Digital Commons Network^™

Victorian Organ, Christine Dunn

Theses

This paper is a companion piece to my short film, “Victorian Organ”. This film is an effort to contextualize the mechanical, or man-made, within nature. It is an assertion that there really is no "man vs. nature"- (a radically illogical and inherently self-destructive notion), but only man as nature, in which case, alienation and disharmony ultimately lies in our own self-perception. The impulse to identify a relationship between the mechanical and organic is inspired not only by my observations of our human society, but as a way to decode my own inner workings –an urge to reconcile seemingly major dichotomies …

Memoir Of A Marionette, Rui Jin

Theses

My film intends to draw public awareness to the quick disappearing of traditional performing arts due to the gap caused by fast advancement of technology. Film, TV, Internet and video games have diverted public interests from old performing arts. It discusses modernity vs. antiquity. How can we progress without sacrificing all we have inherited from our ancestors. In the film, this idea is demonstrated by two trembling hands trying to reach each other – one from the marionette and the other from the old performer. They all have the same dream: laughter and cheers from children. But before the hands …

Variations, Michael Gochoco

Theses

Variations is a film that was developed in the context of experimentation and discovery. It can be described in many ways to be a film that was born out of process. In the same way that many artists may refer to a piece of art as process, the aesthetic development of Variations was linked to the methods in which the work was created and was progressively revealed.

Pottery, The Multi-Sensual Medium, Ryan Bothamley

Theses

The search for beauty, nourishment, and celebration of life can be found within thoughtful hand made pottery. These objects help create, recreate and bring together a community. The most intimate, personal, and enriching objects are useful and found in the home. I strive to create pottery for occasions, to celebrate a memorable event or to make the everyday routine include more significant moments. I want my pottery to be so captivating that a viewer will be compelled to interact with it. My hope is that the use of these pots will create more significant moments within the user's life. While …

First Aid When And Where You Need It, Development Of First Aid Self-Care, Patient Education For Web And Mobile Devices, Paula Franklin

Theses

Health care is undergoing a revolution as patients have access to more and more information via Internet by the use of computers and mobile devices. In recognition of the rapidly growing need for patient first aid education, a collection of first aid self-care animations was created to improve treatment decisions and outcome safety. These animations are available for people via VisualDxHealth, a consumer focused website developed by Logical Images, Inc. The objective of the project was to produce simple and easy to understand first aid animations for a specific target audience. The production pipeline started with meeting with the client, …

Lockers, Ander Bergstrom

Theses

The production of the thesis film ‘Lockers’ was not an easy birth. The first proposed story that was accepted by the Thesis committee was discarded as being too technically ambitious. There was then a protracted effort to develop a new, producible thesis Story proposal that met the committee’s requirements. Once an acceptable thesis proposal was developed, the writer then attempted to refine the story; writing over forty drafts in order to reduce the elements of the story into something that made the artistic and narrative statements as well as being technically viable. Working in the professional world of animation while …

Experimental Investigation Of The Effect Of Sonication On The Precipitation Of Grieseofluvin By Impinging Jets, Ankit H. Patel

Theses

Almost 80% of drugs on the market are manufactured as solid dosage forms, such as tablets. Drug bioavailability increases as the particle size decreases and the surface area per unit volume of drug increases. Therefore, there is a keen interest by the pharmaceutical industry to develop techniques that can be used to manufacture particles of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in the nano/micro particle range. Impinging jets is one of the most promising techniques to do so.

In this work, a submerged impinging jet system coupled with an ultrasonic probe (sonicator) was used to precipitate Griseofulvin, a common, poorly water-soluble antifungal …

Design And Fabrication Of A Microneedle For The Implantation Of Floating Microstimulators, Faysal Ahmed

Theses

Neural prosthetics are used to stimulate any remaining functional nervous tissue in order to restore function in visual, auditory, or other physiological components associated with the nervous system. Microelectrodes have been used in stimulating and detecting electrical activity in neurons. When stimulating or recording neural tissue activity using microelectrodes, there are usually many problems and difficulties in obtaining the correct functionality and results. There is great difficulty in placing these microelectrodes in a specific location in the central nervous system due to various problems with the methodology used. Many different techniques such as the traditional interconnected microelectrodes have been an …

