Digital Commons Network^™

Nonlinear Control Techniques For Robot Manipulators, Nitendra Nath

All Theses

This Masters thesis describes the design and implementation of control strategies for the following topics of research: i) Whole Arm Grasping Control for Redundant Robot Manipulators, ii) Neural Network Grasping Controller for Continuum Robots and, iii) Coordination Control for Haptic and Teleoperator Systems.

An approach to whole arm grasping of objects using redundant robot manipulators is presented. A kinematic control which facilitates the encoding of both the end-effector position, as well as body self-motion positioning information as a desired trajectory signal for the manipulator joints is developed.

An approach is presented to whole arm grasping control for continuum robots. The …

Perceptions Of Service Failure, Service Recovery Strategies, And Behavioral Intentions Of Hotel Guests In Orlando, Florida, I-Hua Lin

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Numerous studies have shown a positive correlation between customer satisfactions and repurchase intention. However, service failure can put companies out of business if attention is not paid to this problem. This study explained the components of service recovery strategies used when service failure occurs in each situation in a hotel, and to link customer response to service recovery strategies to behavioral intention, as applied to the hotel industry in Orlando, Florida.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the explanatory relationships between hotel guests' sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of (a) service failure; (b) service recovery strategies in each service …

Monitor Newsletter December 11, 2006, Bowling Green State University

Monitor

Official Publication of Bowling Green State University for Faculty and Staff

The Bg News December 11, 2006, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. December 11, 2006. Volume 97-Issue 74.

Mustang Daily: 2006 Winter Holiday Edition, December 11, 2006

Cal Poly Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

The Impact Of A Ninth- And Tenth-Grade Academy Program On Student Attendance, Discipline, And Achievement, Sandra Wooten

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an Academy Program on freshman and sophomore attendance, suspensions out of school, PLAN and PSAT scores, and the number of students retained in ninth and tenth grades. With the Academy Program at Gaffney High School, the amount of time spent in mathematics and English language arts classes was doubled, staff development was provided, instructional methods were changed, data was analyzed to modify instruction, and successes were celebrated. School data from two years before and two years after implementation were examined to determine whether any significant differences existed. Results …

Lanthorn, Vol. 41, No. 31, December 11, 2006, Grand Valley State University

Volume 41, July 13, 2006 - June 14, 2007

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (December 11, 2006), Dmacc

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on December 11, 2006.

The Relationship Between Work Motivation And Leadership Practices Among Graduates Of A Master's Degree Program, Marjorie Dowd

All Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between work motivation and leadership practices among graduates of a master's degree program in education administration and supervision. The study was conducted in an effort to produce information relevant to the human resources practices of secondary school administrators and to identify potential professional development topics for school districts and college training programs. Data were collected through a quantitative research methodology. First, the study sought to determine each participant's work motivation as measured by the Work Motivation Inventory and differences among participant scores on that inventory. Secondly, the study sought to determine each participant's leadership practices …

Faculty Newsnotes 2006 No. 394, Office Of The Provost

Faculty Newsnotes (1972-2010)

No abstract provided.

Practical Implementation And Performance Analysis On Security Of Sensor Networks, Nidhi Verma

Theses

A wireless sensor network (WSN) is a network made of thousands of sensing elements called as nodes with wireless capabilities. Their application is varied and diverse ranging from military to domestic and household. As the world of self-organizing sensor networks tip to the edge of maximum utilization, their wider deployment is adding pressure on the security front. Powerful laptops and workstations make it more challenging for small sensors. In addition, there are many security challenges in WSN, e.g- confidentiality, authentication, freshness, integrity etc. Contributions of this work are as follows: “Symmetric” security implementation: This thesis work designs a symmetric-key based …

Deafdigest: Blue Edition, December 10, 2006, Barry Strassler

DeafDigest Blue 2006

No abstract provided.

Deafdigest: Gold Edition, December 10, 2006, Barry Strassler

DeafDigest Gold 2006

No abstract provided.

