Engineering Commons^™

Domain-Specific Design On Fpga And Npu For Scientific Computing And On-Device Llm Inference, Miaoxiang Yu

All Dissertations

High-performance computing (HPC) is changing rapidly as scientific simulations and large language model (LLM) workloads push the need for higher performance under tight power and memory constraints. Conventional platforms such as CPUs and GPUs accelerate computation through instruction-driven parallelism, relying on multithreading, SIMD, and SIMT execution, but increasingly encounter scalability limits imposed by the power and memory walls. In contrast, Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Neural Processing Units (NPUs) offer a high-efficiency alternative through dataflow-oriented architectures that exploit deep pipelining and customized memory hierarchies to reduce data movement. However, the performance potential of these spatial accelerators remains largely unrealized when …

Dynamic Load Assessment Of Pem Fuel Cell Systems Under Pid-Based Control Strategies For Sustainable Operation, Tarek Abedin, Paw, Normy Norfiza Abdul Razak, Chen Chai Phing, Yaw Chong Tak, Monowar Mahmud, Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar, T. M. Yunus Khan, Mohammad Tariqul Islam, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) systems’ reliable operation under variable load conditions is a significant challenge because of voltage fluctuations, transient variations, and the high computational requirements of sophisticated control techniques like intelligent and model predictive controllers. Even while these state-of-the-art methods provide great precision, complexity and cost often limit their real-time applicability, underscoring the need for a simpler but efficient control solution. To achieve effective voltage regulation in PEMFC systems, this study suggests a DC–DC buck converter in conjunction with a comparator-based proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control technique. In order to provide stable operation under both constant and changing load …

Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems - Field Pilot Unit Experience, Analysis, And Review Of Technological Advancements, Kwabena A. Kyeremeh, Shaun E. Lavin, Grant M. Fischer, Dan M. Ionel, Aron Patrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly important in modern power systems, providing services ranging from backup support to load balancing and peak shaving. The long-term operational performance and reliability of these systems with expanding deployment remain insufficiently documented. This paper provides an operational assessment of a 1MW/2MWh utility-scale BESS alongside a systematic review of technology developments across major subsystems. Operational metrics including round-trip efficiency (RTE), outage characteristics, and degradation patterns are examined to identify performance trends and the underlying causes of outages. In addition, testing and operational principles aligned with utility practice and standards are presented to …

Enhanced Situational Awareness Of Solar Pv Plants For Near Real-Time Planning And Operation In Modern Power Systems, Michael A. Walters

All Theses

Solar photovoltaic (PV) plant development and utilization is increasing worldwide but remains intrinsically challenged by its large dependence on highly variable weather conditions and operating states. This paper presents a framework to leverage three new situational awareness indices (SAIs), namely: weather condition index (WCI) to gauge operational performance based on environmental states, operational complexity index (OCI) to indicate the severity of power generation reductions, and photovoltaic generation index (PVGI) to provide a final determination of the impact on power generation and to bolster situational awareness in planning and operational contexts for solar PV plants. This is accomplished by exploiting the …

An Energy- And Area- Efficient Two-Stage Latch Comparator Using Common-Mode Reset, Larry Yu

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an energy-and-area-efficient two-stage comparator implemented in TSMC 65 nm CMOS that incorporates a Floating Inverter Amplifier (FIA) followed by a latch using a common-mode reset scheme. The FIA improves input sensitivity and reduces kickback noise by isolating the input nodes from large latch voltage swings. The proposed latch resets its output nodes to a common-mode voltage rather than one of its supply rails, thereby reducing switching energy during the reset phase. The comparator can resolve differential input voltages as small as 2 mV with a clock period of 500 ps, achieving 74.33 μV input-referred noise while consuming …

Performance Comparison Of A Two-Level And A Three-Level 1500v Three-Phase Grid-Tied Solar Inverter, Shawn Sproles

