Engineering Commons^™

Histogram Analysis Of Adc In Brain Tumor Patients, Debrup Banerjee, Jihong Wang, Jiang Li, Norbert J. Pelc (Ed.), Ehsan Samei (Ed.), Robert M. Nishikawa (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

At various stage of progression, most brain tumors are not homogenous. In this presentation, we retrospectively studied the distribution of ADC values inside tumor volume during the course of tumor treatment and progression for a selective group of patients who underwent an anti-VEGF trial. Complete MRI studies were obtained for this selected group of patients including pre- and multiple follow-up, post-treatment imaging studies. In each MRI imaging study, multiple scan series were obtained as a standard protocol which includes T1, T2, T1-post contrast, FLAIR and DTI derived images (ADC, FA etc.) for each visit. All scan series (T1, T2, FLAIR, …

Automatic Detection Of Aircraft Emergency Landing Sites, Yu-Fei Shen, Zia-Ur Rahman, Dean Krusienski, Jiang Li, Zia-Ur Rahman (Ed.), Stephen E. Reichenbach (Ed.), Mark Allen Neifeld (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An automatic landing site detection algorithm is proposed for aircraft emergency landing. Emergency landing is an unplanned event in response to emergency situations. If, as is unfortunately usually the case, there is no airstrip or airfield that can be reached by the un-powered aircraft, a crash landing or ditching has to be carried out. Identifying a safe landing site is critical to the survival of passengers and crew. Conventionally, the pilot chooses the landing site visually by looking at the terrain through the cockpit. The success of this vital decision greatly depends on the external environmental factors that can impair …

2d Face Database Diversification Based On 3d Face Modeling, Qun Wang, Jiang Li, Vijayan K. Asari, Mohammad A. Karim, Manuel Filipe Costa (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Pose and illumination are identified as major problems in 2D face recognition (FR). It has been theoretically proven that the more diversified instances in the training phase, the more accurate and adaptable the FR system appears to be. Based on this common awareness, researchers have developed a large number of photographic face databases to meet the demand for data training purposes. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme for 2D face database diversification based on 3D face modeling and computer graphics techniques, which supplies augmented variances of pose and illumination. Based on the existing samples from identical individuals of …

Marine Buoy Detection Using Circular Hough Transform, Loc Tran, Justin Selfridge, Gene Hou, Jiang Li

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A low cost method for buoy detection in maritime settings is presented using inexpensive digital cameras. In this method, the circular Hough transform is applied to an edge image to circular objects in the image. The center of these circles will signify the locations of each buoy. The known color information of the buoys is also used to enhance the performance by removing false detections. The algorithm is compared to an approach that locates buoys purely on color information. In order to validate the method, we test the approach synthetically and also with real images captured from a small surface …

3d Face Reconstruction From Limited Images Based On Differential Evolution, Qun Wang, Jiang Li, Vijayan K. Asari, Mohammad A. Karim, Andrew G. Tescher (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

3D face modeling has been one of the greatest challenges for researchers in computer graphics for many years. Various methods have been used to model the shape and texture of faces under varying illumination and pose conditions from a single given image. In this paper, we propose a novel method for the 3D face synthesis and reconstruction by using a simple and efficient global optimizer. A 3D-2D matching algorithm which employs the integration of the 3D morphable model (3DMM) and the differential evolution (DE) algorithm is addressed. In 3DMM, the estimation process of fitting shape and texture information into 2D …

Special Issue On Information Dissemination And New Services In P2p Systems, Min Song, Sachin Shetty, Wenbin Jiang, E. K. Park

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Information dissemination is an important P2P application that has received considerable research attention in recent years. P2P information dissemination systems range from simple file sharing applications to more complex systems that allows users to securely and efficiently publish, organize, index, search, update and retrieve data in a distributed storage medium. For complex P2P information dissemination systems, there is a need for features which include security, anonymity, fairness, scalability, resource management, and organization capabilities. For effective information dissemination, following features of P2P systems and infrastructure need to be updated: distributed object location and routing mechanisms, novel approaches to content replication, caching …

Precise Control Of Highly Ordered Arrays Of Nested Semiconductor/Metal Nanotubes, Diefeng Gu, Helmut Baumgart, Kandabara Tapily, Pragya Shrestha, Gon Namkoong, Xianyu Ao, Frank Müller

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Lithographically defined microporous templates in conjunction with the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique enable remarkable control of complex novel nested nanotube structures. So far three-dimensional control of physical process parameters has not been fully realized with high precision resolution, and requires optimization in order to achieve a wider range of potential applications. Furthermore, the combination of composite insulating oxide layers alternating with semiconducting layers and metals can provide various types of novel applications and eventually provide unique and advanced levels of multifunctional nanoscale devices. Semiconducting TiO₂ nanotubes have potential applications in photovoltaic devices. The combination of nanostructured semiconducting materials …

