Digital Commons Network^™

Embedded Solar Tracker Design Utilizing Solar Position Calculation With Sensor Correction, Austin Martinez

Theses

As renewable energy becomes more accessible, affordable optimization solutions have become a larger part of at home systems. Solar energy is one of the most common clean energy applications used by homeowners because of its increasing affordability. While many photovoltaic systems are statically mounted on roofs or in yards, many systems also employ some kind of solar tracking. Both single axis and dual axis solar tracking systems have been implemented and tested with multiple kinds of tracking methods. Two of the most accurate tracking strategies are utilizing light dependent resistors or using some kind of solar position calculation. This paper …

A Study Of Large-Scale Structure Evolution Through Sunyaev-Zel’Dovich Corrections In Massive Clusters, Victoria Butler

Theses

The evolution of large-scale structure is traced by galaxy clusters, which are groups of galaxies gravitationally bound by a shared envelope of dark matter on scales of 1-10 Mpc. They are filled with an intra-cluster medium (ICM) consisting of a diffuse hot plasma with characteristic temperature $10^7K. While ICM models match reasonably well with observations, smaller-scale astrophysical processes in clusters can complicate interpretations of derived thermodynamic properties. These can include cluster-cluster mergers, feedback from active black holes, and accretion, among several others. The complex relationship between these processes and the properties of the ICM must be understood to use clusters …

Quantum Acceleration Of Linear Regression For Artificial Neural Networks, Martin A. Hoffnagle

Theses

Through proofs and small scale implementations, quantum computing has shown potential to provide significant speedups in certain applications such as searches and matrix calculations. Recent library developments have introduced the concept of hybrid quantum-classical compute models where quantum processor units could be used as additional hardware accelerators by classical computers. While these developments have opened the prospect of applying quantum computing to machine learning tasks, there are still many limitations of near and midterm quantum computing. If implemented carefully, the advantages of quantum algorithms could be used to accelerate current machine learning models. In this work, a hybrid quantum-classical model …

Machine Learning Based Framework For Smart Contract Vulnerability Detection In Ethereum Blockchain, Qusai Omar Mustafa Hasan

Theses

Abstract

Blockchain technology is a disruptive technology that revolutionized digital payments and transactions of digital assets. Blockchain transactions operate using smart contracts which are automated software code that facilitates transactions between parties without the need for intermediary systems. Smart contracts have become an increasingly popular means of conducting transactions and executing code in a decentralized manner. As it can be written in various languages which have their flaws in terms of logic and vulnerabilities, also the immutability and autonomy of smart contracts also make them vulnerable to various security threats. Security for smart contracts is essential as exploiting bad logic …

A Comparative Analysis Of Malware Written In The C And Rust Programming Languages, Meghna Koorikkattil Praveen

Theses

The use of malware as a tool for cybercrime has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, resulting in significant economic losses and security threats. Conventionally, malware is written in C/C++. However, a recent trend has been observed where other languages are being used to write malware. One such language is the Rust programming language. This thesis aims to explore the aspects of the Rust programming language that contribute to its preference for the development of malware, limitations in current analysis tools and remediation for the same. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted to identify the trends of current research …

Exploring Search-By-Video Technology For Searching Structured Human Movements: Insights From Sign Language Look-Up Systems, Saad Hassan

Theses

Identifying unfamiliar human movements is crucial across several tasks and fields, including skill acquisition and human movement analysis research. With the advancements in computer vision technology, search systems can be developed that allow users to search for human movements by submitting a video sample. A clear example of such systems is search-by-video sign-language look-up systems. The advances in sign-language recognition technology have made it feasible to design these systems, which allow users to generate queries by either submitting a video of themselves performing the word or by submitting a video segment containing the unknown sign. These systems can be particularly …

Techniques To Create A Realistic Digital Collection Of Near Planar Cultural Heritage Objects, Snehal A. Padhye

Theses

Cultural heritage objects like paintings and manuscripts are a rich source of information about human history and a lot has been discovered through their study. A great collection of such artifacts is scattered around the globe in various libraries and research institutions. Digital images of the objects make them accessible to a greater audience, but images offer only a limited experience compared to observing the real thing. Public access to institutions got further limited during pandemic times, further increasing importance of techniques that enable rich access to such objects remotely. In addition, due to the physical nature of these often …

Combating Systemic Racism With Truth Commissions, Katherine E. Miles

Theses

The main form of justice practiced in the United States when it comes to criminal proceedings and individual wrongdoings is a form of justice called Retributive Justice. Retributive justice is committed to following these three principles, 1: that those who commit certain kinds of wrongful acts, morally deserve to suffer an equivalent punishment; 2: that it is intrinsically morally good—good without reference to any other goods if some legitimate punisher gives them the punishment they deserve; and 3: that it is morally impermissible to punish the innocent intentionally or to inflict disproportionately large punishments on offenders. From the three principles …