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the global switch to renewable energy sources, photovoltaic energy has become an integral source to harvest from. When solar panels convert sunlight into a DC voltage, a grid-tied inverter is needed to transform this DC voltage into an AC voltage to interface with the AC grid. The most widely used topologies for grid-tied solar inverters are two-level three-phase inverters and three-level NPC three-phase inverters. Compared to two-level inverters, three-level NPC inverters have advantages such as lower EMI, lower THD, and lower switching losses. Moreover, three-level NPC inverters are shown to have higher efficiency in low-voltage applications at medium to …

A Full System Co-Simulation Platform For Evaluating Edge Machine Learning Inference Using Compute-In-Memory, Belsen Lee

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

We present a full-system co-simulation platform for evaluating embedded machine learning (ML) inference using compute-in-memory (CIM). CIM architectures aim to reduce data movement overhead by performing matrix operations in memory, but end-to-end benefits depend on system-level integration costs that are difficult to assess with isolated hardware models alone. To address this gap, we develop an integrated RISC-V QEMU-SystemC co-simulation environment that allows standard embedded Linux to interact with a transaction-level CIM accelerator model via memory-mapped I/O, direct memory access (DMA), and interrupts. To evaluate performance, we benchmark an MNIST image inference workload and a synthetic fully connected neural network, comparing …

Transformer Vulnerability To Geomagnetically Induced Currents Using Layered Soil Conductivity Models, Junior A. Sterling

Masters Theses

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) pose a significant threat to modern power transformers connected to long high-voltage transmission systems, particularly in regions with low subsurface electrical conductivity. During geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs), time-varying magnetic fields induce surface electric fields that drive quasi-DC currents through grounded transformer neutrals. These currents can bias transformer cores, leading to saturation, waveform distortion, and potential system instability. Despite extensive research, the role of regional Earth conductivity in shaping electric fields and transformer response remains an area requiring deeper investigation.

This study analyzes how contrasting Earth conductivity profiles influence GIC magnitude and transformer saturation risk using two representative …

Transient Mitigation In Dual Active Bridge Converter Using An Auxiliary Converter With High-Frequency Selective Control For Load Step-Down Condition, Sachith Dilshan Wijesooriya

Masters Theses

Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converters are widely utilized in applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and solid-state transformers due to their high efficiency, galvanic isolation, and bidirectional power transfer capability. However, during rapid load transitions, DAB converters frequently exhibit significant output voltage overshoot and prolonged settling times, which increase device stress and adversely affect system reliability. This thesis proposes an auxiliary-circuit-based transient mitigation method to address these limitations. The auxiliary circuit, implemented as a bidirectional Buck–Boost stage, operates in Boost mode during load step-down events to absorb excess energy and suppress the resulting voltage overshoot. The design of …

Central Pattern Generator Test Bench Report, Stephanie Wing-Yee Lee, Dustin Wong, Joseph Hernandez

Electrical Engineering

The project presents the design, fabrication, and implementation of a PCB test bench that interfaces with a custom VLSI chip designed to emulate the neural activity of a Central Pattern Generator (CPG). The test bench provides a precise and reliable platform for supporting signal operations and validating neuromorphic functionality. The design integrates both analog and digital circuitry to provide stable biasing, signal routing, and measurement access for chip characterization. The incorporation of op-amp buffers and adjustable potentiometers enables precise voltage tuning, resulting in controlled neuron-like behavior within the custom IC. The two-layer PCB supports modular interfacing with standard laboratory instruments …

A Study Of Visualized Diagnostics In Early Stage Digital Twin Implementation Of An Industrial Control System, Michael R. Kinzel

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are used for process control in almost all industries. An ICS combines Operational Technologies (OT) with Information Technologies (IT) to allow human supervision of a process through surveillance of process variables and manipulation of controlling elements such as valves to maintain stable process conditions. ICSs have been in-service for several decades and may remain operational past their technological service life. Organizational personnel interact with the ICS through visual displays that both indicate the process variables and also the controlling elements. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) allows visibility of the process and the ability to manipulate controlling …

Experimental Data-Driven System Identification Of Scale-Model Airboat Dynamics For Control And Autonomy Applications, Miguel A. Trejos

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

To achieve autonomous control of a surface watercraft requires an accurate model describing the dynamics of the system. To this end, the modeling of dynamics of an airboat with a combustion engine-based propulsion system is investigated. Specifically, a black-box data-based approach using neural networks. To facilitate this, a custom data collection system was developed to record linear and rotational motion during field tests. Due to the airboats unique ability to traverse different terrains, not just water, the modeling of dynamics on different terrains was investigated.

