Digital Commons Network^™

Generalized Construction Of Trend Resistent 2-Level Split-Plot Designs, Guillermo Lopez

Theses

Common experimental practices suggest randomizing the order in which runs are performed. However, there may be situations in which randomization might not produce the most desirable order, especially in the presence of known trends. There has been research done on systematically designing experiments to be robust against trends. However, few studies address the additional dimensions that arise in nested designs such as split-plot designs. Split-plot designs have been used for many years in agricultural applications and are sometimes preferred where there are hard-to-change factors in industrial settings. There currently is no established methodology to produce split-plot designs that are robust …

Rosetta Stones - Deciphering The Real, Jae-Man Cho

Theses

My MFA thesis show Rosetta Stones - Deciphering the Real, was an investigation of photography in the digital world. I would like to address in this thesis the possibility of using photography to investigate the digital world in which we began to live in not too long ago. I want to show the current new imaging status of photography and the direction it might move in the development of digital technology. Today, art coexists and develops alongside science and technology. The main purpose, as well as the starting point of this thesis, is recognizing that mechanically produced images can have …

A Reverse Engineering Process For Mechanical Engineering Systems, Frank Tamarez-Gomez

Theses

This thesis presents a literature review of current reverse engineering technologies and processes, with an emphasis on tools commonly used in Software Reverse Engineering (SRE). Using the foundation of the literature review, the thesis will then propose a standard process, referred to as "A Reverse Engineering Process for Mechanical Engineering Systems (REPMES)." The REPMES tool is intended to enable engineers to understand how current products work. Additionally, REPMES may allow engineering design teams to more effectively revise their product designs through competitive benchmarking. The REPMES is illustrated through application to case studies of a consumer flashlight and an automotive torque …

Channel-Predictive Link Layer Arq Protocols In Wireless Networks, Huseyin Dogukan Cavdar

Theses

Communication performance over a wireless channel should be considered according to two main parameters: energy and throughput. The reliable data transfer is a key to these goals. The reliable node-to-node data transfer is performed by link layer protocols. One prominent approach is Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) protocol. The traditional ARQ protocols attempt to recover the erroneously transmitted frames by retransmitting those frames, regardless of the channel state. Since this channel state unaware behaviour may cause unnecessary retransmissions, traditional ARQ protocols are expected to be energy inefficient. Some ideas have been proposed such as stochastic learning automaton based ARQ, and channel …

A Dynamic Supine Stander For Subjects With Disabilities Leading To Prolonged Immobility, Luis Alberto Espina

Theses

Bone tissue needs to be exposed to loading in order to stimulate the osteogenic response of the body. Disabilities that lead to prolonged immobility will result in a decrease of the osteogenic processes and an increase in resorption of bone by osteoclast cells. This disuse modeling can lead to osteopenia, osteoporosis, and subsequent non-traumatic fractures. These disabilities are varied in nature and duration, and can include load bearing bone fracture, excessive obesity, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy.

The following describes the concept and design of a novel dynamic supine stander that will provide loads simulating ambulation to the lower …

A Kinematic Analysis Of Sign Language, Chemuttaai C. Koech

Theses

Signed languages develop among deaf populations and employ manual communication instead of voiced communication. Stokoe attributes classify individual signs in American Sign Language (ASL) and include handshape, hand location, movement, orientation, and facial expression. Signed and oral languages are not mutually understood, and many deaf individuals live in linguistic isolation. This research addresses computer translation between signing and speech, investigating sign duration in sentence context versus in isolation and identifying kinematic sign markers. To date, there has been little study of continuous signing kinematics; it was previously unknown if kinematic markers existed.

