Digital Commons Network^™

Managing The Acm Programming Contest, Navin Bhaskar

Theses

The Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) conducts an international collegiate programming contest held on an annual basis. Teams compete to solve multiple questions within the allotted six hour duration of the contest. A panel of judges grades the solutions online. The team that answers the maximum questions correctly wins the contest. This application will assist in the process of selection of winners of the programming contest. It will make the process of submission of solutions, and grading of the answers convenient. The ACM application is a Java based and web-enabled application and therefore platform independent.

Myth- An Extension To C, Greg Rowe

Theses

Myth is a programming language that is an extension of C. Myth adds modules, interfaces, tuple returns, and bit sets. These features are very helpful in nearly any programming environment. The Myth language as a whole is a good choice for embedded systems where resources are limited. Modules help organize code into logical groupings. Interfaces provide an automated mechanism to write reusable code. Tuple returns provide a simple mechanism for returning multiple values from a function. Bitsets make it easy to define logical groups of bit flags. Bisets are particularly useful in code that interfaces with hardware. The advantage of …

N-Body Visualizations, William Mclaughlin

Theses

In the age of technology and information, data calculations and visualizations are key to the communication and understanding of the world in which we live. It is sometimes difficult to display data in a way to make it clear and understanding, or is difficult to calculate the data to be displayed. The N-body problem has elements of both. The N-body problem is a set of N particles representing stars that move in response to the gravitational force generated by the N-1 other particles. There have been many attacks to this problem. The GRAPEcluster Project of RIT has developed software and …

M2mimud, Robert Whitcomb

Theses

M2MIMud is a simple MUD (multi-user dungeon) type game that is designed to run on an ad hoc network of devices without the presence of any central server. It runs over Many-to-Many Invocation (M2MI), a distributed object system API that uses broadcasts and handles, rather than IP addresses, to communicate. Most existing multi-user computer games rely on a client-server architecture with a central server storing and maintaining the state of the game. In contrast, M2MIMud runs on an ad hoc network of devices with no central server. This paper describes M2MI and its use for serverless multi-user applications, discusses the …

Ad Hoc Collaborative Photo Sharing With A Tuple Board, Yutao Cheng

Theses

The tuple board is a new distributed computing paradigm based on the tuple space concept invented by Gelernter in 1985. Designed for ad hoc mobile wireless networks, tuple board is a serverless architecture that differs from the original client-server paradigm proposed in tuple space. In this project, Tuple Board, a tuple board implementation has been developed based on the M2MP protocol. Comparing to the previous implementation in Bondada's work, the following improvements have been made: (1) M2MP, instead of M2MI, is used as the underlying network protocol for data communication, (2) notification is available in the tuple board implementation for …

Integrating Database And Data Stream Systems, Rutul Mashruwala

Theses

Traditionally, Database systems are viewed as passive data storage. Finite data sets are stored in traditional Database Systems and retrieved when needed. But applications such as sensor networks, network monitoring, retail transactions, and others, produce infinite data sets. A new system is under research and development, known as Data Stream Management System (DSMS), to deal with the infinite data sets. In DSMS, Data stream is a continuous source of sequential data. In Object-Oriented languages, like C/C++ and Java, the concept of stream does exist. The stream is viewed as a channel to which data is being inserted at one end …

Ad Hoc File System, Swarup Datta

Theses

Ad hoc File System (AFS) is middleware for peers wishing to share and access data in ad hoc fashion. AFS permits processes to export local files and import files shared by other processes. Communication between hosts is facilitated by the M2MI Framework, a novel paradigm for building collaborative systems. The API provided by AFS allows for data to be exported to the middleware, which become accessible to hosts running AFS. Interested peers can import exported data to their local system, allowing uniform access to local and remote files. Peers can also unexport and unimport data undoing effects of export and …

Faculty Scheduling Using Genetic Algorithms, Kevin Soule

Theses

The problem of developing a class schedule for a faculty has been proven to be NP-complete. Therefore when the schedule is large enough, finding just one feasible solution can be impossible for any direct search algorithm within a reasonable time. This project is geared toward investigating the possibility of using genetic-based algorithms to solve faculty scheduling problems of 100 courses or larger quickly. Multiple versions of genetic algorithms and heuristics are tested. Many parameter levels for these algorithms are optimized for fastest convergence.

