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Artifact, Durotimi A. Akinkugbe Dec 2021

Artifact, Durotimi A. Akinkugbe

Theses

Artifact is a 3D animated short film following the journey of a mysterious metal, altered by time and human interaction across several millennia. The titular artifact first arrives on a barren prehistoric Earth as the remains of a meteorite impact, a rock glistening with metallic ore. The epoch passes as the natural world comes to life, vegetation growing at the site of the crater. The ore-rock, having remained untouched all these years, is finally found by an early human. It is attached to a stick, forming a primitive hammer. After some use, the hammer breaks, and the ore is smelted, …


Blue Light, Rachael Greenfield Dec 2021

Blue Light, Rachael Greenfield

Theses

During a steamy afternoon at the beach, a seagull makes its way through crowds of phone-distracted humans in its search for a meal. When it lays its eyes on a fresh box of french fries, the seagull stops at nothing to get a taste, even while increasingly strange fates are befalling the humans. While everyone is distracted, by fries or by cell phones, a vortex opens in the sky and carries everyone into the unknown. Finally, with the people vanished, the seagulls reap the benefits of an abandoned beach full of snack foods left behind. Blue Light began as an …


Augmented Reality Emergency System, Chun-Hsiang Yang Dec 2021

Augmented Reality Emergency System, Chun-Hsiang Yang

Theses

Fire hazards in a building can be deadly. Knowing what to do is extremely important when a fire occurs in order to survive. However, even with the emergency exit sign, it can still be dangerous to escape recklessly. The goal of this thesis is to find solutions to increase victims' chance of survival during a building fire hazard. This thesis project aims to design an interactive augmented reality system that provides real-time information in fire hazard situations as well as guided escape routes. Specific instructions help to remove the decision-making process from panicked victims who may not be able to …


Princess, Hoss Wheeler Dec 2021

Princess, Hoss Wheeler

Theses

Princess takes place in a world where eyeballs stretch out of people’s heads like prehensile limbs. The film follows a father, Franklin, who is seen in his home wearing a dress. He covers himself in a long trench coat before leaving the house. As he gets into a cab, Franklin ushers the driver to move quickly, but before too long the cab gets stuck in traffic. This leaves Franklin no choice but to get out and walk. When he exits the cab, his coat gets stuck in the door and rips as he tries to pull it free. The dress …


The Lost Taste, Wei-En Chen Dec 2021

The Lost Taste, Wei-En Chen

Theses

The Lost Taste is a film about a young chef named Ueda who is running a noodle bar that was passed down from his deceased father. Ueda is an excellent cook who always satisfies his customers with his secret family recipe. However, in recent years he has been having a hard time running his business, since fast-food chain restaurants are booming and one across the street is stealing his customers. Recently, only a few old loyal customers have come to visit. Worst of all, he has completely forgotten that this very day is the deadline to pay off his debt …


Zoom In Closer, Ying Chiun Lee Dec 2021

Zoom In Closer, Ying Chiun Lee

Theses

Zoom In Closer explores ideas of sensuality through glass and narratives. I am interested in the material qualities of glass, including translucency, fluidity, and warmth; and how these qualities can be translated into languages of intimacy. This thesis is based on personal experience and scholarly research on the enigma of female sexual desires. Zoom In Closer is a body of work that utilizes glass objects, glass processes, films, illustrations, and photography that question what does it means to live authentically despite the influences of rape culture.


Among Us, Kaixin Chen Dec 2021

Among Us, Kaixin Chen

Theses

The networked society provides an extremely complex environment where we are free to swim, and to sink. In this thesis, I used different materials and forms to visualize this concept. The final work is a series of human faces floating from the water surface with steady gaze. Affected by the background of my sculpture and oil painting, I explored how to combine the two, and drew a 3D portrait, then completely transformed from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, and produced a set of installations with repeated face elements. With the experience and emotional response to working three-dimensionally, I once again returned to …


Modeling The Speed And Timing Of American Sign Language To Generate Realistic Animations, Sedeeq Al-Khazraji Dec 2021