Designing Compelling Interfaces: An Exploration Of The Artist Book And How Its Unique Interactive Experience Can Influence The Graphical User Interface., Alison Boncha

Theses

Traditional art forms have contributed greatly to the interactive design industry and many designers still gain inspiration from painting, carving, weaving, photography, and other various arts. The artist book, which is a fairly new art form, is a mixture of old and new concepts but different from other art forms in that part of the viewer’s experience is made up by physically interacting with the book. To draw a modern day comparison, this interaction of the viewer to the book, is similar to the interaction of a user to a flash site. The goal of this interactive project is to …

Time-Measuring Device: Making Your Own History Of Remembrance Box With Childhood’S Physical Growth, Sang Hee Huh

Theses

Memories, for most of us, are precious indeed. Reminiscing helps us recall long gone events and a wide range of emotions. However, our recollection is imperfect and we know our memory is limited. Our memories may change or we may forget. We are unwilling to entrust precious memories solely to the unassisted mind. Children, in particular, undergo considerable physical, mental, and emotional changes. It is not easy for them to realize or later recall their growth process without assistance. At present, children can review their growth with different types of records: written data on a medical history, photos in family …

Flow Field Analysis In An Expanding Healthy And Emphysematous Alveolar Model Using Particle Image Velocimetry, Jessica Oakes

Theses

Particle deposition in the acinus region of the lung is a significant area of interest, because particles can potentially travel into the bloodstream through the capillaries in the lung. Drugs, in the form of aerosols, small particulates in a volume of air, may be delivered through the respiratory system. Also, toxic, airborne, particles could enter the body through the pulmonary capillaries in the acinus region of the lung. In order to accurately predict particle deposition, the aspects that influence deposition needs to be understood. Many physiological features may influence flow and particle deposition in the lung; the geometry of the …

D-Base: Interactive Digital Fashion Catalogue, Mei-Ling Chen

Theses

There is no doubt development of digital media has had a great impact on the way that people create and view art. Some of the most innovative advances in digital media and graphic design have been developed for advertising and sales through the Internet. The exponential growth in availability of broadband cable Internet access for private residences is providing an opportunity to attract consumers in new and engaging ways. This fact combined with a general perception of a scarcity of free time and a desire to purchase unique goods that may not be readily available in ones local area has …

A Homography-Based Multiple-Camera Person-Tracking Algorithm, Matthew Robert Turk

Theses

It is easy to install multiple inexpensive video surveillance cameras around an area. However, multiple-camera tracking is still a developing field. Surveillance products that can be produced with multiple video cameras include camera cueing, wide-area traffic analysis, tracking in the presence of occlusions, and tracking with in-scene entrances. All of these products require solving the consistent labelling problem. This means giving the same meta-target tracking label to all projections of a realworld target in the various cameras. This thesis covers the implementation and testing of a multiple-camera peopletracking algorithm. First, a shape-matching single-camera tracking algorithm was partially re-implemented so that …

Thermal And Morphological Analysis Of Collagen-Plla Electrospun Blends, Angana Banerjee

Theses

Electrospinning of bovine Type I collagen and Poly (L-lactic acid) produces blended nanofiber scaffolds that may have application in tissue engineering, wound dressing and drug delivery.

The goal of this research work was to produce and characterize blended nanofibers of a protein, collagen, and a synthetic polymer, poly (L-lactic acid). This study focuses on the in-depth analysis of the appearance of the structural relaxation occurring at the glass transition temperature of PLLA in the collagen-PLLA blended electrospun mats. It is speculated that occurrence of this thermal event is more prominent in PLLA with high molecular weight due to the presence …

Surface Recordings Of Evoked Field Potentials From The Cerebellum With A Flexmea Microelectrode Array, Jonathan David Groth

Theses

The cerebellum is an integral part of multijoint control. There are two input pathways to the cerebellar cortex, the mossy fiber and the climbing fiber pathways. The mossy fiber pathway forms a disynaptic input to Purkinje cells through the granular cells. This disynaptic input produces a multicomponent field potential composed of the P1, N 1, N2, N3, N4, and P3 waves. The climbing fiber input forms a monosynaptic input to the Purkinje cells and thus creates a much simpler field potential.

