Digital Commons Network^™

Highly Sensitive Liquid-Level Sensing Based On Microwave Frequency Domain Reflectometry And Interferometry, Chen Zhu, Osamah Alsalman, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) and interferometry are two widely used investigative techniques that have been instrumented using optical and microwave devices for a diverse array of sensing applications. In this paper, we present a highly sensitive liquid-level sensor using a custom hollow coaxial cable transmission line. Measurements of liquid levels with high sensitivity and resolution can be achieved by both FDR and interferometry-based measurements using the same sensor device. We show that FDR-based measurements are more straightforward for liquid-level sensing and are suitable for both small and large variations of liquid level, while interferometry-based measurements provide slightly higher measurement resolution …

Learning From The Past: Using Peer Data To Improve Course Recommendations In Personalized Education, Colton Walker, Sahra Sedigh Sarvestani, Ali R. Hurson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This research introduces a recommendation system designed to enhance student success by intelligently personalizing the semester schedules and graduation path based on the student's performance, interests, and background; and inspired by the academic journeys of similar students who have successfully graduated in the past. The proposed recommender system leverages a combination of Markov decision processes, Q-Learning, and collaborative filtering techniques to identify graduation paths with a higher likelihood of success for the student. The proposed model is versatile and generic and can be adapted to various disciplines if sufficient past historical data is available. The proposed model has been prototyped …

Lidar From The Sky: Uav Integration And Fusion Techniques For Advanced Traffic Monitoring, Baya Cherif, Hakim Ghazzai, Ahmad Alsharoa

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology's expansion within the autonomous vehicles industry has rapidly motivated its application in numerous growing areas, such as smart cities, agriculture, and renewable energy. In this article, we propose an innovative approach for enhancing aerial traffic monitoring solutions through the application of LiDAR technology. The objective is to achieve precise and real-time object detection and tracking from aerial perspectives by integrating unmanned aerial vehicles with LiDAR sensors, thereby creating a potent Aerial LiDAR (A-LiD) solution for traffic monitoring. First, we develop a novel deep learning algorithm based on pointvoxel-region-based convolutional neural network (RCNN) to conduct …

Survey Of Hidden Markov Models (Hmms) For Sign Language Recognition (Slr), Iwan Sandjaja, Ahmad Alsharoa, Donald Wunsch, Jian Liu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper surveyed several significant papers on specific topics applying the Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) for Sign Language Recognition (SLR), divided into five main episodes: Classical HMMs, Extended HMMs, HMMs and Machine Learning, HMMs and Sensor Fusion, and HMMs and Big Data. This stringent survey would contribute significantly to advanced research on unification brain models such as neural networks, adaptive resonance theory, and confabulation theory. First, the HMM was introduced as one of the popular methods of performing SLR, and each episode of its development was expounded. In each episode, a main paper and several supporting papers were summarized. Next, …

Effect Of Signal Modulation On Active Microwave Thermography, Logan M. Wilcox, Mathias Bonmarin, Kristen M. Donnell

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Active microwave thermography (AMT) is a coupled electromagnetic and thermographic nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) technique. AMT utilizes an active electromagnetic source to induce heat on or within a specimen under test (SUT) with subsequential infrared measurements via an infrared camera. AMT has been successfully employed in multiple fields, including aerospace, space, and infrastructure, among others. Generally, for AMT, the excitation (electromagnetic source) is applied over a specified period of time (referred to as the heating time). If inspection continues for additional time after the excitation is removed (turned off), this period is referred to as the cooling time. This …

Tightening Qc Relaxations Of Ac Optimal Power Flow Through Improved Linear Convex Envelopes, Mohammad Rasoul Narimani, Daniel K. Molzahn, Katherine R. Davis, Mariesa L. Crow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

AC optimal power flow (AC OPF) is a fundamental problem in power system operations. Accurately modeling the network physics via the AC power flow equations makes AC OPF a challenging nonconvex problem. To search for global optima, recent research has developed various convex relaxations that bound the optimal objective values of AC OPF problems. The QC relaxation convexifies the AC OPF problem by enclosing the non-convex terms within convex envelopes. The QC relaxation's accuracy strongly depends on the tightness of these envelopes. This paper proposes two improvements for tightening QC relaxations of OPF problems. We first consider a particular nonlinear …

