Engineering Commons^™

Principal Base Parameter Analysis: Implementation And Analysis In An Adaptive Model-Based Robotic Controller, Gregory L. Showman

Theses and Dissertations

Principal Base Parameter Analysis (PBPA) is a general and systematic procedure for determining the dynamic parameters that directly contribute to the joint torques of a manipulator, ranked in order of sensitivity. The feasibility of employing PBPA as an aid in the design and tuning of adaptive model-based controllers for industrial manipulators is rigorously investigated. This is accomplished by employing PBPA to determine the minimal size of the adaptive parameter vector and more importantly, to develop a less heuristic procedure for controller tuning. A simple, step-by-step procedure is developed wherein the manipulator torque equations are used in conjunction with PBPA to …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Aeroelastic Deformations On The Radar Cross Section Of Aircraft, Samuel D. Mckenzie

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of aeroelastic deformations on the radar cross section (RCS) of a T-38 trainer jet and a C-5A transport aircraft are examined and characterized. Realistic representations of structural wing deformations are obtained from a mechanical/computer aided design software package called NASTRAN . NASTRAN is used to evaluate the structural parameters of the aircraft as well as the restraints and loads associated with realistic flight conditions. Geometries for both the non-deformed and deformed airframes are obtained from the NASTRAN models and translated into RCS models. The RCS is analyzed using a numerical modeling code called the Radar Cross Section - …

Electromagnetic Scattering From Dielectric Pyramidal Tips, Albert D. Tyson Iv

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the electromagnetic scattering from conducting, lossless dielectric, and lossy dielectric (absorber) pyramids. The backscatter from pyramids was measured and a time gate was applied to isolate the scattering from the tips. The measured results were compared to predictions from an approximate Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD) solution for scattering by a dielectric corner. The accuracy of the corner diffraction solution was found to be dependent on the polarization of the incident electric field. The accuracy of the UTD solution was also dependent on the aspect angle to the pyramid: the UTD solution gave a nominally correct answer …

Evaluation Of An Interdigitated Gate Electrode Field-Effect Transistor (Igefet) For In Situ Resin Cure Monitoring, Thomas E. Graham

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to design an Interdigitated Gate Electrode Field-Effect Transistor (IGEFET) and evaluate its performance as an in situ resin cure monitor. A commercially available resin was selected for the research, and rheological studies were performed to identify the resin's gelation point during isothermal cures at two selected temperatures. Additional rheological studies were performed to identify the resin's glass transition temperature. The interdigitated gate electrode of the IGEFET was coated with samples of the resin, and electrical measurements were performed while the resin cured. The chemical changes which occur in the resin as a result of …

Function Prediction Using Recurrent Neural Networks, Randall L. Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

A fully recurrent neural network was applied to the function prediction problem. The real-time recurrent learning (RTRL) algorithm was modified and tested for use as a viable function predictor. The modification gave the algorithm a variable learning rate and a linear/sigmoidal output selection. Verifying the networks ability to temporally learn both the classic exclusive-OR (XOR) problem and the internal state problem, the network was then used to simulate the frequency response of a second order IIR lowpass Butterworth filter. The recurrent network was then applied to two problems: head position tracking, and voice date reconstruction. The accuracy at which the …

Performance Analysis Of The Speckle Holography Image Reconstruction Technique, Rudolf N. Vonniederhausern

Theses and Dissertations

In speckle holography, short exposures frames along with wave front measurements allow post processing image reconstruction. With speckle holography the amplitude of high spatial frequencies is boosted to allow resolution out to the diffraction limit of the telescope. To provide system parameters for the wave front sensor design, a software analysis program has been developed that provides the system transfer function as a function of the number and size of sensor subapertures and sensor noise. Trends in the ratio of the atmospheric coherence diameter to wave front subaperture size and the effect on the system transfer function have been obtained. …

Wave Propagation In A Randomly Inhomogeneous Medium - A Study Of The Problem, Kyle Hunter

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of calculating the scintillation index of an atmospherically propagating spherical wave is examined. The fourth statistical moment of the complex field is obtained by using Feynman (path) integral techniques applied to the stochastic parabolic equation. The general trajectory of each Feynman integral is approximated by a truncated Fourier-sine series and the infinite-fold integration of the Feynman integral is reduced to a three-fold Riemann integral which is shown to match results derived under different assumptions. This thesis is highly tutorial.

