Digital Commons Network^™

Field-Programmable Gate Array System-On-Chip Based Smart Home System, Jacques H. Ntahoturi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the design and implementation of a smart home system leveraging the Xilinx Kria FPGA SoC platform, which integrates FPGA flexibility with Arm Cortex processing capabilities. The system architecture incorporates a network of environmental sensors for real-time monitoring, an actuator network for control of home devices, and a security camera to safeguard the premises. The hardware design comprises an FPGA SoC module and a custom transition board, facilitating connectivity and integration with various devices. Firmware development utilized Xilinx Vivado for hardware description and Python for system applications, enabling efficient management of custom logic and communication protocols. The effectiveness …

Improved Portable Back Pain Relief Device With User Interface, Zachary Bobango, Samuel J. Dauterman, Benjamin Bowman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this project is to design and create a massage system that is user interactive, portable, safe, efficient, and comfortable. The system should allow for user feedback from an outside peripheral such as a phone to be able to modify the system. Some challenges facing the implementation of such a system include: ensuring the product can withstand substantial force without breaking or malfunctioning while simultaneously being light enough for a consumer to carry without difficulty, engineering the massage heads to be able to move in multiple different motion types, creating the software that can control the device, and …

Yankee Feedstock Project, Nathan Mcanany, Richard Gualtiere

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report details the design process, application, considerations, costs, and functionality of an automated tape “feedstock” machine. Yankee Insulation Products will use this project to create rolls of Aluminum foil tape that are included in their Therma-Dome assembly kit. The goal of this design will aid in the streamlining and effectiveness of the current process. When designing the automated process, the current process was evaluated for areas of improvement. Design parameters were also given to the project by the sponsoring company that were to be considered and incorporated.

Autonomous Basketball Court Creation Robot, Bryce Haldeman, Tyler Gray, Dalon Vura

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Autonomous Basketball Court Outlining System presents a comprehensive solution for precision court marking. Powered by a 24V lithium-ion battery and driven by a single ST microcontroller, the system autonomously marks the outline of a half basketball court using predefined algorithms. User-friendly features include easy loading of marking material, actuated by gravity or a small servo motor depending on material of choice, ensuring intuitive operation. Safety is prioritized, with the servo motor eliminating high-pressure concerns, and the system maintains a controlled speed accounting for user well-being. Two step and direction servo motors enable accurate linear displacement, facilitating straight lines, and …

Unity Two Dimensional C# Game, Nick Zajac

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My project is a 2-dimensional game that is being developed in the unity engine. This project includes animating objects, having them interact with each other, and having a goal the player will want to complete in the game. It will be a game that involves the player character moving around, attacking enemies, and dodging enemies. There will also be some challenges that involve maneuvering between platforms and enemies to progress in the game. At the end of the level, the player will encounter a stronger boss character. This character will have movement and attack patterns similar to the other minor …

Tympanostomy Tube Efficiency Study, Reem Ghumrawi, Kristi Weir

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The ventilation of the middle ear, crucial for maintaining optimal ear health, is often impeded by factors such as swelling, inflammation, and mucus in the eustachian tubes, particularly during upper respiratory infections or allergies. This issue, prevalent in children due to their narrow and horizontal eustachian tubes, prompts the insertion of tympanostomy tubes by ENT surgeons to establish an alternative airway for pressure equalization and fluid drainage. Despite the common belief in the effectiveness of these tubes, there is a notable dearth of research validating their optimal functionality. This study aims to address this gap by systematically comparing the efficiency …

Evaluation Of A Blockchain-Based Prescription System And Data Source For National Research And Development, Sean Chan, Aedin Clay, Lance Tan, Christian E. Pulmano

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the Philippines, healthcare providers, government agencies, and research institutions use data from patient prescriptions to generate reports for health planning and decision-making. However, current e-prescription systems have vulnerabilities, including erroneous information, hacking attempts, a single point of failure, and medical fraud. In addition to affecting the quality of data reporting, these issues violate a patient's rights to data privacy. One promising solution is a blockchain-based prescription system. Blockchain's immutable ledger accurately traces medical fraud and erroneous information, while its decentralized nature reduces the impact of failures. Performance is an important consideration, as healthcare systems need to be scalable and …

