Digital Commons Network^™

Opensim Analysis Of The Aymara Indigenous People Performing Ancestral Tasks: Exploring Trends Of Muscle Activity With Tiwanaku Skeletal Indicators, Noah M. Taylor

Master's Theses

The Tiwanaku civilization (AD 500-1100) of the Andean highlands exhibited occupational specialization in communities, with archeological evidence suggesting the existence of labor- and residential-communities, or “taskscapes”, based on an individual’s livelihood. Prior bioarcheological studies have examined Tiwanaku skeletal remains for musculoskeletal stress markers, osteoarthritis, and cross-sectional geometry to infer activity patterns. Their descendants, the Aymara Indigenous people, currently live in the same highlands and until recently lived a lifestyle like their ancestors. Over the past 20 years, the global quinoa demand has risen, thrusting the Aymara into globalization and moving them away from the traditional tasks previously performed. This study …

Acoustic And Hemodynamic Analysis Of Phantoms: Roughness And Flow Dynamics, Ethan Erik Olof Sundberg

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether different vascular phantoms, with and without a surrogate arm, could serve as effective analogs to the human brachial artery for assessing endothelial dysfunction, an early indicator of cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is characterized by plaque buildup and endothelial damage, which precede more severe clinical events and are often detectable through changes in vascular function. A 40” water tower was used to simulate diastolic pressure, enabling water flow through each phantom. Strain gauge pressure transducers were placed at both ends of the phantoms to measure pressure drop, while a microphone captured …

A Manufacturing Process For Interdigitated Microelectrodes On Glass Wafers, Wyatt W. Warfield

Master's Theses

This study presents work done to optimize the process parameters to produce interdigitated electrodes on a borosilicate wafer. Using designed experiments and statistical analysis, the error in pattern transfer was minimized using for key process steps including exposure time, develop time and post exposure bake duration. Similarly, statistical analysis was used with profilometry data to fine tune the develop times. Qualitative analysis was used to assess thin film deposition. The resulting process produced wafers with improved pattern transfer and adequate film adhesion

Video Game Hacking, A General Problem With Generalized Solutions, Luke Rowe

Master's Theses

As video games continue to get more popular and lucrative, the number of malicious actors seeking to exploit them grows with it. As this industry expands, so does the importance of securing games against cheating and abuse. This thesis aims to educate developers to help mitigate the abuse of video games by these malicious actors. The goal of this thesis is to provide a foundational framework for thinking like a hacker and how to make games harder to abuse once a hacker bypasses conventional anti-cheat software.

This thesis outlines some of the most common cheating methods and provides general context …

Fire Safety Design For Los Angeles County Fire Station 171, Ryan Murrieta

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report provides a fire safety analysis for Los Angeles County Fire Station 171. To accomplish this, the fire station is analyzed using both a prescriptive and performance-based design approach. With this in mind, the report will show areas where Fire Station 171 is in compliance with codes and standards outlined in the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This report will also recommend improvements for the fire station in areas where the building is not up to current standards and codes.

Fire Station 171 is a two-story Type IIA construction fire station that also …

Ymca Building, Tomas Lins

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This project consists of the prescriptive and performance-based analysis of the fire protection and life safety features of the YMCA building in the city of Grants Pass, OR. The building was opened to the public in 1983 and was expanded in 2003. The initial construction is classified as Type IV and is not protected by a sprinkler system. The expanded section has a construction classification of Type II-B and is fully sprinklered. The main occupancies found in the building are Groups A and B. The building includes daycare room classified as Group E. The four core areas of prescriptive analysis …

Dairy-To-Go: An Informal And Formal Education Model On Milking Dairy Cattle, Elizabeth Ann Marie Kostalnick

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Within California, 360 schools have FFA programs; however, there are still over 2,000 high schools within the state. This equates to only 18% of California high schools having access to FFA. That number may be greater than 10%, however, access to agricultural curriculum is still limited. Considering US crop production is concentrated predominantly in California and the Midwest (USDA-ERS 2017), high schools in California, regardless of location and proximity to a farm, should have access to an agricultural curriculum. The purpose of this project was to create a curriculum where middle school and high school educators can show the process …

