Engineering Commons^™

Alternate Warfare: The Unseen Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Elyse Keener

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Biological warfare is a national security concern that transcends centuries. In the current international climate, biowarfare is of particular interest due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article seeks to follow historical cases of biological warfare and international response to these cases in order to understand the implications of COVID-19, if it were to be weaponized. Also covered is the current capabilities that Russia, China, and Iran are assessed to possess.

Human Supremacy As Posthuman Risk, Daniel Estrada

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

Human supremacy is the widely held view that human interests ought to be privileged over other interests as a matter of ethics and public policy. Posthumanism is the historical situation characterized by a critical reevaluation of anthropocentrist theory and practice. This paper draws on animal studies, critical posthumanism, and the critique of ideal theory in Charles Mills and Serene Khader to address the appeal to human supremacist rhetoric in AI ethics and policy discussions, particularly in the work of Joanna Bryson. This analysis identifies a specific risk posed by human supremacist policy in a posthuman context, namely the classification of …

The Aesthetics Of Multicoding Esolangs, Daniel J. Temkin

Electronic Literature Organization Conference 2020

In the influential 2005 paper "A Box, Darkly," Michael Mateas and Nick Montfort introduced the idea of multicoding: when one text holds multiple meanings, depending on context. Examples include polyglots, programs that can run successfully in two different languages, as well as sentences that can be read in French or English. Esoteric programming has a history of explicit multicoding languages. The best known are Piet, whose programs are images, and commands are the change in color from one pixel to the next; Shakespeare, with code written as plays, and Chef, whose programs are recipes that work in the kitchen. While …

Non Infinite Stories: How Digital Allow To Create Infinite Reconformations Of A Text?, David Núñez

Electronic Literature Organization Conference 2020

Last year I presented at ELO, in Ireland, the Artistic piece "Bastard" a digital fiction that combine a fragmented novel to create 10x149 differents texts and optimized in 4 billions coherent stories with narrative structures. In Orlando we want to explain how the system works, theory and functioning, and invited all the members to produce they personal "infinite" fiction.

Non Infinite Stories is an electronic publishing house that creates a dynamic hyperliterature system to give each reader a unique book by using a digital combinatorial processes, specific narrative rules and optimization of fragmented works in chapters of short narrative blocks, …

Severe Weather In Nebraska: Impacts On Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans. 2020 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steve Schulz, Jason L. Weigle

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

In March 2019, a bomb cyclone produced a historic blizzard as well as flooding that impacted many counties in Nebraska. Given that, did rural Nebraskans experience extreme weather events or natural disasters in 2019? To what extent were they harmed by these weather events? What personal impacts did they experience? How concerned are they about weather events? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report details 1,979 responses to the 2020 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 25th annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about weather events. Comparisons are made among …

Mining The Borderlands: Industry, Capital, And The Emergence Of Engineers In The Southwest Territories, 1855-1910. Grossman, Sarah E.M. University Of Nevada Press, 2018, James Altman

Executive Vice President & Provost Faculty Research

In Mining the Borderlands: Industry, Capital, and the Emergence of Engineers in the Southwest Territories, 1855‐1910, distinguished scholar Sarah E.M. Grossman examines the early history of commercial mining along the US‐Mexico border. She brings to the task her extensive knowledge of the region, and a forensic detective's thirst for the truth. Her mission is to understand precisely how much, and in what specific ways, various commercial mining ventures in the desert Southwest contributed not only to the economic development of the region, but also to improvements in mining techniques, engineering methods, equipment, efficiency, working conditions, mining education, and most importantly, …

Developing And Applying Knowledge And Skills In Ethics And Professional Morality: An Evidence-Based Practice Paper, Donald Winiecki, Lynn Catlin, Harold Ackler

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Even without a focused interest in the topic, as we enter the third decade of the 21st Century one would have a difficult time ignoring the steady flow of stories reporting tragic consequences arising from engineering decisions that appear to have omitted ethical components, and of ethical dilemmas arising from contemporary engineering and computer science. Similarly, one would have to be willful to miss an equally steady drumbeat of calls for improved ethics in engineering and computer science education.