Coupled Photonic Crystal Micro-Cavities With Ultra-Low Threshold Power For Stiumulated Raman Scattering, Qiang Liu, Zhengbiao Ouyang, Sacharia Albin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We propose coupled cavities to realize a strong enhancement of the Raman scattering. Five sub cavities are embedded in the photonic crystals. Simulations through finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method demonstrate that one cavity, which is used to propagate the pump beam at the optical-communication wavelength, has a Q factor as high as 1.254 × 10⁸ and modal volume as small as 0.03μm³ (0.3192(λ/n)³). These parameters result in ultra-small threshold lasing power ~17.7nW and 2.58nW for Stokes and anti-Stokes respectively. The cavities are designed to support the required Stokes and anti-Stokes modal spacing in silicon. The proposed structure …

Ignition Of A Large Volume Plasma With A Plasma Jet, M. Laroussi, M. A. Akman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Here we report on a method to generate a long plasma plume and to ignite a large volume plasma by means of the jet. The plasma plume is generated by our tube reactor and then introduced into a chamber where the pressure is controlled. We discovered there are three operating phases:Aphasewhere the plume length remains approximately constant, followed by a second phase where the jet increases in length as the pressure decreases. Then at pressures below 70 Torr a mode transition occurs where the plume length decreases and the plasma expands until the entire chamber is filled.

Special Issue On Wireless Sensor And Actuator Networks, Jiming Chen, Karl H. Johanson, Stephan Olariu, Ioannis Ch. Paschalidis, Ivan Stojmenovic

Computer Science Faculty Publications

( First paragraph) WIRELESS Sensor Networks (WSNs), in their various shapes and forms, have greatly facilitated and enhanced the automated, remote, and intelligent monitoring of a large variety of physical systems. These networks consist of a large number of typically small devices, each incorporating sensing, processing, and wireless communications capabilities. Their use has penetrated a plethora of application domains from industrial and building automation, to environmental, wildlife, and health monitoring.

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks, Syed R. Rizvi, Stephan Olariu, Christina M. Oinotti, Shaharuddin Salleh, Mona E. Rizvi, Zainab Zaidi

Computer Science Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have recently been proposed as one of the promising ad hoc networking techniques that can provide both drivers and passengers with a safe and enjoyable driving experience. VANETs can be used for many applications with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. In the United States, motor vehicle traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for all motorists between two and thirty-four years of age. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 33,808 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. The US Department of Transportation (US-DOT) estimates that …

A Microfluidic Device For Impedance Spectroscopy, Ahmet Can Sabuncu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Recently, microfluidics has become a versatile tool to investigate cellular biology and to build novel biomedical devices. Dielectric spectroscopy, on the other hand, allows non-invasive probing of biological cells. Information on the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus can be obtained by dielectric spectroscopy provided that appropriate tools are used in specific frequency ranges. This dissertation includes fabrication, characterization, and testing of a simple microfluidic device to measure cell dielectric properties. The dielectric measurements are performed on human T-cell leukemia (Jurkat), mouse melanoma (B16), mouse hepatoma (Hepa), and human costal chondrocyte cells. Dielectric measurements consist of measuring the complex impedance of …

Design Of Multi Agent Based Crowd Injury Model, Emin Kugu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A major concern of many government agencies is to predict and control the behavior of crowds in different situations. Many times such gatherings are legal, legitimate, and peaceful. But there are times when they can turn violent, run out of control, result in material damages and even casualties. It then becomes the duty of governments to bring them under control using a variety of techniques, including non-lethal and lethal weapons, if necessary.

In order to aid decision makers on the course of action in crowd control, there are modeling and simulation tools that can provide guidelines by giving programmed rules …

Spectrum Adaptation In Cognitive Radio Systems With Operating Constraints, Deepak R. Joshi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The explosion of high-data-rate-demanding wireless applications such as smart-phones and wireless Internet access devices, together with growth of existing wireless services, are creating a shortage of the scarce Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum. However, several spectrum measurement campaigns revealed that current spectrum usage across time and frequency is inefficient, creating the artificial shortage of the spectrum because of the traditional exclusive "command-and-control" model of using the spectrum. Therefore, a new concept of Cognitive Radio (CR) has been emerging recently in which unlicensed users temporarily borrow spectrum from the licensed Primary Users (PU) based on the Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) technique that …

Modeling And Simulation On Signatures Of Mars Minerals, Widad Elmahboub, Edward Yankey, Olivia Kerwin

Virginia Journal of Science

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of identifying minerals on Mars using remotely sensed data. In the process we also investigated the effect of noise of Aerosol and dust particles on the spectra of Mars minerals. The remotely sensed data was obtained through modeling and simulation and compared to the lab spectroscopy of the specific minerals in order to make an accurate identification. A linear model was developed using MATLAB Random Number Generator to obtain a simulated image. Part of the information we needed for the linear model was pure pixel information of Mars which was …

