Digital Commons Network^™

Designing Automatic Speech Recognition Technologies To Improve Accessibility For Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing People In Small Group Meetings, Matthew Shoji Seita

Theses

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals face several barriers to communication in the workplace, particularly in small-group meetings with their hearing peers. The impromptu nature of these meetings makes scheduling sign-language interpreting or professional captioning services difficult. Recent advances in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology could help remove some of these barriers that prevent DHH people from becoming involved in group meetings. However, ASR is still imperfect, and it contains errors in its output text in many real-world conversation settings. This research investigates whether there are benefits in using ASR technology to aid understanding and communication among DHH and …

Fsmlock: Sequential Logic Locking Through Encryption, Matthew Krebs

Theses

As the technology node size for integrated circuit (IC) designs decreases, the cost of building and maintaining an IC foundry rapidly increases. Companies unable to afford local manufacturing have become reliant on outsourcing the physical manufacturing process. This introduces confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity security vulnerabilities into the IC design lifecycle. Even companies that manufacture in-house and use field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chips may require third-party system integrators to assemble the final product. When said product is sent to a third-party foundry or system integrator, the embodied IC/FPGA circuitry is susceptible to IP theft, Trojan insertion, and reverse engineering (RE) attacks. …

Continual Domain Adaptation Through Knowledge Distillation, Georgi Thomas

Theses

Domain Adaptation (DA) techniques aim to overcome the domain shift between a source domain used for training and the target domain used for testing and deployment. Domain adaptation methods assume the entire target domain is accessible during the adaptation process. We use efficient architectures in the continual data-constrained DA paradigm where the unlabeled data in the target domain is received continually in batches. In recent years, Vision Transformers have emerged as an alternative to traditional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) as the feature extraction backbone for image classification and other computer vision tasks. Within the field of DA, these attention-based architectures …

A Privacy Safeguarding Framework For The Smart Grid, Gaurav Shivaji Wagh

Theses

The smart grid is an outcome of integrating communication technologies with traditional electrical systems. This enables the collection of granular metering data from the customer domain for providing grid and billing functionalities. However, the data collection process exposes the grid to various cyberattacks, posing a significant threat to customer privacy. This is a critical concern for the smart grid community and has hindered the global adoption of the smart grid technology. Although aggregation-based frameworks show promise for sharing metering data with the Electrical Service Provider while maintaining customer privacy, existing aggregation-based frameworks have several limitations. Some of these limitations include …

How Do We Recognize Masked Faces?, Archana Pandurangan

Theses

The COVID pandemic raised concerns about our ability to recognize occluded faces because of impairments caused by face masks. Research has suggested that face occlusions impair our face recognition. Yin (1969) found that faces are harder to recognize upside-down. By showing a reduced inversion effect for masked faces, Freud et al. (2020) suggest that masking reduces holistic processing, although Fitousi et al. (2021) found mixed results for the inversion of occluded faces. Estudillo and Bindemann (2014) have suggested the type of task task affects recognition. The present study investigated the effect of inversion on faces occluded by masks and sunglasses …

The Evolution Of The Nba’S Culture, Trey Jones

Theses

This project focuses on the National Basketball Association’s dress code problems from 2004-2005 to the 2022-2023 NBA season. Highlighting how a predominantly black athletes' association, run by white men, changed in multiple ways to respect the fashion and culture of its community over this 20-year period. The community that was most represented on the court, and those who support the league at home. Doing so through the influence of the media, player opinions, race, fashion, time, and executives. Showcasing how a prominent business, such as the NBA, can change it its brand to be acceptable and successful.

Screening And Genomic Characterization Of Multi-Drug Resistant (Mdr) Bacteria From Hospital Wastewater, Showq Abdelaziz Abdelaziz

Theses

Antimicrobial resistance poses an imminent global threat to public health, with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria being particularly worrisome due to their resistance to multiple antibiotics. Hospital wastewater has been identified as a potential source of MDR bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). This study aimed to investigate MDR bacteria's prevalence, diversity, and genomic potential in hospital wastewater samples collected from three different hospitals in the UAE. Samples were processed for culturing antibiotic-resistant bacteria using different HiCrome™ chromogenic media to screen for ESBL-producing, Vancomycin, Carbapenem, colistin, and Methicillin-resistant bacteria. The isolates were characterized using VITEk2 antibiotic profiling and identified using 16S rRNA sequencing …

Design Modular Command And Data Handling Subsystem Hardware Architectures, Abdullah Alsalmani