Efficient Encryption On Limited Devices, Roderic Campbell

Theses

Encryption algorithms have been used since the dawn of time to ensure secure communication over insecure communication channels. Once a secret encryption key is established and as long as the key remains secret, two parties can communicate freely over open channels. The question of how to obtain such a secret key is a large dilemma. Many methods of obtaining such keys have been tried from the most basic form of a one-on-one encounter to more advanced techniques like Diffie-Hellman. This paper compares three versions of the Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol -- using arithmetic in the field of integers modulo a …

Study Of Visualizations For N-Body Stellar Models, Christian Gray

Theses

The visualization of large datasets is invaluable to the advancement of scientific knowledge. N-Body problems produced large dataset that present several challenges to visualization. These challenges include over-plotting and self-obscuring data. Using the general visualization framework, Spiegel, five different visualization techniques are explored to solve these problems: slicing, projection, 3D projection, 3D density shells, and direct volume rendering. Each visualization looks to solve the problem in a slightly different manner while all have kernel density estimation as their starting point. While none of the visualization is ground breaking or perfectly solves the problems they do provide new insight allowing for …

Hf-Dsr: Dynamic Source Routing For High Frequency Radio Networks, Michael Stringer

Theses

HF-DSR is an ad hoc routing protocol designed to operate efficiently over high frequency (HF) radio networks. Ad hoc routing protocols allow networks to provide dynamic routing between endpoints. In contrast, static routing schemes require networks to be configured with potential routes in advance. As such, ad hoc routing mechanisms can compensate for unanticipated factors such as radio frequency (RF) interference or node mobility. HF-DSR is largely based on Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), a level 3 ad hoc networking protocol that emits network control information on demand. HF-DSR incorporates portions of DSR which minimize the quantity of control information transmitted. …

Routing In Anhinga, Aakash Chauhan

Theses

Anhinga project with Many-to-Many Protocol (M2MP) takes fundamentally different approach to resolve dynamic network topology in ad hoc networks. Instead of trying host-address based networking and routing to make work in ad hoc network environment, M2MP removes device address and groups. All messages goes to all devices within proximal area and each device decides whether and how to process the message based on message s content. [1] This project expands on this infrastructure by delivering these messages beyond sender device s broadcast range. The project implements Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) protocol based controlled flooding techniques. It also provides functionality for …

Web Based Monitoring System In Wireless Sensor Networks, Kanishk Panwar

Theses

Goal of the project is to develop a scalable web application to monitor a wireless sensor network. Wireless sensor network, an upcoming technology, is comprised of multiple data sensors that send back packets of information back to the base station. The sensor network runs on a real time operating system called TinyOS and the application is implemented using Moteiv Telos Revision B wireless sensors. The web application collects the reading from the base station and generates graphical representation of the readings for the front end and creates PDF reports when readings are not within defined thresholds. This application incorporates various …

A Charge Control Model For Iii-V Hemts Using A Self-Consistent Numerical Solution Of The Schrodinger And Poisson Equations, Melissa Manney

Theses

"With the increasing demand for smaller devices that can perform faster and more reliably there is a need to explore options that allow for this combination in spite of the fact that smaller size tends to lead to a reduction in reliability and overall device performance. High electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have proven superior to MOSFETS and BJTs in the areas of voltage and temperature ranges in which they can operate as well as their high breakdown fields, carrier density and velocity saturation. Studying HEMTs and understanding their constraints and how they respond to variations in their makeup and in …

Indium Tin Oxide (Ito) Deposition, Patterning And Schottky Contact Fabrication, Jianming Zhou

Theses

As a transparent conductive material, indium tin oxide (ITO) has been utilized as electrodes in liquid crystal displays, solar cells, heat reflecting films and gas sensors. In general, the desired properties are high conductance and transmission. However, due to the complexity of ITO, the film properties strongly depend on the deposition processes. In this study, the deposition conditions for ITO film were optimized to get both high conductivity and transmission. The emphasis was on investigating the effects of various deposition parameters, such as oxygen partial pressure, total gas flow, annealing conditions and power. These are the most critical parameters for …

Adjusting The Margins: Building Bridges Between Deaf And Hearing Cultures Through Performance Arts, Luane Davis Haggerty

