Digital Commons Network^™

Vision-Based Rendering: Using Computational Stereo To Actualize Ibr View Synthesis, Kevin L. Steele

Theses and Dissertations

Computer graphics imagery (CGI) has enabled many useful applications in training, defense, and entertainment. One such application, CGI simulation, is a real-time system that allows users to navigate through and interact with a virtual rendition of an existing environment. Creating such systems is difficult, but particularly burdensome is the task of designing and constructing the internal representation of the simulation content. Authoring this content on a computer usually requires great expertise and many man-hours of labor. Computational stereo and image-based rendering offer possibilities to automatically create simulation content without user assistance. However, these technologies have largely been limited to creating …

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 031, Number 04, August 14, 2006, Grand Valley State University

2006-2007, Volume 31

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

The Dream Of The Butterfly: Experimental Illusions In Motion Graphics, Su Young Kim

Theses

The Dream of the Butterfly: Experimental Illusions in Motion Graphics is a series of motion graphics and applications defined from visual illusions, which are based on the study of patterns and interactive multimedia. This project is not only focused on making and showing motion graphic pieces, but also providing a basis of studies and enough of the experimental process of creating them, by incorporating sections for the user to interact with. By creating a web-based interface, it provides people with a chance to experiment with the elements of basic patterns and understand visual illusions which were chosen by me for …

Interview With Oscar Lozano, Dayton Meat Company, 2006 (Audio), Oscar Lozano

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Oscar Lozano by Brad Schuler on August 14th, 2006.

The interview index is available for download.

Sort: A Self-Organizing Trust Model For Peer-To-Peer Systems, Ahmet Burak Can, Bharat Bhargava

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Mesoscopic Domain Average Engineering Simulations Of Ferroelectric Perovskites Compared With Multidomain Group Theoretical Predictions, Brandon J. Keith, Dorian M. Hatch

Faculty Publications

Engineered, multidomain ferroelectrics are of current interest for mechatronic and optical applications. Previously [D. M. Hatch et al., J. Appl. Phys. 94, 5220 (2003)], we presented a set of tables/symmetry rules showing all possible domain average engineered multidomain structures arising from [100]-, [110]-, and [111]-ordering ferroelectric transitions from a Pm[overline 3]m perovskite structure. In this work we test those predictions against three-dimensional mesoscopic fast quench simulations under various electric/stress field combinations and find excellent agreement with multidomain group theory. These simulations use a Langevin strain-displacement/polarization evolution strategy and are important to developing processing conditions for materials with precise domain structures.

Remarks, Delivered At Fountain Street Church On August 13, 2006, Arend D. Lubbers

Presidential Speeches

Remarks, delivered at Fountain Street Church on August 13, 2006 by Arend D. Lubbers, who served as President of Grand Valley from 1969-2001.

Understanding Dc-Bias Sputtered Thorium Oxide Thin Films Useful In Euv Optics, William R. Evans, Sarah C. Barton, Michael Clemens, David D. Allred

Faculty Publications

We use spectroscopic ellipsometry to determine the optical constants of seven thin-film ThO2 samples deposited by radio-frequency sputtering, thickness ranging between 24 and 578 nm, for the spectral range of 1.2 to 6.5. We used a hollow-cathode light source and vacuum monochromator to measure constants at 10.2 eV. None of the deposition parameters studied including DC-bias voltages successfully increased the n of (that is, densify) thoria films. The value of n at 3.0 eV is 1.86 ± 0.04. We find compelling evidence to conclude that the direct bad gap is at ~5.9 eV, clarifying the results of others, some of …

Potential Wildlife Control Through Use Of A Plant Growth Regulator, Thomas W. Seamans, Brian E. Washburn

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Habitat management techniques that reduce wildlife use of habitats on and around airports are critical for safe airport operations. Herbaceous vegetation comprises the main habitat type at airports and vegetation can be managed by various methods. The objective of this study was to compare bird and mammal use of grassland habitat managed either by mechanical (mowing) or chemical (plant growth regulator) methods. We monitored vegetation growth, plant community composition, and wildlife activity each week during May – October 2003 in study plots located in Erie County, Ohio. Vegetation was taller (P < 0.01) and denser (P < 0.01) in unmanaged plots than in managed (mowed or growth regulator) plots. Plots sprayed with growth regulator had lower forb/legume cover and higher grass cover than unmanaged or mowed plots. We observed more (P < 0.001) birds (× ± SE) per 5-minute survey on the ground in or perched on vegetation in unmanaged (3.0 ± 0.3) than mowed (1.5 ± 0.2) or growth regulator (1.5 ± 0.3) plots. More (P < 0.001) white-tailed deer were observed in mowed plots (4.3 ± 0.5) than either unmanaged (2.2 ± 0.6) or growth regulator (1.6 ± 0.3) plots. Fifteen small animals were captured in control plots, whereas no animals were captured in managed plots. Applying plant growth regulator did not maintain desired vegetation height and thus is not a costeffective alternative to mowing in plant communities of mixed composition. Managing vegetation height reduced wildlife use of grassland habitats. Removal of forbs and legumes by the growth regulator might explain the reduction in deer use in these plots. Reducing forbs and legumes might also make grasslands less attractive to small mammals. By simplifying herbaceous communities and encouraging plants less desirable to wildlife, it may be possible to reduce the attractiveness of airfields to wildlife species hazardous to aviation.

