Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of Functional Safety In A Robotic Manufacturing Cell Using Iec 61508 Standard And Siemens Technology, Darshana M. Kamtekar

Theses

The past 50 years have seen a staggering amount of change in the technology and the business of process automation. The programmable logic controller (PLC) based control and monitoring system is a proven technology used to not only control processes but also to perform safety functions for processes in many industrial applications. There are many opportunities for improvements in any process or manufacturing system. One of the opportunities is achieving accurate safety function for measurement and process control to prevent human injury or death. The programmable electronic systems (PES) such as PLC systems are increasingly being used to perform safety …

High Spatial/Spectral Resolution X-Ray Observations And Volumetric 3d Modeling Of Superheated Plasma In The Planetary Nebula Bd+30◦3639, Young Sam Yu

Theses

Planetary nebulae (PNs) represent the last dying stages of evolution for sun-like stars. Though astronomers have traditionally studied PNs in optical emission lines, which mainly probe UV-photoionized gas, the study of X-ray emission from PNs offers insight into much more energetic process associated with stellar death. I present and analyze the results of multiple Chandra X-ray observations of the X-ray-bright, young PN BD+30°3639. The Chandra datasets analyzed include a 3.5-day gratings spectroscopy observation for a total of 300 ks exposure and two direct CCD imaging observations. This thesis is based primarily on a detailed spatial/spectral analysis of the gratings data. …

Smooth Flexible Models Of Nonhomogeneous Poisson Processes Fit To One Or More Process Realizations, Shalaka C. Deo

Theses

Simulation is a technique of creating representations or models of real world systems or processes and conducting experiments to predict behavior of actual systems. Input modeling is a critical aspect of simulation modeling. Stochastic input models are used to model various aspects of the system under uncertainty including process times and interarrival times. This research focuses on input models for nonstationary arrival processes that can be represented as nonhomogeneous Poisson processes (NHPPs). In particular, a smooth flexible model for the mean-value function (or integrated rate function) of a general NHPP is estimated. To represent the mean-value function, the method utilizes …

Cactuss: Clustering Of Attack Tracks Using Significant Services, Christopher Thomas Murphy

Theses

Network analysts are bombarded with large amounts of low level data, posing great challenges for them to differentiate and recognize critical multistage attacks. Multistage attacks are performed by hackers to compromise one or more machines in a network to gradually gain access to critical information or network operation hidden behind layers of firewall rules. These multistage attacks, composed of correlated Intrusion Detection System (IDS) alerts, can be diverse in the way they progress and penetrate the network. There exists no current literature defining how these diverse multistage attacks may be classified or categorized. This work aims to perform unsupervised learning …

Eganwo: The Graphic Novel’S Escape To Digital Media, Brian P. Kowalczyk

Theses

Comics are beginning to rise in popularity today, but there is still a significant portion of society that rejects comics as an art form. The main objective of this project was to develop a product for the comic book industry with which they could tap into and benefit from a broader online audience. This project attempts to further what recent success the comic book has had in other forms of media other than that of print, such as movies, videogames, and motion graphics. Reaching out to new demographics on the World Wide Web and combining the comic book experience with …

Visualization Of Protein 3d Structures In Reduced Representation With Simultaneous Display Of Intra And Inter-Molecular Interactions, Vrunda Sheth

Theses

Protein structure representation is an important tool in structural biology. There exists different methods of representing the protein 3D structures and different biologists favor different methods based on the information they require. Currently there is no available method of protein 3D structure representation which captures enough chemical information from the protein sequence and clearly shows the intra-molecular and the inter-molecular H-bonds and VDW interactions at the same time. This project aims to reduce the 3D structure of a protein and display the reduced representation along with inter-molecular and the intra-molecular H-bonds and van der Waals interactions. A reduced protein representation …

Characterization Of Mass Transport Processes To Enable Pem Fuel Cell Start-Up From Low Temperatures, Daniel I. Harris

Theses

A PEM fuel cell assembly requires the simultaneous delivery of reactants to the electrodes of multiple cells in order to produce electrical power. The mass transport of reactants to the electrode surfaces is complicated by the presence of liquid water during operation in low temperature environments. The water transport characteristics of an operational fuel cell were experimentally determined to build a low ambient temperature control strategy for a full scale automotive application. Two key topics for fuel cell control are covered: (a) purge of the fuel cell at shutdown, and (b) the fuel cell stack power management during freeze-start. After …

