Digital Commons Network^™

Wine Club Shipment Package Redesign, Emily E. Prescott

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This report shows the design, manufacturing, and testing process for the product development of a wine club shipment package for Niner Wine Estates. Niner has two different shipment sizes, 4 bottles and 6 bottles, and wishes to improve their current package by giving it a more “high-class” feel. After the new package was designed and prototyped, it went through standardized quality testing to be cleared for commercial use. This testing is intended to simulate the distribution cycle the package will experience and subject it to potential hazards such as being dropped and vehicle vibration during transportation.

After the package passed …

The Tendril, Nicole Flinn

Landscape Architecture

This modular vineyard took the traditional understanding of growing wine grapes and turned it on its side. A site that was once covered completely in vines is transformed into a tower-like form to maximize space and growing potential. By performing these practices in a controlled environment every element is carefully manipulated for desirability.

The Nest: Nursery & Trails, Brianna Graham

Landscape Architecture

The Nest is the development of a wholesale and retail nursery in

Nipomo, California, with accompanying residence. Phased project

additions include planting display gardens, developing a trail system,

installing the necessary facilities to accommodate weddings, establishing

a natural adventure playground, and opening a Bed & Breakfast.

The display gardens will not only teach about ecology, plant communities,

and planting design but serve as a lovely outdoor venue

for special events and as especially attractive backdrops for photography.

Visualizing Relationships Between Related Variables: Improving Physics Education Through D3.Js Network Visualizations, Stephanie Friend

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

phiMap is a web application started by Cal Poly professors and students to aid professors in teaching physics. I developed Javascript visualizations for phiMap that serve to simplify the processes of both teaching and learning physics. These visualizations aim to present relationships between physics variables in an easy to understand manner, and they could eventually have a huge impact on physics education.

Siting Of An Electric Vehicle Charging Station- Los Osos California, Francisco Vargas

City and Regional Planning

The intent of this report is to test existing methods used in the siting of electric vehicle charging stations in the Central Coast. The report outlines the siting process used in the first public electric vehicle charging station in Los Osos, California. In addition, justification for the ideal location and type of charging station is developed for the community of Los Osos.

Sustainability In The Craft Brewing Industry: An Analysis Of Tertiary Wastewater Treatments, Jessica Uibel

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

In 2014, Firestone Walker began the implementation of an onsite Wastewater Treatment Plant to treat the brewery’s process wastewater. Although the secondary treatment of aerated lagoons was capable of lowering the effluent to Paso Robles discharge requirements, Firestone Walker considered investing in a tertiary treatment to reclaim water for industrial reuse in wash down, evaporative coolers, and steam generation.

The information required to determine to optimal tertiary treatment system included the effluent levels leaving the lagoons, the influent requirements for the reclamation uses, the discharge requirements from Paso Robles, and the flow rate of the process wastewater. With this information, …

Simulation Of Light Scattering From Brownian Particles, Raymond Mullen

Physics

This project is a computational exploration of the light scattering from Brownian particles. We simulate laser light scattering to produce fluctuating light intensity at a detector located in the far-field. By analyzing the statistical properties of this intensity fluctuation, and knowing physical parameters of the system, we can deduce the size of the scattering particles. The computer simulation is in excellent agreement with theory.

An Extremum Principle For Charged Black Holes, Shaker Von Price Funkhouser

Physics

There is a well known static condition that characterizes how two or more charged black holes stay in place: this condition is |qi |=mi , where a black hole (labeled by i) has electric charge qi and mass mi . For nearly half a century, this static condition has eluded a simple physical interpretation, without appealing to forces. I provide the first proof that the static condition, |qi |=mi , corresponds to an extremum of the black holes’ total energy. My approach uses geometry and calculus in the context of general relativity. For the non-specialist, this work draws upon one’s …

A Preliminary Report On Escherichia Coli Strain Diversity In Cows, Alison T. Stivers