Optimization-Based Power Management For Hybrid Towing Vessels: A Comparative Framework Toward Mission-Aware Control, Rachel K. Burchill

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an optimization-based framework for power management in hybrid towing vessels operating under dynamic mission conditions. A physically consistent modeling approach is developed, incorporating battery state-of-charge dynamics (SOC), unified power flow, and operational constraints. The framework evaluates rule-based control using fixed heuristic thresholds, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and multi-objective Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) under a representative harbor-assist mission profile. Results show that optimization-based methods significantly outperform rule-based control. PSO achieves the lowest fuel consumption and near-perfect tracking with minimal battery use, while GA provides balanced performance with moderate battery utilization. NSGA-II reveals a …

Power System Small-Signal Stability Migration And Metric Trends In A Test System With Increasing Ibr Penetration, Brandon Marshall

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing demand of cleaner energy, inverter-based resources (IBRs) provide a greener alternative to traditional generation methods. IBRs fundamentally work different from traditional generators, though, and power system stability will change as IBRs are integrated into the system. The limitations of IBRs include providing less reactive power support to the system and lacking a spinning rotor for inertia to dampen disturbances. This study examines how small-signal stability is impacted when increasing IBR penetration on a test system. Stability impacts are realized by the migration of eigenvalues and relationships between power system metrics and small-signal stability metrics.

Design And Verification Of The Multi-Slit Solar Explorer Camera Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Jordan M. Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The Multi-Slit Solar Explorer, or MUSE, is a NASA mission that will take images of the Sun to study solar flares and the solar corona. The mission will provide insight into the mechanisms behind space weather. The mission consists of two cameras: the Spectrograph (SG), and the Context Imager (CI). The Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory is providing both cameras for the mission.

This report describes a part of the design and verification process for a central component on these cameras known as the Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). These FPGAs are programmed to acquire, handle, and send images …

Versatile Exoskeleton Control Paradigms For Agile Human Locomotion: Task-Agnostic And Stability-Augmented Assistance, Miao Yu

All Dissertations

Lower-limb exoskeletons have shown great potential for assisting human locomotion, but designing controllers that provide assistance across diverse locomotor tasks and under external perturbations remains a major challenge. Many existing controllers for steady-state walking rely on pre-defined reference trajectories, which constrain voluntary human motion and limit adaptability across tasks. Moreover, they usually assume stable walking, while their performance under unstable conditions remains largely unexplored. In addition, existing gait stability augmentation controllers are often reactive rather than proactive to unstable conditions. In this dissertation, we propose control frameworks that preserve voluntary human motion while addressing two major challenges: providing task-agnostic assistance …

Hardware Integration Of Preamble Based 802.11a Wi-Fi Frame Location For Usrp Radios, Nicholas P. Margavio

Honors Theses

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of devices that can exchange information over the internet, and its deployments are projected to reach 30.9 billion by 2025, with most lacking encryption. One solution for these unencrypted devices is to use Specific Emitter Identification (SEI). SEI exploits distinct, native, and unintentional features of a radio’s signal to identify it and enhance wireless network security uniquely. For example, IEEE 802.11a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) radio waveforms have a fixed structure that occupies the first 16 microseconds, from which SEI features can be extracted and used to identify the originating radio. By removing the …

Mitigating Inertial Measurement Unit Drift In Quadcopter Trajectory Tracking Using Kalman Filter Sensor Fusion With Global Positioning Measurements, Juan Sandro Caballero Aguilar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) like quadcopters are widely used in civilian and military applications such as farming, photography, search and rescue missions, and autonomous navigation and motion. The performance and stability of these systems depend on accurate state estimation, which provides real-time information about the vehicle’s position, velocity, and orientation. However, achieving reliable state estimation is challenging due to sensor noise, measurement uncertainty, and inaccurate modeling. Common navigation sensors such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) exhibit complementary characteristics. GPS provides absolute position measurements but suffers from noise, multipath effects, and low update rates, while …

