Engineering Commons^™

Reduction Of Acoustic Feedback Oscillations By Use Of Spectrum Shifting, Youssef Abdelilah

Theses

The problem of whistling noise or self-oscillation in public address systems operating in closed halls or rooms can be very disturbing to the listeners. This noise is sustained when the positive acoustic feedback, of the public address-room system, meets the oscillation criteria. This feedback system results from the acoustic sound signal reflected off the room walls and any other obstacles in the room, originating from the public address speakers and then re-entering the microphone.

When all of the audio signal components entering the public address system are shifted by a frequency increment Δf of 6 Hz, an increase of 5 …

Pressure Swing Absorption-Based Separation Of A Gas Mixture, Syamalendu Bhaumik

Theses

In this study, separation of a gas mixture was investigated using the novel concept of pressure swing absorption in a stationary absorbent liquid. The best features of pressure swing adsorption, gas liquid scrubbing and hollow fiber based membrane processes were incorporated to develop the process.

A well-packed microporous hydrophobic hollow fiber module was used to achieve absorption of a gas at a high pressure into a liquid during a certain part of the cycle followed by desorption of the gas from the liquid in the other part of the cycle. The device has a very high interfacial area per unit …

A Successive Approximation Algorithm To Solve Motion Planning Problems, Cheng-Ming Chang

Theses

A successive approximation algorithm is presented to solve motion planning problems and optimal control problems. A motion planning problem is included in an optimal control problem and due to the heavily nonlinear and coulped differential equations describing the dynamics of the manipulator and several constraints imposed on the system, few efficient methods exist to solve this kind of problems.

The successive approximation algorithm can decompose the global nonlinear problem into several nonlinear subproblems and each subproblem is solved by the nonlinear programming method with a highly convergent rate. Because the limited constraints and variables are included in each subproblem and …

An Improved Human Gait Model Incorporating The Effects Of Muscle Activity And Joint Friction, Tae Ho Choi

Theses

In designing an artificial leg for an amputee, it is important to find those underlying principles which determine the normal human gait. For this purpose we have developed a model of human walking, in which it is possible to predict an optimal gait at any given speed of walking based on the principle of minimum mechanical energy consumption.

Our model is an extension of the model proposed by Mochon and McMahon (1980). Their model assumes that during the swing phase of walking mechanical energy is conserved. Non-conservative forces due to muscle activity are assumed to occur during the double support …

Stepwise Reduction And Approximation Method For Performance Analysis Of Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets, Jinming Ma

Theses

This thesis delves into the performance analysis of generalized stochastic Petri net (GSPN) model by using an approximation method: the Stepwise Reduction and Approximation (SRA) Method. The key point is that we are able to analyze a subnet in isolation by keeping its token flow direction and its sub-throughput equivalent with all the possible tokens entering into the subnet. The thesis first defines various kinds of potentially reducible subnets, subnet selection rules, approximation subnet construction rules, and reduction evaluation rules. Then corresponding to the possible subnets, the approximation method is used stepwisely until the interested measures are found with the …

A Review Of Energy Storing Prosthetic Feet And Computer Aided Structural Optimization Of A Below-Knee Prosthesis, Poonam Gope Lalwani

Theses

Because people with physical disabilities have shown an interest in participation in sports, a new class of prosthetic feet known as "energy storing prosthetic feet" has been developed. These new developments in prosthetic foot design utilize energy storage and return to improve ambulation. This thesis reviews the design, materials, advantages and disadvantages of various energy storing prosthetic feet. Research studies, comparing gait in below-knee amputees using different prosthetic designs, can be applied to the design of prosthetic feet that are lighter, stronger and more reliable. Comparisions among these feet are reviewed in the context of functional capability and patient satisfaction. …

Fingerprint Pattern Recognition For Medical Uses, Feng You

Theses

The purpose of my research is to provide a method to automatically classify fingerprints into three subgroups: whorl, loop and arch, which can help medical scientists to study the relationship between fingerprint patterns and medical disorders. In the research, two different kinds of approaches were developed. The first one is performing pattern recognition in the frequency domain, which uses the feature of Fourier spectrum. That is, prominent peaks in the spectrum give the principal direction of fingerprint patterns. Using the above feature, we can obtain the principal direction of every subregion, after which the pattern of the whole image can …

Trouble Shooting In Plastic Injection Molding Machines, Zafar Kamal

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to find the solution of those problems which occur during plastic injection molding process. Molding cycle problem analysis is an important field in plastic injection process. It is very necessary to catch the problems during operation. Therefore on the basis of research trouble shooting criteria is prepared.

Good quality control is an essential feature for finding any sort of fault. Quality control is associated with each and every step of operation to maintain the required shape and surface finishing.

