Digital Commons Network^™

Toward Structural Characterization Of Broadacre Crops Using Uas-Based 3d Point Clouds, Fei Zhang

Theses

The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS)-based remote sensing methods in precision agriculture (PA) has seen rapid development in recent years. These technologies are expected to revolutionize crop management by capturing imagery data with a high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution, thereby enabling the decision-making of farm inputs at the sub-field level and on an almost daily basis. However, in real-world operational applications, the potential of UAS-based remote sensing methods has not yet been fully exploited. One of the main research avenues is that of structural characterization of crops in order to assess plant density, leaf density, i.e., overall crop …

‘Meet New Vcd’ Immersive Art Gallery, Wenting Toby Xue

Theses

Students of the Visual Communication Design (VCD) program may have a relatively distressing question about how to explain some details of this program to others. Someone will always ask how to define and explain the VCD. Therefore, in the spirit of redefining the VCD program and creating a platform to more intuitively demonstrate the current success of VCD students in visual design. The curriculum of this program and related student works are mainly user-centered design as the primary starting point. Innovation and forward-looking are necessary. To better communicate the VCD project and expand its influence. According to the questionnaire and …

Building Community Through Urban Renovation On Pittsburgh's Riverfront, Shian Wu

Theses

Every city has its most important place for citizens to promote informal sociability and urban connection with humans. The riverside is the most important urban connection in Pittsburgh. Each side of the bridge has a different development level. The design of the riverside pedestrian path can build a connection between both sides of the bridge and help urban development in the north side of Pittsburgh. The aim of the study is to analyze the connection between architectural open space, pedestrian trails, and riverway trails and to propose methods that are suitable for developing a mixed-use building that will help improve …

Fraud Detection In Financial Services Using Machine Learning, Khalifa Alsenaani

Theses

The banking industry is an important part of modern actions as it manages the movement of funds between different parties. However, this area is synonymous with some cases of fraud where people are being swindled their money, illegal transactions are being made and others.

The complexity of ensuring that transactions stay legitimate has since made it almost impossible to regulate fraud in this industry correctly. This report presents an approach that utilizes Machine Learning techniques to build a model that detects fraudulent transactions and flags them. The approach utilizes a dataset that contains a collection of observation points on transactions …

Horror: Where Are We? Where Do We Go?, Branden Boehnke

Theses

This project will investigate the current production standards, inspiration and evolution of the genre of horror in media. The final deliverable is a 30 minute documentary covering the genre as a whole across different forms of media. The documentary also includes interviews of respected figures within the genre from different aspects of media such as film, video games, viral social media posts and online databases.

Determining Suitable Green Biorefinery Locations In Ireland For Irish Agriculture Using Co-Design, Economic And Geographical Information Systems, Alice Hand

Theses

The aim of this thesis is to investigate potential locations for a suitable green biorefinery model in Ireland, which would offer an opportunity for sustainable diversification to grassland farmers. A mixed method approach was used to collect data to support the design and analyse a green biorefinery model. A three phased methodology was applied representing the Co-design, Economic and the Geographical Information Systems analysis phase. Key stakeholders identified in the co-design phase included farmers, cooperatives, market partners as having a direct impact on a biorefinery. This provided insight to the farmers preferred model. Using these findings, an economic assessment was …

Quality-Of-Service Provisioning For Smart City Applications Using Software-Defined Networking, Basima Kurungadan

Theses

In the current world, most cities have WiFi Access Points (AP) in every nook and corner. Hence upraising these cities to the status of a smart city is a more easily achievable task than before. Internet-of-Things (IoT) connections primarily use WiFi standards to form the veins of a smart city. Unfortunately, this vast potential of WiFi technology in the genesis of smart cities is somehow compromised due to its failure in meeting unique Quality-of-Service (QoS) demands of smart city applications. Out of the following QoS factors; transmission link bandwidth, packet transmission delay, jitter, and packet loss rate, not all applications …

Traffic Accidents Analysis & Prediction In Uae, Majid Alhosani

Theses

UAE has state-of-the-art roads and traffic infrastructure, and yet there has been a rapid increase in the number of traffic accidents. As per National Agenda 2021, the UAE traffic departments are working to minimize the rate of road traffic death per 100 thousand people. The Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi launched a road safety management plan. This aims at decreasing the fatalities from traffic accidents to 3 per 100,000 inhabitants by 2021. According to police, distracted driving, sudden swerving, entering a road without ensuring that it is clear, tailgating and speeding without considering the road conditions has caused …