Ecological Footprint Analysis Of Chatgpt (Gpt-3), Isabella Boulais

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Climate change is an escalating crisis that demands immediate action from all sectors, including the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI offers climate solutions, its own environmental impact raises concerns. Unfortunately limited research due to rapid development, system complexity, and lack of standardized methodologies hinders our understanding of AI’s environmental consequences. This project aims to conduct a comprehensive ecological footprint analysis of OpenAI’s GPT-3 model that is used to power ChatGPT, establishing guidelines for assessing AI systems’ environmental impact and proposing a framework for improvement. Going beyond tracking carbon emissions, this project will outline the broader lifecycle …

Enhancing Fishnet For Wireless Network Simulation, Cameron J. Mcclure-Coleman

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This report documents the senior project focused on enhancing the Fishnet network simulation library used in Cal Poly’s CPE 464 (Introduction to Computer Networks) course. The primary goal was to implement features for simulating wireless networks and introducing discrete-event simulation (DES) capabilities to increase computational efficiency. These enhancements aim to better support the curriculum transition as Cal Poly switches from quarters to semesters. The project successfully established foundational components for wireless network simulation, including node positioning in three-dimensional space, signal propagation modeling, multiple interface nodes, and wireless collision domains. While the complete implementation of discrete-event simulation and YAML configuration features …

Spy Bot, Nathanael Bruce Farris

Computer Engineering

This project set out to develop a compact, mobile-controlled robotic platform designed for remote video surveillance and control via a smartphone. Using a Raspberry Pi as the core controller, the robot integrates a Flask-based server, HTML/JavaScript-based user interface, and an infrared-capable camera to provide real-time video streaming and directional control through a web browser. Key design challenges included managing power delivery, integrating motor control with live video, and modernizing web technologies to ensure smooth communication between client and server. The final system demonstrates a responsive and portable proof of concept that highlights the potential for future upgrades, such as night …

Improvements To Cal Poly's Hybrid Ac/Dc House, Brandon Ng, Andrew Nguyen, Logan Tom

Electrical Engineering

This senior project details the improvements made to Cal Poly’s Hybrid AC/DC House project. The previous state of the house experienced issues with proper reading of the current power being drawn from the connected AC sources, as well as with the system’s multiple-input single-output converter, where thermal overheating of specific FETs prevented the system from reaching its maximum output power. The updates made to the AC/DC house include improved code to prevent faulty readings and display failure and a cleaned-up power monitoring board that removes noisy signals and allows for the correct power implementation to be displayed. In addition, the …

Compact Modular Photovoltaic System With Mppt Controller, Alain Ardash Kanadjian, Alex Aarnio, Christopher Arango

Electrical Engineering

Energy demands have been on the rise, as environmentally harmful power generation systems stay popular due to lower costs and compact designs compared to renewable energy infrastructure. We challenge this problem with a modular photovoltaic microgrid system for power generation in underutilized spaces. The Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charge controller employed is low-cost and power efficient. This controller monitors energy generation and usage in real time, with data logging through an online user-friendly interface. With support for a variety of solar panel and battery configurations, this scalable system helps provide a cost and space efficient solution to clean energy …

Development Of A Modular Dual-Phase And Single-Phase Buck Converter Laboratory Module, Maxwell John Kreizinger, Ethan David Robson

Electrical Engineering

This senior project entails the design, creation, and testing of a circuit board to exhibit the differences and advantages of the multiphase buck converter over the single-phase buck converter for use in a future power electronic laboratory experiment at Cal Poly State University. As energy demand requirements continually increase from more advanced and widespread use of technology, it is important to find a method of power delivery that maximizes efficiency while taking up as little area on a circuit board as possible. This is where the multiphase buck converter topology is desirable over the traditional single-phase buck converter topology. For …

A Battery Charging System From A Spinning Dc Generator, William L. Robey, Darcy A. Eliasi, Kalel Gadduang, Ella Blecher

Electrical Engineering

This project presents the design and construction of a battery charging system powered by a wind energy emulator. An adjustable-speed DC motor drive coupled to a DC generator was used to imitate a wind turbine rotating at different speeds, supplying a variable DC voltage to a custom PCB with an LTC4020, a four-switch buck-boost converter and battery charger. The converter steps up or down the input voltage, ranging from 12 to 24 volts, to safely charge a lithium-ion battery using a constant current constant voltage charging cycle (CC/CV). The system highlights the practicality and increasing use of renewable and wind-powered …

A Turtlebot3 Hardware Testbed For Distributed Kalman Filter Localization, Dmitri Dobrynin, Indigo T. Garcia