International Birdstrike Committee Minimum Best Practice Standards For Aerodrome Bird Control, John R. Allan

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Despite almost 40 years of research effort and operational experience, there remains very limited consensus concerning the best methods for managing the bird strike hazard at aerodromes. This is, in part, because the levels of risk, habitat type and bird species present at different aerodromes varies and the precise techniques that are successful at one site may not work at another. It is also partly due to differences in the levels of resources available at different airports and to differences in the attitude of airport managers and national regulators to the hazard posed by bird strikes. Following the implementation of …

The Effect Of Harassment By Dogs On Ground-Nesting Birds In Airfields, Shlomi Brandwine, Nicholas B. Carter

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Ground-nesting birds like lapwings and sandpipers constitute a major hazard at airports. Preliminary observations with the Israeli Air Force showed that stone curlew (Burhinusoedicnemus, (Burhinidea)) were involved in 33% of all bird strikes in 2003 at Hatzor Air Force base in central Israel, most of which occurred during the nesting season. The ultimate reduction of curlew populations near the runways is dependent upon understanding the effect of predation risks on the curlew nesting behavior. In theory, true predation and artificial predation should have the same effect on bird behavior. We studied the effect of egg collection vs. egg collection complemented …

Methodological Framework To Assess The Relative Threat Of Bird–Strikes In Colombian Airports., Juan David Amaya-Espinel, Sergio Córdoba-Córdoba, Guillermo Rico-Hernández

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

The likely risk of a bird-aircraft collision (bird-strike) in a given airport was assessed using a standard methodological evaluation of birds along the runaway to record data and spatial distribution of danger; and making a threat categorization. Contiguous quadrants of 200 X 200 meters were located along the runaway from one head to the other with a center point count at 100 m, in which all birds were recorded for 15 minutes, accounting for species identification, number of individuals (flock size), flight altitude from ground to > 1,000 m, flight direction including number of perpendicular crosses, and behavioral characteristics (flight, roosting, …

Dna Identification Of Bird Strike Remains – Procedures And Technical Considerations., Nancy Rotzel

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

This poster presents the development of DNA techniques by the Smithsonian Institution Feather Lab to identify bird remains recovered from military and civil bird aircraft collisions (bird strikes). The following steps for molecular identification of forensic samples are explained: receipt of sample, extraction, amplification, sequencing, and final data analysis using computer software. Recommendations for collecting bird strike samples for DNA analysis are also discussed. This work compliments the continuing work of the Feather Lab by providing a molecular signature to verify bird strike samples that do not contain sufficient feather remains for morphological identification.

Remote Sensing Of Birds Around Airports – Present Efforts In Germany, Wilhelm Ruhe, Reinhold Hill

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

As birds around airports and military airfields are a potential danger for air traffic, there are ongoing efforts, also in Germany, to monitor birds in conflicting airspaces. Besides other factors the spatial scale very much determines system demands and the resolution of detections. Based on the well known time lapse photography technique, digital video recording of radar screens is still used in long term (e.g. 2 years) bird monitoring studies at German airports. The technical equipment is easily installed and the remote controlled systems are working very reliable. However, data analysis is time consuming and needs a good deal of …

Prey Manipulation As A Management Strategy At An Inland South African Airport, Ordino Kok

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Prey manipulation was investigated as a means of reducing the bird hazard at the Bloemfontein airport, central South Africa. From January 1985 to December 2005 approximately 7,000 individuals representing 55 bird species which, potentially, posed a threat to aviation, were collected at the airport. Numerically the crowned plover (Vanellus coronatus), blacksmith plover (V. armatus), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), white-winged korhaan (Eupodotis afraoides) and double-banded courser (Smutsornis africanus) in order of importance constituted more than 90% of the total sample. Based on stomach analyses harvester termites (Hodotermes mossambicus) comprise the dominant food source of all five species concerned. Experimentally a significant …

