Digital Commons Network^™

Methodology And Optimizing Of Multiple Frame Format Buffering Within Fpga H.264/Avc Decoder With Frext., Timothy Aaron Stotts

Theses

Digital representation of video data is an inherently resource demanding problem that continues to necessitate the development and refinement of coding methods. The H.264/AVC standard, along with its recent Fidelity Range Extensions amendment (FRExt), is quickly being adopted as the standard codec for broadcast and distribution of high definition video. The FRExt amendment, while not necessarily affecting the overall decoder architecture, presents an added complexity of providing efficient memory management for buffering intermediate frames of various pixel color samplings and depths. This thesis evaluated the role of designing the frame buffer of a hardware video decoder, with integrated support for …

Parallelization Of The Maximum Likelihood Approach To Phylogenetic Inference, Janine Garnham

Theses

Phylogenetic inference refers to the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships among various species, usually presented in the form of a tree. DNA sequences are most often used to determine these relationships. The results of phylogenetic inference have many important applications, including protein function determination, drug discovery, disease tracking and forensics. There are several popular computational methods used for phylogenetic inference, among them distance-based (i.e. neighbor joining), maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. This thesis focuses on the maximum likelihood method, which is regarded as one of the most accurate methods, with its computational demand being the main hindrance to its …

Applicability Of Clustering To Cyber Intrusion Detection, Gilbert Hendry

Theses

Maintaining cyber security is a complex task, utilizing many levels of network information along with an array of technology. Current practices for combating cyber attacks typically use Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) to passively detect and block multi-stage attacks. Because of the speed and force at which a new type of cyber attack can occur, automated detection and response is becoming an apparent necessity. Anomaly-based detection systems, such as statistical-based or clustering algorithms, attempt to address this by analyzing the relative differences in network and host activity. Signature-based IDS systems are typically more accurate for known attacks, but require time and …

Design And Analysis Of Information Fusion, Dynamic Sensor Management Rules For Cyber Security Systems Using Simulation, Katie Mcconky

Theses

Computer networks are vulnerable to attacks from outside threats. Intrusion detection systems are used to monitor computer networks for attacker activity. Intrusion detection systems consist of a set of sensors placed strategically throughout a computer network. The large amounts of data produced by intrusion detection system sensors may be sent to and processed by information fusion engines. Information fusion engines correlate alerts and identify attack paths of attackers. Sensor management strategies are developed to minimize the time taken to process attack data, minimize the bandwidth used by the security system of a network, and maximize the number of attacks successfully …

Genetic Algorithm Optimization Applied To Planar And Wire Antennas, Andrea Wyant

Theses

Antenna design has grown more stringent and difficult over the years as the world becomes strictly a wireless environment. The inherent tradeoffs that exist between gain, radiation pattern, bandwidth, and physical size and the multiple parameters that must be considered make antenna design a lengthy and tedious process. Methods have been devised which automate this complex process of antenna optimization through the use of genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, and simulated annealing. Genetic algorithms are capable of handling a large number of design parameters and work for optimization problems that have discontinuous or non-differentiable multi-dimensional solution spaces, making them ideal …

Feasibility And Performance Analysis Of Sensor Modeling In Opnet, Niranjan Krishnamurthi

Theses

The current surge in wireless sensor network research has led to the extensive use of network simulation software to simulate new and novel protocols. Analysis via simulation allows for the validation of protocols before being fully deployed in physical networks. Though superior in modeling RF signals and network operations, current wireless network simulation software lack fully functional sensor models that replicate a sensor’s interaction with the environment. Realistic and specific sensor models do exist, however very little has been incorporated into commonly used network simulators. It is questionable whether the typical approach of modeling sensed data as random processes offers …

Using Multispectral Sensor Wasp-Lite To Analyze Harmful Algal Blooms, Shari J. Mcnamara

Theses

Developing methods to monitor harmful algae is a current research “hot-topic.” One type of algae, the blue-green algae or Cyanobacteria, cause blooms that can lead to a health threat to humans and animals. This research will test the use of a cost effective and temporally efficient method using multispectral remote sensing system, WASPLITE, as a monitor of algal blooms. This airborne system will be optimized to the specific application of detecting Cyanobacteria on optically complex waters. Attempts have been made in the past using existing instruments, e.g., SeaWiFS and Landsat, to provide these data, but our solution can provide more …

