Digital Commons Network^™

Thermal-Aware Cell And Through-Silicon-Via Co-Placement For 3d Ics, Jason Cong, Guojie Luo, Yiyu Shi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Existing thermal-aware 3D placement methods assume that the temperature of 3D ICs can be optimized by properly distributing the power dissipations and ignoring the heat conductivity of though-silicon-vias (TSVs). However, our study indicates that this is not exactly correct. While considering the thermal effect of TSVs during placement appears to be quite complicated, we are able to prove that when the TSV area in each bin is proportional to the lumped power consumption in that bin, together with the bins in all the tiers directly above it, the peak temperature is minimized. based on this criterion, we implement a thermal-aware …

Green Banking, Amy Kalloch, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary Green banking is generally defined as promoting environmentally friendly practices that aid customers in reducing their carbon footprint through their banking operation activities. These practices include such things as online banking, statements, bill payments, and account opening. Banks also invest in internal initiatives to reduce their own carbon footprint. The majority of programs consist of energy efficiency, recycling, ride sharing, and environmentally friendly lending. Banks that support the local community and environment are seen as leaders in this movement. Many online banks and smaller community banks are seen as 'greener' than the large corporate financial institutions. One criticism …

Pervasive Innovation: Taking Innovation Throughout The Organization, Bonnie Bachman, Stephen O. Bozzone

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the fundamental tenets of management is that human capital can provide an essential competitive advantage for a business. Pervasive innovation (PI) is a process that blends strategy, structure, process, and culture to elevate product development to new heights and can provide a critical advantage. PI also encompasses new paradigms, practices, methods, and applications that support an environment of creativity and innovation that cuts across organization boundaries, both internal and external boundaries. Pervasive innovation guides the team through the ideation stage to implementation by leveraging the greater collective knowledge of the entire organization. This collaborative approach ensures that the …

Web Service Selection For Resolving Conflicting Service Requests, Guosheng Kang, Jianxun Liu, Mingdong Tang, Xiaoqing Liu, Kenneth K. Fletcher

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Web service selection based on quality of service (QoS) has been a research focus in an environment where many similar web services exist. Current methods of service selection usually focus on a single service request at a time and the selection of a service with the best QoS at the user's own discretion. the selection does not consider multiple requests for the same functional web services. Usually, there are multiple service requests for the same functional web service in practice. in such situations, conflicts occur when too many requesters select the same best web service. This paper aims at solving …

A3p: Adaptive Policy Prediction For Shared Images Over Popular Content Sharing Sites, Anna Squicciarini, Smitha Sundareswaran, Dan Lin, Josh Wede

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

More and more people go online today and share their personal images using popular web services like Picasa. While enjoying the convenience brought by advanced technology, people also become aware of the privacy issues of data being shared. Recent studies have highlighted that people expect more tools to allow them to regain control over their privacy. in this work, we propose an Adaptive Privacy Policy Prediction (A3P) system to help users compose privacy settings for their images. in particular, we examine the role of image content and metadata as possible indicators of users' privacy preferences. We propose a two-level image …

Surface Modification Of Micro-Fluidic Devices, Zhan Gao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The surface modification, fabrication and characterization of microfluidic sensor systems for oxygen and glucose measurements with the use of polymeric materials were investigated in this dissertation. This dissertation is prepared in publication format. The first manuscript focuses on the surface modification of SU -8 layer to enhance the wettability. The improvement of wettability is critical since biofouling can be minimized during bioanalysis. A novel in situ photopattemable grafting technology was used to attach biocompatible polymer layers on SU-8 surface, changing its property from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. The results were confirmed by contact angle measurement and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. …

Sandwich Structures With Advanced Facings, Cody H. Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations

"The purpose of this research is to investigate potential advantages of two innovative designs of sandwich panels. The first design involves sandwich panels with a piece-wise thickness of the facings aiming at two possible outcomes: (I) improved the structural response, i.e. strength and stiffness, without increasing the weight of the structure or (2) reduction in the weight of the structure without a detriment to its structural response. The analysis is conducted analytically using the first-order shear deformation theory and numerically by the finite element analysis of conventional and stepped-wise sandwich panels. The applicability of the first-order shear deformation theory to …

Energy Auditing Proposal, Paul Parham, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary 1.1 Objectives Develop a business case for an energy audit software application that can be used on portable devices such as the iPad and reduce the time needed to complete an audit report by 50%.

Plastic Packaging: A Current Perspective On Sustainability, Shristy Bashyal, Bonnie Bachman, Margaret H. Baumann

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Packaging producers, machine manufacturers, and/or resin manufacturers are studied to conduct case study research to assess the issues they are facing with regard to “sustainability”. This industry viewpoint is conducted to generate information regarding environmental pressures facing these companies and the resulting strategies employed to be competitive and sustainable. To collect the necessary information about these selected companies and the overall industry point of view they represent, direct interview techniques are used.