Modeling The Speed And Timing Of American Sign Language To Generate Realistic Animations, Sedeeq Al-Khazraji

Theses

While there are many Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals with excellent reading literacy, there are also some DHH individuals who have lower English literacy. American Sign Language (ASL) is not simply a method of representing English sentences. It is possible for an individual to be fluent in ASL, while having limited fluency in English. To overcome this barrier, we aim to make it easier to generate ASL animations for websites, through the use of motion-capture data recorded from human signers to build different predictive models for ASL animations; our goal is to automate this aspect of animation synthesis …


Nepalese Summer, Dikshya Upadhyay Dec 2021

Nepalese Summer, Dikshya Upadhyay

Theses

No abstract provided.


Portraits: A Study In Objects, Family Relations, And Race, Julie Quintero Dec 2021

Portraits: A Study In Objects, Family Relations, And Race, Julie Quintero

Theses

My final project is a body of mixed-media portraits which were exhibited at SculptureWorks Ferguson in December, 2021. Each of the twenty works are visual representations of events, identities, or relationships, experienced in both the past and the present. The materials used to help push each narrative include fabric, yarn, coffee filters, embroidery, wood, stain, plaster, metal, concrete, inks, conte, paints, and/or found objects. Each piece demonstrates a unique combination of image, media, and technique in the field of contemporary art. Some of the works include objects made by the people being portrayed. Others include materials that were acquired via …


2d Motion Graphics Enhancement Of The User Experience On Web Applications, Lora Paro Dec 2021

2d Motion Graphics Enhancement Of The User Experience On Web Applications, Lora Paro

Theses

This project focuses on the creation and use of 2D motion graphics to enhance the user experience of applications on the web including but not limited to social media, educational and entertaining digital videos. The aim of this project is to enhance skills in the creation of 2D motion graphics using Adobe After Effects, Adobe Character Animator, and Adobe Illustrator while benefitting the user experience of visually delivered moving graphics to capture more of the audience’s attention rather than the traditional use of static imagery. Experience gained with research on 2D motions graphics and Adobe After Effects with then be …


Assessing The Use Of Smartphones In Agriculture, Katherine Mary Carpenter Dec 2021

Assessing The Use Of Smartphones In Agriculture, Katherine Mary Carpenter

Theses

Smartphones are an as yet untapped resource available to agriculture. They are ubiquitous across the globe yet have not previously been tested as a resource available to farmers. Imaging methods such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and satellite imaging have been well-explored and employed in various aspects of agriculture; however, such methods can be cost-prohibitive and at the mercy of another company or agency. If smartphones could be shown to capture color in such a way that relates in a quantifiable way to data measured by laboratory-grade equipment they could prove to be extremely valuable to farmers. Cutting out expensive …


The Use Of Reverse Vending Machine (Rvm) For Less Plastic In Dubai, Sarah Obaid Al Shamsi Dec 2021

The Use Of Reverse Vending Machine (Rvm) For Less Plastic In Dubai, Sarah Obaid Al Shamsi

Theses

Plastic pollution is affecting negatively on the environment, it affects trees, animals, marine life, and even humans. One of the most common plastic types is plastic bags, it is widely spread due its special characteristics such as light weigh, and cheap price. In Dubai City, plastic bags are widely used especially in the supermarkets, with the increase in the population of Dubai, the number of plastic bags will increase and the impacts will be more appearance. Dubai City is a leading city in the region for its ability to change and adapt with new strategies that serves the citizen and …


Camera-Based Deep Learning Ai Assistant System For Basketball Training, Guangkun Zeng Dec 2021

Camera-Based Deep Learning Ai Assistant System For Basketball Training, Guangkun Zeng

Theses

The YOLO, a Computer Vision Algorithms, is brought out to analyze the basketball player’s status as a dataset. It can record the players’ behavior on the court including dribbling, shooting, and running. In this way, the app could collect the field goal you made and missed. First, you should use this app to record a video of your shoot training. After that, the AI would analyze and brings out a 3d virtual diagram to interpret your performance. This diagram will show the hot zone and cold zone for your field goal. Also, the track of your ball will be displayed …