Investigating The Impact Of Baselines On Integrated Gradients For Explainable Ai, Ajay Shewale

Theses

Deep Neural Networks have rapidly developed over the last few years, demonstrating state-of-the-art performances on various machine learning tasks such as image classification, natural language processing, and speech recognition. Despite their remarkable performance, deep neural networks are often criticized for their need for more interpretability, which makes it difficult to comprehend their decision-making process and get insights into their workings. Explainable AI has emerged as an important area of study that aims to overcome this issue by providing understandable explanations for deep neural network predictions. In this thesis, we focus on one of the explainability methods called Integrated Gradients (IG) …

Moodify, Jiaqi Liu

Theses

Abstract Degree: Master of Fine Arts Program: Visual Communication Design Authors Name: Jiaqi Liu Advisors Name: Mike Strobert; Adam Smith Thesis Title: Moodify This paper proposes a research and solution to address the major psychological risk factor of pathological rumination, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other chronic conditions. Rumination and worry are identified as key components of mental illnesses and may be underpinned by the same cognitive process. This paper proposes a combined approach of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) treatments to reduce worry and/or rumination. The proposed solution aims to assist users in …

Állo (Neutral - “Other”), Alex Jarus

Theses

In a balancing act between fear and curiosity, I have created a series of wood-based artifacts to serve as vessels in which I may pose questions to myself. At the core of each artifact is a sphere primarily produced from a log allowed to dry and fracture naturally, capturing a snapshot of change in motion. Through the creation of these vessels, I attempted to better understand how I define what it means for me to be queer and non-binary. Although these artifacts are contemporary works, I have removed them from a particular known visual time in hopes of providing a …

Can You Escape Agency By Falling Asleep? Killing Two Constitutivists’ Problems With One Stone, Henrique Cassol Leal

Theses

In this paper, I present a new problem to constitutivism (the idea that agency grounds our practical norms) and argue that the solution to this problem also solves Enoch’s shmagency question. The problem I bring forth involves the fact that agency seems to be metaphysically escapable, such as when we fall asleep, or get hit by a truck. If this is correct, then we allow for perplexing cases in which a wrongdoing is done, but no agent is responsible, nor is any norm broken—for, what grounds responsibility and norms, our agency, has disappeared. I thus argue for a notion of …

Physiological Signals And The Effects On Prediction Of Future Blood Glucose Values In A Deep Learning Model, Andrew Rearson

Theses

Diabetes is a chronic disease that currently has no cure. However, in the last decade, life- changing technology for people with diabetes has advanced primarily due to new sensors that continuously measure glucose. Individuals with diabetes manually use this data for diabetes management, but the artificial intelligence community has seen the increase in data as an opportunity to work towards automating diabetes control. The project developed deep-learning neural networks incorporating blood glucose measurements measured by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and physical activity data from a wearable health sensor (WHS) to predict future glucose values and compare how different configuration …

Intentional Passing And Closeted Agency, Logan Bohlinger

Theses

It is characteristic of closeted queer agents that they behave so as to pass as heterosexual, cisgender, or otherwise as non-queer. Thus, I take it that an action-theoretic account of the phenomenon of straight-passing is essential to developing an action-theoretic account of the practical disposition of being “in the closet.” To progress towards a broader account of closeted queer agency, I endeavor in this thesis to clarify the patterns of practical reasoning involved in straight-passing with an aim to demonstrate that straight-passing, in all its forms, is something that a queer agent can intentionally do. However, a queer agent often …

Implementation Of Model-Free Sliding Mode Control On A Multi-Input Multi-Output System, Walker Hare

Theses

Bioinspired flight serves to balance the advantages of fixed-wing flight as well as traditional rotary systems. A flapping wing aerial system exhibits high maneuverability at low speeds like a rotary system and the higher efficiency that fixed-wing systems exhibit in forward flight. A method to actuate a flapping wing structure is using piezoelectric elements. Using flapping wings to perform aerial maneuvers and facilitate stable flight will require precise control of the piezoelectric elements and control surfaces. The focus of the research is the construction of a feedback control platform for the flapping wing aerial system. For any type of feedback …

Ecomves: Enhancing Comves Using Data Piggybacking For Resource Discovery At The Network Edge, Sanzida Hoque