Collaborative Robotic Finishing Platform For Metal Part Processing Towards Industry 5.0, Seyedhossein Hajargarbashi, Gabriel Côté, Jonathan Boisvert, Ramy Meziane, Chen Xu, Corentin Hubert, Sabrina Jocelyn, Clément Gosselin

Articles dans des actes de congrès

Manual finishing operations in aerospace and ground transportation industries are often associated with health-and-safety-related issues such as musculoskeletal disorders, productivity loss, and challenges in workforce renewal. This work presents an innovative automated solution to address these challenges, prioritizing the ease of implementation and affordability for small and midsize enterprises (SMEs). Our proposed solution is a collaborative robotic (cobotic) finishing platform designed to eliminate labor-intensive work while keeping human operators in the loop to manage unforeseen situations. This platform aims to eliminate health risks, enhance repeatability, improve product quality, and increase productivity. This paper describes the mechanical design of the platform, …

Leveraging Large Language Models For Enhancing Well-Being In The Digital Age, Xiaobo Guo

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The 21st century has seen dramatic shifts in human interactions with information, peers, and the environment, primarily driven by the proliferation of online platforms and social media. These advancements offer more access to information and global connectivity, but also present challenges such as information overload, misinformation, online harms, and biased reporting that can negatively impact user well-being. This thesis examines the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) — advanced forms of artificial intelligence that understand and generate human-like text — in enhancing well-being in the digital age. The study begins by exploring the potential of LLMs to detect early signs …

Efficient Connectivity Management And Path Planning For Iot And Uav Networks, Amirahmad Chapnevis

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how to better manage resources in mobile networks, especially for enhancing the performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)-supported IoT networks. We explored ways to set up a flexible communication architecture that can handle large IoT deployments by making good use of mobile core network resources like bearers and data paths. We developed strategies that meet the needs of IoT networks and enhance network performance. We also developed and tested a system that combines traffic from several mobile devices that use the same user identity and network resources within the core mobile network. We used everyday smartphones, SIM …

Shape Inverse Prediction Of Magnetic Field-Actuated Soft Robots By Neural Network Machine Learning, Lineth J. Perez Monsalve

Theses and Dissertations

Soft robotics has drawn tremendous interest in recent years because the compliance and motion of soft robotics enable biocompatibility and versatility for many applications, such as human-machine interaction, wearable and assistive devices, and health monitoring. This study introduces a novel predictive modeling approach using neural networks for shape control of magnetic soft robots. The robots are made of silicone materials embedded with hard magnetic particles, which respond to the external magnetic field provided by a ring-type of permanent magnet. These robots, free from physical connections to external devices, i.e., non-tethered actuation, hold significant potential for applications in healthcare, such as …

Pneumonia Detection With Limited And Imbalanced Data Using Energy-Based Out-Of-Distribution Technique, Jasbin Karki

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The automated detection of pneumonia through chest X-ray presents a critical challenge in medical diagnostics, particularly due to the restrictions of limited and imbalanced chest X-ray data for training AI models. Traditional methods that depend on softmax confidence scores can be overconfident even when generating erroneous outputs especially when they are processing completely new inputs, leading to unreliable diagnostic results. This research addresses challenges in AI models which aim to develop a robust pneumonia detection system using an Energy-Based Out-of-Distribution (OOD) technique that can work effectively even with limited and imbalanced data. The study focused on creating a more reliable …

Test-Time Backdoor Attack Using Universal Perturbation, Jesse Alexander Smith

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The rapid growth and widespread reliance on machine learning (ML) systems across critical applications such as healthcare, autonomous driving, and cybersecurity have un- derscored their transformative potential and heightened their susceptibility to adversarial attacks and vulnerabilities. This thesis investigates vulnerabilities in ML models, focusing on backdoor attacks, including naive backdoor attack, feature collision backdoor attack, hidden trigger backdoor attack, and test-time backdoor attack using universal perturbation technique. These methodologies demonstrate how adversaries can automate and conceal malicious behaviors to achieve specific objectives, posing significant challenges to ML model integrity and trustworthiness. The research provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical …

A Novel In-Vitro Approach To Investigate The Molecular Interaction Between Inhaled Particles And The Human Pulmonary Surfactant System, Bryan Mayville

