Engineering Commons^™

Opensim-Based Musculoskeletal Modeling: Foundation For Interactive Obstetric Simulator, Bahador Dodge

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The use of mathematical and computational models to understand complex biological systems, such as the human birth process, is a rapidly growing field in medicine. These models can be used to optimize and personalize medical treatments for individual patients, enhance training, and aid in educational efforts. While recent advancements in healthcare, particularly in obstetrics, have improved care for mothers and babies, studies and government reports indicate a rising rate of maternal mortality in the United States.

Despite this rising trend, there is a lack of detailed studies concerning the use of modeling and simulation to develop an interactive obstetrics simulator …

Simulating Function Generators And Oscilloscopes In A Virtual Laboratory Environment, Yiyang Li, Yuzhong Shen, Charles I. Sukenik

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

This paper discusses the development of a virtual laboratory for simulating electronic instruments commonly used in science and engineering courses, such as function generators and digital storage oscilloscopes. Mathematical equations are used to represent continuous signals and ensure signal integrity, while C# delegates are adopted to enable communication between simulated devices. The approach allows for loose coupling between software components and high cohesion of individual components, and can be applied to other virtual laboratory developments. The virtual laboratory provides a means for students to gain hands-on experience with electronic instruments and improve their understanding of theoretical concepts.

Statistical Approach To Quantifying Interceptability Of Interaction Scenarios For Testing Autonomous Surface Vessels, Benjamin E. Hargis, Yiannis E. Papelis

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

This paper presents a probabilistic approach to quantifying interceptability of an interaction scenario designed to test collision avoidance of autonomous navigation algorithms. Interceptability is one of many measures to determine the complexity or difficulty of an interaction scenario. This approach uses a combined probability model of capability and intent to create a predicted position probability map for the system under test. Then, intercept-ability is quantified by determining the overlap between the system under test probability map and the intruder’s capability model. The approach is general; however, a demonstration is provided using kinematic capability models and an odometry-based intent model.

Enhancing Pedestrian-Autonomous Vehicle Safety In Low Visibility Scenarios: A Comprehensive Simulation Method, Zizheng Yan, Yang Liu, Hong Yang

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Self-driving cars raise safety concerns, particularly regarding pedestrian interactions. Current research lacks a systematic understanding of these interactions in diverse scenarios. Autonomous Vehicle (AV) performance can vary due to perception accuracy, algorithm reliability, and environmental dynamics. This study examines AV-pedestrian safety issues, focusing on low visibility conditions, using a co-simulation framework combining virtual reality and an autonomous driving simulator. 40 experiments were conducted, extracting surrogate safety measures (SSMs) from AV and pedestrian trajectories. The results indicate that low visibility can impair AV performance, increasing conflict risks for pedestrians. AV algorithms may require further enhancements and validations for consistent safety performance …

Quantum Computing And Its Applications In Healthcare, Vu Giang

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper serves as a review of the state of quantum computing and its application in healthcare. The various avenues for how quantum computing can be applied to healthcare is discussed here along with the conversation about the limitations of the technology. With more and more efforts put into the development of these computers, its future is promising with the endeavors of furthering healthcare and various other industries.

Numerical Simulation Of The Donor-Assisted Stir Material For Friction Stir Welding Of Aluminum Alloys And Carbon Steel, Joseph Maniscalco, Abdelmageed A. Elmustafa, Srinivasa Bhukya, Zhenhua Wu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In this research effort, we explore the use of a donor material to help heat workpieces without wearing the tool or adding more heat than necessary to the system. The donor material would typically be a small piece (or pieces) of material, presumably of lower strength than the workpiece but with a comparable melting point. The donor, a sandwich material, is positioned between the tool head and the material to be welded, where the tool initially plunges and heats up in the same manner as the parent material that is intended for welding. The donor material heats up subsequent to …