Predicting Electrical Faults In Power Distribution Network, Ahmad Adel Bin Sulaiman

Theses

Electricity is becoming increasingly important in modern civilization, and as a result, the emphasis on and use of power infrastructure is gradually expanding. Simultaneously, investment and distribution modes are shifting from the large-scale centralized generation of electricity and sheer consumption to decentralized generators and extremely sophisticated clients. This transformation puts further strain on old infrastructure, necessitating significant expenditures in future years to ensure a consistent supply. Subsequent technical and prediction technologies can help to maximize the use of the current grid while lowering the probability of faults. This study discusses some of the local grid difficulties as well as a …

The Effect Of Specimen Thickness On The Lüders Phenomena In Aisi 1524 Steel Alloy, Joost H. Van Der Heijde

Theses

At certain temperatures, strain rates and slender geometries, low carbon steels, as well as some aluminum, magnesium and nickel-based alloys, exhibit plastic flow instability at the onset of their respective yield points, known as the Lüders phenomena. Such phenomenon is recognized by a distinct yield point and subsequent plateau on the stress-strain curve. This thesis aims to investigate the effect of the sample’s thickness on the Lüders phenomena in AISI 1524 hot-rolled steel alloy. Sixteen samples were machined from hot-rolled plates and uniaxial testing in conjunction with digital image correlation were performed to gain insight and quantify the Lüders band’s …

A New Method For Cluster Life Cycle Stage Identification: Mapping The Evolution Of The Biomedical Competitiveness Cluster Of Wallonia., Conor Michael Harte

Theses

National governments and policy makers alike need data and expertise as they seek to develop accurate and relevant cluster policies and initiatives. It is argued that clusters also have life cycles similar to the way industries, products, and technologies have a life cycle, including a variety of stages (Ingstrup and Damgaard, 2013; Jia et al., 2015; Fornahl and Hassink, 2017; Ferrari et al., 2020). This research addresses three objectives: 1. Analyse the longitudinal development of a cluster to record, measure and analyse its evolution over a three-year period; 2. Create a new methodology to support cluster life cycle stage identification; …

Miniaturized Iii-V/ Si Hybrid Laser With An Integrated Modulator, Praveen Kumar Singaravelu

Theses

Light interaction with microscopic and nanoscopic structures enable manipulation of its characteristics which can be used to detect objects in 3D sensing, propel satellites to space using photonic propulsion and transmit data through optical communication. For optical communication, the basic components are lasers, modulators and photodetectors. The development of CMOS microfabrication foundries helps to manufacture silicon-based photonic devices with high yield that is directly co-integrated with electronics in a single chip. However, the lack of emission of photons efficiently in silicon propelled the necessity of hybrid photonic devices that inherits the combined advantage of different materials i.e. functionality and volume. …

Advancing Industrial Participation In Demand Response Within National Electricity Grids Through Systematic Asset Selection, Risk Assessment And Modelling Approaches, Alexander Brem

Theses

Increasing the flexible capacity on national electricity grids will be key to maintain reliable control as the levels of renewables continue to increase annually. The industrial sector has been identified as being capable of contributing and potentially offering flexible capacities, following appropriate investigation. The aim of this thesis is to develop the knowledge, advance the engagement and encourage additional participation in national demand response programmes from the industrial sector to provide this flexibility. The potential within this sector, facilitated by the smart grid and demand response concepts is outlined, specifically detailing their benefits, driving factors and potential barriers as part …

Implications Of Unregistered Employment In Kosovo’S Pension System, Drin Cela

Theses

Governments give substantial importance towards retirement. Pension spending accounts for one of the largest spending items of public expenditure. The importance of pensions is going to increase in the future, as demographic trends reflect the greying of the population, in which a decreasing number of working people will need to support an increasing amount of retired people. At the same time, informal employment is a pressing economic issue as is apparent when comparing its size to the general economy. Kosovo is a country that faces both problems, ageing and high informal employment. This study explores the relationship between these two …

The Application Of International Standards In Kosovo: Challenges And Opportunities For Export Promotion, Rita Thaci

Theses

The core aim of this study is to identify and analyze the extent to which international standards are applied in Kosovo, the challenges firms in Kosovo face with regards to the application of international standards, and the opportunities and benefits that the application of international standards brings to firms and the economy of Kosovo, with a special consideration to exports. The analysis uses primary and secondary data. Secondary data were attained through the literature review and the Kosovo Exporters Directory available in KIESA’s website, whereas primary data were attained through semi-structured interviews with representatives of exporting firms operating in Kosovo. …