Optical Image Segmentation Using Wavelet Correlation, Steven D. Pinski

Theses and Dissertations

This research introduces an optical method of segmenting potential targets using wavelet analysis. Implementation of an optical Harr wavelet is fulfilled using a magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM). Two methods of controlling wavelet dilation are explored: (1) spatial filtering of a ternary modulated MOSLM; (2) a single aperture positioned in front of a binary modulated MOSLM. Segmentation is performed through Vander Lugt correlation of a binarized image with a binarized optical wavelet. Three different image binarization methods are investigated for use in the correlation scheme: (1) average pixel value over an entire scene; (2) localized 4 x 4 pixel average …

Infrared Target Recognition, Brian D. Singstock

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, three approaches were used for Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). These approaches were shape, moment and Fourier generated features, Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) generated features and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) generated features. The KLT approach was modelled after the face recognition research by Suarez, AFIT, and Turk and Pentland, MIT. A KLT is taken of a reduced covariance matrix, composed all three classes of targets, and the resulting eigenimages are used to reconstruct the original images. The reconstruction coefficients for each original image are found by taking the dot product of the original image with each eigenimage. These reconstruction …

Verification And Validation Of The Simulated Radar Image (Srim) Code Radar Cross Section Predictions, Dale A. Stanley

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this study were to verify and validate the Simulated Radar Image (SRIM) Code Version 4.0 monostatic radar cross section (RCS) predictions. SRIM, uses the theory of Physical Optics (PO) to predict backscatter for a user specified aspect angle. Target obscuration and multiple reflections are taken into account by sampling the target with ray tracing. The software verification and validation technique followed in this study entailed comparing the code predictions to closed from PO equations, other RCS prediction software packages, and measured data. The targets analyzed were a sphere, rectangular flat plate, circular flat plate, solid right circular …

Image Analysis Using Gabor Transforms: Correlated With Human Saccadic Movement Data To Identify The Human Visual Search Strategy, Ralph J. St John

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated whether a relationship exists between the Gabor Correlation Coefficient (GCC) magnitudes of fixation points for a set of images viewed by six subjects and the human visual search strategy. A couple of different relationships were investigated. First, the data were analyzed to determine if the GCC magnitudes of human fixation points predicted the time ordered sequence of human fixation points during the performance of a visual search. Second, the data were analyzed to determine if there was a significant difference between the GCC magnitudes of the human fixation points and the GCC magnitudes of a random set …

An Investigation Of The Application Of Artificial Neural Networks To Adaptive Optics Imaging Systems, Andrew H. Suzuki

Theses and Dissertations

Recurrent and feedforward artificial neural networks are developed as wavefront reconstructors. The recurrent neural network studied is the Hopfield neural network and the feedforward neural network studied is the single layer perceptron artificial neural network. The recurrent artificial neural network input features are the wavefront sensor slope outputs and neighboring actuator feedback commands. The feedforward artificial neural network input features are just the wavefront sensor slope outputs. Both artificial neural networks use their inputs to calculate deformable mirror actuator commands. The effects of training are examined.