Integration Of Omnet++ Into A Networking Course In An Electrical Engineering Technology Program, Murat Kuzlu, Brian Emmanuel Tamayo, Salih Sarp, Otilia Popescu, Vukica M. Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Networking courses are an integral part of electrical engineering technology programs as the majority of electronics in the modern day are required to communicate with each other. They are also getting more attention in manufacturing engineering technology programs because of the development of emerging technologies in Industry 4.0 arena. From laptops, computers, cellphones, modern day vehicles and smart refrigerators, these devices require a certain level of networking in order to communicate with other devices, whether it be locally, or even across the other side of the world. The objective of networking courses in an electrical engineering program is to demonstrate …

Improving Safety Service Patrol Performance, Mecit Cetin, Hong Yang, Kun Xie, Sherif Ishak, Guocong Zhai, Junqing Wang, Giridhar Kattepogu

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Safety Service Patrols (SSPs) provide motorists with assistance free of charge on most freeways and some key primary roads in Virginia. This research project is focused on developing a tool to help the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) optimize SSP routes and schedules (hereafter called SSP-OPT). The computational tool, SSP-OPT, takes readily available data (e.g., corridor and segment lengths, turnaround points, average annual daily traffic) and outputs potential SSP configurations that meet the desired criteria and produce the best possible performance metrics for a given corridor. At a high level, the main components of the developed tool include capabilities to: …

A Structured Narrative Prompt For Prompting Narratives From Large Language Models: Sentiment Assessment Of Chatgpt-Generated Narratives And Real Tweets, Christopher J. Lynch, Erik J. Jensen, Virginia Zamponi, Kevin O'Brien, Erika Frydenlund, Ross Gore

VMASC Publications

Large language models (LLMs) excel in providing natural language responses that sound authoritative, reflect knowledge of the context area, and can present from a range of varied perspectives. Agent-based models and simulations consist of simulated agents that interact within a simulated environment to explore societal, social, and ethical, among other, problems. Simulated agents generate large volumes of data and discerning useful and relevant content is an onerous task. LLMs can help in communicating agents' perspectives on key life events by providing natural language narratives. However, these narratives should be factual, transparent, and reproducible. Therefore, we present a structured narrative prompt …

Long-Range Aceo Phenomena In Microfluidic Channel, Diganta Dutta, Keifer Smith, Xavier Palmer

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Microfluidic devices are increasingly utilized in numerous industries, including that of medicine, for their abilities to pump and mix fluid at a microscale. Within these devices, microchannels paired with microelectrodes enable the mixing and transportation of ionized fluid. The ionization process charges the microchannel and manipulates the fluid with an electric field. Although complex in operation at the microscale, microchannels within microfluidic devices are easy to produce and economical. This paper uses simulations to convey helpful insights into the analysis of electrokinetic microfluidic device phenomena. The simulations in this paper use the Navier–Stokes and Poisson Nernst–Planck equations solved using COMSOL …

Using Strategic Options Development And Analysis (Soda) To Understand The Simulation Accessibility Problem, Andrew J. Collins, Ying Thaviphoke, Antuela A. Tako

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Simulation modelling is applied to a wide range of problems, including defense and healthcare. However, there is a concern within the simulation community that there is a limited use and implementation of simulation studies in practice. This suggests that despite its benefits, simulation may not be reaching its potential in making a real-world impact. The main reason for this could be that simulation tools are not widely accessible in industry. In this paper, we investigate the issues that affect simulation modelling accessibility through a workshop with simulation practitioners. We use Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA), a problem-structuring approach that …

Synthesizing Maritime Interaction Scenarios For Testing Autonomy, Benjamin E. Hargis, Yiannis E. Papelis

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

This paper presents a method to deterministically synthesize maritime traffic interactions that can be presented to a system under test regardless of the state of the system under test. A background to the problem is given and the method is briefly outlined. Results indicate that the approach can enable more robust evaluation of maritime autonomous algorithms.