The mossy and climbing fiber field potentials were recorded with a FlexMEA microelectrode array from the pial surface of …

The Synergistic Effect Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields And Demineralized Bone Matrix On The Osteogenic Differentiation Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, John Manocchio

Theses

Orthopaedic bone grafting continues to be a mainstay in the treatment of non unions and other difficult to heal bone defects. Tissue engineering strategies have focused on providing bone graft materials that are osteoconductive, osteoinductive and osteogenic in order to achieve optimal bone healing. Furthermore, electrical stimulation technologies such as pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) have been used to enhance the effectiveness of bone graft materials. PEMP has been shown to have a synergistic effect with BMP-2 and it was hypothesized that PEMF would have the same effect with demineralized bone matrix (DBM). In the present study human mesenchymal stem cells …

A Comparative Study Of Common Crosslinking Agents For Electrospun Collagen Scaffolds, Pallavi Masih

Theses

Cartilage injury is one of the leading causes of knee pain in the world. Over two million Americans suffer from cartilage injury every year, resulting in swelling, pain or joint impairment, causing it difficult to maintain an active life style. Synthetic grafts are used extensively to restore tissue functions. The major drawback limiting successful incorporation of synthetic grafts in body is their lower ability to integrate to natural tissue, poor biocompatibility which often results in triggering immunogenic responses, causing graft rejection. Collagen is thus studied and used excessively as a successful implantable material. The reason being that it is natural …

A Virtual Training Environment For Wheelchair Mounted Robot, Elizabeth Leichtnam

Theses

A model of a robotic manipulator designed to respond to different inputs from users with different skills or conditions is presented. This model can be adapted to different input variables and converted into joint angles which relate to movement in space of the manipulator's links. The algorithm allows for real time response and the features of the virtual environments (i.e., 3D design, stereoscopic vision) gives the designers the opportunity to use this model for training and usability evaluation according to the skills and different conditions that users could present.

Two types of virtual environments were created aiming to be used …

Synthesis Of Corn-Derived Carbohydrate Derivatives As Effective Multifunctional Sunscreen, Xianhong Feng

Theses

The eighty-years-old sunscreen industry is sustained by the growing incidence of skin cancer and the continual exploration of skin aging. From the UVB-induced erythema to the UVA-induced persistent pigment darkening, scientists have used versatile methods to reveal that not only does UVB damage skin but also that longer wavelengths such as UVAIL (290nm ~ 340nm) and UVAL rays (340nm ~ 400nm) trigger skin cancer, premature skin aging and immunosuppression.

To meet a significant demand for improved photoprotection, a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high extinction coefficient has been desired. As part of our ongoing studies on isosorbide-cinnamate derivatives, this work have …

Biogeographic Patterns Of Avian Malaria Parasites In The Lesser Antilles: Prevalence, Diversity, And Community Composition, Linda Maria Elenor Svensson

Theses

We investigated determinants of local and regional species richness and community composition of avian malaria parasites (Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) in the Lesser Antilles. Chapter 1 addresses the local parasite richness and community structure, or lack thereof, on Barbados. We found only two parasite lineages on this island, one of which was recovered from only 2 birds, which stands in stark contrast to the much higher diversity on other islands. In addition, we investigated what factors may explain the absence of avian malaria in southeastern Barbados, and found this area to be drier, warmer, and supporting less vegetation. Chapter 2 addresses …

Nature And Rites Of Passage, Sowon Joo

Theses

My work tells the story of life and living. We all experience birth and death, and many complicated life events and changes occur during the living of a life. What I deem the most important areas of life are the rites of passage that everyone commonly experiences. The essential passages are birth and death, and between these two events, we all experience physical and intellectual development and growth. Throughout this thesis, my work expresses these rites of passage by metaphor.