Electrical Engineering

This report presents the preliminary design for a distributed localization framework for a multi-robot system. Many robotics research papers provide simulations of proposed algorithms in regards to formation control and task allocation. However, it is often that these proposals are without hardware experiments, being limited only to simulation. The objective of this framework is to provide a hardware implementation of a distributed Kalman filtering algorithm for multi-agent localization, as well as provide grounds for future multi-agent experiments. The framework is implemented on a swarm of three Turtlebot3 mobile robots. The robots can accurately localize themselves with respect to other agents …

Field Deployable Mobile Manipulator For Autonomous Apple Harvesting, Gabriel K. Basus, Antonio Bowen, Andrew Daouda

Electrical Engineering

Increasing labor costs and agricultural demands have created a need for automated apple harvesting. However, automated apple harvesting via robotic manipulation must overcome certain challenges to be an effective and efficient method. First, the system must compete with or perform better than manual human labor. Second, it must safely and accurately navigate an apple orchard autonomously. Third, the robotic manipulator must be able to securely grasp and pick apples without causing damage. To address these challenges, this project utilizes a Husky UGV equipped with a 2D LiDAR sensor, an RGB-D camera, an IMU, an OpenManipulator-X robot arm, and a soft …

Studies On The Effects Of Cap Management On The Oxidation–Reduction Potential, Phenolic Composition, And Sensory Properties Of Red Wines, Dallas J. Parnigoni

Master's Theses

Cap management during alcoholic fermentation of red wines plays a critical role in modulating the phenolic and volatile extraction from grape solids, influencing the homogenization of chemical and temperature gradients, while imparting oxygen to the must. Different cap management alternatives are also thought to influence the evolution of the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). It is critical to understand how different cap management protocols affect these variables to design a cap management protocol tailored to wine style and varietal. This thesis investigated the effects common commercially applied cap management protocols, as well as the efficacy of novel, automated gas mixing protocols as …

An Analysis Of How The Coverage Of Abortion In Media Reports Highlights Struggles For Millions Of American Women Nationwide, Alexa Miranda

Communication Studies

The purpose of this paper is to carefully analyze how news organizations have reported on impacts to women nationwide as a result of the Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization (2022) ruling by the Supreme Court. This case overruled a landmark case in judicial history, Roe v. Wade (1973), which protected the act of abortion through constitutional interpretation. There are several news reporting outlets, which include the Los Angeles Times, Houston Chronicle, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Minnesota Star Tribune which are included in this paper to aid in discussing abortion and real life stories …

Custom Data Acquisition System For The Cal Poly Racing Baja Team, Joe Keenan

Computer Engineering

The Cal Poly Racing Baja team relies on data to analyze and improve upon various vehicle systems in an off-road style vehicle. In order to accomplish this, some data logging or data acquisition (DAQ) is required to collect the data. This project explores the use of a controller area network with flexible data rate (CAN FD) bus along with a custom file format to store data on an SD card that can be made easily acceptable to engineers on the team.

Mecc Wave Energy Converter, Kenna N. Toohill, Samuel Rothstein, Ellie Abundo, Paige Dixon

Mechanical Engineering

The Marine Energy Collegiate Competition, hosted by the US Department of Energy, challenges teams to design, build, and test products for emerging markets in the blue economy. Our team has chosen to focus on the Argo program, which uses floats to collect marine-related data. Most Argo floats are purely powered by lithium batteries and have a lifespan of about 3-5 years. We aim to increase the lifetime of these floats by developing a system that harnesses wave, pressure, or thermal energy to recharge their batteries.

Efficient Thermal Design Of Data Centers, Keats M. Baggett, Andrew Ergood, Colin Brace, Jack Zilligen

Mechanical Engineering

Our sponsor needs a way to categorize and quantify the top 3 colocation center sites based on a series of criteria for given power specs. The sponsor also needs a single innovative cooling method to meet thermal and power requirements while also being manufacturable at scale. This device must also be able to interact with the given Colocation Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. This design will be tested to provide insight and data that will be applicable to further the development of colocation center cooling. This project will be executed by the Cal Poly senior project team and …

Aerospace Fastener Installation Tool, Anthony I. Berghout, Matthew K. Eggers, Liam Dunsmore, Jose Pardo

