Engineering Commons^™

"To Move People From Apathy": A Multi-Perspective Approach To Ethics Across The Engineering Curriculum, Donna Riley, Glenn Ellis, Susannah Howe

Engineering: Faculty Publications

A multi-perspective approach to ethics across the engineering curriculum at Picker Engineering Program at Smith college, to move people from apathy is discussed. The required courses in the Smith curriculum includes a design based introductory course, a final year course in mass and energy balances, and continuum mechanics. The first year course motivate a well-rounded engineering education and social education and social responsibility and introduce frameworks for ethical problems solving and case analysis. Elements that students as essential parts of an ethics curriculum included standards, responsibilities, decision making, analytical frameworks and multiple perspective.

Teaching High School Students To Teach Machines, Glenn W. Ellis, Baaba Andam

Engineering: Faculty Publications

In this paper we present elements of a learner-centered AI curriculum for high school students that was field-tested in two private high schools. One of these elements is a unit in which students explore the possibilities of machine intelligence and consciousness through readings and hands-on activities. Also presented in the paper is a unit for teaching students about artificial neural networks (ANN) and their application. In this unit students learn to develop and train ANNs through small projects and activities that lead up to an independent research project. Examples of student projects are presented including the application of ANNs for …

Phase Stability And Segregation In Alloy 22 Base Metal And Weldments, Jeffrey Lacombe, Shantanu A. Namjoshi, Paige Russel, Raymond E. Keeler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

The current design of the waste disposal containers relies heavily on encasement in a multi-layered container, featuring a corrosion barrier of Alloy 22, a Ni-Cr-Mo-W based alloy with excellent corrosion resistance over a wide range of conditions. The fundamental concern from the perspective of the Yucca Mountain Project, however, is the inherent uncertainty in the (very) long-term stability of the base metal and welds. Should the properties of the selected materials change over the long service life of the waste packages, it is conceivable that the desired performance characteristics (such as corrosion reistance) will become compromised, leading to premature failure …

Joint Source-Channel Decoding For Mpeg-2 Video Transmission, Liuguo Yin, Weigang Chen, Jianhua Lu, Chang Wen Chen

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Joint source-channel coding schemes have been proven to be effective ways for reliable multimedia communications. In this paper, a joint source-channel decoding (JSCD) scheme that combines the hidden Markov source (HMS) estimation and low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding is proposed for the standard MPEG-2 video transmission. The LDPC code of the proposed scheme has a near-Shannon-limit error-correcting capability, while the HMS estimator may accurately extract the residual redundancy within the MPEG-2 video stream without any prior information. Furthermore, with a joint iterative decoding algorithm, the estimated source redundancy may be well exploited by the LDPC decoder, and the channel decoding feedback …

Multiple Wavelet-Tree-Based Image Coding And Robust Transmission, Lei Cao, Chang Wen Chen

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

In this paper, we present techniques based on multiple wavelet-tree coding for robust image transmission. The algorithm of set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) is a state-of-the-art technique for image compression. This variable length coding (VLC) technique, however, is extremely sensitive to channel errors. To improve the error resilience capability and in the meantime to keep the high source coding efficiency through VLC, we propose to encode each wavelet tree or a group of wavelet trees using SPIHT algorithm independently. Instead of encoding the entire image as one bitstream, multiple bitstreams are generated. Therefore, error propagation is limited within individual …

Assessment Of Engineering Mechanics Instructional Multimedia In A Variety Of Instructional Settings, Richard H. Hall, Nancy Hubing, Timothy A. Philpot, Ralph E. Flori, Vikas Yellamraju

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Students from Ten Schools, Representing Seven Countries, Used Interactive Multimedia as a Part of their Engineering Statics Classes. the Software Consisted of Four Modules, Which Focused On: Mohr's Circle; Centroid and Moment of Inertia; Stress Transformation; and Structural Analysis. the Students Completed On-Line Surveys About their Experience with the Software. Analysis of the Results Indicated that Students Rated their Knowledge of the Subject Matter Covered in the Software as Increasing Significantly as a Consequence of using the Software. However, This Increase Was Substantially More Pronounced for Students in U.S. Schools. Students Rated the Software as Significantly More Effective Than their …

Layered Unequal Loss Protection For Image Transmission Over Packet Loss Channels With Delay Constraints, Jianfei Cai, Xiangjun Li, Chang Wen Chen

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the case of high bit rate image transmission or having lots of packets, the FEC (forward error correction) encoding and decoding processes in the ULP (unequal loss protection) based schemes should be applied to individual packet groups instead of all the packets in order to avoid long processing delay. In this paper, we propose a layered ULP (L-ULP) scheme for fast and efficient FEC allocations among different packet groups and also within each packet group. The numerical results show that the proposed L-ULP scheme is quite promising for fast image transmission over packet loss networks.