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The deployment of military personnel to austere environments poses significant pulmonary health risks from inhalation of particulates including sand, dust, pollution, and heavy machinery exhaust. When particles are less than 10 µm in diameter, they can penetrate deep within the alveoli and embed within the protective lung surfactant monolayer. Here, absorption of surfactant lipids to the particle surface disrupts the essential monolayer configuration needed to reduce surface tension and prevent atelectasis, thus leading to disease. Currently, there are no in vitro surfactant-producing lung cell models capable of studying the effects of inhaled particles on the human pulmonary surfactant system. A549 …

Sex-Driven Alterations In Aging Alpha Motoneurons: Exploring Size, Type, Density, And Kv2.1 Channel Expression, Kalin R. Gerber

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research explores how motor neurons (MNs) and Kv2.1 clustering change with age, emphasizing sex differences and MN subtypes. We found that MN density decreases with age in both sexes, while soma size increases in male mice. FF MNs were the most affected, and old weak mice had smaller MNs than their stronger counterparts, underscoring FF MN vulnerability. Baseline studies revealed that FF and FI MNs have larger Kv2.1 clusters compared to FR and S MNs. Female mice had smaller, denser Kv2.1 clusters than male mice, suggesting less clustering in females. With age, Kv2.1 clusters grew larger but became less …

Development Of Novel Hydrogel Materials For Viscoelastically Accurate Brain Phantoms, Lila G. Schandler

Theses and Dissertations

Current methods such as concussion tests and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans only reveal structural damage post-injury. Creating an anatomically accurate model of the brain that mimics brain structure and viscoelastic properties will further allow medical professionals to analyze concussion events and create curated and personalized plans of recovery for a patient’s unique brain injury.

Values have been established for the necessary viscoelastic properties (time constants and elasticity) to mimic the native human brain tissue such as grey matter and white matter. The mechanical properties of the hydrogel are tunable by varying the concentration of Phytagel (PHY), a protein binding …

Adaptation Of A Commercially Available Galvanic Skin Response Sensor To Measure Respiration Across The Chest For Heart Rate Variability Monitoring, Breno C. Dobal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a naturally occurring cardiovascular phenomenon referring to the changing timing between consecutive heartbeats. The connection between HRV and overall cardiovascular health and autonomic nervous system function has been well established through prior research and well documented in existing literature. The existing studies, however, included shorter HRV subject recording session, using traditional HRV monitoring methods that do not typically combine electrocardiogram (ECG), seismocardiogram (SCG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) respiration monitoring. The inclusion of longer HRV subject recording may allow for further insight on the possible effects of given observable biological phenomenon on HRV.

The current …

Technological Advancements In Brunei’S Local Agriculture And Fisheries Companies: An Exploratory Study Based On Field Observations, Muhammad Firdaus Mujibuddin Syah Mustafa, Navaranjan Namasivayam, Hong Shyang Pei, Fatnin Farhanah Alihan, Amni Sahilah Sahrullamzah, Khairina Umairah Takiyaudin

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This exploratory study, through seven field observations and interviews, investigates the technological advancements transforming Brunei's agricultural landscape in pursuit of local production augmentation and self-sufficiency. It confronts challenges with emerging technologies like aquaponics, hydroponics, fertigation systems, closed-house poultry systems, and UV lighting, which hold promise for enhanced farming practices. The research provides a comprehensive assessment of current practices, including livestock management advancements, underscoring their potential to boost productivity, optimize resource use, and promote sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it discusses the broader implications for industry standards, job employability, and alignment with Brunei's Vision 2035. The findings contribute invaluable insights, advocating for strategic …

Physicochemical Characterization Of Edible Insect Oils: Insights Into Fatty Acid Composition, Thermal Behavior And Quality Parameters, Eng-Tong Phuah, Yee-Ying Lee, Teck-Kim Tang, Guanghui Li, Shyang-Pei Hong, Syazana Abdullah Lim

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Edible insects are emerging as a sustainable food source due to their high nutritional value. This study employed the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method to extract oils from sago worm (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), superworm (Zophobas morio), and cricket (Acheta domesticus). The study evaluated and compared the physicochemical properties of these insect oils, including iodine value (IV), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV), acid value (AV), refractive index (RI), thermal behavior, and fatty acid compositions. Results revealed that the sago worm exhibited the highest oil yield (47.8 ± 2.2%) compared to the superworm (23.8 ± 1.4%) and cricket (6.4 ± 0.6%). Cricket oil …