Airport Canopies Become Starling Roosts – Two Airport Case Studies, Sharon Gordon, Randolph J. White

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

For aesthetic purposes and to protect passengers from weather, airports often construct glass canopies over roadways. These structures can provide roosting opportunities for large numbers of European starlings, which can pose a significant strike hazard to aircraft. Both Portland International Airport (Oregon) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (Ohio) have recently had to address this problem, using different methods to find an effective solution. Portland installed 200,000 square feet of exclusion netting in its large canopy structure while Cleveland Hopkins used a combination of tree removal and harassment to disperse their starling roost. These two cases demonstrate the importance of considering …

Overhead Grid Line Systems To Exclude Waterfowl From Large Bodies Of Water, Tony Duffiney

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

The presence of birds at retention/detention basins on or adjacent to an airport increases the probability of experiencing a wildlife strike. Overhead gridline systems have proven effective for reducing the presence of birds on small water bodies. While there are several grid materials available to address bird hazards associated with small basins, the list of options decreases quickly as the distance to be spanned increases. The Michigan Wildlife Services program (WS) tested five types of grid material on three large detention basins to determine which materials could span up to 675 meters (2214.5 feet) without center supports. Additionally, the line …

Advisory Circular 150/5200-36. Qualifications For Wildlife Biologists Conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments And Training Curriculums For Airport Personnel Involved In Controlling Wildlife Hazards On Airports, Edward C. Cleary

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

This Advisory Circular (AC) describes the qualifications for wildlife biologists who conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments for airports certificated under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 139 (14 CFR, Part 139). In addition, it addresses the minimum wildlife hazard management curriculum for the initial and recurrent training of airport personnel actively involved in implementing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Wildlife Hazard Management Plans. Wildlife biologists conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments or presenting training for airport personnel actively involved in implementing FAA approved Wildlife Hazard Management Plans at certificated airports must have professional training and/or experience in wildlife hazard management at airports …

Media Response Plans – The Forgotten Tools, John E. Ostrom

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

The Media Response Plan is an essential tool for any wildlife management program’s toolbox, and yet, is normally not thought about until after something unpleasant happens and the media are knocking at your door. Developing an effective Media Response Plan is critical to the success of your wildlife management program and provides any manager with the opportunity to be prepared for both proactive and reactive situations when dealing with the media.

Bat Strikes: Past, Present, And Future, Suzanne C. Peurach

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

All but a few North American bats are insectivorous and weigh less than 35 g, but this diverse group of mammals also contains species with wingspans up to 2 meters and weighing a kg or more. Even small-bodied bats can cause considerable damage when encountered in swarms. When aircraft head into new territory and encounter strikes, the ability to identify the species of bat struck is paramount to preventing future strikes. Identifications of bats from fragmentary evidence are made by comparing samples recovered from aircraft with specimens housed in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. This collection, worldwide …

Nicarbazin: An Avian Reproductive Inhibitor For Pigeons And Geese, Christi A. Yoder, Michael L. Avery, Erick Wolf

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Nicarbazin (NCZ) is an anticoccidial drug routinely used in the poultry industry. When fed to laying hens, NCZ impacts reproduction by either reducing hatchability of eggs or reducing rate of egg laying. Initial laboratory tests were conducted with mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) to determine the efficacy of NCZ as a waterfowl contraceptive. Hatchability was 26% for mallards fed 34 mg NCZ/kg body weight (500 ppm in feed) for 14 days compared to 55% for control mallards. Based on these results, two field studies, one each in Oregon and Colorado, were conducted with Canada geese (Branta canadensis), which showed a 50-56% decrease …

Canada Goose Populations And Strikes With Civil Aircraft: Positive Trends For Aviation Industry, Richard A. Dolbeer, John L. Seubert

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Canada goose (Branta canadensis) populations in North America are subdivided into “migrant-goose” and “large-goose” populations. The “large-goose” populations consist primarily of flocks that are non-migratory (hereafter referred to as resident geese). Estimated migrant and resident geese numbers in the four flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific) are based on mid-winter or breeding period counts. The overall Canada goose population increased five fold from 1970 (1.08 million) to 2005 (5.01 million). Most of this overall increase was due to a 15-fold increase in the population of resident geese (from 0.2 to 3.4 million), especially during the 1990s when the …

Commencement Convocation Program, Usf, August 12, 2006, University Of South Florida

USF Graduation and Convocation Programs

King O'Neal Scholar - Chantal Korkis; Outstanding Senior - Dwayne Peterson; President's Fellow Medallion - Richard "Dick" Beard