Multiple-Description Image Coding With Distributed Source Coding And Side Information, Min Wu, Anthony Vetro, Chang Wen Chen

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Multiple description coding (MDC) is a source coding technique that involves coding the source information into multiple descriptions. When these descriptions are transmitted over different channels in packet network or error-prone wireless environment, graceful degradation can be achieved even if part of descriptions are not received by the receiver. When MDC is applied to wavelet subband based image coding, it is possible to introduce correlation between the descriptions in each subband. In this paper, we consider using such a correlation as well as potentially error corrupted description as side information in the decoding to formulate the MDC decoding as a …

Multiple Description Coding Based On Multiple-Bitstream Wavelet Zero-Tree Image Compression, Daewon Song, Chang Wen Chen, Lei Cao

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Multiple description coding (MDC) is a well-known robust data compression algorithm designed to minimize the distortion caused by data loss in packet-based communication systems. Several MDC schemes for transmitting wavelet compressed images have been developed. However, these MDC schemes cannot be adopted for digital mobile wireless applications where both packet loss and bit error are present, because individual description in these MDC schemes usually does not have adequate error resilience capability to combat the bit error in transmission. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to achieve robust communication over error prone transmission channels with both packet loss and bit …

Optimización Para El Normado, Planeamiento, Diseño Y Manejo Del Agua Subterránea, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Los modelos de Simulación/optimización (S/O) junta modelos de simulación y optimización para calcular estrategias óptimas para el manejo del agua subterránea ante problemas de optimización propuestos. Una estrategia es un conjunto de caudales de extracción e inyección de agua subterráneas distribuidas espacial y temporalmente. Los modelos S/O están llegando a ser más comúnmente usados para el desarrollo de normas, planeamiento, diseño del sistema y manejo. Por ejemplo, los encargados del manejo y planificación del agua algunas veces deben decidir como controlar el uso del agua subterránea para originar un futuro favorable y evitar serios problemas. Los modelos S/O pueden ayudar …

The Role Of Moral Philosophy In Promoting Academic Integrity Among Engineering Students, Brian K. Etter, Trevor S. Harding, Cynthia J. Finelli, Donald D. Carpenter

Materials Engineering

Academic dishonesty is nothing new, yet it is particularly disturbing to find among engineering students, whose professional lives need to be guided by the highest ethical standards. Moral philosophy may illuminate some of the conditions for recovering a sense of the ethical for engineering students. Classical moral philosophers held that people belong to communities in ways that inform their sense of obligation. Recognition of these communities would make concrete the engineer's responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of the public. A further difficulty is that the primary community that students know is simply that of their peers in school …

Work In Progress – Classical Ballet Structure And Practice Applied To Engineering Class Sessions, Blair London, Lisa Deyo

Materials Engineering

Classical ballet classes have a universal structure that fosters active in-class learning. This structure creates a safe environment for students to try, fail, be corrected, and succeed. Engineering classes lack a common structure; most learning in engineering occurs outside of class. Engineering classes could move toward adopting a similar structure to ballet to improve in-class learning and mirror engineering culture and practice. The paper describes aspects of ballet class structure and practices that work and how these can apply to engineering classes. A new engineering class session structure is presented following the ballet model where engineering students are motivated to …

Work In Progress: Combining Concept Inventories With Rapid Feedback To Enhance Learning, John Chen, Jennifer Kadlowec, Dexter Whittinghill

Mechanical Engineering

In this project our goal is to adapt the Concept Inventory for frequent classroom use, and to implement it in a system to provide rapid feedback to students of their understanding of key concepts being presented. The feedback system acts as the focal point and catalyst to encourage students, working in pairs, to assist each other in correcting misconceptions or deepening each other’s understanding of the topic at hand. Furthermore, the system allows the professor to assess the students’ level of comprehension (or misconception) in a just-in-time fashion, and thus guides his or her pacing and coverage of the material. …

Long-Term Mechanical Behavior Of Yucca Mountain Tuffs, And Its Variability, Jaak J.K. Daemen, George Danko, Jaime Gonzalez, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

We propose to continue the investigation of the long term strength of Yucca Mountain tuffs, with particular emphasis on tuffs from and near the emplacement horizon. We propose to also continue and expand the investigation of the spatial variability of rock strength and stiffness. An intrinsic component of this planned rock testing is the testing of rock joints. Although the emphasis is on tests aimed at determining long term strength, as part of the testing measurements of stiffness also are collected, and will be collected, reported, and analyzed.