Recent Advance In Biodegradable Packaging From Banana Plant Feedstock: A Comprehensive Review, M. Atiq Juani, Namasivayam Navaranjan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This review focuses on recent advances in biodegradable packaging derived from banana plant waste, highlighting its pivotal role in addressing environmental concerns linked to conventional packaging materials. The shift toward sustainable packaging stems from the urgent need to combat plastic pollution, reduce reliance on non-renewable resources, and foster sustainability in the food industry. Banana plants, known for generating significant organic waste during cultivation and processing, provide a valuable source for developing biodegradable packaging. Researchers have successfully transformed banana waste into innovative, recyclable, and eco-friendly packaging solutions, promoting a circular economy. Biodegradable packaging, in contrast to traditional materials derived from fossil …

Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Properties Of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) Protein Concentrates And Hydrolysates Derived From Varied Dietary Regimens, Shyang-Pei Hong, Eng-Tong Phuah, Wey-Lim Wong, Yee-Ying Lee, Teck-Kim Tang, Ali Yassoralipour

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The larval stage of the darkling beetle, Tenebrio molitor, often referred to as the yellow mealworm, has received significant attention as a promising source of high-quality protein for human consumption due to its exceptional nutritional profile. This study focused on assessing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of protein concentrates and hydrolysates obtained from mealworm specimens raised under distinct dietary conditions. One cohort of mealworms was sustained on food waste comprising rice bran, milled corn, and carrots (self-bred) (SM), while another group was exclusively provided with rice bran (commercially fed) (CM). Enzymatic hydrolysis of mealworm protein was accomplished using protease enzymes …

Assessment Of Novel Plant-Based Fat Efficiency In Comminuted Chicken Meat System, Salma Mohamad Yusop, Shu Jo Lin, Nurkhuzaiah Kamaruzaman, Nurlisa Mohd Azhari

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The composition of fats and oils significantly impacts the flavour, nutrition, and appearance of food. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids, primarily found in animal fats, raises the risk of coronary heart disease. To address this, plant-based fats are used as substitutes, with microalgae offering unique nutritional benefits as a fat source. This study evaluates the performance of structured plant-based fats, incorporating microalgae (Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1), as a fat substitute in chicken patties. Four formulations were tested: 0% (control), 5%, 7%, and 10% structured microalgae-based fat. Colour, texture, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, and microstructure in both raw and cooked samples …

Formulation Of Naturally Flavoured Mineral Water With Curcuma Longa, Zumirra Affno, Aida M. Basri, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Natural, organic flavoured beverages have become an increasingly important market in the food industry due to flavour and sensory requirements among consumers. Throughout human history, herbs and spices provide a spectrum of natural food flavouring, which became an eminent component of food preparations worldwide. However, their applications in beverages have not been fully exploited. The main objective of this study is to develop flavoured water formulation based on organic turmeric extracts from flower, leaf, and rhizome parts. We adhered the natural mineral water flavouring integrity at refrigerated storage condition (4oC) for a period of 12 weeks. The flavoured water was …

Food Labelling Practices Of Local Products In Brunei Darussalam, Asrarul A. Noraidi, Zikri Zulkifli, Aida M. Basri, Ernina Rani, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Food labelling is an essential feature for food product marketing and is mainly regulated by national food authority. Food package labelling provides information on product composition, usage instructions, shelf-life safety, storage conditions, and nutritional profile. The purpose of this study is to review the scope of the current food labelling system used in local food products. We surveyed 3 different food categories: 1) processed meat products, 2) bread, and 3) snacks, and examined the nutritional labelling criteria with respect to the carbohydrates, protein, and particularly sodium (salt) content. A broad market survey was carried out across Brunei and Muara district, …

Protein Content Analysis On Brunei Delicacies: Kelupis Sulang And Sulang Fruit, Siti Nadia Saifullzan, Jhoorhanah A. Halim, Mas M. Rambli, Aida M. Basri

