Digital Commons Network^™

Erk Builds A Population Of Short-Lived Nascent Adhesions That Produce Persistent Edge Protrusion And Cell Migration, Andrew P. Shepherd, Keith R. Carney, Majid Rostami, Jakaria Shawon, Andrew Elliott, Shiela C. Samson, Sangyoon J. Han, Michelle C. Mendoza

Michigan Tech Publications

Cell migration is realized through the fast and persistent protrusion of a leading edge in the direction of movement. The actin and adhesion structures that build edge protrusions are integrated such that pro-migration signaling pathways must control both assemblies to induce protrusion. Understanding the contribution of adhesion regulation has been complicated by the inability to selectively assay the nascent adhesions that promote edge protrusion. Here, we dissect how the core RAS → RAF → MEK → ERK pathway’s control of nascent adhesions contributes to edge protrusion and cell migration by targeting an ERK FRET biosensor to adhesions and quantifying ERK’s …

Enhancing Lane Detection In Autonomous Vehicles Using Data Augmentation For Adverse Environmental Conditions, Rutvikkumar Dave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To make sure that self-driving and connected automobile technologies are safe and work well, it’s really important that they can correctly identify lanes. But lane detection Algorithms typically have a hard time working well when the weather is bad, such when it rains, fogs, or goes too fast. The circumstances cause visual distortions that make existing computer vision systems less reliable, which makes it harder requires autonomous navigation systems to work well. This paper introduces a comprehensive lane detection system that integrates synthetic Weather-informed data augmentation combined with a Weather-aware Temporal Lane Detection Network (WTLDNet) to make it easier for …

Integration Of Bayesian Networks And Neural Networks For High-Dimensional Data Analysis, Cooper Schmer

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

High-dimensional biomedical datasets, such as omics data, present significant challenges for predictive modeling due to noise, redundancy, and computational complexity. This thesis proposes a hybrid framework that integrates Bayesian Networks (BNs) and Artificial Neural Networks (NNs) to improve classification performance of such data sets while reducing input dimensionality. Central to this work is a novel feature selection method based on d-separation, a structural property of Bayesian networks that encodes conditional independence relationships.

The proposed approach introduces a count-based d-separation metric to quantify the relevance of variables to a target outcome, along with a thresholding scheme to balance feature selection robustness …

Mild Thermal Treatment Of Lithium-Ion Batteries To Optimize Black Mass Production, Brooke Lillie

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explains the design of equipment and the experimental procedure for thermal treatment of lithium-ion batteries for the purpose of low-cost materials recycling. Conditions used were between 150 ℃ and 425 ℃, involving different atmospheric conditions and treatment durations. The battery samples were processed through a sieve shaker device. Mass loss during the heat treatment, and separation of the battery through sieving was used to analyze the effect of the treatments on separability of black mass from the batteries. Additionally, internal battery temperature was measured and compared to real average furnace temperature to monitor thermal runaway. Testing showed minimal …

​ Planning, Control, And State Estimation For Chain-Style Modular Robots​, Sebastian Theiler, Yucheng Nie, Joshua P. Kevil

Electrical and Systems Engineering Capstone Design Projects

Traditional robots have fixed shapes, limiting their ability to adapt to complex or dynamic environments. Modular robotic systems are composed of identical robot modules that can connect and disconnect to form different structures. This allows the robots to form bridges to cross voids and split apart to fit into tight corridors. However, while previous modular robotics research heavily emphasizes reconfiguration planning, comprehensive motion planning remains underexplored. We introduce a novel, end-to-end framework for the planning, state estimation, and control of chain-style modular robot swarms. Our system includes a custom network flow planner that maps polygonal environments into a Reeb graph …

Opportunistic Breast Cancer Detection With Photon-Counting Ct: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Reconstruction-Dependent Image Quality, Graham Hannon

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has emerged as a promising imaging modality with improved spatial resolution and contrast capabilities compared to conventional energy-integrating detector systems. These advantages present an opportunity for opportunistic detection of breast cancer in routine thoracic CT scans that include breast tissue. In this pilot study, we evaluated the feasibility of opportunistic breast cancer detection using clinical PCCT data through quantitative image analysis. Two patients with confirmed breast malignancies and corresponding thoracic PCCT scans were retrospectively analyzed. Dedicated reconstructions were performed with varying convolution kernels, field-of-view sizes, and virtual monoenergetic spectra. Image quality was assessed using signal-to-noise ratio …