Most of the molding problems are solved by varying the machine conditions and by changing …

Microwave Gaas Mesfet Nonlinearity And Large-Signal Modeling, Yan He

Theses

The nonlinearity analysis for a 0.5μm gate length microwave GaAs metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET) by HP85150B Microwave Design System was investigated. The analysis starts with the construction of a large-signal MESFET equivalent circuit model. This model consists of bias dependent elements that were extracted by the optimization of DC and small-signal S-parameter measurement data. The details on this construction procedure are included in this work. The MESFET third-order intermodulation distortion was then simulated by HP85150B Microwave Design System. Reasonable agreement was obtained between simulation and measurement results. Microwave GaAs MESFET nonlinearity principles and large-signal modeling technique review are also presented. …

The Thermal Model Of The Rat Under Hemorrhagic Shock Hypothermia With Microwave Intervention, Liu Zhe

Theses

A whole body thermal model simulating heat distribution and temperature regulation in rats during hemorrhagic shock and during post-shock microwave core rewarming period was developed. An electrical circuit was used to simulate the thermal system and a software named PSpice? was used to analyze the circuit. The temperature regulation as the result of the simulation is demonstrated to match the measured temperature histories of rats in hemorrhagic shock and the microwave rewarming experiment.

The blood pressure drop and cardiac output decrease were considered in the simulation and the so called "set point temperature" was investigated in the model. Linear decrease …

Heat Resistance Measurements With The Portable Calorimeter Box, Philipp G. Mohr

Theses

The heat resistance of wall section materials has been investigated under laboratory conditions, but reliable measurements in-situ with non-steady weather conditions are not yet available. The portable calorimeter box is designed to make field measurements to test the thermal performance of building envelopes. The experimental setup and the equipment for thermal measurements are described, as well as the computer program for data reduction. The characteristics of the portable calorimeter box and the problems of non-controllable test conditions have been investigated.

Forty experiments were completed. Sixteen preliminary experiments investigated problems associated with insufficient setups; such as a short duration, only partly …

Development Of A Model For An Objective Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference Characterization Of An Infrared Camera, Christine Issa Mourad

Theses

The parameter almost universally adopted by the infrared community for describing the overall performance of a thermal imaging camera is the minimum resolvable temperature difference. Unfortunately, this criterion is subjectively determined by a group of observers and as a consequence significantly varying results can be obtained at different times. This project describes work on an approach which ultimately aims to replace the observers by a computer-aided installation that simulates the human process by which the MRTD is estimated. The simulation is based on a direct measurement of signal to noise ratio in the image of the target and a determination …

Torque And Current Response Due To Singularity Changes Of Induction Machine Slip, Jessie G. Orpilla

Theses

Recognizing that the prime purpose of the 3 phase induction motor is to deliver torque with minimum line current. This thesis studies the torque as well as the current response produced by the singularity changes in the induction machine slip. It is desirable that the torque to be maximized for a given value of line current at the corresponding load slip.

This thesis analyzes the torque and current response, when a slip at no-load is changed to a unit-step, Qu(t), a unit-impulse, Qδ(t), a pulse characterized by Q[u(t)-u(t-T)], a unit-ramp, Qt, and a sinusoidal, Qsint, slip. The responses are analyzed …

Development Of A Composite User Equilibrium And System Optimization Assignment Model, Kimberly M. Stump

Theses

The Urban Transportation Modeling System (UTMS) is a set of procedures used by transportation planners to predict the volume of traffic that will flow through a network, and how the traffic is routed. This paper will focus on the final component of UTMS, traffic assignment, which assigns the traffic flows to actual routes in the network.

In this paper, two composite models which model both User Equilibrium and System Optimal assignments are presented. The composite models are solved using the GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System) software, a powerful mathematical programming tool. The first model was based on Beckman's Formulation, (Beckman, …

Design Of Holographic Optical Interconnections, Su-Chiou Tsay

Theses

Optics have many advantages over electronics in interconnecting systems together, particularly in terms of higher transmission speed and better immunity to noise. Optical interconnections may be used at all levels of computing: for local area networks, between processors or memory elements, and between boards.

In this thesis, we attempted to generate a new type of computer hologram for optical interconnection purposes. The holographic method is very promising whenever integrated optical interconnections are considered. In this research we have tried two designs: the shortest path grating design which can maximize the global output energy and the single input maximum output grating …

Cause And Effect Diagrams For Process Analysis And Control, Philip Thomas

Theses

Cause and effect diagrams can be used as an effective tool for identifying the possible causes of a quality problem. Using this diagram one can go deep into the causes of the problem and take proper remedial action. Several graphical techniques like matrix diagrams, systematic diagrams, etc., can be combined with this tool to better represent the cause effect relationships. While a quantitative approach of this technique is feasible but limited, there are useful applications based on qualitative approach to this technique. The objective of this thesis is to propose a quantitative approach to the cause and effect diagrams especially …