Visualization Of Noise Coupling Paths Based On The Reciprocity Theorem, Seungtaek Jeong, Jong Hwa Kwon, Deepak Pai, Jagan Rajagopalan, Chulsoon Hwang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this article, visualization of noise coupling paths is proposed and verified. The coupling coefficient (CC) is derived based on the Reciprocity theorem and time-average coupled power, which represents the contribution of each spatial point to the coupled power. The physical meaning of CC is demonstrated by relating the integrations of CC in a volume space occupied by absorbers to the coupled power being suppressed by the absorbers. The proposed method is applied to a practical device and the identified dominant coupling paths are experimentally verified.

Tilted Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Based On Time-Domain Measurements With Microwave Photonics, Shiyu Li, Ruimin Jie, Osamah Alsalman, Jie Huang, Chen Zhu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBGs) have garnered substantial research attention and have found widespread applications for sensing a diverse array of physical, chemical, and biological parameters based on optical spectrum measurements. The interrogation of a TFBG sensor typically requires a high-resolution bulky optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) due to the extremely narrow dips caused by the resonance of cladding modes. However, high-resolution OSAs can be costly and have limitations on measuring speed, limiting their practicality. In this paper, a new approach to interrogating TFBG sensors is proposed and experimentally demonstrated based on a microwave photonics technique. Instead of measuring the optical …

Simultaneous Frequency Regulation And Active Power Sharing In Islanded Microgrid Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Oroghene Oboreh-Snapps, Sophia A. Strathman, Jonathan Saelens, Arnold Fernandes, Lauryn Morris, Praneeth Uddarraju, Jonathan W. Kimball

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a novel approach that integrates deep reinforcement learning (DRL) with the conventional virtual synchronous generator (VSG) to address dual objectives of microgrid (MG) control, frequency regulation and precise active power sharing. MGs typically consist of multiple Inverter-Based-Distributed-Generators (IBDGs) connected in parallel through different line impedances. The conventional active power loop (APL) of the VSG encounters significant steady-state frequency errors as load increases/decreases during islanded operation. To mitigate this issue, secondary-level controllers like proportional-integral (PI) control are added to the APL to regulate the frequency of IBDGs. However, PI control compromises power-sharing capabilities when the impedance values of …

Quantifying Wild Pig Disturbance In Pastures And Wetlands Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Derived Imagery, Wesley M. Anderson, Bethany Wight, Raoul K. Boughton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for agricultural and environmental research has increased markedly in recent years, and a key application has been to conduct damage assessments. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause both agricultural and environmental damage, and past studies have utilized UAVs to quantify this damage. Each methodology has advantages, but they also have drawbacks such as high rates of damage omission or reliance upon a near-infrared camera, which may be prohibitively expensive for some land managers and scientists. Our objective was to develop a methodology that could be easily implemented to conduct wild pig …

Flashtags: Evaluating A Novel Deterrent To Reduce Livestock Depredation, C. Aaron Bott, Stewart W. Breck, Tom W. Murphy, Brad A. Freking, Carlos A. López González, David Prause, Corey Peavey, Albert Sommers, Coke Landers, Julie K. Young

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Social tolerance of carnivores can be improved by preventing conflicts through nonlethal predator deterrents (e.g., livestock protection dogs [Canis lupus familiaris] and human presence) that have been used for centuries. However, many livestock producers feel the existing preventative methods are inadequate for extensive production systems where livestock can be spread widely and have less human supervision. To address this issue, we developed and tested a new nonlethal tool called FlashTags to reduce livestock predation. FlashTags are ear tags worn by livestock that flash a random-light pattern at night when motion-triggered. In the first year, we tested the devices …