Electroencephalogram Artifact Removal Using A Wavelet Neural Network, Hoang-Anh T. Nguyen

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A wavelet neural network (WNN) technique rs developed for electroencephalogram (EEG) artifact removal without electrooculographic (EOG) recordings. The algorithm combines the universal approximation characteristics of neural networks and the time/frequency property of wavelet, where the neural network was trained on a simulated dataset with known ground truths. The contribution of this thesis is two-fold. First, many EEG artifact removal algorithms, including regression based methods, require reference EOG signals, which are not always available. To remove EEG ai1ifacts, a WNN tries to learn the characteristics of the artifacts first and does not need reference EOG signals once trained. Second, WNNs are …

Fault-Injection Experiment For The Statistical Characterization Of Faults In Avionics Communication System, Amy M. Yates

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Since flight control systems perform safety-critical functions, it is important to understand the possible effects on the closed-loop dynamical system's performance caused by these faults. The purpose of this project is to design the software and hardware needed to add fault-injection and monitoring capabilities to ROBUS-2, a flight communication system. ROBUS-2 is the current version of the fault-tolerant computer communication system used by the Scalable Processor-Independent Design for Enhanced Reliability (SPIDER), a general-purpose fault-tolerant integrated modular architecture (IMA) developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. The major components of SPIDER include processing elements (PEs) to perform calculations, bus interface units …

Application Of The Coastal Storm Impulse (Cosi) Parameter To Predict Coastal Erosion, Robert Aaron Walker

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A new coastal storm-strength parameter, the Coastal Storm Impulse (COSI) parameter, was introduced at the 2006 International Conference of Coastal Engineering (ICCE) in San Diego and further discussed at the ICCE 2008 in Hamburg. COSI is based on the conservation of linear, horizontal momentum to combine storm surge, wave dynamics, and currents over the storm duration. Both tropical storms (hurricanes) and extra-tropical storms (northeasters) can produce similar COSI parameters. Potential implications of such a storm classification system include the evaluation of potential coastal erosion and coastal infrastructure, as well as providing a universal storm strength indicator that is directly tied …

Emotional Intelligence And Its Potential In Engineering Management, Jesse Ray Toepfer

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Assuming that the modern connotation of Emotional Intelligence (El) took shape with Wayne Leon Payne's 1986 dissertation, A Study of Emotion: Developing Emotional Intelligence, Self-Integration, Relating to Fear, Pain, and Desire, EI is nearing its thirtieth birthday. Relatively speaking, EI is still very young, and there are a handful of researchers who are still trying to explore and define El. Significant efforts have been made to develop the concept of EI, and the ramifications of EI on an individual's professional performance.

Often more technical and exacting in nature, the field of engineering management exhibits many aspects that are unique relative …

Analysis Of Fema Guidelines For Coastal Dunes Using A Numerical Model, Brenton Edward Payne

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

FEMA's current guideline for coastal dune erosion is called the 540 Rule. The intent of the 540 Rule is to act as a boolean guideline for dune protection. If a dune is validated as being substantial against the 1 % Annual Chance Storm Water Elevation Level by the 540 Rule, then the area behind the dune is considered to be susceptible to less energetic flooding. This is known as an AE Flood Zone. An immediate effect of being rezoned is a significant drop in the insurance costs behind the dune. However, if the dune is not validated by the 540 …

Freight Transportation Analysis Comparison Of Short Sea Shipping To Conventional Transportation Modes, Vishwesh Vilas Parkhi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Pollution due to transportation is one of the biggest concerns today. Freight transportation plays a significant role in this situation. Pollution can be reduced by minimizing the use of transport fuel. This can be achieved by selecting the most economical transport mode for long voyages for which fuel cost is one of the major costs. The model developed in this research helps in comparing the transport modes by evaluating cost per ton-mile. The three transportation modes of trucks, trains and Ro-Ro shipping vessels are considered in the model with very detailed costs associated with them. The major objective of this …

The Geometric Growth Of M&S Education: Pushing Forward, Pushing Outward, John A. Sokolowski, Catherine M. Banks

VMASC Publications

M&S education is experiencing a geometric growth that is placing it front and center as a discipline and as an interdisciplinary tool. This article discusses the evolution of the discipline of M&S. It answers: Why has M&S education experienced a forward and outward growth? What is it that makes this discipline unique? What is the current state of M&S education?