However, one can make the argument that simply offering new or more content related to ethics in engineering education is not …

Creation Of Mobile Applications For The Shrines Of Al-Hakim Al-Termizi, Mavlyuda Xodjayeva, Turdali Jumayev, Alimjon Dadamuhamedov, Barno Saydakhmedova

The Light of Islam

We recognize that the sustainable development of tourism has great potential for the development of cultural and humanitarian ties around the world. We emphasize the importance of information technology in tourism, especially in the areas of advertising, marketing, differentiation and specialization of tourism products. In addition, we reaffirm our commitment to pilgrimage tourism for the individual growth of people and the strengthening of basic social norms and national values. The program uses modern programming languages such as Php, Java, C ++. Al-Hakim at-Termizi is one of the most famous places of worship in Uzbekistan, which is also known for its …

Cloud Technologies In Islamic Education Institutions, Alimjon Dadamuhamedov Irgashevich

The Light of Islam

Information and Communication Technology is making use of ICT tools to store and retrieves information. It plays an important role in growing and maintaining a country’s economic growth. One of the latest technologies prevailing nowadays is cloud computing. By sharing IT services as platform-based, software-based, and infrastructure-based in the cloud, educational institutions in Uzbekistan can now out-source non-core services and better concentrate on offering students, teachers, faculty and other staff the essential tools to help them succeed. This paper looks at how Cloud Computing can be applied in the study of ICT and focuses on the role of cloud computing …

"Thinking Across Borders." 13th Annual Research Week: Event Proceedings, Office Of Research And Sponsored Projects Operations

Excellence Summit (Research Week) Archived Proceedings

Poster and podium presentations of research by students and faculty of University of the Incarnate Word.

Para(Noia)Metric: Architecture Beyond The Edge Of Rationality, Marwan Halabi

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Nowadays, efforts are being tremendously put in order to facilitate opportunities for the fourth industrial revolution to play a real role in the destiny of architectural design and construction. Parametric design and digital fabrication are some of the tools that have been contributing in this uprising for the last two decades. The amount of solutions developed so far has, sometimes out of curiosity, been used in alternative ways that occasionally lead to highly appreciated outcomes, and sometimes immersed us in worlds of rationally controlled complexities that might be not so useful. Some of the highly sophisticated computational design processes strengths …

Optimum Windbreaker To Reduce Wind Tunnel Effect On Occupant Comfort At Pedestrian Level (A Case Study Of Bau Building In Tripoli), Dima Khoder Merhy, Nabil Mohareb, Mostafa R. A. Khalifa

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Shape, size, building orientation and its interaction with the surrounding buildings can cause wind tunnel that affect the pedestrian comfort. This paper aims to select the optimum windbreaker height and thickness for reducing the effect of wind tunnels on pedestrian comfort, by selecting the building of Beirut Arab University (BAU)-Tripoli campus as a case study. Different alternative designs have been simulated and compared with the comfort criteria of pedestrians to conclude the optimum solution that can be adapted on the selected building and on any other cases that have similar characteristics.

Enhancing Pedestrian Flow In Public Space Through User Segregation, Ali Sedki, Farah Iaali

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

This paper attempts to improve the pedestrian flow in the public space of Yaacoub El-Labban Square in El-Mina district, Triopoli, North Lebanon. The new understanding of urban planning aimed to promoting pedestrian movement while restricting the unnecessary use of vehicles. It is presumed that the presence or absence of vehicular activity can affect the motion and mobility of pedestrians in a certain zone. Consequently, this study, first, run a Space Syntax interpretation using DepthMap analyses for the chosen case study in order to understand how pedestrian movement can be promoted and increased through user segregation, and, additionally, restrictive use of …

Employing Sustainable Development Concepts To Revitalize The Historic Urban Quarter Of Al-Muizz Street, Cairo, Egypt, Baher Ismail Farahat

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Historical preservation helps keep communities beautiful, vibrant and livable, and gives people a stake in their surroundings, for the fact that such historical and valuable places provide a sense of stability and a tangible link with the past (historichawaii.org Feb.2020). Historical places constitute a valuable front for cities with a well-known identity that lasted for centuries. Focusing on developing these places to ensure their sustainability and preserving their history constitutes a mission that has impact not only on the urban environment but also on people using it. Fundamentally, cities bring creative and productive people together helping them to do what …

Saving The Memories In The Framework Of Social Heritage Conservation In Egyptian Villages, Dalia Shebl Said

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Social memories is a part of our heritage. One of the complex challenges which facing our intangible heritage is how to deal to various forms of social meaning, special memories that form a distinguished culture in our community. Social heritage is heavily related to three factors; time, place and human. The research takes a case study Al-Shakluba village that focuses on the non-materialistic aspects of social and culture heritage that increases recognition with intangible values and plays an important role that how people interact with social and cultural environments and the importance of these values that impact on the ways …

