Digital Commons Network^™

Design, Analysis, And Simulation Of A Jitter Reduction Circuit (Jrc) System At 1ghz, Run Bin Yu

Master's Theses

The clock signal is considered as the “heartbeat” of a digital system yet jitter which is a variation on the arrival time of the clock edge, could undermine the overall performance or even cause failures on the system. Deterministic jitter could be reduced during the designing process however random jitter during operation is somehow less-controllable and unavoidable. Being able to remove jitter on the clock would therefore play a vital role in system performance improvement.

This thesis implements a 1GHz fully feedforward jitter reduction circuit (JRC) which can be used as an on-chip IP core at clock tree terminals to …

Evaluation Of Efficiency Of Various Materials To Shield From Radiation In Space Using The Monte Carlo Transport Code Called Fluka, Roman Savinov

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to improve spacecraft shielding from radiation in space. It focuses on the evaluation of shielding efficiency of different materials. The efficiency of a shield is evaluated by the dose profile within the shield and the amount of dose absorbed by a target using the Monte Carlo transport code called FLUKA. The output of this code is validated by recreating the experiments from published papers and comparing the results. Once the FLUKA’s output is validated, the efficiency of sixteen materials, subject to SPE and GCR sources, are evaluated. The efficiency comparison is made by fixing …

Field Emissions Of (Hydro)Chlorofluorocarbons And Methane From A California Landfill, Alexander H. Sohn

Master's Theses

A comprehensive field investigation was conducted at Potrero Hills Landfill (PHL) located in Suisun City, California to quantify emissions of twelve (hydro)chlorofluorocarbons (i.e. F-gases). The specific target constituents for this study included CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-114, HCFC-21, HCFC-22, HCFC-141b, HCFC-142b, HCFC-151a, HFC-134a, HFC-152a, and HFC-245fa. The majority of the F-gas emission studies have been conducted outside of the United States and very limited field landfill emission data are available in the United States. Because of historical usage of blowing agents in insulation foams including CFC-11, HCFC-142b, HFC-134a, and HFC-245fa, models reported in literature predicted high F-gas emissions from a landfill …

Native Cryptography In The Browser, An Exploratory Approach, Joseph A. Wilson

Master's Theses

As applications move from the desktop to the web browser, security needs to be taken into consideration. The new Web Crypto API provides native support for web applications to perform cryptographic operations and key management functions. Client side cryptographic support is a critical component in the future development of secure web based applications. This thesis presents an exploration of the Web Crypto API. The aim of this research was to determine the feasibility of developing complex cryptographic applications in the browser. This evaluation was performed by building an end to end encrypted messaging system that implements the off the record …

Effect Of Oxygen-Limiting Tidal Conditions On Muscle Metabolism And Structure In The Giant Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Nubilus, Katie O. Grady

Master's Theses

Crustacean muscle fibers are some of the largest cells in the animal kingdom, with fiber diameters in the giant acorn barnacle (Balanus nubilus) exceeding 3 mm. Sessile animals with extreme muscle sizes and that live in the hypoxia-inducing intertidal zone – like B. nubilus – represent ideal models for probing the effects of oxygen limitation on muscle cells. We investigated changes in metabolism and structure of B. nubilus muscle in response to: normoxic immersion, anoxic immersion, or air emersion, for acute (6h) or chronic (6h exposures twice daily for 2wks) time periods. Following exposure, we immediately measured hemolymph …

Torsional Stiffness And Natural Frequency Analysis Of A Formula Sae Vehicle Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Chassis Using Finite Element Analysis, Manuel Herrmann

Master's Theses

Finite element is used to predict the torsional stiffness and natural frequency response of a FSAE vehicle hybrid chassis, utilizing a carbon fiber reinforced polymer sandwich structure monocoque and a tubular steel spaceframe. To accurately model the stiffness response of the sandwich structure, a series of material tests for different fiber types has been performed and the material properties have been validated by modeling a simple three-point-bend test panel and comparing the results with a physical test. The torsional stiffness model of the chassis was validated with a physical test, too. The stiffness prediction matches the test results within 6%. …

Computational Circuit For Use In Real Time Color Amplification, Andrew Yokubaitis, Vinayak Pandu Raju

Electrical Engineering

The Eulerian Video Amplification algorithm developed at MIT allows for amplification of very small changes in seemingly static video scenes. The algorithm helps visualize these small changes by amplifying them to pull out signals of interest, such as the human pulse and the motion of hot air. This algorithm is computationally intensive and, as is, is difficult to run in real-time as a serially executed program. Our project is to design a parallel processing circuit that allows the algorithm to be calculated in hardware in order to magnify these small changes in real time. This will be done by using …

Wild Stallion Distortion Pedal, Levi E. Sullenger

Electrical Engineering

The Wild Stallion Distortion Pedal project encompasses the research, design, implementation, PCB layout, and packaging of a distortion effect pedal for the electric guitar. This project aims to use analog circuitry in order to replicate the effect of vintage tube amplifiers to create a distortion effect. The procedure includes research, design, simulations, and prototype testing in order to produce a quality distortion effect built as a stomp pedal for the electric guitar.