Space Degradable Pyrotechnic Fastener, Jonathan Baker

Honors Theses

Space debris has become a critical threat to orbital operations, with over 30,000 tracked objects currently circling Earth. Traditional separation charges used in satellite launches contribute significantly to this problem by generating unpredictable shrapnel that can remain in orbit for decades or centuries. This project proposes the design and development of a spacedegradable explosive bolt that exploits the harsh space environment to accelerate material breakdown after use.

The design utilizes advanced polymer materials selected for their susceptibility to degradation from UV radiation — an environmental factor abundant in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Our prototype will be engineered to meet industry-standard …

Development Of A Grease Resistant Barrier For Food Industry Applications, Mira Marino

Honors Theses

The objective of this project is to develop a grease-resistant barrier coating for paper-based food packaging and to evaluate the economic feasibility of implementing this coating system at an industrial scale. As demand increases, this project focuses on identifying an optimal pigment and binder combination that enhances barrier performance while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The primary goal was to maximize grease and moisture resistance of coated paper while ensuring the process is economically viable and compatible with existing paper mill operations.

The final plant design consists of one continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and three centrifugal pumps integrated into an existing paper …

Investigating The Cost And Efficiency Of Two Chemical Pathways To Produce The Plant-Based Coagulants, Taylor Nixon

Honors Theses

Plant-based coagulants are promising sustainable alternatives for water treatment due to their biodegradability, low toxicity, and reduced risk of secondary pollution. Unlike conventional inorganic coagulants, they generate less sludge and avoid secondary contamination in the environment. This project examines two chemical modification strategies for producing cationic cellulose coagulants. The first involves direct amination of cellulose using CHPTAC, while the second employs periodate-oxidized dialdehyde cellulose, which enables reductive amination through reactive aldehyde groups. These approaches are expected to yield materials with differing charges, surface functionalities, and structural properties that may influence coagulation performance. The study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility …

Piano Aid, Christopher G. Sayers, Tyler Baugus, Gabby Taunton

Create@State

Pianos provide recreational and educational value and is a cornerstone of the culture experienced worldwide today. Despite the many benefits and enrichment music brings these benefits are often inaccessible or difficult to learn by most people but especially to those of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community due to its innate auditory nature. While adaptive instruments have been proposed to address this gap, many remain conceptual or fail to reach production because of high development costs and limited commercial markets. This project presents an economically feasible alternative in the design of an adaptive digital piano that enables both …

Cast In Steel: Horseman's Axe, Sam A. Morris

Create@State

Cast in Steel is a competition between universities across North America started by the Steel Founders Society of America. The competition is centered around giving students the opportunity to learn about casting and the steel industry in general. A prompt of a weapon or tool with some level of historical significance is given to all the teams. The prompt for the 2026 Arkansas State University team, was a Horseman’s Axe. The team designed their rendition of a horseman’s axe, worked with Southern Cast Products as their local industry parter, and fabricated a finished axe to represent Arkansas State University as …

Development Of A Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine With Integrated Water-Based Cooling Jacket, Mauricio Bautista, Jesus Cortes, Christian Lopez, Hugo Robles, Will Owens, Josh Sutton, Jayden Pace, Shelby Enlow

Create@State

This projects describes the development of a liquid rocket engine with a metal casted cooling jacket. We test the system and provide simulation data for the project.

Spatial Computing With The Apple Vision Pro In Minimally Invasive Procedure Simulation: A Randomized Crossover Feasibility Study, Sydney Cooper, Aaron Kyle Jones, Rahul Anil Sheth, Koustav Pal, Bruno Odisio, Mark Blaylock, Shelita Kimble, Justin Bird, David Rice, Daniel Shoenthal, Emil Patel, Vipin Kamath, Sanjay Gupta, Jeffrey Siewerdsen, Joshua Kuban

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of wearing the Apple Vision Pro (AVP), a mixed-reality headset that integrates augmented and virtual reality, while performing minimally invasive procedures. While studies have demonstrated that spatial computing technology can improve surgical precision and reduce the risks of surgical complications, to our knowledge, no studies have specifically addressed the impact of the AVP on task performance during simulated image-guided procedures.