Radio Carbon - Hybrid Documentary Process, Robert Stokes Dec 2021

Radio Carbon - Hybrid Documentary Process, Robert Stokes

Theses

Radio Carbon is a documentary made using a methodology for creating conscious digital video projects with a process privileging respect for crew, subject, and environment over the needs of a commercial, or market driven product. The guidelines imposed by this method are fluid, and project-specific in terms of their exact interpretation for each film. This project is meant to demonstrate a production style that allows for work to be made by the participants without a dominating creative force at every stage of production. This is made possible through the introduction of chance operations at several key points along the production …


Survey And Analysis Of Deepfake Media As It Applies To The New Era Of Disinformation, Jade L. Wise Dec 2021

Survey And Analysis Of Deepfake Media As It Applies To The New Era Of Disinformation, Jade L. Wise

Theses

The world has become a place where technology and the internet is so integrated into every-day life that people rely on the media and internet access to stay informed and connected. But, that has exposed us to a whole new world of positives and negatives, and the negatives could be catastrophic for our society. It will very soon be very difficult for the average person to distinguish between figment and reality; primarily with video, which has always been seen as a credible form of evidence. Deepfake videos are a prime example of this growing phenomenon. They are videos in which, …


Two-Way Load Flow Analysis Using Newton-Raphson And Neural Network Methods, Aya Emad Omar Al Shaltouni Dec 2021

Two-Way Load Flow Analysis Using Newton-Raphson And Neural Network Methods, Aya Emad Omar Al Shaltouni

Theses

This research presents a study of the optimal power flow for networked microgrids with multiple renewable energy sources (PV panels and wind turbines), storage systems, generators, and load. The OPF problem is performed using a conventional method and an Artificial Intelligence method. In this research, we investigated the performance of MGs system with renewable energy integration with focus on power flow studies. The calculation of the power flow is based on the well-known Newton-Raphson method and Neural Network method. The power flow calculation aims to evaluate the grid performance parameters such as voltage bus magnitude, angle, real and reactive power …


Immobilized Lipase On Zif For Enhanced Biofuel Production, Reem Mohammed Al Mansouri Dec 2021

Immobilized Lipase On Zif For Enhanced Biofuel Production, Reem Mohammed Al Mansouri

Theses

Enzymatic transesterification of triglycerides to produce biodiesel has been gaining increasing attention owing to its advantages over chemical processes. Being catalysts, enzymes are not consumed during the processes in which they are used. Therefore, a successful technique to allow their repeated use can significantly enhance the economic feasibility of the process. The most common approach to allow easy separation of the enzymes and to eliminate their wastage is immobilization on a support matrix. Recently, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been suggested as preferable support for enzyme immobilization, owing to their high-order structure and high porosity and specific surface area. This thesis …


The Impact Of Wastewater Chemistry And Flow Characteristics On Hydrogen Sulfide Concentration, Mohsina Muhammed Sherief Dec 2021

The Impact Of Wastewater Chemistry And Flow Characteristics On Hydrogen Sulfide Concentration, Mohsina Muhammed Sherief

Theses

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a naturally occurring, highly toxic gas that is formed from the decomposition of sulfur compounds. At low concentrations, H2S is an irritant for the eyes, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. At higher H2S concentrations, it produces neurological impairment with dizziness, headache, and loss of consciousness. Mortality was reported to reach 6 percent following exposure to elevated concentrations. H2S is generated in different industrial processes. In wastewater collection and treatment plants, H2S is a common source of concrete and metal corrosion that has resulted in huge economic loss. …


Elucidation Of The Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Missense Mutations In Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Related Protein 6 (Lrp6) Associated With Cardiovascular Diseases, Huda Issa Samha Dec 2021

Elucidation Of The Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Missense Mutations In Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Related Protein 6 (Lrp6) Associated With Cardiovascular Diseases, Huda Issa Samha