Hardware And Software Optimization Of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry On Hybrid-Fpgas, Dmitriy Bekker

Theses

With the increasing complexity of today’s spacecrafts, there exists a concern that the on-board flight computer may be overburdened with various processing tasks. Currently available processors used by NASA are struggling to meet the requirements of scientific experiments [1, 2]. A new computational platform will soon be needed to contend with the increasing demands of future space missions. Recently developed hybrid field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) offer the versatility of running diverse software applications on embedded processors while at the same time taking advantage of reconfigurable hardware resources, all on the same chip package. These tightly coupled HW/SW systems consume less …

An Evolutionary Algorithm Approach To Simultaneous Multi-Mission Radar Waveform Design, Jason Enslin

Theses

It would be beneficial with today’s cluttered electromagnetic spectrum to be able to perform multiple radar missions simultaneously from a single platform. The design of a waveform for this application would greatly benefit the radar community. Radar systems are used to perform many missions, some of which include the detection and tracking of airborne and ground moving targets as well as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. There are many systems that can operate in multiple modes to perform these missions, although there is no one radar that can simultaneously perform multiple missions using the same waveform [1]. Each mission can …

An Integrated Water Quality Modeling System With Dynamic Remote Sensing Feedback, Li Yan

Theses

A coupled hydrodynamic-optical water quality modeling system based on Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS) concepts that assimilates remote sensing data into a hydrodynamic model was developed and tested. The modeling system includes the hydrodynamic model (ALGE), a radiative transfer model (Hydrolight), and remote imagery (MODIS) as a dynamic feedback. The DDDAS was implemented through an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) with a small ensemble space. Large scale thermal structure and circulation patterns in Lake Ontario were simulated during the spring and summer seasons. High-resolution stream plume studies were performed in Conesus Lake and for the plume of the Niagara River …

An Integrated Water Quality Modeling System With Dynamic Remote Sensing Feedback, Yan Li

Theses

A coupled hydrodynamic-optical water quality modeling system based on Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS) concepts that assimilates remote sensing data into a hydrodynamic model was developed and tested. The modeling system includes the hydrodynamic model (ALGE), a radiative transfer model (Hydrolight), and remote imagery (MODIS) as a dynamic feedback. The DDDAS was implemented through an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) with a small ensemble space. Large scale thermal structure and circulation patterns in Lake Ontario were simulated during the spring and summer seasons. High-resolution stream plume studies were performed in Conesus Lake and for the plume of the Niagara River …

Synchronicities 4:4, Emily M. Sperry

Theses

This thesis paper examines the work presented in my M.F.A. thesis installation Synchronicities 4:4. The paper explores the aesthetic and theoretical concepts compiled within this project, in order to reveal the mindset and motivations of the artist. Elements covered in this text include installation design, research of its conceptual history, and citations of various artists working in similar methods to achieve equivalent creative goals. This thesis project uses the mediums of sound and video to elucidate a greater understanding of the realms of human awareness, particularly in relation to the mystical characteristics of invisible sensory information. This thesis describes theories …

The Future Of Culinary Arts Education, Jamie C. Rotter

Theses

None provided

A Theory Of Aesthetic Justice, John Devin Peipert

Theses

Theories of distributive justice give us the appropriate determination of who ought to have what, where ?who? are the members of society and ?what? are social goods and burdens. Traditionally, social goods have taken the form of rights and privileges, as well as more tangible economic goods. However, it is not clear that these are the only kinds of social goods relevant to justice. There is a substantial body of literature showing that environmental benefits and burdens can and should be thought of as social goods. In this paper, I will argue that we ought to make a comparable extension …

A Real-Time Variable Resolution Chirp Z-Transform, Christopher Felder

Theses

An algorithm is introduced which performs real time, high-resolution Fourier transforms of large amounts of input data over an adjustable output band. The algorithm combines recent Fast Fourier and Chirp z-Transform developments to segment input data and boost output spectrum resolution. The target application is in test and measurement, where large numbers of input samples must be processed in real time, and a given frequency range of interest is usually involved. Because the application often runs on embedded hardware with limited resources, the algorithm dynamically attempts to optimize performance for available memory. Results are evaluated on hardware and resource requirements …