Theses

This study addresses a gap in scholarship on leadership styles in the Deaf community. There is an invisible style of leadership differing from the mainstream culture that has not been previously addressed in the literature at any depth. My study was composed of three interlocking parts in a sequence that constitutes the practice of anthropology: fieldwork, analysis, and presentation. The foundation for my fieldwork was an “archeology of the structure of the perceived world” (Merleau-Ponty), using the holding environment of the rehearsal process and the structural process of an acting technique called Del-Sign. Del- Sign is a fusion acting style …

Where Are The Active Citizens Of Tomorrow? We Need Them Now..., Margaret E. Piasecka

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In 1997, Hindess labelled the gap between governments and citizens the democratic deficit. This gap, or deficit, has arisen over a long time period as a result of public scandals, perceptions of poor performance and poor economies. Local governments around the world are now attempting to regain community respect and support - the unstated mandate for governance - and seeking to implement government policies relating to concepts variously described as community engagement, capacity building, active citizenship or public/citizen participation. This thesis has identified a methodology for finding people who are motivated to act in the public interest in one local …

Sweetness And Light, Stephanie Leach

Theses

Not included

An Improved Approach To Watercolor Reproduction By Profile Editing, Rochelle Kyong Kim

Theses

Fine art is usually produced on paper or canvas as a one-of-a-kind artwork. Fine art may be reproduced in limited editions and put up for sale as art. Different printing technologies have been used in fine art reproduction such as lithography, screenprinting, and most recently inkjet.

The research aspect of watercolor reproduction has been the question of "how good is good enough." In this case, the artists demand the exact match between the original watercolor and its reproduction. While there are difficulties in quantifying the degree of color image match, the initial testing of watercolor reproduction using a colormanaged approach …

Perspective By Incongruity In Visual Advertising: Applying Kenneth Burke's Theory To The Adbusters Anti-Consumerism Campaign, Elizabeth B. Gorman

Theses

Kenneth Burke developed the theory of "perspective by incongruity" in which he claimed that oddly juxtaposed symbols influence audiences to have new perspectives by challenging their habits of thinking. This study applies Kenneth Burke's rhetorical theory of perspective by incongruity to the Adbusters anti-consumerism campaign. Twenty "spoof ad" postcards created by the Adbusters Media Foundation were analyzed to see how they utilize the technique of incongruous juxtaposition. The analysis concluded that the cards either juxtaposed two incongruous images, two incongruous phrases or words, or a combination of incongruous words and images in order to create new insights about consumer advertising …

The Phenomenon Of Cyberstalking On The Rit Campus: Definitions, Behaviors And Normalization, Julia Phillips Dickinson

Theses

Stalking via the Internet (cyberstalking) occurs via technologies such as email, instant messaging, chat rooms, discussion groups, and social networking websites. Recent news reports indicate a growing concern about the ease with which personal information can be accessed on the Internet - a fact that is shaping new social norms for young adults and children who have grown up using the Internet. This thesis measured the prevalence and nature of cyberstalking among Rochester Institute of Technology students. A survey was conducted and the results were evaluated with SIDE theory and social conduct theory as guides to understand if cyberstalking behavior …

The Consideration Of Camera Testing For Accurate Color Reproduction Within Museums And Institutions, Natalie Russo

Theses

The need for color accurate digital images for fine art reproduction is a reality faced by art museums and institutions around the world. It is the goal of most institutions to replace old, sometimes used and abused, transparency archives with digital image archives; many institutions have already begun this work. A number of different imaging systems with varied workflows, some idiosyncratic, are being used for this work. There is, therefore, an urgent need for the development and sharing of working methods that will ensure efficient, consistent, and color accurate results. These workflows must use camera systems to their fullest capability. …

Assessing The State Of Web Accessibility, Laura Cook

Theses

People with disabilities continue to be at a disadvantage in terms of opportunities on the Web. Federal laws and state policies help govern website design for federal and state agencies, but their impact thus far is unclear. This thesis addresses the issue of web accessibility and examines the compliance of state websites. A sample of state websites was evaluated for accessibility with two different methods: (1 ) using two automated accessibility validation checkers (Bobby and Entre), and (2) using a process of gradually degrading the web pages down to a text-only page. A survey was developed and administered to web …