Repercussions Of A Disruption: The Impact Of Global Ict Supply Chain Trends In Kosovo, Dior Ramosaj

Theses

This study seeks to analyze what type of impact the global ICT supply chain trends, apparent in the last two and a half years, have had in Kosovo. Specifically, the study will focus on two areas, the global shortage of electronic chips, affecting the hardware sector, and a rise in demand for software, due to the transition of working from home following the recent COVID- 19 pandemic. A parallel will be drawn between the global trends and Kosovo. The research methodology is comprised of a combination of primary and secondary data. Primary data has been collected through interviews with representatives …

Skills Gap In The Information Technology Sector In Kosovo, Erze Ahmeti

Theses

The main focus of this research project is to identify the extent to which companies in the IT sector in Kosovo are being affected by the skill gaps and the ways through which they are trying to bridge these skill gaps. While the IT industry in Kosovo shows great growth potential, the skill gap appears to be a prevailing problem that hinders this sector’s development. The study analyzes the implications of the skill gap for the growth of private companies and the sector in general; as well as the ways used by the sector to narrow the skill gap. To …

The Performance Of Biomimicry Architecture In Sustainable Design For A Mixed-Use Workplace In Shanghai (Sustainable Design), Weihong Liu

Theses

Abstract Sustainable architecture design is becoming more and more popular all over the world, especially in China. Active sustainable strategies play an important role in sustainable architecture design such as solar panels, wind turbines, and roof gardens. However, this Thesis will find some new passive ways to improve the sustainability of buildings by proving bionic technology. The thesis seeks to integrate living organisms into buildings to improve the sustainability of buildings and generate sustainable resources. This main focus is biomimetics. The technology used in the design of architecture sustainability. Bionics or biomimicry refers to artificial processes or systems that mimic …

Coupled Oscillators: Protein And Acoustics, Angelique N. Mcfarlane

Theses

This work encompassed three different vibrational energy transfer studies of coupled resonators (metal, topological, and microtubule comparison) inspired by the lattices of microtubules from regular and cancerous cells. COMSOL Multiphysics 5.4 was utilized to design the experiment. The simulation starts with an acoustic pressure study to examine the vibrational modes present in coupled cylinders, representing α-, β-tubulin heterodimers. The Metal Study consisted of 3 models (monomer, dimer, and trimer) to choose the correct height (40 mm) and mode (Mode 1) for study. The Topological Study was run to predict and understand how the lattice structure changes over a parametric sweep …

Efficient And Scalable Triangle Centrality Algorithms In The Arkouda Framework, Joseph Thomas Patchett

Theses

Graph data structures provide a unique challenge for both analysis and algorithm development. These data structures are irregular in that memory accesses are not known a priori and accesses to these structures tend to lack locality.

Despite these challenges, graph data structures are a natural way to represent relationships between entities and to exhibit unique features about these relationships. The network created from these relationships can create unique local structures that can describe the behavior between members of these structures. Graphs can be analyzed in a number of different ways including at a high level in community detection and at …

Biophilic Architecture Used To Improve Patient Outcomes And Recovery In Behavioral Health Centers, Heidy M. Valdez

Theses

Humans naturally seek adventure and the outdoors. Currently, US institutions that care for people with chronic illnesses, severe injuries, and mental health conditions often exist in neutral spaces with little to no natural elements. Because this does not promote patient happiness, patient recovery time tends to be longer. These institutions are usually not pleasant for patients or their relatives and are seen as negative spaces by the public, which should not be the case. Typical design elements include windows with thick daylight-blocking mullions to ensure no patient tries to hurt themselves, small and dark rooms, white walls, and no private …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Kinetic Facades In A Northern Climate [Rochester, Ny], George Ray-Offor

Theses

The quality of a building is greatly influenced by the design of its facades. Essentially, it serves as a barrier between an interior area and the outside environment. This implies that the façade serves as a conduit for communication between the activities going] on within and outside the building. Façade design has an impact on the appearance of a structure, and consequently on the perception of its users. The adoption of Kinetic façades may dramatically reduce energy consumption in buildings, which accounts for around one-third of total energy consumption worldwide. This thesis will investigate a computational technique to improve building …

Integrated Framework For Analyzing Clean Energy Technology Subsidies, Tiruwork Berhanu Tibebu