Conference Marketing Research For Rolla, Missouri Chamber Of Commerce, Rebecca Mcnally, Bonnie Bachman

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper is used to give recommendations to the Chamber of Commerce in Rolla, Missouri to help them to better attract conferences and events. A survey given to event planners was the main method used for analyzing what Rolla needs to change to gain more of a name as a conference destination. Although this paper is specific to Rolla, Missouri, the methods used can be imitated for any rural town wishing to attract more conferences.

An Evaluation Of An Electric Drive Vehicle Program Based On Student Motivation And Learning Effectiveness, Ashley Banaszek, Richard H. Hall

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electric Drive Vehicles (EDVs) Are Becoming More and More Prevalent in Today's Marketplace. as Such, there is a Growing Demand for Engineers and Mechanics that Understand These Specific Types of Systems. the U.S. Department of Energy Recently Awarded the Missouri University of Science and Technology and Partners Funding to Develop a Large-Scale Training Project. the Project Includes the Development of Undergraduate and Graduate Curricula and Programs at the University Level and for Community College Vocational Programs for Mechanics. the Project Also Includes a Public Dissemination Component, Including Partners from the St. Louis Science Center. This Program Began Recently, in the …

A Web-Based Learning Module For Teaching Gis Within The Context Of Environmental Engineering, Sirjana Dahal, Richard H. Hall, Glenn Morrison, Seth Paul Lamble, Ronaldo Luna

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

There is a Growing Need for Teaching Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Engineering Disciplines, Such as Environmental. However, There Has Been Limited Focus on GIS in Undergraduate Programs, Since It's Difficult to Fit a GIS Class into the Large Number of Class Requirements Already Included in Engineering Curricula. the Purpose of This Research is the Evaluation of Web-Based Learning Module Created by a Multidisciplinary Team at a Midwestern Technological Research University, Which Allows Instructors to Integrate GIS Instruction into Existing Courses. This Module is One Part of a Large-Scale National Science Foundation Funded Project in Which GIS Modules Are Being …

The Bioactivity And Ion Release Of Titanium-Containing Glass Polyalkenoate Cements For Medical Applications, A. W. Wren, N. M. Cummins, F. R. Laffir, S. P. Hudson, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The ion release profiles and bioactivity of a series of Ti containing glass polyalkenoate cements. Characterization revealed each material to be amorphous with a T_g in the region of 650-660°C. The network connectivity decreased (1.83-1.35) with the addition of TiO₂ which was also evident with analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ion release from cements were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy for zinc (Zn^₂₊), calcium (Ca^₂₊), strontium (Sr^₂₊), Silica (Si^₄₊) and titanium (Ti4+). Ions such as Zn^₂₊ (0.1-2.0 mg/l), Ca²⁺ (2.0-8.3 mg/l,) Sr²⁺ (0.1-3.9 mg/l), and S^{i4+ …}

The Response Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm To The Presence Of A Glass Polyalkenoate Cement Formulated From A Silver Containing Glass, A. Coughlan, M. P. Ryan, N. M. Cummins, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Enhanced Photorefractivity In A Polymeric Composite Photosensitized With Carbon Nanotubes Grafted To A Photoconductive Polymer, Naveen Kumar Lingam, Sonali Kalghatgi, Jeffrey G. Winiarz

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report on the photosensitization of photorefractive (PR) polymeric composites through the inclusion of multiwalled and singlewalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), respectively, having poly(N -vinyl carbazole) (PVK) grafted to their surfaces. The PR nature of the holographic gratings was confirmed via the asymmetric exchange of energy in a two-beam-coupling (TBC) geometry, yielding TBC gain coefficients approaching 80 cm^-1. In addition, in degenerate-four-wave- mixing experiments the prepared composites exhibited diffraction efficiencies as high as 60% and overmodulation voltages as low as ∼40 V/μm. These notable figures of merit indicate that the grafting of the PVK polymer to the various CNTs …

Assessment Of Turbulence-Chemistry Interaction In Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers, L. (Lian) Duan, M. P. Martín

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Studies of the turbulence-chemistry interaction are performed in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers using direct numerical simulation flow fields under typical hypersonic conditions representative of blunt-body and slender body hypersonic vehicles, with super catalytic and noncatalytic wall conditions in pure air. Nondimensional governing parameters, the interaction Damköhler number and the interaction relative heat release, are proposed to measure the influence of turbulence-chemistry interaction on flow composition and temperature. Both a priori and posteriori studies are performed to assess the effect of turbulence-chemistry interaction on chemical production rates and mean and turbulent flow characteristics. It is found that the governing parameters provide …