Theses

Over the past few years, On-Board Computing Systems for satellites have been facing a limited level of modularity. Modularity is the ability to reuse and reconstruct the system from a set of predesigned units, with minimal additional engineering effort. CDHS hardware systems currently available have a limited ability to scale with mission needs. This thesis addresses the integration of smaller form factor CDHS modules used for nanosatellites with the larger counterparts that are used for larger missions. In particular, the thesis discusses the interfacing between Modular Computer Systems based on Open Standard commonly used in large spacecrafts and PC/104 used …

Cloud Tracking Winds On Mars Using Emm-Exi Imaging, Shaimaa Ahmed Alblooki

Theses

The Martian atmospheric wind structure is a major unknown in our understanding of Mars’ climate because it is difficult to measure wind remotely. The Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI) instrument on board the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) takes visible and ultraviolet images of the whole hemisphere of the planet at a time, and can capture complete weather systems at once, along with their evolution over time. This project uses EXI 320 nm observations to measure winds on Mars using Correlation Imaging Velocimetry (CIV), a cloud tracking method based on software developed for laboratory fluid dynamics experiments, and with significant heritage in …

Comparing Teaching Methods For Auditory-Visual Conditional Discrimination, Brady Conley, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Responding to spoken language is a skill that is typically acquired at a young age. However, responding to spoken language requires discrimination between stimuli. Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have demonstrated difficulty acquiring listener behavior involving conditional discrimination. Thus, the most efficient and effective teaching strategies should continue to be a focus in behavior-analytic research. The purpose of the current study was to compare teaching methods for conditional discrimination for three school-aged children with ASD. The results showed that one participant met criterion for the best practice condition only, one participant met criterion for both best practice and …

The Effects Of Antecedent And Consequence Strategies On Data Collection In A Human Service Organization, Sarah Love, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Antecedent and consequence strategies in the research literature to improve employee performance within human service organizations have included behavioral skills training (BST) and performance-based incentive programs, among others. The current study continued this line of research in which participants were members of a human service organization and were responsible for collecting data on clients’ responding during programming. The purpose was to evaluate the effects of antecedent and consequence-based strategies on the accuracy of data collected by participants. The results showed that BST was effective at increasing accurate data collection across all participants and that the consequence-based intervention, in the form …

Increasing Independence With The Picture Exchange Communication System (Pecs) For An Adult With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities, Jessica Moore, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Numerous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Rosales & Marin-Avelino, 2022). However, there remains limited research that indicates the same effectiveness for adults (Rosales & Marin-Avelino, 2022). The purpose of the current study was to examine the use of Phase I of PECS to increase communication with an adult with ASD and developmental disabilities. Prior to intervention, the participant independently exchanged picture icons 0% of opportunities. Following intervention, the participant reached mastery criterion for independently exchanging picture icons across preferred items. Additional data showed that the …

The Impact Of Leadership Behavior On Employee Engagement: A Qualitative Study, Torie M. Bonnet

Theses

Employee engagement has been shown by previous researchers to improve the quality of work that is produced. Previous researchers have focused on how various leadership styles impact engagement. Researchers have revealed that the concepts of structural empowerment, authentic leadership, transformational leadership, and leader-empowering behavior have positively impacted employees' levels of engagement. The knowledge gap includes what behaviors lead to improved employee engagement, resulting in an upbeat team climate and decreased intention to leave a position. This study was designed to glean knowledge from experienced nurse managers regarding employee engagement and understand what skills could be taught to novice managers to …

A Novel Approach To The Treatment Of Degenerative Disc Disease, Alexandra Mckillop

Theses

Low back pain is estimated to affect 80% of the population at some point in their lives. It places a high economic burden on society, as individuals suffering from low back pain are often less productive and miss more work days, resulting in lost wages (Freburger et al., 2015; Katz, 2006; Taher et al., 2012). Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is among the most common causes of low back pain. It is a pathological process where the intervertebral disc (IVD) undergoes structural changes and is characterized by increased inflammation within the disc, in combination with nerve ingrowth causing pain. Structural changes …

Early Detection Of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Using Machine Learning Techniques, Mahra Musabbah Bin Beyat Alfalasi

Theses

ASD is a neurological disorder that affects over 1 in 44 chilren and this rate has increased. The diagnosis process can be timely and costly. This will make it difficult for the patients to adhere to the prescribed treatments and will hinder the progress of the patient. This project is focused on increasing the efficiency of this diagnosis process through machine learning techniques. The proposed datasets are; ASD Screening Data for Adult, ASD screening Data for Children and ASD Screening Data for Adolescent. These datasets are a categorical, continuous, and binary data type. They have 21 common attributes and a …