An Analysis Of One-Dimensional Models Of The Insulating And Conducting Priz, Joseph W. Cook Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to analytically reproduce experimental and analytical data, on the single-insulated and conducting PRIZ, presented in 1987 and 1988 by the Soviet scientists Bliznetsov et al. Our onedimensional analytical models, derived from earlier Soviet reports, have consistently reproduced previously reported data on the PRIZ. In this study, the same codes were successfully used to analyze the effects of injection at high and low intensity exposures (30 µW/cm² to 500 mW/cm²) Although the codes qualitatively duplicated the nature of the space charge distribution in the single-insulated and conducting PRIZ, our quantitative results were significantly different from …

Application Of Nonlinear Qft To Flight Control Design For High Angle Of Attack Maneuvers With Thrust Vectoring, Steven J. Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations

Nonlinear Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) is applied to the design of an flight Control system (FCS) to control maneuvers of an agile aircraft. To do this, maneuvers are chosen that are desirable during within visual range combat. Plant transfer functions are developed through the use of system identification, using the input/output time histories of the maneuvers. During the system identification process the q sub ij(o) are found directly and are constrained to be minimum phase. After identifying the plants, the cascaded multiple-input multiple-output QFT technique is used to design the FCS. During the design of the FCS, stability boundaries are …

A Rigorous Utd Analysis Of Electromagnetic Scattering From Resistive Strips And Resistive-Loaded Conducting Strips, Douglas H. Casanova

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates electromagnetic scattering from resistive strips and resistive-loaded conducting strips using a rigorous UTD formulation. The UTD diffraction coefficients are based on the Wiener-Hopf technique and Jones' method. Scattering predictions are performed for constant resistive strips, constant resistive-loaded conducting strips, tapered resistive strips, and tapered resistive-loaded conducting strips. All strip geometries have a total width of 4 lambda. Predictions are compared to method of moments (MM) and measurements to determine the validity of the UTD prediction. Overall, there is good agreement. For TMz polarization the only deviations that occur with MM are near edge-on when the degree of …

Simulation Of Finite-Precision Effects In Digital Filters, Perry L. Choate

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops and demonstrates software that models finite- precision effects in digital filters. Coefficient quantization and internally generated roundoff noise effects are simulated by rounding coefficients and multiplier output values to (B+1) bits. Outputs include magnitude and phase responses that may be plotted to show results of coefficient quantization. The output noise power due to roundoff is calculated. Three types of digital filter structures are examined. The first type is direct form I implementation for FIR and IIR structures, second is direct form II, and third is cascading the canonic direct form II second-order sections for higher order filter …

Robotic Tactile Sensors Fabricated From A Monolithic Silicon Integrated Circuit And A Piezoelectric Polyvinylidene Fluoride Thin Film, Craig S. Dyson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research effort was to design, fabricate, and test a tactile sensor system consisting of an external high impedance switch circuit, an external multiplexing circuit, and a tactile sensor IC. In order to accomplish this objective, a hardware design and selection process was implemented along with a logical test methodology. An external multiplexer circuit samples all of the array elements in 50 ms. The current prototype sensor has linearity spanning loads of 0.8 g to 135 g, a load resolution of 20 g, and a maximum bandwidth of 25 Hz. Using an elementary shape recognition algorithm the …

A Time-Dependent Adaptive Filter For Cochannel Interference Reduction, Matthew H. Foster

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a Time Dependent Adaptive Filter (TDAF) which exploits the cyclostationarity of digitally modulated communications signals and seeks to improve the Signal to Interference Ratio (SIR) and Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of such signals. The TDAF is embedded in a computer simulation of a simple communication system consisting of a data source, data formatter, pulse shaping filter, BPSK modulator, and demodulator. In the simulation the TDAF and a Time Independent Adaptive Filter (TIAF) attempt to extract the Signal of Interest (SOI) from noise or interference. the criteria of Mean Squared Error (MSE) is used as the primary …

Gabor Segmentation Of High Resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery, Michael A. Hazlett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the use of Gabor filters and a radial basis function (RBF) network for segmentation of high resolution (1 foot by 1 foot) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. Processing involved correlation between the SAR imagery and Gabor functions. Two methods for selecting the optimal Gabor filters are presented. This research used complex Gabor functions and operated on single polarization HH complex data. Following the selection f the proper Gabor filters, correlation coefficients for each image were calculated and used as features for the RBF network. Provided are results demonstrating how Gabor processing and a RBF network provide image …

