gait Rehabilitation Via Real-Time Biofeedback And Adaptive Hip-Exoskeleton Control, Mariya Huzaifa Tohfafarosh

Theses

Gait impairments arise from systemic diseases, age-related degeneration, musculoskeletal dysfunctions, or neurological conditions. While traditional rehabilitation can be effective, they often face challenges such as high costs, inaccessibility, and low patient engagement. To address these challenges, my work introduces a virtual reality-based rehabilitation (VRBR) system, integrating real-time motion and electromyographic (EMG) muscle activation feedback with a gamified virtual environment for enhanced adaptability and engagement. The system includes a custom-designed hip-exoskeleton that provides adaptive spring-like assistance or resistance, supporting both mobility-impaired users and strength training. Assistance levels can be tuned to match the user's progress. Additionally, a custom pressure insole was …

Influencing Factors Of Angle-Of-Arrival Estimator Based On Deep Learning, Guohao Pang

Dissertations and Theses

Deep learning (DL)-based angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation offers significant advantages over traditional signal processing methods, especially in complex and high-noise environments. However, situational complexity and differences in hardware can significantly impact the estimator's performance. It is therefore of interest to investigate the relationship between the performance of deep learning models and the variation of physical parameters such as the number of signal sources, the number of receiving antennas, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this study, we investigate the impact of these variations on deep learning-based AoA estimation by systematically analyzing how the variations in the characteristics of the received signal …