Digital Commons Network^™

Reliable Hardware Architectures Of Cordic Algorithm With Fixed Angle Of Rotations, Rajkumar Ramadoss

Theses

Fixed-angle rotation operation of vectors is widely used in signal processing, graphics, and robotics. Various optimized coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC) designs have been proposed for uniform rotation of vectors through known and specified angles. Nevertheless, in the presence of faults, such hardware architectures are potentially vulnerable. In this thesis, we propose efficient error detection schemes for two fixed-angle rotation designs, i.e., the Interleaved Scaling and Cascaded Single-rotation CORDIC. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first in providing reliable architectures for these variants of CORDIC. The former is suitable for low-area applications and, hence, we propose …

Analyzing Domestic Abuse Using Natural Language Processing On Social Media Data, J Nicolas Schrading

Theses

Social media and social networking play a major role in billions of lives. Publicly available posts on websites such as Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, and Facebook can contain deeply personal accounts of the lives of users – and the crises they face. Health woes, family concerns, accounts of bullying, and any number of other issues that people face every day are detailed on a massive scale online. Utilizing natural language processing and machine learning techniques, these data can be analyzed to understand societal and public health issues. Expensive surveys need not be conducted with automatic understanding of social media data, allowing …

Puncture Initial Data And Evolution Of Black Hole Binaries With High Speed And High Spin, Ian Ruchlin

Theses

This dissertation explores numerical models of the orbit, inspiral, and merger phases of black hole binaries. We focus on the astrophysically realistic case of black holes with nearly extremal spins, and on high energy black hole collisions. To study the evolution of such systems, we form puncture initial data by solving the four general relativity constraint equations using pseudospectral methods on a compactified collocation point domain. The solutions to these coupled, nonlinear, elliptic differential equations represent the desired configuration at an initial moment. They are then propagated forward through time using a set of hyperbolic evolution equations with the moving …

Hydrogen: A Framework For Analyzing Software Revision Histories, Shannon D. Pattison

Theses

Hydrogen is a framework used for analyzing software revision histories for such applications as verifying bug fixes and identifying changes that cause bugs. The framework uses a graph representation of multiple versions of a program in a software revision history called a multi-version interprocedural control flow graph (MVICFG). The MVICFG integrates the control flow for multiple versions of a program into a single graph and provides a convenient way to represent semantic (i.e. control flow) change in a program. The MVICFG can also reduce the storage demands for representing the control flow for multiple versions of a program. Hydrogen implements …

A Simulation Based Optimization Approach For Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Management With Milestones, Maribel Perez

Theses

Project managers are challenged to continuously make decisions throughout the development of a project attempting to minimize the overall project cost and, at the same time, seeking to accomplish a pre-established deadline. These time-cost tradeoff decisions are made even more complex when resource constraints, caused by limited available resources, are added to the equation. The goal of this research is to design a simulation-based optimization approach to solve the resource constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) under uncertainty. Two methods are proposed: the Total Cost Resource Constrained Method (TCRCM) and the Earned Value Resource Constrained Method (EVRCM). The TCRCM seeks to …

Investigating Annual Variation In Fruit Quality Using Nutrient Assays And Multidimensional Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Harshita Sood

Theses

Each year, billions of birds engage in migratory behavior in response to seasonal changes. During fall migration, many birds consume nutritionally rich fruits with high energy density to satisfy their energy requirements, and rich in antioxidant capacity to alleviate oxidative stress. The goal of this study was to investigate the variation in nutritional content and antioxidant content of fruits from two different years, and compare these with trends in temperature and precipitation during the years. The fruits of 12 shrubs were collected during autumn of 2012 and 2013 in Rochester, NY. Nutrient analyses were used to measure the energy density, …

A Wireless Communication Platform For Mems Sensors, Chen Chen

Theses

Wireless measurement systems combining current advanced information collection, processing and wireless communication technology, have been applied to information measurement in special occasions. As a short range wireless communication technology, bluetooth is low cost, stable, and low power. Bluetooth technology is used in monitoring and wireless control system widely.

ArduinoBT is the bluetooth version of the general Arduino board, which is open source and convenient as a wireless development tool.