Kalman Filter Tracking Of A Reflective Target Using Forward Looking Infrared And Doppler Return Measurements, Theodore D. Herrera

Theses and Dissertations

Plume phenomenology experiments conducted in 1990 uncovered the existence of plume speckle reflectance emanating from the exhaust of a solid- propellant rocket motor due to the presence of metallic particulates in the plume. This impeded attempts, that are dependent upon the speckle return of an actively illuminated target hardbody, to discern the plume/hardbody interface. This thesis investigates the feasibility of employing the Doppler return phenomenon in discerning the plume/hardbody interface and locating the hardbody center-of-mass. The potential of the Doppler phenomenon's utilization lies in the fact that the Doppler return frequency spectra of the plume and the hardbody respectively possess …

An Investigation Of A Design For A Finite-Difference Time Domain (Fdtd) Hardware Accelerator, James R. Marek

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated increasing the speed of Finite-Difference Time Domain (FDTD) cell calculations through a special purpose architecture using Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI). These FDTD cell equations model inhomogeneous, isotropic, lossy magnetic and dielectric materials. Special attention was given to simplicity and performance, using the fastest components generally available in AFIT VLSI programs, while attempting to minimize component count. A VHSIC Hardware Description Language simulation of the proposed chip established design feasibility and provided performance estimates: 350 ns to generate the first cell value, 200 ns thereafter (30 MFLOPS maximum double-precision). This study also implemented boundary conditions in hardware …

Neural Control Of Smart Electromagnetic Structures, Michael Thursby, Kisuck Yoo, Barry G. Grossman

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and their ability to model and control dynamical systems for smart structures, including sensors, actuators, and plants, are directly applicable to the smart electromagnetic structures (SEMS) concept. The application of neural networks to the area of controls is being reported frequently. The ability of a structure to adapt to impinging electromagnetic (EM) energy will allow the structure to change its reflection characteristics and thus to change its radar signature. By embedding a control element in the structure of a single microstrip patch element, its electrical characteristics can be changed. If such an element can be controlled …

Back-Contact Vertical-Junction Solar Cell And Method, Michael W. Carver, Edward S. Kolesar Jr.

AFIT Patents

An interdigitated back-contact vertical-junction solar cell which utilizes an anisotropically etched 110-oriented silicon crystal wafer. The cell structure includes rounded corner top edges of the between cell channel walls in order to improve light capturing ability and also has pn-junctions disposed over all of the cavity internal surfaces. Additional pn-junctions are located on the rear surface of the cell array to assist in generated carrier collection into a rear mounted metallic conductor grid. The disclosed cell has desirable transducer efficiency, without the use of anti-reflection coatings, and previous improved physical robustness, and radiation hardening. Fabrication of the cell array includes …

Electrical Characterization Of Metal‐Insulator‐Semiconductor Diodes Fabricated From Laser‐Ablated Yba2Cu3O7−Δ/Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia Films On Si Substrates, Eric M. Ajimine, Felino E. Pagaduan, M. Mahmudur Rahman, Cary Y. Yang

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The purpose of this investigation is to study the electrical properties of the YBCO/YSZ/Si metal‐insulator‐semiconductor structure and the yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/Si interface. The YBCO and YSZ layers were epitaxially grown in situ on Si by pulsed laser deposition. Current‐voltage measurements of devices fabricated on p‐type Si(100) showed a small leakage current density at 292 K, which decreased further at 80 K. Comparison of capacitance‐voltage measurements at 292 K for frequencies between 10 and 400 kHz showed a large variation of capacitance in the accumulation region demonstrating the presence of mobile ions in the YSZ layer. This variation is less pronounced …

Comparison Of Spice And Network C Simulation Models Using The Cam System, Wen-Tsung Yen

Dissertations and Theses

The performance of SPICE and Network C (NC) circuit simulator when simulating MOS transistor circuits has been investigated and compared. SPICE analog model, NC analog model and NC MOS_PWL model are the three MOS transistor models being used. The comparison between SPICE and NC includes five areas. They are MOS transistor model, circuit analysis and computational methods, limitation on the ability to simulate circuits containing the MOS transistor diode configuration, run time and the ability to build new circuit component models using derived equations.