Waterbird-Perceived Damage, Control Measures, And Economic Implications For Rice Production In The Brazilian Cerrado, Demetrio Luis Guadagnin, Alexandre Afonso Meyer, João Augusto Rossi Borges, Fernanda Maia Justo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Waterbirds have the potential to inflict economic damage to crops. However, is rice (Oryza sativa) production in the Brazilian Cerrado significantly affected by waterbirds? This study aimed to assess the extent of waterbird damage on irrigated rice production in Central Brazil. We conducted surveys of waterbird populations in rice agroecosystem habitats throughout the cultivation cycle and analyzed the expenses associated with waterbird-induced yield losses and the control measures employed by farmers. The 2 most prevalent waterbird species observed were Dendrocygna viduatta and D. autumnalis, comprising 68.6% of all recorded waterbirds. These species were more frequently encountered and …

Spatial Analysis Of Socioeconomic Factors At Found Locations Of Orphaned Mammals In Champaign County, Illinois, Usa, Colleen Elzinga, Stephanie Heniff, William Sander, William Marshall Brown, Csaba Varga, Samantha Sander

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Young mammals make up a significant portion of animals brought into wildlife rehabilitation centers. Unfortunately, some of these presumed orphaned individuals are inappropriately removed from their native habitat. As such, there is a need for educational community outreach centered on the proper identification of orphaned wildlife that benefit from human intervention, while maximizing limited resources of rehabilitation facilities. This study evaluated found locations of common mammalian orphans presenting from Champaign County to the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic, Illinois, USA, between 2015 and 2020. The found locations of the orphans (99 Virginia opossums [Didelphis virginiana], 80 common …

The Lawlessness Of Sackett V. Epa, William W. Buzbee

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

When the Supreme Court speaks on a disputed statutory interpretation question, its words and edicts undoubtedly are the final judicial word, binding lower courts and the executive branch. Its majority opinions are the law. But the Court’s opinions can nonetheless be assessed for how well they hew to fundamental elements of respect for the rule of law. In particular, law-respecting versus law-neglecting or lawless judicial work by the Court can be assessed in the statutory interpretation, regulatory, and separation of power realms against the following key criteria, which in turn are based on some basic rule of law tenets: analysis …

Fears, Faith, And Facts In Environmental Law, William W. Buzbee

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Environmental law has long been shaped by both the particular nature of environmental harms and by the actors and institutions that cause such harms or can address them. This nation’s environmental statutes remain far from perfect, and a comprehensive law tailored to the challenges of climate change is still elusive. Nonetheless, America’s environmental laws provide lofty, express protective purposes and findings about reasons for their enactment. They also clearly state health and environmental goals, provide tailored criteria for action, and utilize procedures and diverse regulatory tools that reflect nuanced choices.

But the news is far from good. Despite the ambitious …

Cultural Property: “Progressive Property In Action”, J. Peter Byrne

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Cultural property law fulfills many of the normative and jurisprudential goals of progressive property theory. Cultural property limits the normal prerogatives of owners in order to give legal substance to the interests of the public or of specially protected non-owners. It recognizes that preservation of and access to heritage resources advance public values such as cultural enrichment and community identity. The proliferation of cultural property laws and their acceptance by courts has occurred despite a resurgent property fundamentalism embraced by the Supreme Court. Thus, this Article seeks to explicate the category of cultural property, its fulfillment of progressive theory, and …

Large Constellations Of Small Satellites: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, And The Illegal, David A. Koplow

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The most exciting and far-reaching contemporary developments regarding human activities in outer space arise from the recent drastic reductions in the costs of building, launching, and operating satellites, and from the concomitant sudden emergence of large constellations of small, inexpensive, privately-owned spacecraft. These satellites--devoted to highly remunerative functions such as communications (bringing high-speed, affordable internet to underserved constituencies), remote sensing (facilitating land use planning, weather forecasting, and emergency search and rescue), and support for military operations (in Ukraine and elsewhere)--already number in the thousands and will soon reach the tens of thousands.