Techno-Economic Analysis Of Using Pv Curtain Walls In Hot Arid Environmentcase Study; Mixed-Use Building, Jeddah, Ksa, Abdelaziz Farouk A. Mohamed, Ahmed T. Elfakgarany

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Nowadays the world no longer has a choice to reduce the dependency of non-renewable energy resources, especially in buildings. This type of energy like fossil fuel is responsible for global warming and the climate change phenomenon. The construction industry has to depend on renewable energy to improve environmental impacts while operating the buildings. The most promising technologies for buildings are photovoltaic panels system which converts solar radiation into electricity without harming the environment. PV system is not only used as top-roof panels but also it can play an important role in the exterior building cladding and in curtain wall system …

Experiential Learning Based Biophilic Design, Marwa Charkas

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Capturing nature-related values is the cornerstone in postmodern theories of architecture. Approaches like, sustainable, ecological, environmental, green …. etc, are labeling most of architectural interventions now. However, ‘Biophilic Architecture’ stands as one of these concepts that reflects a new perspective for linking the nature to architecture. The applications of this concept are accelerating among different building types and it has profound impacts on articulating the vocabulary of the used architecture. Schools are among building types that witness profound changes in architectural expressions due to radical developments in pedagogical theories. Experiential learning is one of the emerging approaches for preschoolers. It …

Investigating The Relationship Between User's Densities And Functions Distribution On Mediterranean Waterfronts: Statistical Analysis Approach, Sima El-Cheikh, Mary Felix, Nabil Mohareb, Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

The type of buildings and activities along the waterfronts have to stimulate the interactivity between public spaces and their users to reach the desired comfort, enjoyment and appropriate densities. This study is part of a continuing research and it aims to highlight the spatial relationship between the type of buildings and the densities on cities waterfronts of the Mediterranean Sea. It undertakes three case studies with different economic and touristic levels. It is a top-bottom approach that analyzes the existing population densities on waterfronts and the surrounding building functions. This paper uses quantitative analysis based on spatial statistics along each …

The Efficiency Of Rainwater Harvesting Systems In The Lebanese Coastal Zone, Kareem Galal

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Water conservation is one of the most important trends within sustainable applications in the world today. The global fresh water demand has increased by 1% per year since the 1980s, and it is estimated that it will continue increasing at this rate until 2050. Therefore, utilizing the available rain water has become a vital parameter for most of the world's countries that lie within the water demand red-zone. Lebanon is moving toward the water demand red-zone rapidly, which has prompted the consideration of rain water harvesting (RWH) systems in the last ten years. The variety in precipitation in the different …

Enhancing Undergraduate Architectural Education (Scale 1 To 1 Design - Build Method), Mostafa Khalifa, Mostafa El Hefnawi

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

On 1997, the board of RIBA – Royal Institute of Britch Architects – highly recommended “experimental learning” or “learning by doing” methods in design studio teaching in architecture as a “practicum”. (Wallis, 2005) Although practicum is the task of learning architecture as practice, most of practicum teaching applications in architectural education are either in postgraduate level or in extra curriculum activities. Based on international studies on Design-Build educations, teaching experience and observation of fresh graduates and junior architects, there is still a shortage between design and execution in undergraduate education level, students faces many problems during project implementation phase in …

Heavenly Bodies Rsvp, Justin Tyler Spitzer, Allison Jean Turnbaugh, Jack William Boulware, Braden Alex Lockwood

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of the Heavenly Bodies RSVP project was to design and fabricate planet props, as well as a mechanism by which they could be raised and lowered in California Polytechnic State University’s Pavilion theater. The project team was comprised of four fourth year mechanical engineering students: Allison Turnbaugh, Braden Lockwood, Jack Boulware, and Justin Spitzer. We conducted extensive research to determine the ideal solution for the design problem brought to us by our sponsor. In our analysis, we discovered that the most important aspects of our design were the absolute reliability of the system, fire retardant material selection, and …