The prototype circuit being used is the Content-Addressable Memory (CAM) circuit. The CAM circuit is a …

Improved Efficiency In Semiconducting Polymer Light-Emitting Diodes, David Braun, A. J. Heeger, H. Kromer

Electrical Engineering

We report visible light emission from metal-polymer diodes made from semiconducting polymers, with indium-tin oxide as the “ohmic” contact, and a variety of metals as the barrier metal. Our results, which confirm the discovery by the Cambridge group [Nature347, 539 (1990)], demonstrate that light-emitting diodes can be fabricated by casting the polymer film on indium-tin oxide from solution with no subsequent polymer processing or heat treatment required. Electrical characterization reveals diode behavior with rectification ratios greater than 105 at sufficiently high voltages. Use of an electrode material with low work function leads to more than an order of magnitude improvement …

Comparative Analysis Of Guidance Algorithms For The Hyper Velocity Missile And Afti/F-16, Edward G. Rice

Theses and Dissertations

This project has provided me with endless intrigue. In considering the problem of guiding a hyper-velocity missile from a moving platform to a moving target, a common perception said it was just another Kalman Filtration design challenge. I began with lofty intentions of running a full up extended Kalman filter simulation but I became enthralled with the limited work available on the physical limitations of basic guidance algorithms. This became the emphasis of this project. The best filter scheme cannot overcome a guidance algorithms physical limitation. Only with an understanding of these limitations can one effectively integrate a guidance scheme …

Steady-State Production And Quenching Of Br(2P½), Ralph F. Tate

Theses and Dissertations

The spin orbit relaxation of atoms has been investigated in a steady state infrared fluorescence experiment. A CW argon ion laser operating at 488 nm was used to photodissociate gas-phase Br into equal quantities of Bromine and Bromine atoms. The resulting 2.7 µm emission was observed as a function of added quenching gas. A steady-state analysis was used to determine quenching rates for SF₆, N₂, O₂, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, relative to quenching by the parent molecule. Limitations in the apparatus prevented determination of the quenching rate coefficient for Br₂. …

Analysis Of Baseband Equivalent Noise In A First-Order Correlation Loop Utilizing Filtered Pseudonoise Signals, Kurt Louis Kosbar, Christopher J. Scholten

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conventional direct-sequence and frequency-hopping spread spectrum systems utilize delay-lock loops to track the timing epoch of pseudonoise codes. These devices perform admirably at high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), however, they are suboptimal at moderate and low SNR. A correlation loop that employs appropriately filtered pseudonoise signals for the local cross-correlation waveform may have superior performance under these conditions. The performance of this modified correlation loop will be determined by the cross correlation function of the transmitted waveform and locally generated reference signals, along with the statistics of the baseband equivalent noise process. In this work, we find the statistics of the …

Application Of Mixed H2/H∞ Optimization, John J. Kusnierek

Theses and Dissertations

A non-conservative optimization technique is utilized to examine the problem of minimizing the 2 norm of one transfer function subject to an ∞-norm bound on another transfer function. For single exogenous input/ single exogenous output systems this non conservative mixed solution is shown to be up to 5% better in a specific example. For single exogenous input/two exogenous output systems the mixed solution is shown to be up to 27% better than a previous technique for a specific example. Finally, a two exogenous input/two exogenous output practical system is examined to demonstrate the utility of this mixed optimization technique.