Automated Motion Synthesis For Virtual Choreography, Gazihan Alankus, A. Alphan Bayazit, O. Burchan Bayazit

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

In this paper, we present a technique to automati-cally synthesize dancing moves for arbitrary songs. Our current implementation is for virtual characters, but it is easy to use the same algorithms for entertainer robots, such as robotic dancers, which fits very well to this year’s conference theme. Our technique is based on analyzing a musical tune (can be a song or melody) and synthesizing a motion for the virtual character where the character’s movement synchronizes to the musical beats. In order to analyze beats of the tune, we developed a fast and novel algorithm. Our motion synthesis algorithm analyze library …

Oct 2004, Tractor Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum: Planning and Development Documents

Old Trusty Show New Paint Scheme History of Ag Engineering Department

Method And Apparatus For Removal Of Minute Particles From A Surface Using Thermophoresis To Prevent Particle Redeposition, Susan Davis Allen

Mechanical Engineering - Daytona Beach

A method and apparatus for removing minute particles from a surface of a sample are provided that prevent redeposition of the particles onto the surface. By combining thermophoresis with laser assisted particle removal (LAPR), the methods and apparatus remove minute particles (for example, micrometer and nanometer sizes) and assure that they will not redeposit.

Reflectivity Characterization And Identification Of Primary Reflection Path In Anechoic Chamber Analysis, Aloysius Aragon Lubiano, Christopher R. Brito, Newlyn Hui, Dean Y. Arakaki

Electrical Engineering

This paper presents an analysis of the reflectivity performance of the anechoic chamber. Measurements indicating the performance of the chamber-installed foam absorbers (described in a companion paper) are used to complete this analysis. This is followed by a comparison of the analysis results to chamber measurements taken in accordance with the free-space VSWR procedure [1]. Agreement between the analysis results and worst-case VSWR test measurements is within 1dB for a majority of reflection angles. In addition to chamber performance predictions, this paper describes a method of identifying primary reflection paths through interferometer calculations that compare all single bounce reflection path …

A Laboratory Course On Antenna Measurement, Samuel Parker, Dean Y. Arakaki

Electrical Engineering

This paper presents background information and experiment procedures for an antenna measurement laboratory course to be held in a new anechoic chamber at California Polytechnic State University. The lab consists of five experiments and one design project intended to give students practical experience with antenna measurement techniques and to creatively apply analytical skills to design, construct, and test antennas that meet given specifications. The experiments reinforce antenna principles including E-field polarization, antenna gain, radiation patterns, image theory, and frequency response.

In addition to the experiment procedures, this paper presents the design and characterization of Helical Beam (RHCP and LHCP) and …

Absorber Foam Characterization For Predicting Overall Anechoic Chamber Performance, Christopher R. Brito, Aloysius Aragon Lubiano, Newlyn Hui, Dean Y. Arakaki

Electrical Engineering

A new rectangular anechoic chamber (20’L x 10’W x 9’7”H) has been established at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) through donations and financial support from industry and Cal Poly departments and programs. The chamber was designed and constructed by three graduate students as part of their thesis studies to explore and further their understanding of chamber design and antenna measurements. The chamber project has included RF absorber characterization, overall chamber performance assessment, and software development for the coordination of a positioner with a vector network analyzer.

This paper presents absorber characterization as a function of incidence angle and orientation …

Integrated Optical Waveguides With Liquid Cores, Aaron R. Hawkins, John P. Barber, Dongliang Yin, D. W. Deamer, Holger Schmidt

Faculty Publications

We report the design, fabrication, and demonstration of single-mode integrated optical waveguides with liquid cores. The principle of the device is based on antiresonant reflecting optical (ARROW) waveguides with hollow cores. We describe design principles for waveguide loss optimization down to 0.1/cm. Using a fabrication process based on conventional silicon microfabrication and sacrificial core layers, waveguides of varying widths and lengths with volumes covering the pico- to nanoliter range were fabricated. We observe confined mode propagation, measure waveguide losses of 2.4/cm, and demonstrate that the waveguides possess tailorable wavelength selectivity. The potential for highly integrated, sensitive devices based on these …

Development Of A Mechanistic Understanding Of High-Temperature Deformation Of Alloy Ep-823 For Transmutation Applications: Final Progress Report (September 2003 – August 2004), Ajit K. Roy, Brendan O'Toole

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The purpose of this task is to evaluate the tensile properties of three martensitic alloys namely, Alloys EP-823, HT-9 and 422 at temperatures relevant to the transmutation processes. Testing has been performed to evaluate the tensile properties of all three alloys at temperatures ranging from ambient to 600^°C. The test materials were thermally-treated (quenched and tempered) prior to the evaluation of their tensile properties. The deformation characteristics of these tensile specimens, upon completion of testing, were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Efforts were also made to identify and characterize defects such as dislocations using transmission electron microscopy …

Surface Temperature And Spectral Measurements At Santiaguito Lava Dome, Guatemala, Steve T. M. Sahetapy-Engel, Luke P. Flynn, Andrew J. L. Harris, Gregg J. Bluth, William I. Rose, Otoniel Matias