Plain And Steel-Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls With And Without Cfrp Retrofitting, Ali Mohammed Salih Al Aloosi

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the outcome- of a study of the behavior and strength of plain and steel-reinforced concrete shear walls with and without a window opening and Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) retrofitting. A total of seven tests were conducted using six different shear walls. Each wall was subjected to a gradually increasing static load at one of it's top corners until the maximum load was reached. The load-deflection relations and the walls' failure patterns were observed and recorded. It was found that the window opening in the plain concrete wall reduced the wall load capacity by 18 percent. For the …

A Novel Piezoelectric Device With Dual Functions Of Studying Biological Soft Tissues, Avin A. Jamadagni

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the design of a novel piezoelectric device with dual functions of studying soft biological tissues. The device consists of a central circular plate and a set of flexural beams. The flexural beams are partially covered with piezoelectric film for integrated transduction. It can function as a force sensor for measuring the mechanical behavior of a tissue sample and a load applier for mimicking physiological loads experienced by the tissue sample in vivo, while the mechanical behavior can be visually observed under a microscope simultaneously. By combining the classic theories in solid mechanics and piezoelectricity, the performance of …

Economic Optimization Of Offshore Wind Farms Using The Geometric Algorithm, Mahidhar Nandigam

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The research project related to this thesis focuses on the optimization of electrical systems for offshore wind farms for a given capacity. The optimal design and planning is a critical issue for developing cost effectively Offshore Wind Farms in energy systems. The Geometric Optimization Algorithms approach has been adopted to develop an optimization program, where the main components of the electrical system of an offshore wind farm and key technical specifications are used as parameters to be optimized for a minimum cost with necessary constraints. The effectiveness of the optimization program can be evaluated with real-time comparison between offshore wind …

Methodology To Quantify Vertical Accelerations Of Planing Craft In Irregular Waves, Jennifer Suzanne Grimsley

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Planing craft operating in waves at high speeds can experience high, repetitive vertical accelerations that are random and nonlinear in relation to the sea condition. A proper understanding of vertical accelerations is critical to meet statistically based criteria for structural design, habitability, and equipment selection. Historically, it was assumed that planing craft vertical accelerations fit the Exponential distribution, and design methods adopted this conclusion. However, several published papers have raised doubts regarding the accuracy and validity of this Exponential distribution assumption.

The statistical behavior of planing craft vertical accelerations are examined for the Parent and Peak data sets from twenty-eight …

Dispersion Of Cytotoxic Properties Of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Suspended In Biological Solutions With Tween 80: Their Role In Enhancing Killing Effects Of Nanosecond Pulse Electric Fields On Tumor Cell Lines, Bhargava S. Kalluri

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine whether multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) suspended in the surfactant Tween 80 give an additive killing effect on tumor cells when exposed to nsPEFs. In this study, MWCNTs were suspended in DMEM and RPMI with or without T80 (surfactant). The size distribution of MWCNTs suspended in these solutions was evaluated with a Delsa™ Nano Zeta potential and sub micro particle Size Analyzer and confirmed with microscopy. The cytotoxicity of MWCNTs dispersed in different concentrations of T80 was evaluated in PANC1 (Human pancreatic cancer cell line) and Jurkat cell lines (Human T-cell lymphoblast cell …

Optimization And Oscillation Of A Two-Dimensional Bump To Enhance Airfoil Performance, Dinesh Atchala

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this project is to improve the aerodynamic performance of an aircraft in transonic speed using a two dimensional contour bump. A natural laminar flow airfoil, RAE5243, has been chosen for the validation case to demonstrate the adequacy of the flow solver used in this study. 2D contour bump is parameterized as the bump position via airfoil, the crest position via bump, maximum height and length of the bump for the parametric study. After these studies, one of the gradient based optimization techniques is utilized to optimize the 2D bump parameters to achieve an augmentation in lift-to-drag …

Development Of Sustainability Indicators For Products And Processes, Sundeep Bodapati

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Significant increase in industrialization is a leading cause for the depletion of global resources and changes in the earth's atmosphere due to global warming. There has been a major concern for the manufacturing industry to deal with the above problems and this had led the researchers to focus on the area of sustainability. Sustainable development aims for the future, which is characterized by the interaction of the economic, environment and society. To enable the manufacturing companies to measure sustainability performance, developing the metrics for sustainability is critical. The purpose of this thesis is to review the indicators published in the …

Prediction Of Shock Diamonds And Mach Disk In An Under-Expanded Air Jet, Praveen D. Malali

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The present study involves performing simulations, using the commercially available CFD code Fluent, to obtain under-expanded jet flow structures for different values of nozzle pressure ratio (NPR). A fluid flow domain comprised of a converging nozzle attached to a plenum chamber is discretized, using triangular cells, in the pre-processing software Gambit, companion software to Fluent. The test of grid independence is carried out by performing simulations for NPR value of 10 using three discretized flow domains, referred to as a mesh or a grid, with varying cell numbers. Two models, namely the inviscid compressible flow model, employing Euler equations, and …