Remote Sensing Technology And Ground-Based Observations For Evaluating A Proposed Airport Site In Conway, Arkansas, Russell P. Defusco, Ronald L. Merritt

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

The city of Conway Arkansas has proposed a replacement for its existing airport with a larger, more modern facility. Site selection and architectural design began eleven years ago with a preferred location selected near the Arkansas River. After nearly completing the architectural plans for construction, preliminary approval was granted from the FAA regional office pending final coordination from their headquarters. The FAA asked their Staff Wildlife Biologist to evaluate and endorse the proposed location. Concerns over local land uses and the proximity to a potential major flyway led the FAA to withhold support for the site pending further study. The …

Implementation And Distribution Of Bird Detection Radar And Bird Hazard Advisory Information For Military And Commercial Aviation, T. Adam Kelly

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Over the past five years, development of mobile bird detection radars for use as real-time aircraft bird strike avoidance systems has moved from research and development into active deployment as an operational technology. The MERLIN™ bird detection radar, with an update rate as frequent as once per second, is currently deployed as production-model technology with 15 systems operating in the U.S., Canada, Scotland, England and The Netherlands. Deployment challenges over the past two years have included “how” and “in what forms” to deliver the real-time and near real-time information to controllers, wildlife control units, pilots and decision makers so that …

Lessons Learnt From Avian Radar Trial At Toronto Pearson International Airport, Tim J. Nohara

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

The paper reports on lessons learnt from an avian radar trial conducted at Toronto Pearson International Airport in November 2005. Toronto Pearson International Airport is Canada's largest airport and has unique requirements due to its proximity to metropolitan Toronto, a major urban center. The paper begins with an assessment of desirable application requirements that take into account current wildlife management practices. Application requirements include early warning of birds approaching the airfield; real-time tracking of birds and aircraft, rapid review of overnight bird movements to identify bird stopovers, and integration into wildlife management operations. Next, the paper examines special radar design …

The Use Of Radar To Augment Visual Observations In Wildlife Hazard Assesments, Robert C. Beason, Michael J. Begier

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Assessing wildlife hazards to aviation in the airport environment is typically initiated by conducting a Wildlife Hazard Assessment (WHA). Ecological relationships between wildlife populations and habitat are usually discerned through observations during the course of one annual cycle. Although proximate hazards, on the airport, are well defined during the WHA process, off-airport features also can attract wildlife. Wildlife species can transit airport property traveling to and from habitat attractants. During a WHA, common wildlife sampling techniques are employed to determine species, their approximate numbers, and through association an index of potentially attractive habitat. Continuous observations could provide a more complete …

An Acoustic / Radar System For Automated Detection, Localization, And Classification Of Birds In The Vicinity Of Airfields, Bruce Stewart, Sebastian Pascarelle, John Pinezich, T. Adam Kelly, Andreas Smith, Robert Maher

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Bird-aircraft collisions present a significant threat to military and commercial aircraft, and as bird populations and air traffic continue to grow, and airport/airbase operations continue to expand, the problem will steadily get worse. To help mitigate bird strike hazards, we propose a multi-sensor system consisting of ground radar and acoustic sensors that can directly monitor bird activity and provide an alert when a threat condition occurs. Radar offers a large detection range and the ability to detect in all weather conditions, while acoustic sensors allow the ability to detect targets in the midst of clutter and add the capability to …

The Airport Is Not A Wildlife Refuge!, Russell P. Defusco, Robert L. Dogan

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Airports must eliminate or minimize bird and other wildlife attractants to maintain safe operating conditions. Unfortunately, all too often this is not the case. Outside pressure, political or economic decisions, and lack of awareness of appropriate management practices lead to many airports becoming safe havens for wildlife by accident or incredibly, by design. Airport tenants, airlines, or other users are often at the mercy of the airport operator or owner and believe they have little control over the situation where they operate. Proper habitat management is the basis for any wildlife or bird strike reduction program. Vegetation management is at …

Disposal Of Bio-Solids At Airports: Increased Wildlife Hazards To Aviation Or Not?, Michael J. Begier, Brian E. Washburn

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 8th (2006)

Airports often times employ different land uses on their airfields to generate or save funds. The application of bio-solids is one such use. Questions concerning this practice and its compatibility with safe aircraft operations arise; however, little information exists concerning this issue. FAA regulations and technical guidance do not currently prohibit this practice on airfields. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, located in North Carolina, has applied treated bio-solids to portions of the airfield over the past 14 years; this program is anticipated to continue into the future. During 2003–2005, we conducted a study to compare plant community dynamics and …