Electronic Deer Warning System, David Zhuo, Anlang Lu

Computer Engineering

Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) are extremely dangerous, often injuring or even killing drivers. Unfortunately, this form of automotive accident is commonplace in the United States. According to the NHTSA, DVCs result in 200 human deaths a year.2

Despite these deadly incidents, there currently are no deployed federal or state systems for preventing DVCs. There are many consumer electronic deer deterrent products, but their long-term effectiveness is questionable.3 In fact, there does not appear to be much research into electronic deer deterrent systems. Aside from constant audio output and electric shock, no other means of electronic deterrent exist. Even if fixed deterrents …

Active Contact Lens - Low Power Backscattering Sensor-To-Antenna Integration Circuitry, Caleb B. Porter

Electrical Engineering

The Active Contact Lens measures the cornea-scleral radius of the wearer’s eye, which correlates to intraocular pressure (IOP), Glaucoma’s primary indicator. IOP varies throughout the day, and is drastically different from person to person, so constantly measuring it over a period of a few days can provide individualized tracking of the disease’s development and will help doctors develop personalized treatment schedules to treat the disease more precisely.

The Active Contact Lens sensor measures strain, based on the cornea-scleral radius, and reports the results wirelessly, to allow monitoring of an individual’s IOP over time. The lens is powered similarly to a …

Compounding Fire Disturbance History Encourages Coast Redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens) Regeneration And Community Dominance, Matthew R. Brousil

Master's Theses

Disturbance is fundamental to forest ecosystem function and overall health, but climate change is likely to increase both disturbance frequency and intensity in the future. Forests subject to increasingly frequent and intense disturbances are more likely to experience compounding disturbance effects. Compounding disturbances may exert unpredicted, non-additive stresses on ecosystems, leading to novel conditions that may exceed the capacity for local species to survive and regenerate. I further hypothesize that compounding disturbances could create conditions misaligned with species’ adaptations by altering physical and chemical growing conditions in forest soils, affecting forest composition, structure, and, subsequently, function for many years following …

Using Relationship Theory To Improve Stem Outreach To Corporations: A Case Study For Starbase Los Alamitos, Mark Gibson

Journalism

The goal of this study was to improve corporate outreach efforts for an educational program called Starbase Los Alamitos. This Starbase program is part of a larger effort by the Department of Defense to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in the United States.

This study was guided by the following research question: How can STEM programs use relationship management theory to improve corporate outreach? A review of the literature was performed and this study used relationship theory to design eight questions for a four person focus group. Control and treatment websites were identified. Participants were shown the …

Ios Application For Inventory In Small Retail Stores, Andrea Savage

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Currently, small retail stores with low technology budgets such as those right here in San Luis Obispo are struggling to integrate new technologies into their companies. This mobile application built for iOS with a Firebase backend is seeking to remove their barriers to entry. I built this application to give small retail stores a customizable application that allows them to display products electronically to customers and maintain accurate inventory both in one place. The construction of this application hinged around three major design decisions: UI design of the color management views, organization of the database, and accessing the database with …

Academic Senate - Agenda, 11/29/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 11/8/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

For meeting minutes, see http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/senateminutes/1251/

Academic Senate - Agenda, 11/1/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

A Novel Assessment Tool For Quantitative Evaluation Of Science Literature Search Performance: Application To First-Year And Senior Undergraduate Biology Majors, Jason M. Blank, Karen Mcgaughey, Elena Keeling, Kristen L. Thorp, Conor C. Shannon, Jeanine Marie Scaramozzino

Library Scholarship

Expertise in searching and evaluating scientific literature is a requisite skill of trained scientists and science students, yet information literacy instruction varies greatly among institutions and programs. To ensure that science students acquire information literacy skills, robust methods of assessment are needed. Here, we describe a novel tool for longitudinal, crossover assessment of literature-searching skills in science students and apply it to a cross-sectional assessment of literature-searching performance in 145 first-year and 43 senior biology majors. Subjects were given an open-ended prompt requiring them to find multiple sources of information addressing a particular scientific topic. A blinded scorer used a …

Executive Committee - Agenda, 10/25/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 10/25/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 10/18/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Agenda, 10/18/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Leveraging The Final Project To Improve Student Motivation In Introductory Digital Design Courses, Andrew Danowitz

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Student retention rates in engineering, especially among traditionally underrepresented groups, remain an obstacle to training a large, diverse engineering workforce. The NSF's Science and Engineering Indicators 2016 indicate that of students entering college with an intent to major in engineering, only 63% graduate with an engineering degree [1]. With research suggesting that misperceptions or a lack of knowledge about what work in a certain field is like can deter students from studying that discipline [2], [3], it is possible that providing a meaningful project experience at the introductory level could provide a strong positive impact on retention rates. This could …

Atomic Tiles: Manipulative Resources For Exploring Bonding And Molecular Structure, Alan L. Kiste, Rebecca G. Hooper, Gregory E. Scott, Seth Bush

Chemistry and Biochemistry

A simple manipulative resource, Atomic Tiles, is described for scaffolding the learning of Lewis structures without using algorithmic, rule-based methods of drawing. Students use Atomic Tiles to (1) create models of bonding that lead to drawing Lewis structures, (2) use the structures they create to infer patterns required for rational structures and common organic functional groups, (3) translate between Lewis structures and molecular models, and (4) use molecular models to identify isomers.