This thesis presents a hardware and software experimental wireless platform for the application of multiple kinds of MEMS sensors. By the combination of ArduinoBT and signal conditioning circuit, different types of …

Fear Feedback Loop: Creative And Dynamic Fear Experiences Driven By User Emotion, Charlene Dimeglio

Theses

This thesis examines whether it is possible to generate fear-eliciting media that custom fits to the user. The system described uses a genetic algorithm to produce images that get more scary through the generations in reaction to either physiological signals obtained from the user or a user-provided fear rating. The system was able to detect differing levels of fear using a regression trained on EEG and heart rate data gathered while users view clips from horror movies. It was also found to produce images with significantly higher fear ratings at the fifth generation as compared to the first generation. These …

Thedor Kullak's "Scenes From Childhood," Op. 62, And Op. 81: A Pedagogical Guide, Jennifer Lynn Kottke

Theses

Theodor Kullak (September 12, 1818 - March 1, 1882) composed "Scenes from Childhood," Op. 62 and Op. 81 for young piano students. This thesis is a guide for teaching these pieces to intermediate piano students. Following Kullak's biography, aspects of note-reading, fingering, rhythm, technique, and musicality are discussed and illustrated in specific examples from the music.

Utopia And Human Culture: Alternative Communities Of Higher Learning In America, Eli Orner Kramer

Theses

In this thesis I explore the place of the actualized utopian American alternative community of higher learning within a philosophy of human culture. I carry out such a study in order to articulate a unifying description of movement; to find the “target” that orients the activity of actualized utopia, as opposed to a classificatory rule to define a mechanically determined utopian-object. Although these communities have varied in practice since the first generation of them were created in the mid-nineteenth century, I argue that they have played, and continue to play, a particular role in America. They imagine what a world …

Perception Of /Q/ In The Arabic /Q/-/K/ Contrast By Native Speakers Of American English: A Discrimination Task, Ousmane Sawadogo

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Ousmane Sawadogo, for the Master of Arts degree in Applied Linguistics and TESOL, presented on May 4, 2015, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: PERCEPTION OF /q/ IN THE ARABIC /q/-/k/ CONTRAST BY NATIVE SPEAKERS OF AMERICAN ENGLISH: A DISCRIMINATION TASK MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Soo Jung Chang Studies on speech perception have suggested that non-native sound perception is influenced by the listener’s native language. Non-native sound contrast perception depends on a given sound’s similarity or dissimilarity to the listener’s equivalent native language sound. The Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM) posits that it is difficult to …

Geometric Phases In Single Molecule Magnets, Brian Canchola Fenochio

Theses

The characterization of the material properties of Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs) has grown in importance over the last few decades with the rise of novel applications such as high-density magnetic storage and quantum computation. Many of the applications require the probing of SMMs with spectroscopic methods that make use of electromagnetic radiation. The interaction with these time-dependent fields leads to energy shifts, which can be attributed to the geometric phase acquired by the system or the Bloch-Siegert shift. We model an SMM by a giant spin Hamiltonian, and use Floquet perturbation theory to find the geometric phase shifts. The locations …

Extraction Of Vegetation Biophysical Structure From Small-Footprint Full-Waveform Lidar Signals, Paul Romanczyk

Theses

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental scale environmental monitoring initiative tasked with characterizing and understanding ecological phenomenology over a 30-year time frame. To support this mission, NEON collects ground truth measurements, such as organism counts and characterization, carbon flux measurements, etc. To spatially upscale these plot-based measurements, NEON developed an airborne observation platform (AOP), with a high-resolution visible camera, next-generation AVIRIS imaging spectrometer, and a discrete and waveform digitizing light detection and ranging (lidar) system. While visible imaging, imaging spectroscopy, and discrete lidar are relatively mature technologies, our understanding of and associated algorithm development for small-footprint full-waveform …

In The Acute Care Setting What Is The Effect Of Bedside Nursing Report On Patient Safety When Compared With Traditional Reporting Methods: An Evidence-Based Project, Heather Rolling, Jessica Pauley, Jaclyn Hoyt

Theses

The purpose of this evidence-based project was to examine the effect of bedside report on patient outcomes and nurse/patient satisfaction. Many key components to the report could be affected if report is done through audiotaping or through written reports during handoff. The PICO(T) question for this evidence-based project was "In the acute care setting, what is the effect of bedside nursing report on patient safety when compared with traditional reporting methods?”

Analysis Of Double Ring Resonators Using Method Of Equating Fields, Shahana Althaf

Theses

Optical ring resonators have the potential to be integral parts of large scale photonic circuits. My thesis theoretically analyzes parallel coupled double ring resonators (DRRs) in detail. The analysis is performed using the method of equating fields (MEF) which provides an in depth understanding about the transmitted and reflected light paths in the structure. Equations for the transmitted and reflected fields are derived; these equations allow for unequal ring lengths and coupling coefficients. Sanity checks including comparison with previously studied structures are performed in the final chapter in order to prove the correctness of the obtained results.