On The Search For Transits Of The Planets Orbiting Gliese 876, Paul D. Shankland, Eugenio J. Rivera, Gregory Laughlin, D. L. Blank, A. Price, B. Gary, R. Bissinger, Frederick Ringwald, G. White, Gregory W. Henry, Padric Mcgee, Aaron S. Wolf, Brad Carter, S. Lee, James Biggs, Berto Monard, Michael C. B. Ashley

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We report the results of a globally coordinated photometric campaign to search for transits by the P ~ 30 day and P ~ 60 day outer planets of the three-planet system orbiting the nearby M dwarf Gl 876. These two planets experience strong mutual perturbations, which necessitate the use of a dynamical (four-body) model to compute transit ephemerides for the system. Our photometric data have been collected from published archival sources, as well as from our photometric campaigns that were targeted to specific transit predictions. Our analysis indicates that transits by planet c (P ~ 30 days) do not currently …

The Acs Virgo Cluster Survey. Xiv. Analysis Of Color-Magnitude Relations In Globular Cluster Systems, Steffen Mieske, Andres Jordan, Patrick Cote

Articles

We examine the correlation between globular cluster (GC) color and magnitude using HST/ACS imaging for a sample of 79 early-type galaxies (−21.7 < MB < −15.2 mag) with accurate surfacebrightness fluctuation distances from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. Using the KMM mixture modeling algorithm, we find a highly significant correlation, z ≡ d(g−z) dz = −0.037 ± 0.004, between color and magnitude for the subpopulation of blue GCs in the co-added GC color-magnitude diagram of the three brightest Virgo cluster galaxies (M49, M87 and M60). The sense of the correlation is such that brighter GCs are redder than their fainter counterparts. For the single GC systems of M87 and M60, we find similar correlations; M49 does not appear to show a significant trend. There is no correlation between (g − z) and Mz for GCs belonging to the red subpopulation. The correlation g ≡ d(g−z) dg for the blue subpopulation is much weaker than z. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we attribute this finding to the fact that the blue subpopulation in Mg extends to higher luminosities than does the red subpopulation, which biases the KMM fit results. The highly significant correlation between color and Mz, however, is a real effect: this conclusion is supported by biweight fits to the same color distributions. We identify two environmental dependencies which influence the derived color-magnitude relation: (1) the slope of the color-magnitude relation decreases in significance with decreasing galaxy luminosity, although it remains detectable over the full luminosity range of our sample; and (2) the slope is stronger for GC populations located at smaller galactocentric distances. These characteristics suggest that the observed trend is, at least partially, shaped by external agents. We examine several physical mechanisms that might give rise to the observed color-magnitude relation including: (1) presence of contaminants like super-clusters, stripped galactic nuclei, or ultra-compact dwarfs; (2) accretion of GCs from low-mass galaxies; (3) stochastic effects; (4) the capture of field stars by individual GCs; and (5) GC self-enrichment. Although none of these scenarios offers a fully satisfactory explanation of the observations, we conclude that self-enrichment and field-star capture, or a combination of these processes, offer the most promising means of explaining our observations.

2006-2007 Family Holiday Concert, Lynn University Philharmonia, Albert George Schram, John Pickering

Philharmonia

Lynn University Conservatory of Music presents the fourth annual Family Holiday Concert, dedicated to the memory of Jim Cumpton, trustee and longtime friend of Lynn University

Fall Commencement Program, December 9, 2006, Coastal Carolina University

Commencement Programs

Program of Commencement Exercises at Coastal Carolina University.

Fall 2006 Commencement - The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin, The University Of Texas Permian Basin

UTPB Commencement Programs

Fall 2006 Commencement - December 9, 2006

South Dakota State University Graduation Exercises, December 9, 2006, Brookings, South Dakota, South Dakota State University

Commencement Programs

Please be advised that the names listed in the program do not constitute official confirmation of meeting the graduation requirements. The Graduation Exercises ceremony will commence with introductions by University President Peggy Gordon Miller. Honorary marshals for the occasion are Dr. David Hilderband, Dean of Graduate School, Research and Sponsored Programs, and Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, along with Mary J. Perpich, Associate Professor Emerita of Journalism and Mass Communication. Delivering the graduation address titled "Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities Pertaining Thereto" will be Dr. Steve R. Marquardt, Dean of Libraries. Dr. Carol J. Peterson, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, …

December 9, 2006 (Pages 7407-7522), Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau

Volume 36 (2006)

No abstract provided.

Commencement Convocation Exercises - December 9th 2006, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

A Bandwidth Estimation Method For Ip Version 6 Networks, Marshall Crocker

Theses and Dissertations

Efficiently and accurately estimating bandwidths in packet networks is a problem that has intrigued researchers for years. There is no simple manner for estimating bandwidths in IPv4 networks that is accurate, efficient, flexible, and suitable for a variety of applications. Many of the available estimation techniques suffer from inherent flaws such as inaccuracy due to simple assumptions about the network or an overall high complexity that makes it inappropriate in all but a few highly specific situations. The next generation Internet Protocol, IP version 6, has the functionality necessary to implement feedback mechanisms to assist in accurate bandwidth estimations. This …