Design And Control Of A Multi-Axis Micro-Electro-Mechanical System Array For Coordinated Micro-Manipulation, Patrick Jesse White

Masters Theses

"Micro-electro-mechanical system design and implementation is a field that has received much attention over the past few decades. These robotic systems with features on the micro-scale have an unparalleled opportunity to change the way scientists interact with and understand micro and nano-scale phenomenon. Their capabilities allow experimentation that cannot be achieved with standard macro-scale equipment. Potential applications range from observing biological processes in living cells, to smart materials that automatically detect microcracks. So far, however, only a few truly successful applications have been realized. One of the most elusive goals in MEMS design is creating a system capable of coordinated …

Educational Robotics: Using The Lego Mindstorms Nxt Platform For Increasing High School Stem Education, Matthew Aaron Strautmann

Masters Theses

"The field of educational robotics (ER) seeks to use the building and programming of robots to engage and educate the next generation of college freshman entering science and engineering majors. To increase the rate of application to science and engineering degree programs as well as the rate of retention, students must be engaged in high school. They must acquire the knowledge and interest to pursue these career choices. This research explores the use of robotics to interest high school students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to improve their knowledge of these subjects. The case study developed instructional …

Experimental Study Of The Interaction Between Surfactants And Preformed Particle Gels, Farag Awadh Muhammed

Masters Theses

"Gel and surfactant treatment are two principle methods to reduce water production and enhance oil recovery (EOR). However, either method by itself has limitations that can be avoided by combining the two. Gel treatment can improve sweep efficiency but has little effect on micro-displacement efficiency. Surfactants are mainly used to improve displacement efficiency but have little effect on sweep efficiency. This research sought to investigate whether the combination of gel and surfactant treatments can be used to significantly enhance oil recovery while reducing water production for extremely heterogeneous mature reservoirs. A newer trend in gel treatments is preformed particle gels …

Relaxation Imaging To Characterize Lightweight Polymer-Crosslinked Aerogels, Emmalou T. Satterfield

Masters Theses

"Silica aerogels are three-dimensional assemblies of silica nanoparticles with extremely low densities. In some instances, the internal void volume is more than 90% of the total volume. The highly porous structure of the aerogels leads to attractive properties for thermal and noise insulation, due to very low thermal conductivity and very high acoustic impedance. The strength of silica aerogels has been substantially improved by casting a thin conformal polymer coating over the entire internal porous surfaces of the nanostructure. The coating reinforces the interparticle connections without significantly compromising the internal void space. To analyze and compare the properties of several …

Bi-Harmonic Atomic Force Microscopy, Santosh R. Kodandarama

Masters Theses

"In tapping mode atomic force microscopy, surface features are measured indirectly via the amplitude of the tapping cantilever. A change in surface profile is detectable only if it results in an amplitude change that is significant enough to be measured by the optics. Previous works have focused on improving sensitivity through the system's Q-factor, either by changing physical cantilever properties or using feedback control, but those approaches undesirably slow down the dynamic response. In this work we take a novel approach to sensitivity amplification by reshaping the tapping trajectory. By shaping the trajectory so that the probe spends a greater …

Grid Frequency And Voltage Support Using Photovoltaic Systems With Energy Storage Assist, Ravi Bhatt

Masters Theses

"An optimized operating scheme for a grid-connected community based photovoltaic (PV) system is described. The system can participate in grid ancillary services like frequency and voltage regulation functions based on the Smart Grid framework. The proposed model comprises of a PV plant with Li-ion batteries coupled to the grid by means of a three-phase inverter. A two-way communication between the PV plant and the grid is assumed. The PV/storage plant provides constant updates on its current kW/kVar capability and the grid transmits the demand for specific amounts of power and for specific lengths of time. The battery charging energy can …

Shale Gas Rock Characterization And 3d Submicron Pore Network Reconstruction, Malek Elgmati

Masters Theses

"Determining shale gas petrophysical properties is the cornerstone to any reservoir-management practice. Hitherto, conventional core analyses are inadequate to attain the petrophysical properties of shale gas at submicron-scale. This study combines interdisciplinary techniques from material science, petrophysics, and geochemistry to characterize different shale gas samples from North America including Utica, Haynesville and Fayetteville shale gas plays. Submicron pore structure, clay mineralogy, wettability and organic matter maturation were investigated to evaluate the petrophysical properties of shale gas rocks and to determine the impact of organic and inorganic matters on wettability alteration for different fracturing fluids on shale gas rocks.