Theses

Over the past few years, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have emerged as highly popular technologies that demand rapid and efficient processing of data with low latency and high bandwidth, in order to enable seamless real-time interaction between users and the virtual environment. This presents challenges for network infrastructure design, which can be addressed through edge computing. However, edge computing also presents challenges, such as selecting the appropriate edge server for computing tasks in dynamic networks with rapidly changing resource availability. Named Data Networking (NDN) is a potential future Internet architecture that could provide a balanced distribution of …

Care: Towards Customized Assistive Robot-Based Education, Nafisa Abdul Razak Maaz

Theses

Purpose of the Study The aim of this paper is to propose a solution for enhancing the learning experience of elementary school students by combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in education. Our AI-powered system aims to classify students according to their intellectual abilities and offer personalized educational materials to assist their progress. Summary We propose using a personalized tutor robot to aid students in their learning. The robot categorizes students into three groups – High-Ability Student (HAS), Average-Ability Student (AAS), or Low-Ability Student (LAS) - based on their performance, facial expressions, and subjective feedback. The robot then displays educational …

Student Grade Prediction Using Machine Learning Methods, Hameed Al-Obaidi

Theses

This capstone project addresses the challenge of students' lack of awareness regarding their academic performance and potential grade declines throughout the semester. The project aims to develop a predictive model that offers students timely warnings about their predicted grades, enabling them to take proactive measures to improve their academic performance. Utilizing the CRISP-DM (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining) methodology, the project analyzes a comprehensive dataset comprising student demographics, curriculum history, and grades in various subjects. The model undergoes rigorous evaluation and validation to ensure its effectiveness in predicting students' academic outcomes accurately. The findings reveal that the linear regression …

Consumer And Business Barriers To Household Food Waste Solutions, Jessica Oehman

Theses

An estimated 35.3 million tons of food waste are landfilled each year in the United States, causing negative environmental, economic, and social impacts and almost half of that waste is from households (US EPA, 2017). To meet EPA goals for landfill diversion of food waste, the material can be captured as a resource and re-used through methods such as composting. However, participation in household food waste collection programs is lacking; there is a need to understand the interplay between the individuals’ responsible for providing the waste stream and the pickup services providing the infrastructure to collect and manage the separated …

A Deep Learning-Based Pipeline To Generate Patient-Specific Anatomical Models Of The Heart Using Cardiac Mri, Roshan Reddy Upendra

Theses

Image-based patient-specific anatomical models of the heart have the potential to be used in a variety of clinical scenarios such as diagnosis and prognosis of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), ablation therapy, risk stratification, and minimally invasive cardiac interventions. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides images with high-resolution and superior soft tissue contrast, rendering it as the gold standard modality for imaging cardiac anatomy. To obtain meaningful information from such image-based personalized anatomical models of the heart, it is crucial to combine the geometric models of the cardiac chambers extracted from cine cardiac MRI and the …

Tourism, Mapping, Retail And Recreational Trails: A Case Study Of Connectivity Between Trails And Adjacent Downtowns In Anniston, Alabama, Usa, Jennifer Green

Theses

This study examines the estimated increase in economic impact on a geography’s local economy by creating cross-marketing efforts between expanding an established outdoor recreation trail to a closely located city downtown commerce district. This research will analyze the resulting potential rise in sales/lodging tax revenues for that city by mapping the trail and downtown district, and cross-marketing the other to users of both or either venue. Potential increase in economic impact will be estimated utilizing IMPLAN methodology by assessing the economic impact on the local economy that a percentage range of increased spending resulting from this cross-marketing effort could generate.

Escaping Tradition: An Exploration Of Optimized Learning Environments, Mak W. Friery

Theses

This undergraduate interior design capstone research focuses on understanding how forward-thinking design approaches can improve student success and teacher effectiveness in the classroom environment. Addressing the ever-changing needs of students, this research investigates variables of classroom environments such as the impact of color, lighting, acoustics, technology, space planning, furniture, and biophilia. Understanding these factors in the classroom environment can inspire new approaches to design and class flexibility whilst positively impacting student learning outcomes, teacher effectiveness, and overall well-being.