Dynamic Modeling And Analysis Of Multiple Sofc System Configurations, Andrew J. Slippey

Theses

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are a variety of high temperature fuel cells with particular advantages such as fuel flexibility, internal fuel reforming capability, and combined heat and power (CHP) applications. To aid in the advancement of this technology, this work develops dynamic, computer-based, mathematical models of two SOFC configurations employing different SOFC and reformer technologies. Starting from an existing recirculation-based tubular SOFC system with a steam reformer, new component models are developed for a planar SOFC stack and a partial oxidation (POX) reformer. Both the new and existing component models were updated and improved by including new pressure dynamics …

Visualizing Threat And Impact Assessment To Improve Situation Awareness, Michael Cooper Nusinov

Theses

Situation awareness comes from combined knowledge of the environment, friendly actions and adversaries' actions. Impact assessment applies that knowledge to determine the consequences of those actions on specific missions and assets. In domains such as asymmetric warfare and cyber security, impact assessment is critical to provide timely and comprehensive situation awareness. An analyst needs to be able to quickly and accurately assess a situation, see the factors affecting important assets, and come to a conclusion on what the best course of actions are to take. Many attempts have been made to visualize a situation from observed raw data for better …

An Application Of The Bass Diffusion Model To Border Security And Illegal Immigration, Ayeh Ohene-Asah

Theses

This research's objective was to apply the Bass Diffusion model to border security and illegal immigration. The Potential Actual Illegal Immigration Population (PAIIP) model was created using the Vensim software program to illustrate and simulate illegal border crossings and assess the impact of detention, deportation, and amnesty on the communication between potential and actual illegal immigrants. This systems modeling approach combined with a secondary analysis method was used for data collection and analysis. Results indicate that no single or combination of policies solves the problem of illegal immigration. This study's conclusions point out that the greater the quality of information …

Myoelectric Control Techniques For A Rehabilitation Robot, Alan Smith

Theses

The work presented in this thesis consists primarily of two projects. The first project was the design and development of a real time myoelectric controller using a pattern recognition scheme. The myoelectric control scheme controlled three degrees of freedom which included elbow flexion and extension, wrist pronation and supination, and hand grasping and releasing for a robotic arm in the Biomechatronics Learning Lab at the Rochester Institute of Technology. According to the knowledge of the author, no work has ever combined these three DOF. The design started with an offline analysis of common windows and features found in the literature. …

Patterns Of Affiliation And Agonism In A Ringtailed Lemur, , Society: Tests Of The Socioecological Model And Other Hypotheses, Gena Christine Sbeglia

Theses

Efforts to understand the variation in primate social systems and the underlying social interactions have focused on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In the socioecological model, food distribution and abundance have been argued to be the primary influences on the social relationships and resulting social organization of primate groups. In the first part of this study, I examined the relationship of food and three additional factors (kinship, proximity, previous agonism) with patterns of affiliative and agonistic interactions in two semi-free ranging ringtailed lemur, , social groups (n=14) at Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC. Affiliation and high intensity agonism patterns …

The Remains Of The Day, David Fox

Theses

In this thesis I will discuss my current body of work in regards to contemporary art and everyday domestic routines. Through this investigation I hope to draw out questions about self-reflection found in everyday visual cues within art objects.

Hide & Seek: Objects Of Meaning, Amy Maguire Chidiac

Theses

This thesis project is to design a philosophy to create mindfulness in the user of an object. To exemplify the philosophy, the secondary goal is to design objects with these attributes. Objects that encourage mindfulness will be meaningful to the user. Meaningful objects will increase the enjoyment of everyday life. Research on psychology, cultural anthropology, brain function, Taoism, and Zen Buddhism help form the philosophy. The design philosophy developed consists of three criteria that when met will make an object encourage mindfulness in its user. The objects designed are a 5 Inch Utility Knife, a Hemisphere Mixing Bowl, and a …