Materials and Methods: Thirteen diagnostic and interventional radiology residents performed image-guided central venous catheter placement, thoracentesis, and paracentesis on simulation models. Each participant completed a non-timed practice followed by the procedures once …

Modelling Method Of Unmanned Vehicle Dynamics Based On Neural Network, Jun Wang, Min Liu, Xiaochuan Zhang, Yishan Ding, Juhui Feng, Ye Zhuang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the challenges of high data acquisition costs of test data on dynamic characteristics between tires and soft terrain and low speed of numerical calculation for unmanned vehicles in complex terrestrial environments, a modeling method of unmanned vehicle dynamics based on a neural network was proposed. Tire-terrain contact dynamics models were built by using discrete element method (DEM) simulations for tire-terrain contact and experimental data, thereby creating a dataset of tire contact forces for various tire materials in terrestrial environments. The neural network was applied to regressively learn the dataset, and a nonlinear neural network tire model was …

Method For Testing And Evaluating Intelligence Level Of Virtual Forces Based On Operational Experiments, Dayong Liu, Zhiming Dong, Weidong Zhang, Wenjun Zhang, Jiancheng Gao

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The intelligence level of virtual forces is a key factor affecting the credibility and effectiveness of tactical confrontation simulations. To address the current lack of a testing and evaluation system, a method for testing and evaluating the intelligence level of virtual forces based on operational experiments is proposed. Guided by operational experiment theory, the method stimulates the intelligent behavior of virtual forces by constructing dynamic confrontation environments, and collects, calculates, analyzes, and evaluates their intelligence performance data according to a systematic process. The overall architecture, logical functional modules, and basic evaluation process of the method are designed. A "4M" …

Swosu Research And Scholarly Activity Fair 2026, Swosu Office Of Sponsored Programs

SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair Programs

On behalf of the University Research and Scholarly Activity Committee (URSAC) and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, we are pleased to welcome you to the Thirty-Fourth SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair.

Expanding The Convergence Canon: Indigenous Knowledge Systems And Place-Based Convergence Research In Lake Superior’S Keweenaw Bay, Usa, Melissa Baird, Valoree Gagnon, Judith Perlinger, Noel Urban, Larissa A. Juip, Kelly Kamm, Evelyn Ravindran, Caren Ackley, Cassandra M. Reed-Vandam

Michigan Tech Publications

This study presents results from an NSF-funded convergence research project conducted in partnership with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, USA. While convergence research frameworks often emphasize deep integration, we argue that participatory, place-based, and community-led convergence requires maintaining an integrity of difference. Through a systematic literature review, surveys and semi-structured interviews, we examined how team members operationalized convergence research and the Tribal Landscape System (TLS) framework. Across these data sources, convergence emerged as a negotiated practice shaped by distinct roles, institutional responsibilities, and long-term partnership commitments. Our findings demonstrate that ethical engagement, adaptive collaboration, and …

Research On Control Of Coaxial Dual-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Based On Improved Reaching Law, Xinhang Chen, Xiaodong Ling, Chengchang Lang, Shijun Zheng, Yiqi Tang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the issues of significant chattering, slow convergence speed, and large overshoot in the control system of a coaxial dual-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, a control method based on an improved double-power and hyperbolic function integral sliding mode reaching law was proposed. A novel reaching law was designed to achieve fast convergence when the system state is far from the sliding surface and smooth transition when approaching the sliding surface, thereby enhancing the overall convergence speed of the system and ensuring that the system reaches the sliding surface within a finite time. The saturation characteristic of the hyperbolic function …

Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems, Lei Xu, Qingbo Yang, Xingmao Ma, Honglan Shi, John Yang, Hu Yang, Samira Mahdi, Ying Wang, Young Shin Jun

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recent agricultural applications of engineered metallic nanoparticles (ENPs) have raised concerns about their uptake and fate in plants. To understand this critical issue, this study investigated the fate and uptake of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) ENPs in maize (Zea mays L.) after single or binary ENP exposure in soil. Results indicated that both Zn and Ag elemental concentrations in roots increased with increasing ENP dosage. Ag NPs in the tissues were detected, but not Zn NPs. Ag NP concentration was 3 times higher in the roots than in the shoots at low Ag NP dosing, while Ag NP …