In addition to metal, several of my sculptural forms incorporate painting on canvas and sculpted wood: the painting providing atmosphere …

The Fridge, Allison Orr

Theses

The Fridge is a Graduate Thesis film about how fruits and vegetables on the top shelf of the fridge learn to cohabitate peacefully and appreciate their differences after a battle over a tomato. This film is a 3d computer animation. I primarily used Autodesk Maya 8.5 for the production, with the aid of Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Soundtrack Pro, and Premiere for some of the pre and post-production work. The following paper is a description of the aesthetic development of my thesis project. I will address the original concept and technical goals, the production pipeline and creation of the film, …

Falling Mythologies, Melissa Mance-Coniglio

Theses

This thesis follows the exploration of the subject of falling within the context of mythology. This mythology is both a personal journey through the process of creating figurative paintings and one that explores archetypes from our cultural past. It links this journey through the process of painting to other artists who have explored their own subjective themes in their work and built relationships between representational work and abstraction. As these paintings have developed I have been driven by the desire to capture the transient nature of flesh and beauty. This seeking to preserve the fragments of movement and sentient being …

English Language And Culture Cues Found In Advertisements In Selected Print Publications For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing People, Cindy Kay Mcallister

Theses

hard This research investigated advertisements in Deaf Life and Deaf Rochester News use of written English and culture cues to communicate to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) audiences. DHH audiences have indicated that seeing more DHH actors and sign language in advertisements will increase their response to the advertisements. English and characteristics of culture were analyzed to determine the extent of understandable English and appropriate culture cues for DHH audiences. Deaf Life did not use understandable English and appropriate culture cues to a high extent. Deaf Rochester News did use understandable English, but did not use appropriate culture cues …

Timing Considerations In Visual Communication, Ahmad Eissa Aloumi

Theses

Viewers are surrounded by visual stimuli on a daily basis. These visuals, which may have intriguing and/or exciting qualities, enable designers to propose effective design solutions that could have heightened impact on the viewer. With this in mind, some designers attempt to construct crystal-clear messages that are eye-catching and easily understood, while other designers try to deliver messages enveloped by a planned ambiguity, which offers diverse paths of comprehension. In the end, this intentional ambiguity can eventually guide viewers toward a single understanding. Since ambiguity is an outcome of complex principles related to aesthetic and conceptual decision-making, often it is …

American Sign Language: An Influence On Graphic Design Problem-Solving, Allison Ucci

Theses

In American Sign Language (ASL), variables of communication such as volume, tone, emotion, and emphasis are represented through the deliberate use of these variables which include: handshape, location of the sign in proximity to the human body, movement, direction, and repetition. ASL imposes strict rules of how and when to use each of these variables. Together, the rules and variables create a language of communication that is of equal value to spoken language. Similarly, these attributes currently exist in graphic design message making. The alternation of one or all variables in design can also result in an entirely new idea. …

On Rational Functions With Golden Ratio As Fixed Point, Edgar Gilbuena Amaca

Theses

The existence of an equivalence subset of rational functions with Fibonacci numbers as coefficients and the Golden Ratio as fixed point is proven. The proof is based on two theorems establishing basic relationships underlying the Fibonacci Sequence, Pascal's Triangle and the Golden Ratio. Equations from the two theorems are related to each other and seen to generate the equivalence subset of rational functions. Proof by induction on these equations constitutes the proof of the existence of this subset of rational functions. It is found that this subset of rational functions possesses interesting mathematical properties, particularly that of convergence to the …

In All Directions: An Investigation Of Multidirectional Camera-Centric Rigs In Hypothetical Space, Brendan Bond

Theses

Because the world as we know it is quite often dominated by visual information, most human beings have learned to extract and interpolate data efficiently from what they perceive optically. With the advent of new technologies, however, humans are now presented with challenges of viewing the world in many ways previously deemed conventionally impossible. The ultimate purpose of this thesis is to explore the possibilities of multiple virtual “cameras” placed in hypothetical space (virtual space that mimics actual space, with three dimensional axis of translation) from a single point of origin, their integration in coordinate space, and the possibility of …

Fuxi, Tungte Tsao

Theses

A descriptive narration of a project to create a 3-D computer animated film, "FuXi." The story is set around the time of the Qin dynasty in China. This era in China was full of mystery stories or myths. There are an emperor and a Taoist in the story, and both of them are trying to find a way to become immortal.

Somnambulance, Jon Karafin

Theses

An exhausted man looks for rejuvenation in caffeinated beverages during the lull between lovemaking. Somnambulance is an experimental film exploring the interaction between exhaustion and caffeine through various 2D and 3D techniques. The following thesis discusses the technical and metaphorical considerations that were needed to create the film.