Biological Sciences

Pyroprinting is a strain typing method that relies on the simultaneous pyrosequencing of the multi-copy rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer regions of E. coli (Black, et al., 2014). These pyroprints can be used to identify the source of E. coli in the environment. Currently, Cal Poly’s Center for Applications in Biotechnology (CAB) is augmenting the existing E. coli pyroprint library. By pyroprinting the intestinal E. coli of cows, we can quantify the strain diversity present, evaluate persistence, and determine the minimum sample size required for a complete overview of the cow intestinal E. coli population. These pyroprints can then be added …

Nanogrid Electrical Design And Analysis, Phillip Phung

Electrical Engineering

Power plant generators have quality protection over long-range transmission, but localized generation interacts with multiple power sources, and needs maintenance to ensure grid safety. Localized and distributed generation must solve these issues to remain viable economically and efficiently in power industries. Cal Poly’s Building 20 provides on-campus location to interconnect renewable generation with interconnection disconnect capabilities.

Cal Poly’s grid includes three localized generators flowing through the Cal Poly substation. Unlike other universities which use power from utilities across distant transmission lines, Cal Poly generates energy using onsite generators. Research including additional possible sites of power generation helps determine the effects …

Optimizing Harris Corner Detection On Gpgpus Using Cuda, Justin Loundagin

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Optimizing Harris Corner Detection on GPGPUs Using CUDA

The objective of this thesis is to optimize the Harris corner detection algorithm implementation on NVIDIA GPGPUs using the CUDA software platform and measure the performance benefit. The Harris corner detection algorithm—developed by C. Harris and M. Stephens—discovers well defined corner points within an image. The corner detection implementation has been proven to be computationally intensive, thus realtime performance is difficult with a sequential software implementation. This thesis decomposes the Harris corner detection algorithm into a set of parallel stages, each of which are implemented and optimized on the CUDA platform. …

Outdoor Adventure Therapy To Increase Physical Activity In Young Adult Cancer Survivors, Elizabeth C. Gill, Suzanne Phelan, Marni Goldenberg, Heather Starnes

Master's Theses

Physical activity (PA) has numerous benefits for cancer survivors, but limited research exists on PA interventions in young adult cancer survivors. Outdoor adventure therapy is a potential method of increasing PA in this demographic. The primary purpose of this non-randomized parallel group study was to determine whether the outdoor adventure camp experience (vs. wait list control) would increase participants’ PA levels immediately following the 7-day camp, as well as three months later. Secondary aims examined correlates of greater PA, including pre-post camp changes in sedentary behavior, exercise self-efficacy, environmental change self-efficacy, perceived barriers to exercise, physical activity enjoyment, and physical …

Bicycle Tourism Plan For Economic Development: A Template For Rural Agricultural Towns And A Case Study For The City Of Winters, California, Marisa Rene Lee

Master's Theses

Bicycling is a method of tourism transportation that is healthy, non-invasive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. It allows freedom, mobility, and sightseeing potential that is not made possible by other modes of transit. Thousands of bicycle tourists travel from all over the globe annually to explore California on touring bikes via established cycling routes and robust determination. Thousands of additional domestic and international visitors take weekend trips, plan family vacations, travel for business, or tour California from abroad, many of whom are excellent candidates for local and regional bicycle touring at a more gentle intensity level.

The increasing popularity and …

Survey Of Phytoseiids (Acari: Phytoseiidae) On The Central Coast Of California, Maria Elena Murrietta

Master's Theses

Phytoseiids were collected March through November, 2006 and 2007, from leaf samples of avocados, cherimoya, caneberry, grape, and strawberry from a combined total of 24 sites. The most diverse collection of phytoseiids was identified on grape with seven different genera and 12 different species followed by caneberry with 7 genera and 7 species. Strawberry was the least diverse with three genera and three different species. The most significant presence of type I and type II phytoseiids were located on caneberry and strawberry while avocado, cherimoya and grape were dominated by type IV species. Reasons for the difference in diversity could …

Public Relations In Town-Gown Communities: Improving And Creating A Beneficial Relationship Between The College And Its' Community, Taylor Crump

Journalism

This study demonstrates the importance and best practices associated with building two-way symmetrical communication and a democratic partnership between a university and its’ city and community. It analyzes the current relationship between Cal Coast College and Central Coast City. With the United States in constant competition with those around the globe in regards to innovation and technology, it has become increasingly important to that universities and their communities work together to not only build mutually beneficial relationships in their communities, but ones that will prepare its’ students to be leaders and influential community members. This study investigates the current strains, …