Time Delays And System Response Times In Human-Computer Interaction, Noah Stupak

Theses

This study sought to determine a type of graphical representation of system response time that would be most beneficial to the user in terms of task performance. Specifically, I examined which type of progress bar would allow the user to return to working with the system most efficiently while performing other concurrent tasks, and how well the user performed these tasks. The different types of progress bars studied included segmented and continuous progress presentations, and linear, accelerating, and decelerating progress behaviors. The results indicate that different representations of system response time affected performance on the two tasks, with the continuous …

Transient Studies On Rna Interference And Coat Protein-Mediated Resistance To Cassava Brown Streak Disease, Emmanuel Ogwok

Theses

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important staple and cash crop in Africa, Latin America and Asia. In east and southern Africa, cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) caused by cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) is associated with significant losses in cassava production. Previously, the disease was prevalent only along coastal eastern and southern Africa, but it recently emerged in Uganda and is spreading rapidly in the country as well as in neighboring countries. Apart from a few cultivars that have shown tolerance to CBSV in Tanzania, no effective resistance to CBSV has been developed and deployed to date. The full …

A Bayesian Approach To Identfication Of Gaseous Effluents In Passive Lwir Imagery, Shawn Higbee

Theses

Typically a regression approach is applied in order to identify the gaseous constituents present in a hyperspectral image, and the task of species identification amounts to choosing the best regression model. Common model selection approaches (stepwise and criterion based methods) have well known multiple comparisons problems, and they do not allow the user to control the experiment-wise error rate, or allow the user to include scene-specific knowledge in the inference process. A Bayesian model selection technique called Gibbs Variable Selection (GVS) that better handles these issues is presented and implemented via Markov chain monte carlo (MCMC). GVS can be used …

A Vital Environment, Taesung Jeng

Theses

Every day, nature is being used and is also being destroyed through over cutting and overgrazing of forests and grasslands because of the expansion of human numbers. The economic and material demands of growing villages and towns are not the causes but the results of human activity. What is the impact of the careless occupancy of so many of earth's human occupants? Are we turning everything in nature into something human-made and human used? My artworks emphasize how nature as a lay concept is changed by humans' desire for comfort and materialism. In addition, since human creation is another form …

Colors Of The Music, Meng-Tieh Fang

Theses

It is a generation of high technology. Our daily life is full of computing in the aspects of work and leisure. Computing also influences on art, and now a computer can be a new form of representation. Artists use computers to create and show their art works, and viewers now not only view those art works but also involve in art works through the interactivity of a computer. Motion graphics are attractive. Flash based programs are rich in interaction. This project combines the two features to create a user driven art that promotes classical music to children and of course …

Gpu Acceleration Of Object Classification Algorithms Using Nvidia Cuda, Jesse Patrick Harvey

Theses

The field of computer vision has become an important part of today's society, supporting crucial applications in the medical, manufacturing, military intelligence and surveillance domains. Many computer vision tasks can be divided into fundamental steps: image acquisition, pre-processing, feature extraction, detection or segmentation, and high-level processing. This work focuses on classification and object detection, specifically k-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machine classification, and Viola & Jones object detection. Object detection and classification algorithms are computationally intensive, which makes it difficult to perform classification tasks in real-time. This thesis aims in overcoming the processing limitations of the above classification algorithms by offloading …

Automated 3d Object Modeling From Aerial Video Imagery, Prudhvi K. Gurram

Theses

Research in physically accurate 3D modeling of a scene is gaining momentum because of its far reaching applications in civilian and defense sectors. The modeled 3D scene must conform both geometrically and spectrally to the real world for all the applications. Geometric modeling of a scene can be achieved in many ways of which the two most popular methods are - a) using multiple 2D passive images of the scene also called as stereo vision and b) using 3D point clouds like Lidar (Light detection and ranging) data. In this research work, we derive the 3D models of objects in …

Game Engine Architecture : A Comprehensive View, Donald Kehoe

Theses

Game development is an ever growing interdisciplinary field. A variety of different skill sets need to come together to create a professional game. These range from art, audio and design through programming and development. It is difficult to isolate the different disciplines in game development since every aspect of the game is co-dependent on everything else. Even in the programming domain there are a number of sub-disciplines that a game can require such as physics programming, environmental programming, artificial intelligence and programming the core game engine, A game can even be developed in a number of different ways depending on …

Development Of A Toolbox For The Kinematic Evaluation Of Hands-Up Video Games, Brooke Marie Odle