Large-Scale Outflows In Luminous Qsos Revisited: The Impact Of Beam Smearing On Agn Feedback Efficiencies, Bernd Husemann, Julia Scharwächter, Vardha N. Bennert, V. Manieri, Jong-Hak Woo, Darshan Kakkad

Physics

Context. Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) is thought to play an important role in quenching star formation in galaxies. However, the efficiency with which AGN dissipate their radiative energy into the ambient medium remains strongly debated.

Aims. Enormous observational efforts have been made to constrain the energetics of AGN feedback by mapping the kinematics of the ionized gas on kpc scale. We study how the observed kinematics and inferred energetics are affected by beam smearing of a bright unresolved narrow-line region (NLR) due to seeing.

Methods. We re-analyse optical integral-field spectroscopy of a sample of twelve luminous unobscured quasi-stellar …

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 10/4/2016, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Weights And Balances: Integrating Models For Prevention And Response To Southern California Offshore Oil Spills, Carmen Watts Clayton, Amoret Bunn

STAR Program Research Presentations

Licensing offshore oil and gas reserves in the United States waters are overseen by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Enforcement (BSEE). The licensing application includes planning for any worst-case oil spill scenario between BSEE and the applicant based on lessons learned from historic offshore spills such as the Deepwater Horizon (2010), Exxon Valdez (1989), and the Union Oil Platform Blowout (1969). The process for planning to respond to oil spills involves coordination with multiple agencies, trustees, and stakeholders to ensure that oil spill responses consider multiple factors, including ecologically sensitive species, commercial transportation and fisheries, …

Effect Of Surface Treatment On Liquid Adhesion Inside 3-D Structures, Madani A. Khan, Jeffrey Alston, Andrew Guenthner, Jacob Zavala

STAR Program Research Presentations

This study explores the relationship between chemical surface treatments on the interior of glass tubes and their resistance to fluid flow. By treating the interior of the tubes with functional silanes we can decrease or increase the interaction of the tube walls with the fluid column, which translates to changes in fluid column height for a given pressure differential. Resistance to fluid flow is quantified by using the tubes as integral parts of a barometric pressure column and measuring the changes in column height as the fluid is pulled into the tube by a set pressure differential. The barometric pressure …

Examination On The Efficacy Of Noah-Multiparameterization (Noah-Mp) As A New Land Model In Earth Systems Modeling, Nicholas Rubel, Guo-Yue Niu, Ning Ma

STAR Program Research Presentations

Along with measurements and observations, models (both physical and mathematical) are among the most important tools used by Earth scientists to make hypotheses, test hypotheses, and form predictions. These models are based upon information and theories already believed to be true. As newer and better information is discovered, the models can become more accurate and precise. Mathematical models, sometimes called numerical models, also rely on technology; as the technology used to make models becomes more advanced, more complex models can be made and used to test more variables at once. This report examines a new mathematical model called Noah-Multiparameterization (Noah-MP) …

Characterization Of S-Swcnt/Pf-Pd Dispersions And Networks, Tamara N. El-Hayek Ms., Jeffrey Blackburn, Andrew Ferguson, Tammy Pheuphong

STAR Program Research Presentations

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) are being investigated for their use in a wide variety of renewable energy applications. Their unique physical properties contribute to desirable traits such as a high carrier mobility, strong optical absorption and tunable electronic band gap. Unfortunately, due to variability in certain parameters, SWCNTs are limited in their application. The major drawback is that SWCNTs are variable in size and type and typical synthetic methods are not selective. As a result, selective methods must be developed in order to sort these tubes and extract those which are desirable for a particular application. Though there are several …

Optimizing The Telescope Assembly Alignment Simulator For Sofia, Zoe E. Sharp, Alex Quyenvo, Jennifer Briggs, Brian Eney

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) conducts research on a modified Boeing 747sp aircraft. By using a variety of infrared science instruments mounted on a 2.7 meter telescope, researchers can make discoveries about the galactic center, star formation, and various topics associated with a deeper understanding of our universe. To efficiently collect data through the SOFIA instruments, the instruments must be tested and prepared prior to being placed on the aircraft. Therefore, with the use of the Telescope Assembly Alignment Simulator (TAAS), researchers can design and construct improvements needed for these instruments to efficiently perform while in flight. The …