A Critical-Cultural Analysis Of Evolving Music Technology And Human Communication: Should We Let The Music Do The Talking?, Erin Warren

Communication Studies

Noted media communication scholar Marshall McLuhan said it best when he famously asserted “the medium is the message.” He continues on, recognizing that “the personal and social consequences of any medium -- that is, of any extension of ourselves -- result from the new scale Warren 5 that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology” (McLuhan 7). One category of mediums it applies best to is music. This interests me, as a communication studies student and as someone who aims to understand the role that human interaction plays in music technology. In …

The Iconic Blue Box: A Semiotic Analysis Of Tiffany & Company Advertisements, Lauren Drewniany

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Promoting Ethnic Awareness And Appreciation In Preschool Children, Hailey Drake, Hye Ran Helen Sim

Psychology and Child Development

No abstract provided.

Hospice Volunteerism In Residents Of A Skilled Nursing Facility, Sarah Stump

Psychology and Child Development

Volunteering within their community greatly benefits older adults, contributing to increased optimism, self-perceived health, and feelings of connectedness. However, most of the literature examines the volunteerism of community dwelling seniors, with few studies examining the experiences of older adult volunteers living in care facilities. The present study aims to compare the motives and experiences of community dwelling volunteers with a sample of four residents of Bayside Care Center that participated in hospice volunteer training. Two focus groups were conducted with the residents following their training, and the recorded contents were transcribed for qualitative analysis. Results indicated that this group of …

Improved Detection Of Gold Nanoparticle Labels For Paper-Based Analytics, Brian Taylor Daugherty

Master's Theses

Point-of-care diagnostic devices are well-suited, and typically designed, for remote and/or resource-limited environments. The obvious application is for healthcare in the developing world; however, other additional important uses exist, including for security (biothreat agent detection) and human health and research during future manned deep space exploration missions.

The objective of this thesis was to develop, and experimentally validate, techniques for improved quantified detection of labels used in lateral flow assays. Limits of detection were characterized for: (a) optical approaches, i.e., unaided eye, mobile electronic device camera images and microscope images with image analysis software developed through this thesis, and (b) …

Benchmarking, Characterization And Tuning Of Shell Ecomarathon Prototype Powertrain, Eric J. Griess

Master's Theses

With the automotive industry ever striving to push the limits of fuel efficiency, the Shell EcoMarathon offers a glimpse into this energy conserving mindset by challenging engineering students around the world to design and build ultra-efficient vehicles to compete regionally. This requires synchronization of engineering fields to ensure that the vehicle and powertrain system work in parallel to achieve similar goals.

The goal for Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo’s EcoMarathon vehicle for the 2015 competition is to analyze the unique operating mode that the powertrain undergoes during competition and improve their current package to increase fuel efficiency. In this …

Three-Phase Generation Using Reactive Networks, Tattiana Karina Coleman Davenport

Master's Theses

Household appliances utilize single-phase motors to perform everyday jobs whether it is to run a fan in an air conditioner or the compressor in a refrigerator. With the movement of the world going “green” and trying to make everything more efficient, it is a logical step to start with the items that we use every day. This can be done by replacing single-phase motors with three-phase motors in household appliances. Three-phase motors are 14% more efficient than single-phase motors when running at full load and typically cost less over a large range of sizes [1]. One major downside of incorporating …

Combination Of A Probabilistic-Based And A Rule-Based Approach For Genealogical Record Linkage, Pooja P. Shah

Master's Theses

Record linkage is the task of identifying records within one or multiple databases that refer to the same entity. Currently, there exist many different approaches for record linkage. Some approaches incorporate the use of heuristic rules, mathematical models, Markov models, or machine learning. This thesis focuses on the application of record linkage to genealogical records within family trees. Today, large collections of genealogical records are stored in databases, which may contain multiple records that refer to a single individual. Resolving duplicate genealogical records can extend our knowledge on who has lived and more complete information can be constructed by combining …

Conservation Through Limited Development: An Approach For Land Conservancies, Catherine Joy Tarone

Master's Theses

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County is interested in determining the approach that it may take if it decides to pursue conservation and limited development as a strategy to preserve land. In using conservation and limited development, the Conservancy may put into practice its core values by employing this intensely-collaborative conservation tool and informing itself about development, conservation, collaboration and financing, in order to meet multiple community needs.