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Traditional Bruneian delicacy which are often reserved for special occasions; called the kelupis Sulang made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, and the flesh of the Brunei Sulang fruit’s protein content were studied. The protein content of both kelupis and the sulang fruit were examined using both qualitative and protein concentration analyses. The analysis was performed using the Xanthoproteic test, Ninhydrin test, Sulphur Reduction test, and the Biuret test. The readings were obtained from the UV-Visible Spectrophotometry and revealed an average protein concentration of 21 mg/ml in aqueous extracts of kelupis sulang and 26.8 mg/ml in aqueous suspension of kelupis sulang …

Fostering Corporate Resilience: Assessing Risk Management Committee Effectiveness In Malaysia’S Telecommunication And Media Sector Pre- And During The Covid-19, Flicia Rimin, Siti Rahayu Beli, Anastasiah Harbi, Imbarine Bujang, Jamaliah Said

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted organizations, underscoring the critical role of financial factors in determining performance. Maintaining a healthy financial stance during crises necessitates effective risk management, prompting the exploration of a Risk Management Committee (RMC) as a focal point for addressing risk issues and managing internal controls. A study spanning 2017 to 2021 assessed 11 listed companies in the Telecommunication and Media Sector, revealing that a combined RMC did not enhance financial performance, indicating its ineffectiveness during the crisis. The study advocates for a separate risk management committee due to the audit committee’s limitations in performing both functions. …

Thriving In Turbulent Times: The Dynamic Link Between Economic Condition And Fintech Business Lending Success, Nur ‘Asyiqin Ramdhan, Imbarine Bujang, Amirul Afif Muhamat, Ninuk Dewi Kesumaningrum

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study aimed to understand how FinTech business lending was affected by the pandemic crisis, which caused small businesses to struggle with limited access to funds. During this crisis, demand for alternative financing, like peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, surged. However, P2P lending faces challenges related to information imbalances, especially during crises, when transparency and economic conditions impact investor decisions in Malaysia. We examined factors like platform interest rates, loan duration, investment size, bank lending rates (BLR), inflation, and the crisis using ARDL analysis. Our long-term analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between investment size and P2P lending, while economic conditions had …

Measurement Accuracy Of Inputs And Outputs For Financial Efficiency Of Islamic Banks, Irma Febriana Mimma Kebahyang, Imbarine Bujang, Norhayati Mohamed, Emi Maimunah

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review on the measurement accuracy of Inputs and Outputs for the financial efficiency of Islamic Banks. Generally, financial efficient literature has lengthy discussions of various input and output measurements, but the research findings are still arguably among scholars. Therefore, this paper highlighted the significance of input and output that reflects the accuracy of the financial efficiency measurement. The data of this study was derived from a review of empirical literature comprising 33 articles published between 2013 and 2023. The sample articles on the Islamic Banks' financial efficiency measurement were located through a …

The Contribution Of Outcome Expectation In Water Saving Among Malaysians For Sustainable Living Standard, Ganesh. R, Vxynette Fiorna, Ammar Abdulaziz Al-Talib, Haslinda. A, Elango Natarajan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Saving water is an essential component of a higher level of living for each individual in any Nation. The current and next generation will be greatly impacted by attitudes and emotional aspects of social cognitive behaviour. This empirical investigation was carried out in Malaysia. To determine their attitude and behaviour, a convenience sampling method was applied to a sample size of 265 individuals. It was discovered that outcome expectancy significantly improves water saving. Observed self-efficacy, personal elements, and environmental elements all impacted the outcome expectancy. The model evaluation showed that the adjusted R2 was 0.78, or about 78% of the …

Enhancing Phishing Attack Detection Using Explainable Ai: Trends And Innovations, Bhagyashree D. Shendkar, Pankaj R. Chandre, Sulochana Sagar Madachane, Nikita Kulkarni, Sayalee Deshmukh

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In the context of escalating cyber threats, phishing attacks continue to pose significant challenges to cybersecurity measures, exploiting human vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. Innovative solutions are required because traditional detection methods frequently fail to identify and mitigate these assaults successfully. To improve phishing attack detection, this study makes use of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, which provide decision-making processes with transparency and prediction accuracy. The paper begins by outlining the pervasive nature of phishing attacks in today's digital landscape, emphasizing their detrimental impact on individuals, organizations, and society at large. It then discusses the limitations of …