Kinematic data were collected from a proficient signer …

Burmester Curve And Numerical Motion Generation Of Grashof Mechanisms With Perimeter And Transmission Angle Optimization In Mathcad, Peter J. Martin

Theses

An infinite number of planar four-bar mechanism solutions exist for a series of prescribed rigid-body positions. Given a set of Burmester curves or numerically-generated fixed and moving pivot curves, sorting through the limitless number of possible mechanism solutions to find one that ensures full link rotatibility, satisfies compactness criteria and produces feasible transmission angles can be a daunting task. In this work, two algorithms are developed and presented by which the user can select optimum planar four-bar motion generators (optimum with respect to Grashof criteria, mechanism perimeter criteria and transmission angle criteria) from a set of all mechanism solutions produced …

Jet Assisted Fluidization Of Nanoparticle Agglomerates, Ayokunle O. Omosebi

Theses

Fluidization serves as a primary operation used to disperse, handle and process nanoparticles, but due to the complications involved with achieving homogenous fluidization of the agglomerates of nanoparticles, several methods have been developed to assist their conventional mode of fluidization.

In this work, the conventional mode of fluidization was coupled with secondary gas flow emerging from a micro jet nozzle. The effect of the jet on the fluidization behavior of various APF and ABF nanopowders was studied and compared with the pure conventional fluidization mode. Generally, experiments were conducted to find the optimal operation of the jet by varying parameters …

Multi-Degree Of Freedom Telemanipulation In An Unstructured Environment, Diego Ramirez

Theses

Two approaches to 6-degrees-of-freedom telemanipulation that will accommodate different needs and skills of potential users with congenital amputation, arthrogryposis, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy were developed. One method uses scalable movements (i.e. position and orientation), and the second employs isometric forces and torques without movement. The scalable position approach employs a 6-degress-of-freedom electromechanical stylus whose joint orientations are used by the controlling computer to determine the position and orientation of the robot's end effector via inverse kinematics or by one-to-one matching of the stylus joint angles with those of the manipulator. The isometric method uses the measured forces and torques …

Implementation Of Stereo Correspondence Algorithms For Multi-Baseline Vision System, Navaneetha Shivram

Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of varying camera baselines on correspondence and depth estimation. As the baseline increases the resolution of depth increases but finding correspondences is very tedious. On the other hand when cameras are placed close to each other and thereby reducing the baseline distance points in the images are easily matched however depth resolution deteriorates. This problem is solved by using a multi-camera system is used in which the cameras are spaced close to each other along a straight line. Calculating the correspondence along successive camera pairs is relatively easy. These respondences …

Non-Repudiation Secure File Transfer Protocol (Nrsftp), Jerry Chen

Theses

Non Repudiation Secure File Transfer Protocol (NRSFTP) is designed to resolve three main concerns for today's electronic file transfer methodology. The three main concerns are Non-Repudiation, Secure, and Non-Real Time file transfer. Non-repudiation is to assure the receiver that the sender of the document is not an imposter. Secure document transfer is to assure the sender that only the intended receiver will be able to read the document. Non-real-time file transfer is to provide convenient and low cost transportability of the encrypted data from one party to another. With the above three concerns addressed, the NRSFTP protocol can be widely …

Inverse Dynamic Modeling For Characterization Of Spasticity, Katharine Markel Swift

Theses

Spasticity affects subjects with cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury. The need to develop a deeper understanding of spasticity is driven by the existing limited understanding and the lack of satisfactory interventions for this disabling phenomenon.

An inverse model is implemented to describe the motion in the pendulum knee drop test. Inverse kinematic modeling is implemented to investigate the pathophysiology of spasticity.

Using the equilibrium point hypothesis as a conceptual framework to explain disabled and non-disabled neuromuscular control, it has been demonstrated that the equilibrium point of the passive knee is dynamic and exhibits a pseudo-exponential trajectory …

Solubility In Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Syed Asif Abdullah

Theses

The different techniques used for the determination of the solubility of compounds in supercritical carbon dioxide are described. A comparative study is made of the methods used in the measurement of the concentration of benzoic acid and caffeine in supercritical carbon dioxide. The difference in measurement techniques did not have much effect on the solubility data at lower pressures. However, at higher pressures, the solubility data obtained by different techniques began to deviate from each other.