Spectral 3d Reconstruction Based On Macroscopic Oct Imaging, Xingyu Zhou

Theses

Various optical technologies have been utilized to improve art conservation by art conservators, such as laser triangulation, stereophotogrammetry, structured light, laser scanner and time of flight sensors. These methods have been deployed to capture the 3D or surface topography information of sculptures and architectures. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has introduced new imaging methods to study the surface features and subsurface structures of delicate cultural heritage objects. However, despite its higher spatial resolution, the field of view (FOV) of OCT severely limits the size of the scanning area and does not allow macroscopic examination. To solve this issue, we develop and …

Backing Up Into Advocacy: The Case Of Smartphone Driver Distraction, Robert Rosenberger

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

For the last decade, I’ve been studying the topic of the driving impairment of smartphones. While this began as an exclusively academic project, it has increasingly compelled public engagement. One example of this came in an opinion piece I wrote in 2018 in response to a new traffic law. I take the opportunity here to fill out the academic backstory of this particular op-ed, reflect on how this larger project has evolved to include an unanticipated public-facing edge, and abstract some lessons about public writing.

From Protecting To Performing Privacy, Garfield Benjamin

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

Privacy is increasingly important in an age of facial recognition technologies, mass data collection, and algorithmic decision-making. Yet it persists as a contested term, a behavioural paradox, and often fails users in practice. This article critiques current methods of thinking privacy in protectionist terms, building on Deleuze's conception of the society of control, through its problematic relation to freedom, property and power. Instead, a new mode of understanding privacy in terms of performativity is provided, drawing on Butler and Sedgwick as well as Cohen and Nissenbaum. This new form of privacy is based on identity, consent and collective action, a …

A Perceptual Evaluation Of Short-Time Fourier Transform Window Duration And Divergence Cost Function On Audio Source Separation Using Non-Negative Matrix Factorization, Ryan J. Miller

Student Theses

Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is an established method of performing audio source separation. Previous studies used NMF with supplementary systems to improve performance, but little has been done to investigate perceptual effects of NMF parameters. The present study aimed to evaluate two NMF parameters for speech enhancement: the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) window duration and divergence cost function. Two experiments were conducted: the first investigated the effect of STFT window duration on target speech intelligibility in a sentence keyword identification task. The second experiment had participants rate residual noise levels present in target speech using three different cost functions: the …

Alternative Methods, Hunter Stabler

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

In the realm of precognitive artmaking, the artist’s role is that of an antenna. One must be receptive to the subtle, invisible flow of creative novelty in order to participate in the involuntary channeling of new ideas, new processes, and alternative methods of creative production. Carving out new territory within the realm of static art is a primary objective for my artistic process. By utilizing digital fabrication tools, paired with my affinity for intricate craft and optical metagrobolization, I have created a body of work that invents alternative processes and unique aesthetic languages.

Digital imaging, digital modeling and digital …

Automating 35mm Photographic Film Digitization: X-Y Table Capture System Design And Assessment, Michael J. Bennett

Published Works

35mm still image formats are some of the most abundant photographic film types in cultural heritage collections. However, their special handling needs coupled with high resolution digital capture requirements have traditionally posed logistical constraints with regard to the formats’ digitization at scale. Through the use of a programmable X-Y table camera capture system, both slide and strip 35mm photographic film can be digitized in an automated fashion following Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines (FADGI).

Utilization Of Recycled Filament For 3d Printing For Consumer Goods, Alexa Peterson

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The 3D printing market has been used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries including textile and apparel. Many consumers can now own a personal 3D printer at home for recreational printing. There are even websites dedicated to 3D printing patterns made by consumers. However, the materials used in the 3D printing process pose a problem for the environment due to their plastic-based nature. 3D printing is a layered process with each layer being printed depending on the layer below it for strength and stability. During the 3D printing process, great amounts of waste are produced as a result of …

Analog Versus Digital Guitar Pedals, Shaping Guitar Tones And Sparking Debates, Cameron Karren

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper goes into the history of guitar effects, what exactly they are, how they have evolved, and what they are like today. It also presents the results of an experiment that compares perceptions of differences between analog and digital guitar pedals.

Visualization Of Musical Instruments Through Midi Interface, John Jaminet

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

We have created a Music Visualization system that controls an LED strip by parsing MIDI signals that are sent by a musical instrument. This is achieved through a program that parses the MIDI note signals into three-byte RGB signals which are then transferred over WIFI to four Arduino boards that control the LEDs. The system provides a musician the ability to add a dynamic light display that responds to the music in real-time. The system utilizes Windows Presentation Foundation because of its event handling and GUI capabilities. The board we are using is the Arduino MKR 1010 WIFI board as …