Engaging Human-In-The-Loop For Autonomous Vehicle Simulation, John Di Battista, Christian Johnston, Valerie Randall, Jackson Shanahan

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Many autonomous vehicles are still in the development phase due to limited research and testing and will take a considerable amount of time to further develop before they are ready for public release. The main objective of this study is to introduce a human-in-the-loop simulation framework for supporting autonomous vehicle research. Our proposed simulation framework aims to facilitate AV assessment by providing a safer and more efficient way. Functionally, it is focused on the understanding of AVs’ operations in the presence of pedestrian users. The developed simulation framework allows a human pedestrian avatar to be integrated into the high-fidelity 3D …

Risk-And-Resiliency-Intelligent Supply Chain (Rrisc), Ahmad A. Abdelnabi, Ahmed M. Abdelmagid, Ghaith Rabadi, Andres Sousa-Poza, C. Ariel Pinto

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

This work proposes a risk-and-resiliency-intelligent supply chain (RRiSC) tool which is an SC risk management framework that leverages cutting-edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analytics (BDA), and Digital Twins (DT) to develop specific capabilities for SC risk management. RRiSC is a convergence of mature tools and techniques embedded in three modules: Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization – all together integrate the optimization, simulation, and data analytics to test the performance of the whole supply network under different scenarios through measuring the vital KPIs, identifying the vulnerabilities, and setting proactive plans to diminish risks consequences.

Implementing Virtual Reality Technology For Supporting Autonomous Vehicle-Pedestrian Behavioral And Interaction Research, Zizheng Yan

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

The deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has been expected to significantly reshape traffic safety on roads. However, there is still a relatively long journey to achieve high-level autonomy and the safety level of interaction between AVs and vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers) is still unclear due to very limited data and field tests. The main objective of this paper is to propose a high-fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation that is capable of supporting AV-pedestrian interactions by coupling an advanced AV simulator with virtual reality technology. The prototype of the extended simulation framework has been developed and demonstrated with experimental …

Development Of A Framework To Support Informed Shipbuilding Based On Supply Chain Disruptions, Katherine Smith, Rafael Diaz, Yuzhong Shen

VMASC Publications

In addition to stresses induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chains worldwide have been growing more complex while facing a continuous onslaught of disruptions. This paper presents an analysis and extension of a graph based model for modeling and simulating the effects of such disruptions. The graph based model combines a Bayesian network approach for simulating risks with a network dependency analysis approach for simulating the propagation of disruptions through the network over time. The initial analysis provides evidence supporting extension to for using a multi-layered approach allowing for the inclusion of cyclic features in supply chain models. Initial results …

Combining Green Metrics And Digital Twins For Sustainability Planning And Governance Of Smart Buildings And Cities, Casey R. Corrado, Suzanne M. Delong, Emily G. Holt, Edward Y. Hua, Andreas Tolk

VMASC Publications

Creating a more sustainable world will require a coordinated effort to address the rise of social, economic, and environmental concerns resulting from the continuous growth of cities. Supporting planners with tools to address them is pivotal, and sustainability is one of the main objectives. Modeling and simulation augmenting digital twins can play an important role to implement these tools. Although various green best practices have been utilized over time and there are related attempts at measuring green success, works in the published literature tend to focus on addressing a single problem (e.g., energy efficiency), and a comprehensive approach that takes …

Human Ergonomic Simulation To Support The Design Of An Exoskeleton For Lashing/De-Lashing Operations Of Containers Cargo, Francesco Longo, Antonio Padovano, Vittorio Solina, Virginia D' Augusta, Stefan Venzl, Roberto Calbi, Michele Bartuni, Ornella Anastasi, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

Lashing and de-lashing operations of containers cargo on board containerships are considered as quite strenuous activities in which operators are required to work continuously over a 6 or 8 hours shift with very limited break. This is mostly because containerships need to leave the port as soon as possible and containers loading and unloading operations must be executed with very high productivity (stay moored in a port is a totally unproductive time for a ship and a loss-making business for a shipping company). Operators performing lashing and de-lashing operations are subjected to intense ergonomic stress and uncomfortable working postures. To …

Exploring Blockchain Adoption Supply Chains: Opportunities And Challenges, Adrian V. Gheorghe, Omer F. Keskin, Farinaz Sabz Ali Pour