Shipment Containers Tracking Optimization Using Machine Learning, Omran Al-Ali

Theses

The container tracking data is crucial for the effective management of supply chains. In

this report, we analyze container tracking data to identify areas for improvement in supply chain operations. Our study aims to provide insights into the factors affecting container movements,

identify areas where delays and bottlenecks occur, and suggest ways to optimize operations. The supply chain is a complex system involving multiple parties, including shippers,

freight forwarders, carriers, ports, and customs agencies. The timely delivery of goods is critical for maintaining customer satisfaction and reducing costs. Therefore, it is essential to have a robust tracking system that enables …

Ensemble Methods For The Anomaly Detection In Enterprise Systems, Basem Torky

Theses

Ensemble methods have been widely used in the field of anomaly detection in enterprise systems to improve the accuracy and robustness of these systems. Anomaly detection aims to detect abnormal patterns deviating from the rest of the data, called anomalies or outliers. With millions of services or sub-systems to be monitored such as e-commerce platforms and governmental portals, our study is focusing on utilizing ensemble methods to develop a model to be used in this enterprise systems to avoid the enormous financial impacts, bad reputation, and customer dissatisfaction.

There are several ensemble methods that have been proposed in the literature, …

Using Machine Learning Application For Cardiovascular Disease Prediction And Diagnosis, Abdullah As'ad Mohammad Abu Hanieh

Theses

Despite the "information rich" nature of the healthcare business, not all data are mined to reveal unseen patterns or knowledge and enable sound decision-making. Nowadays, a persistent need is increased for data mining to discover new information from different datasets and apply it in the healthcare system to help healthcare professionals in decision making for predicting diagnosis and treatment for different diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVDs). In the current era, it is estimated that cardiovascular diseases constitute 30% of the global mortality rate annually. Predicting cardiovascular diseases at the right moment is challenging for cardiac consultants. The medical industry …

Study To Improve The Employee Experiences And Reducing The Employee Attrition, Mahra Essa Mohammed Belarai Alfalasi

Theses

Employee attrition is a significant issue that occurs in every company today, regardless of external environment changes. According to the definition of attrition, the number of employees gradually decreases due to retirement, death, and resignations (Marais, 2022). Attrition can occur when a well-trained and well-adjusted talented person leaves the company for any reason, leaving a gap in the workplace (BasuMallick, 2021). It is extremely difficult for HR employees to fill the gap that has been created. For today's managers, minimizing turnover rates is a major concern, and modern HR managers do this in several ways, the employee's decision was motivated …

Vibration Powder Dispensing And Gravity-Fed Powder Delivery For Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing Systems, Andrew Greeley

Theses

Directed energy deposition is a class of additive manufacturing processes where focused thermal energy melts and fuses material being deposited on a part. This type of process is useful for making high performance parts, remanufacturing and repair, and for making multi-material parts. However, in systems where powder feedstock is used, only a fraction of the powder ends up in the part and the rest is usually wasted. Increasing the amount of powder captured in powder-fed directed energy deposition systems is the focus of this work. The proposed solution is to combine vibration powder dispensing and gravity-fed powder delivery systems to …

The Effect Of Demographic Imbalance On Crime, Maher Bhadri

Theses

This study investigates demographic imbalance on crimes in the UAE by analyzing a record of crimes from 2020 to 2022 using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal gender, marital status, and age imbalance among crime offenders in the UAE. Males, married individuals, and individuals in their 30s are more prevalent in committing crimes. Certain countries, accused individuals, and certain types of crimes are also more frequent in the UAE. Policymakers and law enforcement agencies can use these insights to develop targeted interventions to reduce crime rates in the country. Future studies should investigate the underlying causes of these imbalances …

A Novel Analytic Linear Interface Calculation And Its Use In Computational Fluid Dynamics For Enhanced Multiphase Modeling, Simon P. Shipkowski

Theses

Interfacial modeling is of widespread interest in manufacturing, imaging, and scientific applications. Presented here is an interfacial reconstruction method designed for use in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of nucleate boiling, yet it is more broadly applicable. Nucleate boiling is vital in current and emerging technologies due to the high heat transfer at low temperature. A challenge for multiphase CFD simulation with phase change mass flux is the competing interests of quality mass transfer conservation, resolution of interfaces, and computational time/power. This Piecewise Linear Interface Calculation-Analytic Size Based (PLIC-ASB) method was developed to mitigate this problem in the volume of …

Towards A Reliable Machine Learning-Based Model Designed For Translating Sign Language Videos To Text, Maitha Essa Mohammad Ahli