Source Localization Within A Uniform Circular Sensor Array, Danny Zhu

Theses

Traditional source localization problems have been considered with linear and planar antenna arrays. In this research work, we assume that the sources are located within a uniformly spaced circular sensor array. Using a modified Metropolis algorithm and Polak-Ribière conjugate gradients, a hybrid optimization algorithm is proposed to localize sources within a two dimensional uniform circular sensor array, which suffers from far field attenuation. The developed algorithm is capable of accurately locating the position of a single, stationary source within 1% of a wavelength and 1° of angular displacement. In the single stationary source case, the simulated Cramer-Rao Lower Bound has …

Framing The Culture Wars: A Content Analysis Of News Media Coverage Of The Mapplethorpe And Brooklyn Museum Art Controversies, Amy Holowczenko

Theses

News media play an important role in presenting issues and themes central to art controversies. Evidence suggests that media frame issues, use agenda setting techniques, and increase coverage on art controversies. Using the Brooklyn Museum and Mapplethorpe controversies, this study sought to understand why the events became newsworthy, what frames were used, and what differences were present in the news stories. News articles related to the controversies published between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 2006 in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Columbus Dispatch were content analyzed to measure prominence of theme, presentation of issues, frequency …

Counting The Vote: An Interactive Study Of Electoral College Reform, Joe Hribar

Theses

With each presidential election comes talk of a fundamental and significant change to our democracy. Every four years brings about discussion between political pundits and casual conversation between office coworkers. All this talk is about reforming, or in some cases dismantling, the Electoral College. Over the past several decades, numerous proposals to reform the Electoral College have been advanced. Adopting any one of these proposals would certainly have far-reaching effects on our future, but what about our past? What would have happened in 1960, for instance, if instead of the winner-take-all method of assigning electoral votes, a district method were …

Information Flow Between Tools Early In The Engineering Design Process, Kate Nordland

Theses

Engineering design processes are recognized by industry as critical for successful new product development. With many existing design processes, it is unexpected that there is not a method for translating between processes. FACETS aims to become a translator between various design processes. To accomplish this, information must be entered, sorted, and displayed in several ways to communicate design intent to the user. A database schema is proposed to store the qualitative information and relationships associated with the early phases of the engineering design process. The proposed database is implemented using a MySQL database. Tools for conducting the needs assessment and …

Unsupervised Spectral Classification Of Astronomical X-Ray Sources Based On Independent Component Analysis, Bo Mu

Theses

By virtue of the sensitivity of the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray telescopes, astronomers are capable of probing increasingly faint X-ray sources in the universe. On the other hand, we have to face a tremendous amount of X-ray imaging data collected by these observatories. We developed an efficient framework to classify astronomical X-ray sources through natural grouping of their reduced dimensionality profiles, which can faithfully represent the high dimensional spectral information. X-ray imaging spectral extraction techniques, which use standard astronomical software (e.g., SAS, FTOOLS and CIAO), provide an efficient means to investigate multiple X-ray sources in one or more observations at …

Vtac: Virtual Terrain Assisted Impact Assessment For Cyber Attacks, Brian Argauer

Theses

Recently, there has been substantial research in the area of network security. Correlation of intrusion detection sensor alerts, vulnerability analysis, and threat projection are all being studied in hopes to relieve the workload that analysts have in monitoring their networks. Having an automated algorithm that can estimate the impact of cyber attacks on a network is another facet network analysts could use in defending their networks and gaining better overall situational awareness. Impact assessment involves determining the effect of a cyber attack on a network. Impact algorithms may consider items such as machine importance, connectivity, user accounts, known attacker capability, …

Characterization Of Cyber Attacks Through Variable Length Markov Models, Daniel Fava

Theses

The increase in bandwidth, the emergence of wireless technologies, and the spread of the Internet throughout the world have created new forms of communication with effects on areas such as business, entertainment, and education. This pervasion of computer networks into human activity has amplified the importance of cyber security. Network security relies heavily on Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), whose objective is to detect malicious network traffic and computer usage. IDS data can be correlated into cyber attack tracks, which consist of ordered collections of alerts triggered during a single multi-stage attack. The objective of this research is to enhance the …

Architecture Design Of A Scalable Adaptive Deblocking Filter For H.264/Avc, Eric Ernst