Further, the method used by different researchers in generating the solubility data in supercritical carbon dioxide is also discussed. A number of data sheets …

Inverse Solid-Liquid Fluidization Of Aerogel Granules And Its Application In Removing Oil From Water, Gaurav Babubhai Patel

Theses

Fluidization is a very well known unit operation used in the chemical industry for various purposes. Inverse solid-liquid fluidization, where the solid particles to be fluidized are less dense than the fluid, is one of the several different kinds of fluidization being studied for its potential in industrial applications. The present work focuses on finding the hydrodynamic characteristics (minimum fluidization velocity, bed expansion and pressure drop) of an inverse fluidized bed of aerogel granules and using this system to remove oil from an oil-water mixture. The solid particles employed for this study are low density (100 kg/m³) surface …

Development Of Enzymatic Biofuel Cell Based On Carbon Nanotube Electrodes On Porous Silicon, Fan Yang

Theses

The work presented in this thesis has focused on designing and characterizing biofuel cell electrodes using porous silicon (p-Si) as the substrate or current collecting platform on which carbon nanotubes (CNTs), both single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MiWNTs), were synthesized directly, followed by enzyme catalyst immobilization on the CNTs. Laccase and glucose oxidase (GOx) were used as enzymatic biocatalysts, which were immobilized on the CNT walls and tips using an electrochemical technique. Cyclic voltammetry showed well-defined redox peaks which indicated that the enzyme (GOx and laccase) were successfully immobilized on the CNTs. The amperometric responses of the …

J-Horror : A Discourse In Cross-Cultural Communication And Cinematic Hybridity, Marylou Quillen

Theses

Film visually communicates the idea of culture, leaving interpretation open to an impressionable audience. Though a genre's recognizable iconography can transcend boundaries, understanding a film's intended message still requires a certain amount of foreknowledge. J-Horror, the common term for Japanese horror among fans, is a sub- genre of Horror that has been catapulted into Hollywood's limelight due to adaptations such as The Ring (2002). Based upon a novel, Ringu, by Koji Suzuki and Nakata Hideo's 1998 cinematic creation of the same name, Gore Verbinski adapted the terrifying plot for Western audiences in his 2002 counterpart.

With the cross-cultural transition, certain …

Numerical Analysis Of The Operation Of A Water Cannon, Teymuraz G. Bitadze

Theses

This study was designed to investigate the operational process of a launcher for generation of high speed water projectiles, and it involved the optimization of the geometry of a launcher body. The objective of the optimization of the internal geometry was to increase the effective momentum of the projectile while the optimization of the external geometry resulted in the reduction of the mass of the launcher.

In the course of the optimization of the internal geometry the exit velocity variation was determined, and used to compute an effective projectile momentum, which actually affects a workpiece. In this research, it was …

Determining Continual Improvement Process Methods Within Quality Management Systems, Diane M. Bové

Theses

Institutionalized standards require organizations to actively define and implement quality management systems, which includes active participation in continual improvement efforts. Interpretations and practices vary on implementation methodology.

Traditional views of quality do not integrate the technical disciplines into a defined science which would support a standardized approach for continual improvement implementation.

In order to optimize improvement efforts, a conceptual hypothesis is proposed to integrate quality through combining and collaborating implementation efforts of engineering, control, assurance, improvement and costs. The purpose of this thesis is to establish a roadmap to assist in choosing effective quality improvement methodologies and toolsets that assist …

Functionalization Of Nanoclays Through Exchange Reactions, Jin Uk Ha

Theses

A cationic clay (sodium-montmorillonite, MMT) and an anionic clay (hydrotalcite, HT) were treated with two phosphonium based ionic liquids (ILs) and a commercial corrosion inhibitor. Clay modification was examined by TGA, FTLR and WXRD. The cationic clay modified with both ILs had similar thermal stabilities since they contained the same cation although the original anions were different. The thermal stability of the modified clays was higher than that of a commercial organoclay and of clays modified in our group with smaller MW pyridinium and imidazolium based cations. 10 wt% of interchanged cation was found under selected time/temperature treatment conditions.