Theses

Low-density Lipoprotein Receptor Related Protein 6 (LRP6) is a member of the Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptors family (LDLRs) which is involved in the clearance of LDL from the bloodstream and the signaling of the canonical wingless signaling pathway. Several genetic variants in the LRP6 gene have been conclusively associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and metabolic syndrome. However, the structural and functional implications of those variations have not been fully elucidated. The CVD-associated LRP6 variants could be retained and possibly subjected to Endoplasmic Reticulum Associated Degradation (ERAD), a quality control and adaptive process employed by cells to eliminate misfolded proteins to maintain …


Possibilities In Simulated Reality, Yuan Yuan Nov 2021

Possibilities In Simulated Reality, Yuan Yuan

Theses

This thesis work is based on two simple questions- what is reality, and is there any way to determine if you live in a real world. Whether from ancient times or the present, the east or the west, or fiction movies to philosophical reflection, countless people have ruminated on these questions. The answer seems obvious that reality is anything we can perceive based on our perceptions, but it’s not necessarily factual even though it feels very real. A philosophical viewpoint called epistemological skepticism indicates that we cannot be certain of anything, and there is a philosophy hypothesis named simulation theory …


Nature And Nurture, Jessica Maffett Nov 2021

Nature And Nurture, Jessica Maffett

Theses

Nature and Nurture is an animated short film about a mother wolf raising her newborn cub through its first year of life. Humanity has started to develop near their home and we see how that affects their ecosystem and existence from the perspective of the wolves. It is fiction based on historical facts of grey wolf populations in the American Midwest from the 1960’s onward. Being a predator species, they have been viewed as the villain in the folklore of many different civilizations and have been considered a pest for the damages to livestock and farmland that they can cause …


Hand-Tracking Object Interaction System, Zihao Li Nov 2021

Hand-Tracking Object Interaction System, Zihao Li

Theses

At this point, VR, AR and MR technologies are thriving in different industries and business. They are increasing substantial productivity for large enterprises like Boeing and Ford at this point. Therefore, it’s well recognised that in future, VR, AR and MR will dive deeper into people's life, especially in to-business area. With VR, AR and MR being applied deeperly, more use cases and scenarios will show up. However, from interaction design and user experience perspective, current interactions for VR, AR and MR is still very primitive and not user-centered enough along with several major problems. Problems include limited accessibility, being …


The Song Of The Soul: Transforming Disabling Illness Through Art, Zulis Yalte Nov 2021

The Song Of The Soul: Transforming Disabling Illness Through Art, Zulis Yalte

Theses

The focus of this qualitative, arts-based inquiry was to understand how disabling illness might be transformed through art. A/r/tography - art/research/teaching and writing, was the method used to explore and understand the meaning(s) held within the art: Border Crossings - a conceptual, figurative, sculptural installation. The installation embodied the experience of disabling illness, symbolically depicting power relationships, identities, subjectivities and the multi-dimensional nature of being, of one coming up against the institution, the illness and the self. Guided by the work of Heidegger (Hermeneutic Circle), Deleuze and Guatarri (Rhizome and The body without Organs) and Foucault (Power Relationships), the A/r/tographer …


Mathematically Modeling Plastic Pollution In The Great Lakes, Juliette Daily Nov 2021

Mathematically Modeling Plastic Pollution In The Great Lakes, Juliette Daily

Theses

Mass estimates of plastic pollution based on open water surface samples differ by several orders of magnitude from what is predicted based on production and input rates to the world’s oceans and the Great Lakes. Researchers have proposed that this missing plastic may be located in other reservoirs, including beaches, nearshore water, the water column, or sediment. Studying plastic via sampling efforts is logistically challenging and time consuming. Models, which provide full spatial and temporal distributions, can help fill in the knowledge gaps that sampling efforts leave. Here we present the first three-dimensional modeling effort in the Great Lakes to …


Prevention Of Neuromuscular Blockade: A Proposal, Abigail Hughes-Strange Nov 2021

Prevention Of Neuromuscular Blockade: A Proposal, Abigail Hughes-Strange

Theses

The purpose of this proposed study is to expand research on the prevention of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade and examine the necessity of objective monitors. The researchers hypothesize that there will be an association with decrease in residual neuromuscular blockade and a set protocol for reversal. This is a proposal for a single blinded, prospective clinical trial comparing a control group with a protocol using medications and monitoring devices available at the majority of facilities in the United States. In the control group, accleromyographic data will be obtained upon entry to the post anesthesia care unit with no specific protocol …