The Role Of Operational Context In Shaping Energy Management Portfolios: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Manufacturing Facilities, Cynthia Aranda

Theses and Dissertations

Using two facilities as illustrative examples, this research investigates how a manufacturing plant's operational and financial context may influence its investment decisions in energy-efficiency measures. This challenges the primacy of the simple payback period (SPP) as a screening tool and instead demonstrates the role of operational context in investment decision-making. To this extent, this study is anchored to a qualitative comparative case study analysis of two ITAC energy assessments for two manufacturing plants in Texas: a higher value-added aerospace MRO plant (GE Aerospace, TR0060) versus a cost-sensitive automotive stamping plant (UMP Metal Stamping, TR0061). The two cases illustrate two different …

Sub-Ghz Propagation Along Freight Trains For Wireless Onboard Communications, Dario Hinojosa

Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing length of freight trains, maintaining reliable wireless communication for onboard sensors has become increasingly challenging. Sub-GHz communication bands are a promising solution due to their long-range capability and suitability for rural railway environments. This study analyzes radio wave propagation around freight railcars to evaluate path loss and determine how antenna polarization affects wireless communication performance.

Time-domain full-wave electromagnetic simulations were performed using simplified railcar models and later validated through field testing using a vector signal generator, vector network analyzer (VNA), and spectrum analyzer. Various antenna polarization configurations were evaluated within the Sub-GHz Long Range (LoRa) frequency band …

Design And Optimization To Advance Silicon Carbide Modules For Medium Voltage High Power Applications, Ahmed Ismail

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The commercial availability of the first 10 kV silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET removes the principal semiconductor barrier to medium-voltage power conversion, enabling converter topologies that are structurally inaccessible to silicon IGBT solutions at this voltage class. This dissertation presents the characterization infrastructure, device-level data, and preliminary system-level validation needed to advance the deployment of the third-generation 10 kV SiC MOSFET in converter applications. A custom-built 10 kV double-pulse test platform is developed with a fully documented component-sizing methodology, custom medium-voltage magnetics, and a measurement infrastructure capable of high bandwidth waveform capture at kilovolt common-mode potentials. On this platform, the third-generation …

Robust Hardware Trojan Detection Leveraging Dual‑Domain Features And Stacked Ensemble Learning, Sefatun-Noor Puspa

All Theses

In Cyber-physical systems rely on sensors, communication, and computing, all powered by integrated circuits (ICs). These ICs are vulnerable to malicious hardware attacks, with hardware Trojans being one of the stealthiest threats. Trojans are malicious implants in the circuitry, which are often inserted during design or fabrication stages. This stealthy addition remains dormant until triggered and might cause functional disruptions or sensitive information leakage once triggered. Traditional IC validation methods, such as functional testing and logic analysis, usually fail to capture these subtle anomalies because hardware Trojans are intentionally designed to mimic normal circuit behavior. They often remain dormant under …

Laser-Induced Acoustic Signal Generation, Resonance Characterization, And Optical Sensing In Metallic Plates, Xinghang Zhao

All Theses

This thesis investigates laser-induced acoustic signal generation, resonance characterization, and optical sensing in metallic plates as a foundational study for damage-sensitive inspection. Rather than presenting a complete defect-detection system, the work focuses on how measurable acoustic responses can be generated, amplified, and interpreted in a controlled laboratory setting. Experiments showed that pulsed-laser excitation can produce strong and repeatable acoustic responses in metallic structures. Repetition-rate sweeping identified narrow resonant responses, including a cantilever resonance at 57.862 kHz and a maximum circular-disk response at an FFT frequency of 48.8 kHz with a laser repetition rate of about 49.1 kHz. High-Q resonances exceeding …

Neural-Network-Based Modeling Of Grid-Forming Inverters, Jacob D. Levesque

All Theses

Renewable energy production has grown significantly in recent years and continues to expand, resulting in an increasing number of inverter-based resources (IBRs) in the grid. As the number of IBRs in the grid continues to grow, grid-forming (GFM) inverters are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to regulate voltage and frequency, providing increased grid stability and enabling islanding. As GFM inverters become more widely used in power systems, accurate and efficient models of their behavior are needed for system design purposes.