Tense And Truthmaking: Addressing The Problem Of Tense After The Ontological Turn, Elliott Risch

Theses

The vogue position among many philosophers and physicists is that the perceptual appearance of tensed properties, e.g. was past, is present and will be future, involves a perceptual illusion at a certain level of complexity within our physical system. This position leads to the problem of tense, where the truth of judgments based upon tensed properties is called into question. After appraising several received solutions to the problem of tense, I argue that each is guilty of implicitly assuming a certain estimation of what counts as a truth-maker for tensed judgments. This estimation is reliant upon an entailment relation holding …

Forest Structure From Terrestrial Laser Scanning – In Support Of Remote Sensing Calibration/Validation And Operational Inventory, David Kelbe

Theses

Forests are an important part of the natural ecosystem, providing resources such as timber and fuel, performing services such as energy exchange and carbon storage, and presenting risks, such as fire damage and invasive species impacts. Improved characterization of forest structural attributes is desirable, as it could improve our understanding and management of these natural resources.

However, the traditional, systematic collection of forest information – dubbed “forest inventory” – is time-consuming, expensive, and coarse when compared to novel 3-D measurement technologies. Remote sensing estimates, on the other hand, provide synoptic coverage, but often fail to capture the fine- scale structural …

An Analytical Framework For Assessing The Efficacy Of Small Satellites In Performing Novel Imaging Missions, Oesa A. Weaver

Theses

In the last two decades, small satellites have opened up the use of space to groups other than governments and large corporations, allowing for increased participation and experimentation. This democratization of space was primarily enabled by two factors: improved technology and reduced launch costs. Improved technology allowed the miniaturization of components and reduced overall cost meaning many of the capabilities of larger satellites could be replicated at a fraction of the cost. In addition, new launcher systems that could host many small satellites as ride-shares on manifested vehicles lowered launch costs and simplified the process of getting a satellite into …

The Role Of Philornis Downsi In Avian Disease Transmission In The Galápagos Islands, Courtney Lauren Pike

Theses

Philornis downsi is a dipteran fly species known to parasitize passerine birds in the Neotropics. P. downsi is speculated to be a recently introduced species in Galápagos Islands, so it is important to understand its effects on the archipelago’s native and endemic avian species. Avian parasites and pathogens have been previously reported in the Galápagos, leading the Galápagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation to focus efforts on the study and management of potential avian disease vectors. The main goal of this study was to determine whether P. downsi is a host for avian parasites and pathogens found in …

Inas/Gasb Tunnel Diodes, Matthew J. Filmer

Theses

The Tunneling Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) has shown promise as a possible replacement for the MOSFET, especially in low power applications where power supplies continue to shrink. One of the biggest developmental challenges with the TFET is the relatively low drive current density compared to that of a MOSFET. Increasing tunneling probability will increase drive current density. Determining the peak current density in a tunnel diode can give insight into the tunneling probability for the material system. This can then be used to predict what material systems might support high current density TFETs.

This study focuses on the InAs/GaSb broken gap …

Testing And Evaluating Dye Color: A Study Using Spectrophotometry On Technicolor And Eastman Color Motion Picture Film, Melissa Sagen

Theses

The history of color motion picture film is linked to two companies: Technicolor and Eastman Kodak. Technicolor was formed in 1915 by Herbert Kalmus, Daniel Comstock, and W. Burton Wescott, who realized that color film could enhance motion picture entertainment. Introduced in 1932, it was a three-color process that was widely used into the late 1950s. The three-color process utilized a camera with one lens that exposed three black and white negatives simultaneously by splitting the incoming visible light through a prism. The prism would create two beams of light which would then expose one film negative to green light …

Tcp – Random Early Detection (Red) Mechanism For Congestion Control, Asli Sungur

Theses

This thesis discusses the Random Early Detection (RED) algorithm, proposed by Sally Floyd, used for congestion avoidance in computer networking, how existing algorithms compare to this approach and the configuration and implementation of the Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) variation.

RED uses a probability approach in order to calculate the probability that a packet will be dropped before periods of high congestion, relative to the minimum and maximum queue threshold, average queue length, packet size and the number of packets since the last drop.

The motivation for this thesis has been the high QoS provided to current delay-sensitive applications such …

Seasons: A Motion Graphics Depicts Activities Of Ancient Chinese People In Four Seasons, Qina Chen

Theses

Seasons is a 2D motion graphics film that aims to visually depict my interpretation of seasons changing and seasonal activities of ancient Chinese people. It is an attempt to reproduce two classical arts on modern media. I mimic and mix the visual effects of Chinese shadow puppets and Chinese ink wash strokes through digital media technologies. Neither Chinese painting nor shadow puppet emphasize on reproducing the appearance of subject. It is more regarded as a form of expressionistic art, which intends to capture the spirit of the subject and illustrate the perception of the scene. My graphics are not planned …

Dynamic Voltage And Frequency Scaling For Wireless Network-On-Chip, Pratheep Joe Siluvai Iruthayaraj

Theses

Previously, research and design of Network-on-Chip (NoC) paradigms where mainly focused on improving the performance of the interconnection networks. With emerging wide range of low-power applications and energy constrained high-performance applications, it is highly desirable to have NoCs that are highly energy efficient without incurring performance penalty. In the design of high-performance massive multi-core chips, power and heat have become dominant constrains. Increased power consumption can raise chip temperature, which in turn can decrease chip reliability and performance and increase cooling costs.