The Loss Of Profit: The Use Of Maasai Culture For The Gain Of Louis Vuitton & Valentino, Caitlin Jeffrey Nov 2021

The Loss Of Profit: The Use Of Maasai Culture For The Gain Of Louis Vuitton & Valentino, Caitlin Jeffrey

Theses

This thesis focuses on how western fashion designers, Louis Vuitton and Valentino took elements from the Maasai tribe to develop profitable collections. This thesis looks at historical instances of appropriation by western designers as a catalyst for modern designers to appropriate marginalized and indigenous cultures in the 21st century. The aim of this thesis was to look at the issue of cultural appropriation inside the fashion industry with a lens from postcolonial indigenous methods and give examples of how western designers can avoid appropriation by utilizing specific guidelines based on appreciation and inspiration.


Abiotic Stress Effect On Growth And Photosynthetic Characteristics In Emirati Date Palm Varieties, Nasser Abdullah Ghdayer Al Kaabi Nov 2021

Abiotic Stress Effect On Growth And Photosynthetic Characteristics In Emirati Date Palm Varieties, Nasser Abdullah Ghdayer Al Kaabi

Theses

Plants are naturally exposed to various environmental stresses that affect their growth and development. As a desert plant, date palm has developed strategies to protect itself from most abiotic stresses. However, projected climate changes and the interaction between the various abiotic stressors will have profound effects on date palm adaptation and production. In the present study, five date palm cultivars, namely Chichi, Kalas, Nabt Saif, Sultana and Zamli, were initially evaluated for salinity tolerance by measuring the growth parameters such as plant height, fresh weight and dry weight of shoots and roots. Based on the obtained results, Sultana and Zamli …


The Effect Of Natural Elicitors And Cold Storage Period On Quality Improvement Of Uae Date Palm Fruits (Phoenix Dactylifera, Cv. Barhi), Fatima Yaaqoub Yousef Al Shaibani Nov 2021

The Effect Of Natural Elicitors And Cold Storage Period On Quality Improvement Of Uae Date Palm Fruits (Phoenix Dactylifera, Cv. Barhi), Fatima Yaaqoub Yousef Al Shaibani

Theses

Date palm is an agricultural crop of economic importance in most Arab countries. Among the different varieties of date palms grown in the United Arab Emirates, the Barhi variety is extremely popular and is often consumed at the bisr stage (first edible stage). However, the major challenge for this fruit at bisr stage is to maintain its quality over a long period after harvest and during marketing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of preharvest spraying with a natural elicitor, namely chitosan (Ch) 1%, alone and in combination with salicylic acid (SA) 2 mM and …


Health - Promoting Benefits (Antioxidants, Antihypertensive, Antidiabetic) And Probiotic Survivability Of Fermented Camel Milk After In - Vitro Digestion By Infogest 2.0: Comparative Study With Fermented Bovine Milk, Ahlam Faisal Al Hammadi Nov 2021

Health - Promoting Benefits (Antioxidants, Antihypertensive, Antidiabetic) And Probiotic Survivability Of Fermented Camel Milk After In - Vitro Digestion By Infogest 2.0: Comparative Study With Fermented Bovine Milk, Ahlam Faisal Al Hammadi

Theses

This study investigated probiotic survival and biological functionality of the bio accessible fraction of fermented Camel milk (FCM) and fermented Bovine milk (FBM) after in - vitro digestion using INFOGEST 2.0 model. Both Camel and Bovine milk were fermented by starter culture only (SC), probiotic Lactococcus lactis (Pro), and a mixture of SC+Pro followed by storage for 21 days. The obtained water - soluble extract (WSE), excreta, and bio accessible fraction during the in - vitro digestion were assessed for it's health benefits. The probiotic survival, proteolysis rate, antioxidant activities, ability to inhibit Į - Amylase and Į - Glucosidase, …