Theses

Due to significant bit-rate savings and improved perceptual quality, H.264/AVC, the latest video compression standard from the Joint Video Team, is receiving widespread adoption. Greater coding efficiency relative to previous standards is a result of additional techniques and features. One important change is the inclusion of an in-loop deblocking filter for removal of blocking artifacts. Since the filter can easily account for one-third of the computational complexity of a decoder, its addition was a source of debate during the development of the H.264/AVC standard. Ample research on architecture design of the deblocking filter has been carried out, generally targeted toward …

Remedies, Cassandra Straubing

Theses

By investigating how memory works and how washing and mending lend them[selves] metaphorically to healing, I seek to discover how women of today experience the process of repairing themselves after their own sexual violence. For this thesis project I was interested specifically in women's stories of how they have dealt with violence in their own lives. By interviewing a group of women, I discovered how they have tried to metaphorically wash and mend themselves after their sexual violation occurred [...]. As an artist, I have chosen glass as my primary material for its inherent physical properties. Glass resembles the concept …

Responses To Significant Personal Experiences, Mazin Siraj Adam

Theses

The thesis project consisted of two sections. The first of these sections is the creation of twelve conceptually related sculptures installed in the Davison Gallery at Robert Wesleyan College. The second half of the project exists in the form of this written thesis, which will explore various ideas, processes and concerns associated within the individual sculptures and the prevailing concepts inherent to them all. With both the sculptural work and the written thesis I am exploring the personal significance of my past and culture on my work.

Comprehensive Food System For Outdoor Use, North Chandler

Theses

Enjoying outdoor activities has become a lesson in environmental responsibility and spatial awareness.

A hiker muse anticipate the equipment chat is appropriate for the weather and terrain conditions along with the amount of food and water that will be consumed. Once on the expedition, it becomes the responsibility of the individual to be aware of the surroundings and to minimally affect other people and the environment.

As an outdoor enthusiast concerned with the state of natural areas for recreation and environmental preservation, it seemed appropriate for this project to reflect my personal concerns and passions.

Preliminary ideas for an environmentally …

Effective Use Of Negative Space In Graphic Design, Dong Hyun Lee

Theses

This thesis will investigate the potential use of effective negative space to improve the readability of text typography in graphic design. Negative space in two-dimensional design is also referred to as "white space" -- which is void of text or graphics. Negative space is more than just the background of a design. This thesis will demonstrate negative space as an element of design itself and develop a systematic approach to address negative space as it occurs in the following: margins, background, space for the eye to rest, signal that there is a break or end in the communication, variation in …

The Impact Of Variable Data Print On Usability In Design, William Wells

Theses

In a world where people see, process and remember information differently, the question arises: Is technology being used in a manner that acknowledges and addresses user differences to the fullest extent? Currently, new print technologies like Variable Data Printing (VDP) are only being used to create customized direct mailing pieces and personalized products for the purpose of marketing, sales and promotion. However, VDP introduces the ability to change data and design elements in printed documents on an individual basis, making it possible to address differences in visual and cognitive abilities, language and culture, and situational considerations. Applying this concept of …

Mechanical Fatigue In A Magnetically Levitated Axial Blood Pump, Amy Slevar

Theses

This research investigated some of the mechanical fatigue associated with the use of a rotary pump as a left ventricular assist device, LVAD, for long term therapy (>20 years). In this magnetically levitated axial pump, we identified one feature most susceptible to mechanical stress and fatigue. the thin-sectioned inducer blade is made of titanium and is the first point of contact between the housing and impeller should the levitation system momentarily lose control. !e inducer blade is also long and thin and will experience both normal and bending loads when contacted by the impeller. The incidence of contact and …

Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Approach To U-Line Balancing With Objective Of Achieving Proportional Throughput Per Worker In A Dynamic Environment, Reyhan Erin

Theses

One of the major challenges of manufacturing companies is to remain competitive in a very dynamic environment dictated by fluctuations in production rate and customer demand. These challenges may be attributed to frequent changes in customer expectations, unsteady economic conditions or failure to reach the projected throughput due to inefficiencies in production systems. Survival in such a dynamic environment is contingent on implementing manufacturing systems that are able to adapt to change quickly and economically. The U-Shaped production cell is considered to be one of the most flexible techniques for changing the number of workers in the cell to match …