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

In modern supply chains, acquisition often occurs with the involvement of a network of organizations. The resilience, efficiency, and effectiveness of supply networks are crucial for the viability of acquisition. Disruptions in the supply chain require adequate communication infrastructure to ensure resilience. However, supply networks do not have a shared information technology infrastructure that ensures effective communication. Therefore decision-makers seek new methodologies for supply chain management resilience. Blockchain technology offers new decentralization and service delegation methods that can transform supply chains and result in a more flexible, efficient, and effective supply chain. This report presents a framework for the application …

A Testing And Experimenting Environment For Microscopic Traffic Simulation Utilizing Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality, Mahmud Hasan

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Microscopic traffic simulation (MTS) is the emulation of real-world traffic movements in a virtual environment with various traffic entities. Typically, the movements of the vehicles in MTS follow some predefined algorithms, e.g., car-following models, lane changing models, etc. Moreover, existing MTS models only provide a limited capability of two- and/or three-dimensional displays that often restrict the user’s viewpoint to a flat screen. Their downscaled scenes neither provide a realistic representation of the environment nor allow different users to simultaneously experience or interact with the simulation model from different perspectives. These limitations neither allow the traffic engineers to effectively disseminate their …

Network Modeling Of Hurricane Evacuation Using Data-Driven Demand And Incident-Induced Capacity Loss Models, Yuan Zhu, Kaan Ozbay, Kun Xie, Hong Yang, Ender Foruk Morgul

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The development of a hurricane evacuation simulation model is a crucial task in emergency management and planning. Two major issues affect the reliability of an evacuation model: one is estimations of evacuation traffic based on socioeconomic characteristics, and the other is capacity change and its influence on evacuation outcome due to traffic incidents in the context of hurricanes. Both issues can impact the effectiveness of emergency planning in terms of evacuation order issuance, and evacuation route planning. The proposed research aims to investigate the demand and supply modeling in the context of hurricane evacuations. This methodology created three scenarios for …

Pore Microstructure Impacts On Lithium Ion Transport And Rate Capability Of Thick Sintered Electrodes, Ziyang Nie, Rohan Parai, Chen Cai, Charles Michaelis, Jacob M. Lamanna, Daniel S. Hussey, David L. Jacobson, Dipankar Ghosh, Gary M. Koenig Jr.

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Increasing electrode thickness is one route to improve the energy density of lithium-ion battery cells. However, restricted Li⁺ transport in the electrolyte phase through the porous microstructure of thick electrodes limits the ability to achieve high current densities and rates of charge/discharge with these high energy cells. In this work, processing routes to mitigate transport restrictions were pursued. The electrodes used were comprised of only active material sintered together into a porous pellet. For one of the electrodes, comparisons were done between using ice-templating to provide directional porosity and using sacrificial particles during processing to match the geometric density …

The Impact Of Unequal Processing Time Variability On Reliable And Unreliable Merging Line Performance, Rodrigo Romero-Silva, Sabry Shaaban, Erika Marsillac, Zouhair Laaarraf

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Research on merging lines is expanding as their use grows significantly in the contexts of remanufacturing, reverse logistics and developing economies. This article is the first to study the behavior of unpaced, reliable, and unreliable merging assembly lines that are deliberately unbalanced with respect to their coefficients of variation (CV). Conducting a series of simulation runs with varying line lengths, buffer storage capacities and unbalanced CV patterns delivers intriguing results. For both reliable and unreliable lines, the best pattern for generating higher throughput is found to be a balanced configuration (equal CVs along both parallel lines), except for unreliable lines …

Assessment Of Cable Length Limit For Effective Protection By Z-Source Circuit Breakers In Dc Power Networks, Ruiyun Fu, Sagar Bhatta, Joseph M. Keller, Yucheng Zhang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper introduces groundbreaking research on how to assess the Cable Length Limit (CLL) to ensure effective protection by Z-source Circuit Breakers (ZCBs) in DC power networks. It has been revealed that the line parameters of power cables have a significant impact on the cutoff performance of ZCBs. The question of assessing the CLL has been raised as an unsolved problem. In this paper, a method of CLL assessment is proposed based on physical models and simulation tests. To verify the proposed method, two studies were performed to assess the Cable Length Limits depending on fault levels and power delivery …