But in addition to generating billions of …

Loper Bright In A Larger Interpretive Perspective: Is This Justice Scalia’S Court Anymore?, Victoria Frances Nourse

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo has left administrative lawyers agog: Could the Supreme Court really reverse the “goliath” known as Chevron deference? For those who study the Court’s interpretive landscape more broadly, however, Chevron reversal may not be as unexpected as administrative lawyers believe. This Article will look at Loper Bright by linking three notable interpretive developments: the major questions doctrine, Chevron skepticism, and strict constructions of statutory text. These developments share the same risk: the Court is imposing a new “clarity tax” on both Congress and administrative agencies. Having said this, others’ grave worries about changes in Chevron are …

Towards Objective, Temporally Resolved Neurobehavioral Predictors Of Emotional State, Katherine E Kabotyanski, Han G Yi, Rahul Hingorani, Brian S Robinson, Hannah P Cowley, Matthew S Fifer, Brock A Wester, Bishal Lamichhane, Ashutosh Sabharwal, Anusha B Allawala, Sameer V Rajesh, Nabeel Diab, Raissa K Mathura, Victoria Pirtle, Joshua Adkinson, Andrew J Watrous, Eleonora Bartoli, Jiayang Xiao, Garrett P Banks, Sanjay J Mathew, Wayne K Goodman, Xaq Pitkow, Nader Pouratian, Benjamin Y Hayden, Nicole R Provenza, Sameer A Sheth

Staff and Researcher Publications

No abstract provided.

Computational And Experimental Modeling Of Particle Transport Inside Respiratory Pathways And Indoor Environments, Abir Malakar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore efficient drug delivery to clinical target sites along the human upper airway that strongly depends on variables associated with the delivery device and the drug formulation, e.g., the device plume angle, particle sizes of drug solution, drug delivery speed of the device, viscosity of the drug solution, delivery axis orientation, and the formulation density. In our investigation, we prioritize the nasopharynx, the primary site of initial viral infection, as the ideal target zone for drug delivery. We have used Large Eddy Simulation and Lagrangian techniques to replicate breathing at 15 L/min and quantify regional drug …

Longevity In Afrikaner Cattle: A Survival Analysis, Allison M. Bot Steffl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Afrikaner breed of cattle is indigenous to South Africa and due to their hardiness was once the most popular breed amongst farmers. The objectives for this study were to: (1) estimate environmental effects (age at first calving, season) and (2) genetic variance affecting longevity in Afrikaner cattle using survival analysis and a Weibull model and (3) evaluate the effect of the Infusion Project on longevity utilizing a Cox model. For the first objective, age at first calving impacted longevity as younger age at first calving was associated with decreased longevity. Season of birth and year of birth also impacted …

Assessing The Performance And Cost Effectiveness Of Rainwater Harvesting For High Tunnel Production Across Climates In The Continental United States, Mustafa Aydogdu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several factors such as global climate change, population growth, urban and agricultural expansion, rising water demand, unequal water distribution, hydro-political conditions, declining water quality, rainwater scarcity, and temperature-induced drought contribute to water resource degradation. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) emerges as a sustainable solution, involving the collection and storage of rainwater for agriculture, livestock, and domestic use. RWH reduces reliance on municipal water, mitigates climate change impacts, and decreases runoff. Conventional RWH systems in the US vary in effectiveness. Increasing storage and water use enhances RWH effectiveness, improving stormwater runoff and reducing potable water use. High tunnel production of vegetable crops has …

Protein Subunit Vaccines: Promising Frontiers Against Covid-19, Vivek P. Chavda, Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Pankti C. Balar, Subhash Chauhan, Nikita Tiwari, Somanshi Shukla, Mansi Athalye, Vandana Bharat Patravale, Vasso Apostolopoulos, Murali Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

The emergence of COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented global health crisis, challenging the healthcare systems worldwide. Amidst the rapid development of several vaccine formulations, protein subunit vaccines have emerged as a promising approach. This article provides an in-depth evaluation of the role of protein subunit vaccines in the management of COVID-19. Leveraging viral protein fragments, particularly the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, these vaccines elicit a targeted immune response without the risk of inducing disease. Notably, the robust safety profile of protein subunit vaccines makes them a compelling candidate in the management of COVID-19. Various innovative approaches, including reverse vaccinology, virus …