High pressure …

Design And Development Of Manufacturing Methods For Manufacturing Of Pem Fuel Cell Mea's, Nikhil Pramod Kulkarni

Masters Theses

"This thesis focuses on design and manufacturing of Fuel cell components using Additive Manufacturing techniques and then in the later part on design and manufacturing of Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) which is a very important component in fuel cells. Additive manufacturing methods are fast and efficient manufacturing methods which are additive building up components layer by layer instead of conventional subtractive manufacturing techniques. This ensures low cost and faster manufacturing. Additive manufacturing is important for fuel cell component manufacturing since it is important in fuel cells to minimize wastage and reduce the cost. MEA is the basis of the cost …

Phytoforensic Tools: Directional Uptake Of Chlorinated Solvents, Matthew Alan Limmer

Masters Theses

"Trees have been used to locate contaminated soil and groundwater, augmenting traditional methods, such as well drilling, that are time-consuming and expensive. In the past decade, plant sampling has gained acceptance as a reliable method for site screening. In this new field of phytoforensics, research efforts focus on developing quicker, more accurate and more informative sampling and analysis methods for measuring contaminant concentrations in trees. These phytoforensic tools are a novel approach to site assessments, potentially reducing cost while more effectively locating contaminated groundwater. This thesis evolved from field data suggesting azimuthal concentrations in tree trunks may reflect the corresponding …

A Comparison Of Bootstrap, Binomial Inference, And Monte Carlo Methods For Demand Distribution Modeling, Swithin Samuel Razu

Masters Theses

"Analysis of customer preferences is one of the most important tasks in new product development. How customers come to appreciate and decide to purchase a new product impacts market share and, therefore, the success of the new product. Unfortunately, when designers select a product concept early in the product development process, the "true" customer preferences and therefore, market share of the new product is unknown. Conjoint analysis is a statistical methodology that has been used to forecast the market share of a product concept from customer preference survey data. Although conjoint analysis has been increasingly incorporated in design research as …

A Detailed Petrographic Analysis Of The Mt. Sheridan Roosevelt Gabbro And Associated Rock Types, Daniel Russell Lasco

Masters Theses

"The Mt. Sheridan Roosevelt Gabbro of the Wichita Mountains igneous province in Southwestern Oklahoma underwent dynamic crystallization, resulting in three distinct gabbro zones with a range of pegmatite morphologies spread throughout. The three zones are informally named the lower, central, and upper zones. The lower zone consists of a quartz and alkali feldspar poor, plagioclase and pyroxene rich, poorly altered, gabbro cumulate. The central zone is comprised of a heavily altered quartz and alkali feldspar rich gabbro with few cumulate textures. The upper zone is mineralogically and texturally identical to the lower zone, distinguished only by its higher elevation. The …

A Low-Cost Motion Tracking System For Virtual Reality Applications, Abhinav Chadda

Masters Theses

"This thesis provides an insight into the design and development of a highly effective, low-cost motion tracking system comprised of off-the-shelf (OTS) hardware for virtual reality applications. Present-day motion tracking systems usually have a high cost associated with them. A capable yet affordable OTS motion tracking system is a key enabler to make motion controlled virtual reality an accessible and ubiquitous technology.

The motion tracking system developed in this study is used in conjunction with virtual reality software towards simple and natural human-computer interface solutions. It is developed with the budget of $1,000 per system. The cost includes 2 cameras …

Quantitative Oxygen Imaging With A Display Screen And A Color Camera, Sanghan Park

Masters Theses

"Optical oxygen sensing uses luminophores such as metal complex dyes that respond to oxygen when illuminated by their specific excitation wavelengths. Traditional optical instruments are mostly spectrometric instruments based on the measurements of emission, absorption or reflection. There is, however, a great need to develop simple, economical, photometric detection components toward quantitative and two-dimensional imaging instruments.

In this work, familiar optoelectronic devices were utilized to demonstrate a simple determination method of gaseous oxygen both quantitatively and qualitatively. A liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and a color charge-coupled device (CCD) camera were employed as a light source for fluorescence excitation and …

A Statewide Analysis Of Highway Safety In Arkansas, Uday R. R. Manepalli

Masters Theses

"This research concentrated on two major aspects of highway safety analysis, hotspot identification and identification of crash contributing factors on highways. The objective of the first part of this thesis is to evaluate two crash frequency, three crash severity and two composite hotspot ranking methods. Based on the limitations of the existing hotspot identification methods (HSID), crash factor method (CFM), a crash severity based HSID method is proposed. A composite rank method (F 1) based on principal component analysis is also proposed. These methods are evaluated using three tests, the site consistency test, the method consistency test, and the total …