Graph Reconstruction Numbers, Brian Mcmullen

Theses

The Reconstruction Conjecture is one of the most important open problems in graph theory today. Proposed in 1942, the conjecture posits that every simple, finite, undirected graph with more than three vertices can be uniquely reconstructed up to isomorphism given the multiset of subgraphs produced by deleting each vertex of the original graph. Related to the Reconstruction Conjecture, reconstruction numbers concern the minimum number of vertex deleted subgraphs required to uniquely identify a graph up to isomorphism. During the summer of 2004, Jennifer Baldwin completed an MS project regarding reconstruction numbers. In it, she calculated reconstruction numbers for all graphs …

The Mainstream Press: Then And Now Has The Prominence Of Sensational News Changed In 100 Years?, Kathleen Marchaesi

Theses

The present research explores the levels of sensational news reporting in three distinct periods of journalism history by examining the largest mainstream newspaper in America, The New York Times, during the yellow journalism, jazz journalism and modern eras. The front pages of a representative sample of the newspaper were analyzed to determine the extent to which prominence of sensational news topics in the modern press differs from that of the yellow and jazz eras. The style of sensational reporting was examined to determine if the treatment of news has changed. The results of a content analysis indicate that readers are …

An Evolutionary Computation Approach To Optimization Of Isoelectric Point Prediction In Proteins, Chris Parkin

Theses

Computational biology has attacked the problem of isoelectric point prediction with little success, achieving a rough accuracy level of only 30%. In 2005, Matthew Conte performed a study focused on the relationship between sequence characteristics and isoelectric point prediction accuracy. Results indicated that charges between adjacent amino acids could have a significant impact on the overall predicted pi for the protein. In this study we introduce an evolutionary computation approach aimed at accounting for these problem dipeptides. For each possible dipeptide involving charged amino acids (7 chargeable groups -> 49 possibilities), the algorithm predicts a pKa value that, when included …

Ligevolver: A Tool For Ligand Formulation Using Genetic Algorithm, Priyadarsini Soundararajan

Theses

Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV - 1) has been found to be the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This virus caused uproar during the 1980's and started a major drug discovery race among the pharmaceutical companies. It also proved to be a milestone in the establishment of the use of computers in rational drug design.

Evolutionary computation is a commonly used computational approach that has been successfully applied to a variety of fields ranging from engineering to life science. The main reason for its effectiveness is that it is driven by the principles of evolution. A genetic …

Lawyers' Professionalism, Colonialism, State Formation And National Life In Nigeria, 1900-1960: 'The Fighting Brigade Of The People', Chidi Oguamanam, W. Wesley Pue

All Faculty Publications

This essay explores the role of the organized legal profession in relation to British Imperialism, state formation, and independence in Nigeria. Drawing on recent works in the fields of post-colonial legal studies and cultural histories of legal professions, the paper develops an understanding of lawyering and lawyers' associations as deeply implicated in the myriad cultural projects through which law simultaneously 'civilizes' provincials and mediates between centre and locale. The paper reviews new developments in theories of legal professionalism and surveys secondary literatures of lawyers in colonial processes. It assesses the historical processes linking imperialism, law, and lawyers from the establishment …

A Messaging System To Handle Semantic Dissonance, Ashish Rathod

Theses

Enterprises have been compelled to share their data internally and externally, but creating a consistent view of enterprise data has been challenging. Within a typical enterprise, each division uses its own domain specific data model and schema, and different enterprises obviously use their own data models and schema. Integrating these diverse data models and schemas, which have both syntactic and semantic differences, tends to be complex, slow, and inaccurate. Syntactic differences, i.e., differences in names or layout, have received substantial attention in research. Semantic dissonance simply means that the structure may be similar (or even the same) but the meaning …

Acoustic Classification Using Independent Component Analysis, James Brock

Theses

This thesis research investigates and demonstrates the feasibility of performing computationally efficient, high-dimensional acoustic classification using Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients and independent component analysis for temporal feature extraction. A process was developed to calculate Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients from samples of acoustic data grouped by either musical genre or spoken world language. Then independent component analysis was employed to extract the higher level temporal features of the coefficients in each class. These sets of unique independent features represent themes, or patterns, over time that are the underlying signals in that class of acoustic data. The results obtained from this process clearly show …