Theses

Communication serves key roles in building relationships through sharing feelings, passing information, and connecting with others. Communication among the hearing impaired remains a significant stumbling block in today’s society since their communication means demands for an interpreter each moment. Various researchers agree that successful communication calls for the involvement of all individuals in a conversation and thus, deaf and hearing-impaired people require precise and welcoming communication to promote their working and learning relationships. Sign Language Recognition (SLR) is a critical and auspicious approach to promoting communication among hearing-impaired people. Sign languages greatly benefit from Machine Learning based translation techniques since …

Enhancing Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises' Performance Through The Implementation Of Erp Systems, Fatimah El Chediak

Theses

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have recognized enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems as vital for enhancing organizational efficiency, decision-making processes, and overall competitiveness. However, the effective implementation of these systems frequently presents a variety of obstacles that can prevent the attainment of their potential benefits. The purpose of this research is to investigate the critical success factors and obstacles that influence the implementation of ERP systems in SMEs and to provide suggestions for overcoming these obstacles and optimizing ERP adoption. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a comprehensive literature review with primary data collected from a survey administered to …

Efficiently Annotating Source Code Identifiers Using A Scalable Part Of Speech Tagger, Gavin Burris

Theses

This thesis details the process in which a part-of-speech tagger is developed in order to determine grammar patterns in source code identifiers. These grammar patterns are used to aid in the proper naming of identifiers in order to improve reader comprehension. This tagger is a continuation of an effort of a previous Ensemble Tagger [62], but with a focus on increasing the tagging rate while maintaining the accuracy, in order to make the tagger scalable. The Scalable Tagger will be trained on open source data sets, with a machine learning model and training features that are chosen to best suit …

Space Efficiency By Way Of Modular Furniture: Working From Home In An Era Of Shrinking Housing, Robert Deane

Theses

In the current housing market, rental prices are increasing and the size of apartments are shrinking. This combined with increased demand from increasing urbanization and jobs moving to work-from-home arrangements, renters face challenges in fitting their lives into their smaller living spaces. One of the most common challenges reported is a lack of working space in the home. As a means to address this, I designed a system of modular parts that can be built into a variety of desks, providing a customizable work-from-home environment. The system will allow consumers to purchase precisely what they need or can afford, with …

Numerical And Experimental Investigation And Optimization Of Particle Size Distribution In A Medical Jet Nebulizer Using A Multiphase Multiscale Approach, Benjamin Beaudry

Theses

Jet nebulizers are a common form of nebulizer used for aerosol treatment. They are known to function poorly in children under five due to differences in patient attributes. They must reduce their mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) to work more effectively. This allows more medicine to be deposited in the lungs and absorbed. Solving this problem can affect 9 million annual deaths worldwide due to repository disease. While lowering the billions of dollars, the U.S. spends on these deaths. This study focused on the standard Hudson Micro Mist Nebulizer and investigated spray physics using experimental and simulation methods to enhance …

Accessible And Functional Visualizations For Exploring And Analyzing The Writing And Programming Process, Shaney Flores

Theses

Background. Developing easily decodable and insightful visuals is a challenge in the field of data visualization. This challenge becomes more pronounced when the data is of a complex nature. Good visualizations clearly convey their data using designs with appropriate encoding, visual attributes (i.e., color, shape, size, etc.), and accessibility features (e.g., distinctive colors for color-blind individu- als). One area where well-designed visualizations can make a significant impact is elucidating the learning process. Users ranging from self-taught individuals to students enrolled in coursework could use such visuals to detect problematic areas in their process of learning skills such as writing …

The Impact Of Digital Transformation On Human Resources During The Pandemic Covid-19, Hind Rashid Alessa

Theses

Technological advancement in human resources and the adoption of artificial intelligence, analytics, and machine learning help HR leaders become strategic leaders. Automation helps in engaging employees and improving their work experience. Human resource is an important part of an organization and before covid epidemic the human resource department works manually and in an office environment completely. However, due to covid-19 pandemic has raised the demand for working online and implementing digital transformation ways. There is a high demand for working virtually or what is called hybrid working, simple-to-use technology that can be accessible at anytime from anywhere. Human resource employees …

Measuring Diffusion Through Carbon Nanotube Arrays With Fluorescent Spectroscopy, Michael Machold

Theses

Carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays are emerging as versatile nanostructures that can be used in many applications including gene transfection technology. To understand the transport of molecules through an array of CNTs, diffusion of molecules was studied experimentally and analytically. A procedure using fluorescent spectroscopy was developed to measure the concentration change of fluorescein salt in a two-reservoir system separated by a CNT array. Experiments were conducted to measure how changing the initial concentration gradient and reservoir volume size impacted the diffusivity of the system. For 2 mL reservoirs, diffusivities were measured between 2.56*10^(-11) m^2/s and 3.51*10^(-11) m^2/s. Diffusivities were measured …