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Publications

An infrared thermometer, spectroradiometer and digital video camera were used to observe and document short-term evolution of surface brightness temperature and morphology at Santiaguito lava dome, Guatemala. The thermometer dataset shows 40–70 minute-long cooling cycles, each defined by a cooling curve that is both initiated and terminated by rapid increases in temperature due to regular ash venting. The average cooling rate calculated for each cycle range from 0.9 to 1.6°C/min. We applied a two-component thermal mixture model to the spectroradiometer (0.4–2.5 μm) dataset. The results suggest that the observed surface morphology changed from a cool (120–250°C) crust-dominated surface with high …

Improving Arithmetic Circuits For Solving Constraint Satisfaction And Optimization Problems, Marius C. Silaghi

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the recent years we have proposed a set of secure multiparty computations for solving distributed constraint satisfaction and optimization problems, with applications to areas like distributed scheduling, configurations, team-making, and auctions. Some of the newest versions were based on an arithmetic circuit for selecting a random element out of the elements with a given value in a (secret) array. Here we show how to improve that arithmetic circuit by a factor of at least 4. The improvement is based on an optimization of the functions and on the usage of CSP solvers to exploit public constraints.

Almost Global Asymptotic Formation Stabilization Using Navigation Functions, Amit Kumar, Herbert G. Tanner

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

We present a navigation function through which a group of mobile agents can be coordinated to achieve a particular formation, both in terms of shape and orientation, while avoiding collisions between themselves and with obstacles in the environment. Convergence is global and complete, subject to the constraints of the navigation function methodology. Algebraic graph theoretic properties associated with the interconnection graph are shown to affect the shape of the navigation function. The approach is centralized but the potential function is constructed in a way that facilitates complete decentralization. The strategy presented will also serve as a point of reference and …

Modeling, Fabrication, And Optimization Of Niobium Cavities Phase Iii: Quarterly Report, Robert A. Schill Jr., Mohamed Trabia

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

This quarterly report provides an update to the last phase of the Modeling, Fabrication, and Optimization of Niobium Cavities. Designing the experimental setup of secondary electron emission was well underway in early summer of 2003 when funding was made available for this portion the study. By March 2004, many of the components of the experimental study reached UNLV with some assembly accomplished. The first secondary electron emission (SEE) measurement was made from the surface of a Faraday cup in September 2004. At a particular beam energy, the current measured with the Faraday cup and electrometer changed sign over a range …

Use Of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy For Stress-Strain Measurements: Quarterly Progress Report (June 01 – August 31, 2004), Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Highlights of Test Results:

• Residual stress measurements by the RC method on cold-worked specimens showed tensile residual stresses in austenitic stainless steel. However, compressive residual stresses were observed in martensitic stainless steel. This difference may be attributed to the difference in metallurgical phases and microstructures resulting from different thermal treatments imparted to them.

• Residual stress measurements by both ND and RC techniques on welded specimens showed similar patterns. Welded specimens consisting of similar material showed tensile residual stresses in the vicinity of the fusion line (FL). However, welded specimens consisting of dissimilar materials (austenitic and martensitic stainless steel …

Sub-Surface Corrosion Research On Rock Bolt System, Perforated Ss Sheets And Steel Sets For The Yucca Mountain Repository — Quarterly Technical Report No. 1, Dhanesh Chandra, Jaak J.K. Daemen, Raul Rebak

Publications (YM)

The principal purpose of the cooperative agreement is to develop and continue providing the public and the Office of Repository Development (ORD) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) with an independently derived, unbiased body of scientific and engineering data concerning the study of Yucca Mountain as a potential high-level radioactive waste repository. Under this agreement, the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) will perform scientific or engineering research, and maintain and foster collaborative working relationships between government and academic researchers. The following describes the objectives of Task 019 “Subsurface Corrosion …

Solvent And Method For Extraction Of Triglyceride Rich Oil, Shubhender Kapila, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, V. J. Flanigan

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The present invention relates to a solvent for use in extracting oil from an oil bearing material, such as soybeans, with the solvent resulting in the selective extraction of a triglyceride rich oil, which contains 95% or greater triglycerides and non-polar constituents, with the solvent comprised of a hydrocarbon, preferably hexane, and a fluorocarbon, so that the solvent has a viscosity less than 2.6 centipoise and a polarity of less than 0.1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the solvent to extract the triglyceride rich oil, with the method including preferably extracting the oil at a …

A Case Study Of Teaching A Quantitative Course Using Archived Streaming Video, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This case study highlights some of the issues and difficulties experienced in teaching a quantitative course using three methods of delivery: in-class to an audience of students, television broadcast over a satellite system to distance students, and archived streaming video accessible by students. The discussion is applicable to administrators and faculty exploring the option of teaching a course using multiple delivery approaches.