Information about the limited development process was collected from books, news articles and personal communications with professionals to determine its components. Each chapter of this report analyzes one component, putting …

Effect Of Sustainable And Composite Materials On The Mechanical Behavior Of Sandwich Panels Under Edgewise Compressive Loading, Justin A. Tafoya

Master's Theses

Over the last three decades, the aerospace industry has gradually shifted from metals to composites in many different applications due to the lightweight properties of composite materials. Some benefits of composites include higher strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. At this point in time, the composite industry researchers are focusing on renewable and sustainable materials (bio-composites). By understanding the structural capabilities of bio-composites that have been used for centuries, new developments of sustainable materials will spark more interest throughout the industry. Bio-composites include fibers such as hemp, bamboo, flax, etc. The high demand for bio-composites in composite structures can also reduce …

Identification Of Saccharina Groenlandica (Phaeophyceae) Around The Svalbard Archipelago: Dna Barcoding Using Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 1 (Coi), Anniken Lydon

Master's Theses

In the Arctic, brown algae (kelps) and seaweeds are ecologically important: providing habitat, protection, and nutrients for invertebrate and vertebrate species living in nearshore environments. Migrations of biota between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans have occurred periodically during Earth’s history leading to colonization of the Arctic Ocean. Around 3.5 Mya the “Great Trans-Arctic Biotic Interchange” occurred and the Laminariales order of kelp, thought to be of North Pacific origin, underwent a massive radiation and speciation event around the Arctic Ocean. Phylogenetic analysis performed on “Laminaria-like” specimens collected from six sampling locations around the Svalbard Archipelago identified …

Development And Lab Calibration Of The Pnuematic In-Situ Soil Caving Index Sampler (Piscis), Michael A. Grolle

Master's Theses

The caving/sloughing of sandy layers into drilled shafts is a common and costly phenomenon in the drilling industry. A prototype soil-testing device known as the Pneumatic In-situ Soil Caving Index Sampler (PISCIS) has been developed to test sandy layers above the water table for their propensity to cave/slough into a drilled shaft during the drilling process. The PISCIS fits down a Cone Penetration Test (CPT) hole and uses air pressure to agitate a sample off of the hole wall that is then collected and weighed. Large-scale lab testing was conducted using sand under a variety of simulated overburden pressures and …

Platforms For Teaching Distributed Computing Concepts To Undergraduate Students, J. Forrester

Master's Theses

Over the last two decades, information technology has been moving towards distributed computing to host their applications and services. These systems can process more data more reliably than their central processing counterparts; however, distributed applications are more complex to design and develop because they require additional properties like replication and fault tolerance to work effectively. These complexities translate to the educational setting, where schools need to invest in additional infrastructure, knowledge, and technologies to teach distributed concepts to students.

This project presents the design and implementation of a complete educational framework for the teaching of distributed computing concepts at Cal …

Does Scenic Make Cents?, Sara Ann Sanders

Master's Theses

The stretch of California Route One (Highway 1) from the City of San Luis Obispo reaching north to the Monterey County line is one of the most scenic drives in the United States. This stretch of highway is a destination in its own right; so much so, the San Luis Obispo North Coast Scenic Byway is federally designated as an All-American Road, the highest scenic designation of any road or highway in the nation. There has been a history for funding the preservation and enhancement of these roads; however, it was removed in 2012. Even with the lack of current …

Design Methods For Remotely Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, William Beaman Howe

Master's Theses

A method for sizing remotely powered unmanned aerial vehicles is presented to augment the conventional design process. This method allows for unconventionally powered aircraft to become options in trade studies during the initial design phase. A design matrix is created that shows where, and if, a remotely powered vehicle fits within the design space. For given range and power requirements, the design matrix uses historical data to determine whether an internal combustion or electrical system would be most appropriate. Trends in the historical data show that the break in the design space between the two systems is around 30 miles …