Mechanical Engineering

Contamination, particularly in aerospace manufacturing environments, is a significant concern, especially with fastener designs that incorporate torque-rated breakaway pieces for easier installation. These breakaway pieces are also known as pintails. Howmet has tooling that can collect loose pintails during installation, but they have small capacities and are not ergonomic for aerospace technicians. Their current need is for a light and ergonomic tool capable of installing a wide variety of Ergo-Tech® fasteners while having a large capacity to collect pintails and improve aerospace manufacturing methods. For this Critical Design Stage, we have finalized a design that allows Pintails to pass through …

2-Axis Solar Panel Tracker, Danica Wong, Oliver Barnaal, Anton Orme

Mechanical Engineering

Solar panels generate energy from sunlight. To do this it’s important that they remain pointed at the sun throughout the day. The Cal Poly Micro Grid Lab runs a class that uses a student made solar panel and tracking mount as an instructional tool. This project is beginning to show signs of wear from outdoor use and is unable to run without constant input due to some significant design flaws. The lab needs a new version of the mount to be made that is significantly more reliable and easier to use.

Custom Low-Profile Vacuum Valve, Aiden A. Theocheung, Nate R. Greco, Gavin T. Weber, Nate A. Ferrari

Mechanical Engineering

In Autometrix’s proprietary gantry style cutting table, a vacuum pulled through a channel array creates suction to hold soft materials firmly in place. To provide modularity for their customers a unique valve must be designed to segment the transverse channels in two or more sections. The solution must use minimal fasteners, maximize longevity, prove affordable, and be easily manufacturable.

Cal Poly Battle Bot, Miguel Martinez, Andrew Jones, Lawrence Lam, Jedidiah Tzou, Robert Giacomini

Mechanical Engineering

Problem Statement: Create a competition ready, 250 lb combat robot for the Battle Bots Proving Grounds competition. The robot needs to be capable of withstanding and dealing significant damage in addition to being able to operate while inverted. It will also need to be visually unique compared to existing designs.

Aluminum Boat Rotation Fixture, Kevin W. Heiskell, Nathaniel M. Conway, James S. Knowles, Austin J. Kehl

Mechanical Engineering

Aluminum fishing boats are widely used for various water-based activities, including fishing, transportation, and recreation. Their lightweight construction makes them ideal for maneuverability, particularly in regions like Australia. However, the manufacturing process presents challenges, specifically the need to weld both the interior and exterior seams of the hull. As the boat’s weight increases during assembly, flipping it becomes difficult and potentially hazardous. Traditional methods such as cranes or forklifts are inefficient and pose safety risks. To address this, our team developed a rotating fixture that secures the boat at two connection points, one at the bow and one at the …

Blow Down Air Knife System, Gunnar Glickert, Jacob Hambel, Chris Jacques, Jackson Koempel

Mechanical Engineering

GAF is encountering a problem with their manufacturing line where fiberglass mats are produced as a base layer for roofing shingles. As the fiberglass mat comes out of the curing oven, there is a possibility that it will stick to the conveyor belt and follow along the return route if a loss of tension downstream occurs. When the fiberglass mat follows the return route, it wraps around the rollers causing substantial damage and downtime for the plant. The goal of this project is to eliminate that problem.

Development Of A Versatile Switching Mode Inverter Laboratory Module, Zachariah Lee Mustar

Master's Theses

DC-AC converters, or inverters, are complex devices that play an essential role in photovoltaic, energy storage, and microgrid systems. Therefore, they constitute a class of power electronics that any power-focused electrical engineering student should be familiar with. This thesis presents the development and testing of a single device that power electronics students will use in a laboratory setting to experiment with each of the four different switching techniques employed in inverters: a simple square wave (SSWI), modified square wave (MSWI), bipolar PWM, and unipolar PWM. The module was built with a physically modifiable control stage and a power stage constituting …

Minifying Deep Denoising Networks With Knowledge Distillation, Antonio L. Rozzi

Master's Theses

Hearing loss is a prevalent condition, affecting hundreds of millions globally, with a higher incidence among older adults. While hearing aids are the standard treatment, the majority of those who could benefit from hearing aids choose not to wear them, attributing this decision in large part to their inability to perform well in conversations in large groups and in noisy situations. To date, no denoising systems on commercial hearing aids are able to improve speech intelligibility. Recent advances in artificial intelligence research have shown that large deep-learning models can in fact improve speech intelligibility by removing background noise from audio. …

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. …