Emerging advances in neural networks have led to research on computationally efficient neural-network-based (NN-based) modeling approaches for inverters. …

Development Of Low-Cost Triaxial Force Sensor For Measurement Of Human-Exoskeleton Interaction Forces, Hamdan Khan Sarvathullah

All Theses

Contemporary research suggests that shear force is a major contributor to discomfort and pressure injury. However, the variation of shear forces during human-exoskeleton interaction dynamics is a highly unexplored field. The high cost of commercial triaxial force sensors may be a major factor in the notable lack of research in this field. Therefore, in this paper, we present a low-cost, 3D-printed triaxial force sensor designed specifically to measure the triaxial interaction forces between an exoskeleton and its user. The triaxial force sensor uses Carbon-Black/Silicone Rubber (CB/SR) strings to measure shear forces, whereas the normal force is measured with a Force …

Measurements And Scaling Of Ion Propulsion Impulse During Driven Magnetic Reconnection, Fatima Ebrahimi, Nicholas A. O'Gorman, Kush Maheshwari, Jongsoo Yoo, Alexandre Sainterme, Hantao Ji

Faculty Publications

Impulse scaling during magnetic reconnection, the magnetic energy conversion to kinetic energy, via direct Mach probe measurements in Magnetic Reconnection Experiment is examined. Ion exhaust velocity and impulse scalings with reconnecting magnetic field during the push phase of driven reconnection are presented. The outflows and impulse measurements are compared with global MHD simulations. Both measurements and simulations reveal a favorable scaling, greater than linear, of impulse with reconnecting field. These scaling results establish that magnetic reconnection could be utilized for plasma propulsion.

Introduction To The Special Issue On Computer Modeling For Future Communications And Networks, Wenbing Zhao, Pan Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Reliable Performance Of Microgrids With Autonomous Control Of Distributed Energy Resources, Sahand Liasi

All Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation into enhancing the reliability, efficiency, and autonomous operation of modern power networks through advanced microgrid integration and control strategies. The research addresses critical challenges across three interconnected domains: microgrid control, thermodynamic modeling of heat recovery system (HRS), and optimal distribution network reliability.

In the realm of microgrid control, this work introduces novel methodologies for grid forming inverter-based resources (IBRs). A significant contribution is the development and validation of an "Auto Frequency Change" controller, which drastically reduces microgrid synchronization time with the main grid from several minutes to approximately four seconds, with theoretical potential for …

Safe Control Design For Quadruped Locomotion In Unstructured Environments Using Linear Transfer Operators, Sriram Sundar Krishnamoorthy Shankara Narayanan

All Dissertations

Deploying quadruped robots in unstructured, obstacle-rich environments requires control and planning methods that remain safe and reliable despite complex terrain geometry, limited sensing, and inevitable modeling errors. This thesis develops operator-theoretic tools for safe control design of robotic systems using linear transfer operators, with a focus on quadruped locomotion in unstructured environments. The central goal is to develop a unified operator-theoretic framework for safe control design based on the Perron–Frobenius (P–F) and Koopman operators. In particular, the thesis leverages \emph{density functions} to develop safe navigation frameworks in the dual space of densities. In the operator-theoretic perspective, the P–F operator governs …

Learning Global Context For Sparse Activity Recognition In Lengthy Recordings With Limited Dataset Size, Zeyu Tang

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes methods to analyze lengthy recordings of data in order to detect sparsely occurring activities. The narrative below describes the progression of research that led to the development of these methods and their generalization into a unified framework. My research started with designing models for dietary monitoring, including detecting meals from day-long recordings and detecting intake gestures from meal-length recordings. Both tasks share some common characteristics: (a) the target event takes only a small portion of data recordings, and (b) there is global context within full-length data recordings that can help a model make better decisions. After finishing …