Theses

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have limited upper extremity (UE) control, Virtual reality (VR) is a current technology being evaluated as a form of UE therapy for children with CP, The systems currently available have been developed with games that cannot be graded to match the skill level of children with severely impaired UE control. A novel video game platform, "Hands-Up", has been developed at New Jersey Institute of Technology. The platform features software that allows for the customization of games and encourages users to make purposeful UE movements. To quantify changes and improvement in movement due to increased …

Water Purification In Haiti : An Engineers Without Borders Project, Melissa Valoura

Theses

The objective of this thesis was to present the necessary steps to help a town in Haiti develop an organization focused on improving their water quality. It goes through the technology needed to create the organization and explains the procedures for implementing a charitable project in a foreign country. A narrative of the student project in Milot, Haiti, where students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Engineers Without Borders Chapter implemented a water purification project, explains the course of action that was taken and gives an example of a successful project. A summary of Haiti and its history paints …

Non-Foster Matching Of An Rfid Antenna, Nedime Pelin Yalcin

Theses

In this thesis, novel designs of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag antennas with better matching characteristics to achieve extended range for passive tags have been investigated in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band. A variety of cavitybacked/coupled microstrip dipole antennas in 915 MHz range were considered. Additionally, a negative impedance converter designed to cancel out antenna's input capacitance at resonance frequency and to produce the real antenna input impedance was designed, simulated and implemented for an RFID antenna. Numerical simulations have been carried out using ORCAD software package (Cadence), ADS software package (Agilent) and HFSS software package (ANSYS/ANSOFT Inc). Antennas have been …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Organic Light Emitting Diodes For Display Applications, Omkar Vyavahare

Theses

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) based on the principle of electroluminescence, constitute a new and exciting emissive display technology for flat panel displays. In order to attain high quantum efficiency for electroluminescence, it is necessary to achieve three attributes: efficient charge injection from the electrodes at low drive voltage, good charge balance, and confinement of the injected charge carriers within the emitting layers. The purpose of this research work was to fabricate, measure and analyze OLEDs based on these fundamental principles using different cathode materials, injection layers and buffer layers in order to determine the best possible configuration. Starting from …

Modeling And Control Of An Automotive Fuel Cell Thermal System, John Nolan

Theses

This work develops an 8th order, non-linear thermal model of an automotive Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell system. Subsystem models were developed from first principals where ever possible and validated against data from a physical system. The entire model was then validated against system data from a General Motor's 120kW fuel cell system. The system model was analyzed in both the time and frequency domain. Next, a reduced, 3rd order model was constructed from the full model and then linearized. The performances of all three models were compared and it was found that the 3rd order linear model provided …

Nostalgia, Pavel Romaniko

Theses

The visual part of this project has revolved around ideas that have been in the process of forming themselves for a few years. But if I could assign a topic or a totalizing theme to the project, I would be limiting it in a very particular way. I see Nostalgia as a beginning and in no way something that has come to fruition or to a speci!c resolution. If anything I consider it as a still evolving subject; it is very youthful and fresh for me. The project also rejects a new way of working for me from creating the …

Solving Conflict In Academic Contexts: A Comparison Of U.S. And Taiwanese College Students, Li-Jung Huang

Theses

In today’s globalized society with intense interaction between and among cultures, cross cultural understanding is becoming of crucial importance for successful communication. Whenever there is communication among people from different cultures, disagreement, argument and interpersonal conflict may occur. For this reason, the study of cultural differences in conflict resolution is of great value to society at large. Yet, the number of studies that have examined conflict resolution approaches across cultures is insufficient.

This study sought to contribute to this area of research by investigating conflict resolution strategies employed by US and Taiwanese college students in academic contexts and the motives …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) And Gender Differences, Christina A. Carducci

Theses

Few studies investigate gender differences concerning Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Hinshaw, 2002). Further, studies that examine self-report ratings of ADHD in females are lacking. Self-reports are crucial to identifying ADHD in females who have been found to have more internalizing symptoms of ADHD (Quinn, 2005). Current models suggest that executive function, rather than attention, is the core deficit of ADHD and that it may serve as a neurobehavioral domain that differentiates individuals with ADHD based on subtype and gender (Wodka et al., 2008). This study examined gender differences on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning- Adult Version (BRIEF-A) …