Validation Risk Across Hierarchical Models, John B. Young

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Modeling and simulation are applied in a great many methods across a variety of topics. Model developers and users alike have a professional duty to understand the complexities of the tools and methods they are used. Oftentimes, models that have been independently constructed and executed are used to inform one another for an analytic purpose and the compatibility of the models is not always addressed. In the literature, great attention has been paid to model validation. When using models constructively with one another, analysts must understand the bounds of model validity and ensure that the combination of models does not …

Gesture Based Control Of Semi-Autonomous Vehicles, Brian Sanders

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this investigation is to explore the use of hand gestures to control semi-autonomous vehicles, such as quadcopters, using realistic, physics based simulations. This involves identifying natural gestures to control basic functions of a vehicle, such as maneuvering and onboard equipment operation, and building simulations using the Unity game engine to investigate preferred use of those gestures. In addition to creating a realistic operating experience, human factors associated with limitations on physical hand motion and information management are also considered in the simulation development process. Testing with external participants using a recreational quadcopter simulation built in Unity was …

Optimization Of Automated Guided Vehicles (Agv) Fleet Size With Incorporation Of Battery Management, Ahmed Hamdy

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

An important aspect in manufacturing automation is material handling. To facilitate material handling, automated transport systems are implemented and employed. The AGV (automated guided vehicle) has become widely used for internal and external transport of materials. A critical aspect in the use of AGVs is determining the number of vehicles required for the system to meet the material handling requirements.

Several models and simulations have been applied to determine the fleet size. Most of these models and simulations do not incorporate the battery usage of the vehicles and the effect it can have on the throughput and the number of …

Microstructural Evaluation Of Aluminium Alloy A365 T6 In Machining Operation, Bankole I. Oladapo, S. Abolfazl Zahedi, Francis T. Omigbodun, Edwin A. Oshin, Victor A. Adebiyi, Olaoluwa B. Malachi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The optimum cutting parameters such as cutting depth, feed rate, cutting speed and magnitude of the cutting force for A356 T6 was determined concerning the microstructural detail of the material. Novel test analyses were carried out, which include mechanical evaluation of the materials for density, glass transition temperature, tensile and compression stress, frequency analysis and optimisation as well as the functional analytic behaviour of the samples. The further analytical structure of the particle was performed, evaluating the surface luminance structure and the profile structure. The cross-sectional filter profile of the sample was extracted, and analyses of Firestone curve for the …

Sequence-Based Simulation-Optimization Framework With Application To Port Operations At Multimodal Container Terminals, Mariam Aladdin Kotachi

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

It is evident in previous works that operations research and mathematical algorithms can provide optimal or near-optimal solutions, whereas simulation models can aid in predicting and studying the behavior of systems over time and monitor performance under stochastic and uncertain circumstances. Given the intensive computational effort that simulation optimization methods impose, especially for large and complex systems like container terminals, a favorable approach is to reduce the search space to decrease the amount of computation.

A maritime port can consist of multiple terminals with specific functionalities and specialized equipment. A container terminal is one of several facilities in a port …

Trim Tuning Of Sps-Series Dqw Crab Cavity Prototypes, S. Verdú-Andrés, J. Skaritka, Q. Wu, A. Ratti, S. Baurac, C. H. Boulware, T. Grimm, J. Yancey, W. Clemens, E. A. Mcewen, H. Park

Physics Faculty Publications

The final steps in the manufacturing of a superconducting RF cavity involve careful tuning before the final welds to match the target frequency as fabrication tolerances may introduce some frequency deviations. The target frequency is chosen based on analysis of the shifts induced by remaining processing steps including acid etching and cool down. The baseline fabrication of a DQW crab cavity for the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) envisages a first tuning before the cavity subassemblies are welded together. To produce a very accurate final result, subassemblies are trimmed to frequency in the last machining steps, using a clamped cavity assembly …