Lidar Remote Sensing And The Monitoring Of Brazilian Amazon Forest Structure: Tackling Issues And Finding New Possibilities, Pedro Valle De Carvalho E Oliveira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and around 60% of it is in Brazil. The amount of carbon stored in the region uncertain, the impacts of land use and climate changes are unknown, and what drives the dynamic of the forest structure is still under a heated debate. Optical remote sensing has been used for a long time to assist the monitoring of the Brazilian Amazon. However, optical remote sensing only allows a comprehensive study from the top of the forest canopy. In contrast, lidar remote sensing of forests can produce robust information regarding the canopy …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation Of Battery Thermal Management System At The Pack Level In Electric Vehicles, Yifan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electric vehicles (EVs) rely heavily on lithium batteries due to their high energy density, despite their tendency to generate excess heat during operation. Managing this heat is crucial for safety and performance. Battery Thermal Management Systems (BTMS) are essential for maintaining optimal battery temperature and mitigating risks like short circuits. This article examines various cooling methods for BTMS, including air and liquid cooling, and discusses the selection of cooling media and layout configurations within battery packs (BPs). It also highlights the importance of combining multiple cooling methods for efficient heat dissipation. Emerging technologies like Phase Change Materials (PCMs) show promise …

Special Session: Writing For The Ieee Teaching Excellence Hub, Steve Eugene Watkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Technical educators can benefit by sharing practices, techniques, experiences, and approaches that have been successful in their classrooms. The IEEE Teaching Excellence Hub (TEH) provides curated educational materials and resources for those teaching engineering, computing, and technology at the university level. This virtual venue for professional development is intended to complement resources found through educational journals and conferences. The online site contains practice-oriented articles, event links, and other collections that are contributed by the engineering education community. This special session will provide an overview of the TEH platform and will prepare attendees for contributing as reviewers and authors. The target …

Ai Trustworthy: Ethical Challenges And Strategies, Jian Liu, Iwan Sandjaja, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper explores the pivotal role of trust in the widespread application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various domains. We review AI applications in sectors like energy, healthcare, and autonomous vehicles and discuss the crisis of human trust they face. This paper introduces a novel framework that delineates the relationship between AI transparency and user trust, highlighting specific industry applications. Through a systematic review of recent literature, we first delve into factors such as emotional response, acceptance, transparency, accuracy, and interpretability that shape human trust in AI. We then underscore the necessity of ethical AI practices and highlight the importance …

Rapid Control Prototyping Platform For Grid Connected Electrical Energy Conversion Systems, Shruti Pandey, Noah Damron, Michael Mcintyre

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrical Energy Conversion Systems (EECSs) are extensively utilized in contemporary stand-alone systems to supply power to isolated loads. They are also integrated into distributed generation systems, micro grids, and smart grids. In each of these contexts, it is essential to conduct efficient energy management procedures to optimize the electrical energy systems output and ensure the effective and high-quality delivery of electric energy to consumers. To create the energy management system for such a system, careful consideration must be given to the configuration of the power conversion and conditioning system, as well as the specific hardware devices that make up this …

Variation-Aware Non-Linear Mapping For Honey-Memristor Based Neuromorphic System, Harshvardhan Uppaluru, Md Mehedi Hasan Tanim, Md Omar Faruque, Mohammed Rafeeq Khan, Zoe Templin, Feng Zhao, Jinhui Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Natural organic memristors are promising synapse candidates for neuromorphic systems due to their significant benefits, such as environmental sustainability, low production and disposal cost, non-volatile storage capability, and bio/CMOS-compatibility. In this paper, experimental evaluations of a neuromorphic system based on honey-memristors are reported. First, honey-memristors are manufactured and tested based on our in-house technology, and then the non-linear characteristics inherent to honey-memristors, which causes inaccurate weight updates and reduces the inference accuracy, are explored. A non-linear mapping (NMP) method is applied to mitigate the effects of non-linearity in honey-memristor, under different scenarios including multiple cycle-to-cycle variations and Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) …

Data In Business & Society, Tabrez Y. Ebrahim

Lewis & Clark Law Review

Data, it is sometimes said, is the world’s new oil. Unlike the days when information was transmitted in print form, data is transmitted at the touch of a fingertip through the click of a mouse or a push of an icon on a phone app. Algorithms and computing systems have drastically expanded the scope, speed, and volume of access and use of data for consumers. Additionally, businesses, in variety of forms, including business-to-business, business-to-consumer, online, and even brick-and-mortar, have employed data to interact with other businesses and with consumers. Data has drastically expanded in use throughout business and society, and …