This capstone research is conducted at a time of change within educational design approaches as they continually aim to determine which factors …

Investigating The Importance Of Non-Textual Caption Properties From Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Viewers' Perspective, Akhter Al Amin

Theses

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) viewers rely on captioning to perceive auditory information while watching live television programming. Captioning ensures that viewers can receive textual and non-textual information that is crucial to comprehend the content of the video. However, no research has investigated how non-textual properties of captioning, such as caption placement and the presentation of current speakers, influence DHH viewers’ ability to comprehend video content and their judgement of a captioned video’s quality. Thus, this work aims to understand the effect of non-textual properties of captioning on DHH viewers’ live captioned video watching experiences; these findings can inform a better …

The Interstellar Scintillation Of Psr J1614-2230, Lekshmi Rajagopal

Theses

Observations of the millisecond pulsar J1614-2230 as part of the NANOGrav 12.5 yr dataset were utilised to study the scintillation and interstellar medium along the line of sight of PSR J1614-2230. Modelling noise signals in pulsar line of sight allows for isolation of the raw signal and therefore more precise pulse period measurements. These are extremely useful in Pulsar Timing Arrays and in their potential to be used as cosmic detectors for the gravitational wave background. J1614 presented clear, distinguishable intensity variations in a long observation taken in March 2014 by B.J.Shapiro-Albert et al. (2020), which provided motivation to further …

A Parametric Numerical Analysis Investigation To Optimize The Performance Of The Ranque-Hilsch Vortex Tube, Muneer Ahmad Sungur

Theses

A vortex tube is a device that separates compressed air into two streams: one with a higher temperature (hot stream) and the other with a lower temperature (cold stream). It is a popular cooling option because it is small, safe, and affordable. The main objective of this thesis is to examine the energy separation performance of RHVT by varying the internal tapering angles of convergent angles (2°, 1.75°, 1.5°, 1.25°, 1°, 0.75°, and 0.5°), straight angles (0°), and divergent angles (0.5°, 1°, 2°, 4°, and 6°), While the cold mass fraction is constant (0.317). Length-to-diameter ratio (Lt/Dt), inlet pressure, and …

Cheating Detection In Online Exams Based On Captured Video Using Deep Learning, Aysha Sultan Alkalbani

Theses

Today, e-learning has become a reality and a global trend imposed and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are many risks and challenges related to the credibility of online exams which are of widespread concern to educational institutions around the world. Online exam system continues to gain popularity, particularly during the pandemic, due to the rapid expansion of digitalization and globalization. To protect the integrity of the examination and provide objective and fair results, cheating detection and prevention in examination systems is a must. Therefore, the main objective of this thesis is to develop an effective way of detection …

A Novel Approach For Detection Fault In The Aircraft Exterior Body Using Image Processing, Noura Nayef Almansoori

Theses

The primary objective of this thesis is to develop innovative techniques for the inspection and maintenance of aircraft structures. We aim to streamline the entire process by utilizing images to detect potential defects in the aircraft body and comparing them to properly functioning images of the aircraft. This enables us to determine whether a specific section of the aircraft is faulty or not. We achieve this by employing image processing to train a model capable of identifying faulty images. The image processing methodology we use involves the use of images of both defective and operational parts of the aircraft's exterior. …

Heat Transfer Analysis Of Microchannels Heat Sink With Sidewall Fins, Ahmad Ala Eddin Rahhal

Theses

This study aims to investigate Microchannel Heat Sinks with side wall fins through a model-based approach. The primary objective of the project is to design and analyze the thermal performance of straight Microchannel Heat Sinks with square and triangle-shaped fins on sidewalls. To examine their performance, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation study is conducted using the ANSYS Fluent software. The study starts by creating a CAD model of the heat sink and then analyzing its thermal properties with the ANSYS Fluent software. From the CFD simulation study, numerical results are obtained for different operational and geometrical conditions. The study …

Design Of A Mini Leo Gnss Constellation And A Custom Gnss Signal Simulator Development, Mohamed Mohamed Yaser

Theses

This thesis is concerned with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) constellations and signals, and how can they provide rapid Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services for the emerging technologies. The first objective of this thesis is to perform a simulation of a new mini-LEO GNSS constellation at 1000 km and assess its performance in different scenarios. The second objective is to design a signal simulator for two signals that are propriety of the Global Navigation Satellite Augmentation Systems (GNSSaS), which are the BOC(2,2) and ATLBOC(7.5, BOC(2,2)) modulation schemes. To simulate the mini-LEO GNSS constellation, two software …

Content Analysis Of Activities Of The Emirati Science Textbooks For The Fifth Grade In Light Of Science Process Skills, Teba Abdulazeez Al-Faiadh

Theses

Similar to several other countries, the United Arab Emirates places a high value on the use of science textbooks in the process of teaching and learning science. Therefore, the content of science textbooks must always be evaluated and analyzed in light of scientific knowledge and skills. Providing science process skills in the activities of science textbooks is essential and has a significant role in pushing students toward balanced scientific knowledge because attention to skills is a tool that enables the student to succeed in understanding the nature of science. However, based on the literature, there is a scarcity of scientific …