Clays …

Tourism And The Environment In Small Island Developing States: Development Of A New Framework For Assessing Sustainability, Katie Kimmel

Theses

Title: Tourism and the Environment in Small Island Developing States: Development of a New Framework for Assessing Sustainability Author: Katie L.K. Kimmel Thesis Summary: Purpose. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an analytical framework that can be used to better understand the impacts of tourism on small island developing states (SIDS). In particular, the framework will address tourism in light of sustainability goals(environmental, economic, social, and political). Because tourism is both a major economic driver for many SIDS, as well as a primary cause of environmental degradation within these states, a framework is needed that allows for systemic, …

Cosmetic Surgery & Reality Television: The Relationship Between College Students' Viewing Of Cosmetic Surgery On Reality Television And Self-Reported Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery, Elizabeth Reeves O'Connor

Theses

The current study explores the effects of viewing cosmetic surgery reality television programs (CSRTP) on self-reported attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. Undergraduate college students (N = 105) completed surveys and responded to questions related to their television viewing habits and their attitudes toward cosmetic surgery. Results of this study indicate that heavier viewers have a more favorable attitude toward cosmetic surgery for themselves than do non-viewers or lighter viewers. However, the results also indicate no significant difference in attitudes among heavier viewers, lighter viewers, and non-viewers regarding cosmetic surgery for others; additionally, the results show no significant difference in terms of …

Museum Professions Outdoors: Implementing Integrated Pest Management Strategies For Outdoor Collections At Historic Sites, Emily Holland

Theses

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The Struggle For Balance:Repression,Taboo,And The Victorian Monster In The Mirror, Raymond P. O'Meara

Theses

No abstract provided.

Trafficking In Human Beings Into The United States Of America From Eastern Europe And Other Regions: A Modern-Day Of Slavery, Anna S. Apostu

Theses

No abstract provided.

Where Wil The Nartional Basketball Association Go Next?: Study Of Potential Cities The Nba Could Move To, Brian T. Poll

Theses

No abstract provided.

Prepare To Board! Creating Story And Characters For Animated Features And Shorts, Nancy Beiman

Theses

PREPARE TO BOARD! Creating Story and Characters for Animated Features and Shorts is a textbook for animators and storytellers working in time-based media. It discusses the creation of an animated conceptthe heart and soul of an animated motion picture that has not been covered in previously published storyboarding books and then describes techniques used to develop characters and storyboards simultaneously in accordance with industry practice. Exercises are included to allow readers who are not familiar with animation to progress from simple to increasingly complex projects. The text supports the visuals much in the same way that dialogue supports visuals in …

Into The Shell, Jee Hee Bang

Theses

Not included

Analyzing Metallic Gloss Using A Micro-Goniophotometer, Saara Suni

Theses

Metallic inks are in widespread use in the graphic arts industry, but there currentiy is no way to "put a number" on metallic gloss. Process-control methods, such as densitometry, which analyzes how light is absorbed into the ink layer, are not usable for metallics, since hardly any light gets absorbed. In addition, it is very difficult to see visual differences when the ink film thickness crosses a certain threshold.

Dr. Jonathan Arney at the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science at Rochester Institute of Technology (RTT) has been using a micro-goniophotometer for analyzing paper gloss on a microstructure level, …

Woman In Art, Sun Young Park

Theses

This thesis describes the author's creation of sculptures combining glass and metal, in which she tests the boundary between realism and abstraction, and that between jewelry and sculpture. This sculpture is intended to embody the voluptuous and sensual nature of the human female form.

Cultural & Historical Image On Art, Hagju Lee

Theses

Where are you from? We as Individuals come from our native countries and we learn our own languages, cultures, and traditions while we grow up. Therefore, we are endowed with our own traditions and cultures in our souls. I am from Korea, the land of morning calm. I have special pride in my culture. Its history is over 5,000 years old. My country has a great number of cultural assets, even though some of them were destroyed during wars. The cultural value of Korea has received much recognition from countries all over the world. Nevertheless, some people don't understand the …