Model-Based System Verification: Theoretical Framework, Key Technologies, And Future Prospects, Bo Sun, Yi Ren, Silin Wang, Qi Liu, Zhidong Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Traditional system verification methods face significant challenges in terms of efficiency, coverage, and traceability. To address these issues, this paper introduced model-based system verification (MBSV), which deeply integrated verification activities within the model-based systems engineering model system and evolution process. It presented the foundational logic of MBSV and proposed a multiview unified verification modeling strategy based on system modeling language (SysML), integrating requirements, structure, behavior, and constraints. The paper discussed the algorithms for selecting representative paths and reducing equivalent classes to enhance verification efficiency, the principles of test path search, as well as the intelligent path search mechanism based …

Large Language Model For X Language Simulation: Architecture, Key Technologies, And Typical Applications, Laichunyang Peng, Fei Ye, Xiaoming Guo, Jinglin Zhou

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: General-purpose large language models lack training on X language-specific corpora, and traditional fine-tuning methods lack targeted adaptation to the interdisciplinary integration and multimodule coupling of X language, resulting in problems such as non-standard syntax and semantic deviation in generated code. To address these issues, this paper systematically proposed the definition and integrated architecture of a large language model for X language simulation. Modeling subclasses were defined according to the disciplines and classes of X language, and dedicated adapters were constructed for each subclass. By merging their weights during the inference phase, the incremental integration of multi-domain modeling skills was …

Space-Ground Integrated Collaborative Positioning Algorithm And Simulation For Trajectory Enhancement, Juhui Wei, Xinyong Zhang, Jiongqi Wang, Xuanying Zhou, Zhangming He

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the challenges of low credibility, weak consistency, and poor accuracy in the information of trajectory results from space-based and ground-based passive time difference positioning simulation systems, a space-ground integrated collaborative positioning method was proposed for trajectory enhancement. By analyzing the operating principle of the time difference positioning system, the influencing factors that measure positioning accuracy in different feature dimensions were obtained; spline smoothing was employed for data alignment between space-based and ground-based systems; a spline-constrained parametric trajectory model was proposed to further enhance the stability; an error-sensitive feature selection framework for improving simulation consistency was constructed to …

Intelligent Competition Platform And Mode Driven By Cloud-Native Simulation, Long Qin, Hesong Huang, Lujia Yin, Chuan Ai, Qi Zhang, Xinmeng Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To solve the problems faced by the adversarial competition mode of agents, including difficult development and deployment, low resource utilization, poor reusability, and difficulty in accessing reinforcement learning algorithms, a new agent simulation training platform was designed. The software components of the competition platform were decoupled based on cloud-native technology; a high-performance simulation engine for the competition environment was proposed; a new method of an embedded reinforcement learning model for an intelligent control terminal was designed, with multiple online and offline policy-based reinforcement learning algorithms set. The experiment demonstrates that the development and deployment of the system is efficient, …

Analysis For Predicting Surface Temperature And Combustion Of Heavy-Duty, Pre-Chamber-Enabled, Hydrogen Engines, Tony Spezia

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Hydrogen as an alternative fuel shows great promise to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heavy duty engines. However, the challenge for hydrogen engines is that hydrogen has very different combustion properties compared to conventional hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogen has very high flame speeds, very low ignition energy, and very wide flammability limit. These properties result in hydrogen engines being prone to abnormal combustion. Abnormal combustion makes hydrogen engines difficult to control or can cause catastrophic damage to the engine, so it is important to avoid conditions where abnormal combustion occurs. Hot spots along the combustion chamber walls are often the …

Edgecube -- An Iot Edge-Sensor Node For Tiny Machine Learning Applications, Nathan Gerard Timmins

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis presents a novel internet-of-things (IoT) edge device, EdgeCube, a compact embedded system that combines a microcontroller unit (MCU) and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The proposed platform explores a trade-off between the performance gains achievable through FPGA-based acceleration and the associated increases in cost and power consumption. The primary contributions of this thesis include (1) the design of a compact hybrid MCU–FPGA edge architecture intended for vision workloads, (2) a streaming MCU-to-FPGA data path using SPI for frame transfer, and (3) an end-to-end hardware prototype and evaluation on an embedded inference task. Designed for IoT vision applications, EdgeCube …