Compact Modeling Of Silicon Carbide (Sic) Vertical Junction Field Effect Transistor (Vjfet) In Pspice Using Angelov Model And Pspice Simulation Of Analog Circuit Building Blocks Using Sic Vjfet Model, Siddharth Purohit

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the development of compact model of novel silicon carbide (SiC) Vertical Junction Field Effect Transistor (VJFET) for high-power circuit simulation. An empirical Angelov model is developed for SiC VJFET in PSpice. The model is capable of accurately replicating the device behavior for the DC and Transient conditions. The model was validated against measured data obtained from devices developed by Mississippi Center for Advanced Semiconductor Prototyping at MSU and SemiSouth Laboratories. The modeling approach is based on extracting Angelov Equations Coefficients from experimental device characteristics using non linear fitting. The coefficients are extracted for different parameters (temperature, width, …

Study Of Lunar Constellations For Situational Awareness And Surveillance, Devon Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

Lunar constellations providing the capabilities of situational awareness and surveillance for future mission operators are analyzed in this study. The use of specialty orbits, such as sun-synchronous and frozen orbits, are analyzed to determine the applicability of these unique orbits. Additionally, altitude and inclination trades are performed to determine the degree to which mission objectives are achieved through ranges of these orbital parameters. Using the analyzed orbits, constellations of varying patterns are developed and surface coverage figures of merit are used to evaluate them. The research concludes with calculation of the yearly cross-track and in-track stationkeeping costs of a representative …

Tao Residents' Perceptions Of Social And Cultrual Impacts Of Tourism In Lan-Yu, Taiwan, Cheng-Hsuan Hsu

All Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate residents' perceptions of the social and cultural impacts of tourism on Lan-Yu (Orchid Island). More specifically, this study examines Lan-Yu's aboriginal residents' (The Tao) perceptions of social and cultural impacts of tourism. Systematic sampling was the sampling procedure employed in this study. After the factor analysis, three underlying dimensions were found when examining Tao residents' perceptions of social and cultural impacts of tourism, and they were named: positive cultural effects, negative cultural effects, and negative social effects. The results from the multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the Tao's perceptions toward social …

Preservice Teachers' Procedural And Conceptual Understanding Of Fractions And The Effects Of Inquiry-Based Learning On This Understanding, Hope Marchionda

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT Non-negative rational numbers play a major role in the K-8 curriculum and continue to permeate mathematics content through high school and college in all strands of mathematics. The difficulty that both students and teachers encounter with these concepts is well documented in the literature. This study looked at preservice teacher knowledge and how an alternative means of instruction might improve their conceptual understanding of fractions. To accomplish this task, the study took place in two stages over the course of two semesters. During the first stage, preservice teachers' conceptual and procedural knowledge of fractions and their associated algorithms were …

Real-Time Vehicle Performance Monitoring With Data Integrity, William George Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

A cornerstone of next generation intelligent transportation systems (ITS) is a seamless integration of in-vehicle networking with existing wireless telephony infrastructure. Remote access to on-board diagnostics and performance data is a crucial requirement for ITS. This thesis investigated the performance benefits of a data integrity buffering technique for an extensible vehicle position and performance tracking system (VPPTS). In support of this investigation, a VPPTS prototype was developed. The prototype used available technologies and interfaces to industry-standard communications channels and is a demonstration of a next-generation intelligent transportation system (ITS). The data integrity buffering technique under investigation was shown to provide …

Commencement Speech December 2006, Prairie View A&M University

President Emeritus George C. Wright Speeches

No abstract provided.

Multi-Agent Based Control And Reconfiguration For Restoration Of Distribution Systems With Distributed Generators, Jignesh M. Solanki

Theses and Dissertations

Restoration entails the development of a plan consisting of opening or closing of switches, which is called reconfiguration. This dissertation proposes the design of a fast and efficient service restoration with a load shedding method for land-based and ship systems, considering priority of customers and several other system operating constraints. Existing methods, based on centralized restoration schemes that require a powerful central computer, may lead to a single point of failure. This research uses a decentralized scheme based on agents. A group of agents created to realize a specific goal by their interactions is called a Multi-Agent System (MAS). Agents …

Hybrid Electric Vehicle Modeling In Generic Modeling Environment, Shravana Kumar Musunuri

Theses and Dissertations

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is a complex electromechanical system with complex interactions among various components. Due to the large number of design variables involved, the design flexibility in the HEV makes performance studies difficult. As the system complexity and sophistication increases, it becomes much more difficult to predict these interactions and design the system accordingly. Also, different variations in the design and manufacture of various components and systems involve a large amount of work and cost to keep updated of all these variations. While the above issues ask for a flexible design environment suitable for vehicle design, most of …