It was proven that Small-world Wireless Network-on-Chip (SWNoC) architecture which replaces multi-hop wire-line path in a NoC by …

Robot Learning Dual-Arm Manipulation Tasks By Trial-And-Error And Multiple Human Demonstrations, Sulabh Kumra

Theses

In robotics, there is a need of an interactive and expedite learning method as experience is expensive. In this research, we propose two different methods to make a humanoid robot learn manipulation tasks: Learning by trial-and-error, and Learning from demonstrations. Just like the way a child learns a new task assigned to him by trying all possible alternatives and further learning from his mistakes, the robot learns in the same manner in learning by trial-and error. We used Q-learning algorithm, in which the robot tries all the possible ways to do a task and creates a matrix that consists of …

An Empirical Analysis Of Predictive Machine Learning Algorithms On High-Dimensional Microarray Cancer Data, Jo A. Bill

Theses

This research evaluates pattern recognition techniques on a subclass of big data where the dimensionality of the input space p is much larger than the number of observations n. Seven gene-expression microarray cancer datasets, where the ratio κ = n/p is less than one, were chosen for evaluation. The statistical and computational challenges inherent with this type of high-dimensional low sample size (HDLSS) data were explored. The capability and performance of a diverse set of machine learning algorithms is presented and compared. The sparsity and collinearity of the data being employed, in conjunction with the complexity of the algorithms studied, …

Infrared Investigations Of The Composition And Structure Of Nearby Protoplanetary Disks, Valerie Ann Rapson

Theses

Near- to far-infrared imaging and spectroscopy of nearby (pc), low mass pre-main sequence stars that are orbited by gaseous and dusty circumstellar disks allow astronomers to probe the chemical composition and structure of protoplanetary disks, and further understand disk evolution and planet formation processes. In this dissertation, I present an infrared imaging and spectral analysis of the young star-disk systems V4046 Sgr, T Cha and MP Mus. V4046 Sgr is a nearby (D~73 pc), ~20 Myr-old spectroscopic binary surrounded by a large (R~350 AU) circumbinary disk. T Cha and MP Mus are similarly nearby (Dpc) and young (old) single-star systems …

Seasonal Variation In Chronic Stress And Energetic Condition In Three Species Of Migratory Birds, Meghan Oberkircher

Theses

Neotropical migrants face multiple challenges throughout their annual cycle. During migration, birds must avoid predation, face adverse weather, and find stopover sites with food adequate to support their needs. Upon return to the breeding grounds following migration, males must find and defend territory from other males. Females incubate eggs and both males and females may participate in feeding young leaving less time to feed themselves. After the breeding season birds undergo the energy intensive process of molt. Declines in populations of Neotropical migrants have been reported over the past several decades. In order to prevent further population declines of Neotropical …

Image Quality Modeling And Characterization Of Nyquist Sampled Framing Systems With Operational Considerations For Remote Sensing, Rey Jan D. Garma

Theses

The trade between detector and optics performance is often conveyed through the Q metric, which is defined as the ratio of detector sampling frequency and optical cutoff frequency. Historically sensors have operated at Q~1, which introduces aliasing but increases the system modulation transfer function (MTF) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Though mathematically suboptimal, such designs have been operationally ideal when considering system parameters such as pointing stability and detector performance. Substantial advances in read noise and quantum efficiency of modern detectors may compensate for the negative aspects associated with balancing detector/optics performance, presenting an opportunity to revisit the potential for implementing …

Design Guidelines For Offset Journal Bearings In Two-Stroke Engines, David P. Anderson

Theses

Offset journal bearings are an attractive design option for cross-head and piston bearings for two-stroke engines. Two-stroke engine design has seen a resurgence in the last few years due to potential gains in engine efficiency over their four-stroke counterparts. The cross-head and piston bearings comprising such engines, however, are characterized by non-reversing loads with limited oscillating journal motion, the combination of which provides poor bearing performance for conventional cylindrical bearings. The division of bearing journal and sleeve into offset segments allows for periodic load relaxation in the segments and development of squeeze-film action which substantially improves bearing performance. Offset bearings …