Physiobridge: Physiology-Constrained Self-Supervised Foundation Model For Cross-Device Ecg–Ppg Learning With Conformal Risk Control, Abbas Alzubaidi, Ali Al-Shuwaili, Ali Al-Bayaty

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wearable and bedside sensors continuously generate electrocardiograms (ECG), photoplethysmograms (PPG), and related physiological waveforms that could enable earlier detection of deterioration and more personalized care. However, current deep learning pipelines in biomedical signal processing often remain taskand device-specific, degrade under domain shift (new hospitals, sensors, skin tones, motion), and provide limited uncertainty information for safety-critical decisions. We propose PhysioBridge, a foundation-model approach that learns a shared representation space for ECG and PPG via self-supervised pretraining and explicit physiology constraints, then supports downstream adaptation with distribution-free risk control. PhysioBridge introduces (i) multi-rate patch tokenization that preserves clinically meaningful morphology across heterogeneous …

Improving The Circuit Realization Of Grover’S Quantum Search Algorithm By Replacing Hadamard With √ × Gates, Ali Al-Bayaty, Ali Al-Shuwaili, Abbas Alzubaidi, Marek Perkowski

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Jozsa, Bernstein-Vazirani, and Grover, utilize Hadamard gates to create uniform superposition states for the input qubits of an oracle. However, Hadamard gates are non-native (non-supported) gates in all real quantum computers. For this reason, Hadamard gates are considered cost-expensive gates when realizing (transpiling) such algorithms into a real quantum computer. This paper introduces a new methodology for cost-effective transpilation of Grover’s algorithm into real quantum computers, by replacing all Hadamard gates with √ X gates. In quantum computing, the Hadamard and √ X gates create uniform superposition states of a qubit on the Xaxis and Y-axis of the Bloch sphere, …

Review On Optimization Of Simulation Modeling Strategies For Spacecraft Orbit Avoidance, Guozheng Li, Rui Wang, Shichao Fan, Xintong Cai, Xinyue Zhai

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The number of on-orbit spacecraft increases exponentially; the space environment becomes more complex, and the collision risk of on-orbit spacecraft increases significantly. On-orbit safety is thus severely threatened, posing higher requirements for orbit avoidance methods. The costs and risks of space activities are extremely high, making simulation an effective method to solve complex problems of orbit avoidance. The modeling, solution, and simulation methods for the two core issues of spacecraft orbit avoidance, "collision avoidance" and "pursuit-evasion games", were systematically reviewed, and the existing shortcomings were analyzed. The applications of technologies such as deep reinforcement learning in promoting orbit avoidance …

Vehicle Routing Optimization For Underground Mines Considering Fuzzy Demand And Time Tolerance, Guorong Wang, Haishun Deng, Ziming Kou, Xuanxuan Yan, Zhixiang Huang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To solve the problem of material demand fluctuation and different time windows in auxiliary transportation of underground mines, a routing optimization method for material distribution considering fuzzy demand and time tolerance was proposed. Based on the fuzzy credibility theory, uncertain demand was constrained by fuzzy chance constraints, and a multi-objective routing optimization model for underground mine auxiliary transportation was constructed with the objectives of minimizing the total operating cost of vehicles and maximizing time tolerance. A multi-objective genetic algorithm with mixed dominance strength was designed to solve the model. By calculating the deviation difference of Pareto frontier solutions, …

Auv Path Planning Integrating Local-Global Strategies In Unknown Environments, Wenlong Meng, Yanbo Pu, Ya Gong

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Existing path planning algorithms often struggle to efficiently explore and generate high-quality trajectories. To address this issue, this paper proposes a path planning algorithm that integrates local-global strategies. By employing the rolling window technique, the global one-time path planning problem is transformed into an iterative process of multiple local planning stages. During the global exploration phase, the rolling window is used to determine high-level path branches and to identify branch waypoints, thereby refining the calculation of local paths. In the local exploration phase, an improved RRT-Connect algorithm is proposed, which combines adaptive circular sampling with dynamic step length to …