Theses

Renewable energy technologies can significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the energy sector. In US, both federal and state governments have implemented numerous policies and programs to support these technologies. But these policies require a substantial amount of public spending. In this study, an integrated model to identify optimal subsidy schedules for clean energy technologies that maximize social benefits less subsidy costs is developed. The national flexible optimal subsidy schedule for residential solar PV begins at $585/kW and declines to zero in 14 years. An alternative analytical model is also presented to analyze technological features …

Impacts Of Drugs On Neurotransmission, Wenrong He

Theses

The most sophisticated and mysterious human organ is the brain. The human brain is made up of billions of neurons, which are working nonstop to send and receive messages to regulate the body’s basic functions. Neurons communicate by releasing neurotransmitters from a sending neuron into the synapse, then a receiving neuron picks up the signals on its receptors from neurotransmitters. Drugs can interfere with the communication between neurons in the brain. They can affect the way people feel, react or behave. Drug use impacts the brain’s neuronal circuits which may lead to inflexible behaviors, lack of self-control, and compulsive drug …

Architecture Of Video Games: Potential Reference, Wael Mkaouar

Theses

The Architecture perspective / scale in video games has evolved throughout time to an extent that it is no longer a mere spatial visualization to host the game, but it has become an interaction medium between the player and the game. Architecture in recent video games played a fundamental role in bridging the gap between the real and the digital world. The analogy between these two is increasingly established through the representational immersion and the participation of the player in a highly realistic environment transforming the gaming experience into an entertaining and educational journey. The aim of this thesis is …

Framing Trust In Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Ethics Communication: Analysis Of Ai Ethics Guiding Principles Through The Lens Of Framing Theory, Namrata Nagar

Theses

With the fast proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in our society, several corporations, governments, research institutions, and NGOs have produced and published AI ethics guiding documents. These include principles, guidelines, frameworks, assessment lists, training modules, blogs, and principle-to-practice strategies. The priorities, focus, and articulation of these innumerable documents vary to different extents. Though they all aim and claim to ensure AI usage for the common good, the actual AI system outcomes in various social applications have invigorated ethical dilemmas and scholarly debates. This study presents the analysis of AI ethics principles and guidelines text published by three pioneers from …

Bayesian Inference And Prediction In Cardiac Electrophysiology Models With An Application To Representing Variability, Alejandro Nieto Ramos

Theses

Many different techniques have been used for parameter estimation in cardiac electrophysiology models, from optimization algorithms to heuristic and frequentist statistical methods. However, the fixed parameter values obtained from such approaches cannot provide a complete description of variability within an individual or across a population. To overcome this shortcoming, in this work we adopt a Bayesian approach by applying the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) algorithm to cardiac electrophysiology models and data for the first time through three studies. (i) Using HMC, we fit synthetic and experimental cardiac voltage data from different pacing rates and find the probability distributions of the …

Acquisition Strategies For Gravitational Wave Surrogate Modeling, Karl Daningburg

Theses

Gravitational wave science is dependent upon expensive numerical simulations, which provide the foundational understanding of binary merger radiation needed to interpret observations of massive binary black holes. The high cost of these simulations limits large-scale campaigns to explore the binary black hole parameter space. Surrogate models have been developed to efficiently interpolate between simulation results, but these models require a sufficiently comprehensive sample to train on. Acquisition functions can be used to identify points in the domain for simulation. We develop a new acquisition function which accounts for the cost of simulating new points. We show that when applied to …

Microengineering Aligned Collagen Substrates In Microfluidic Systems, Adeel Ahmed

Theses

Cells in vivo are surrounded by a fibrous matrix of proteins and macromolecules called the extracellular matrix (ECM), of which type I collagen is the major constituent. During tissue development or cell-matrix interactions, collagen fibers organize into aligned domains with defined degrees of alignment and directionality. Aligned fibers guide stem cell differentiation and influence cell-cell communication and cell motility. In the tumor microenvironment, aligned fibers guide tumor cell invasion and have been linked to poor patient outcomes. Since fiber alignment instructs cell behavior in vivo, there is a need for in vitro models to replicate fiber alignment and thus provide …

Painting As A Vehicle For Identity Formation And Survival, Chunbum Park

Theses

Through the thesis, I produce a highly rigorous body of works and explore the theoretical and philosophical reasons behind my paintings. I explore why I repeatedly paint myself as a woman and why the symbols of tigers, frogs, Frankenstein, and other aspects of Northeast Asian and Korean culture and heritage appear in my paintings. I find that painting is a process by which I can reflect on my own identity as a Korean who alternates between masculine and feminine identities. Painting allows me to react against the problems threatening my identity such as the worldwide trend of the racialization of …