Engineering Commons^™

Simple High-Quality Lossy Image Coding Scheme, Shaolin Bi, Khalid Sayood

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

A simple yet efficient image data compression method is presented. This method is based on coding only those segments of the image that are perceptually significant to the reconstruction of the image. Sequences of image pixels whose gray-level differences from the pixels of the previous row exceed two prespecified thresholds are considered significant. These pixels are coded using a differential pulse code modulation scheme that uses a 15-level recursively indexed nonuniform quantizer for the first pixel in a segment and a 7-level recursively indexed nonuniform quantizer for all other pixels in the segment. The quantizer outputs are Huffman coded. Simulation …

Ionic Charge Dependence Of The Zero Degree Binary Encounter Peak For Partially Stripped Heavy Ions, W. Wolff, H. E. Wolff, J. L. Shinpaugh, Jee-Ching Wang, Ronald E. Olson, D. Fainstein, S. Lencinas, U. Bechthold, R. Herrmann, H. Schmidt-Bocking

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report on the measurements of double differential cross sections, at zero degree, for the production of secondary electrons from the collision of 0, 6 MeV amu^-1 Cu⁵⁺, I⁷⁺, Au¹¹⁺, U¹³⁺, Cu¹⁹⁺, t²³⁺ and Au²⁹⁺ projectiles with H₂ and He. The shapes and positions of the observed binary encounter electron peaks are compared with continuum distorted wave-eikonal initial state (CDW-EIS), impulse approximation and classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations, as well as with predictions from an adiabatic resonant tunnelling model recently proposed by Fainstein and co-workers. The …

High Power Edge-Emitting Light Emitting Diodes At 1.5Μ With Extremely Low Back Facet Feedback, J. E. Fouquet, G. R. Trott, W. V. Sorin, M. J. Ludowise, D. M. Braun, Dennis J. Derickson

Electrical Engineering

This paper describes novel semiconductor sources for optical low coherence reflectometry (OLCR), a measurement technique for characterizing device and fiber reflections with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Lasers and conventional superluminescent LEDs are not suitable for OLCR because strong reflections from the back facets mask weak reflection signals from the device or fiber under test. Even standard edge emitting LEDs (EELEDs) show significant reflections, which have limited the dynamic range of previous measurements. Low source output powers have also limited sensitivity. In order to obtain high power while minimizing internal reflections, a high single pass gain device is required. …

Explanation Of Timing Jitter Mechanisms In Multisegment Mode-Locked Semiconductor Lasers, Dennis J. Derickson

Electrical Engineering

Multisegment mode-locked semiconductor lasers offer a simple, high performance solution for short pulse generation. Six mode-locking techniques used in multisegment mode-locked semiconductor lasers are shown. This paper concentrates on a theoretical explanation of the timing jitter mechanisms in these lasers with supporting experimental measurements. The analysis covers passive, hybrid, and active mode-locking techniques for both monolithic and external cavity devices. Timing jitter is a very important system consideration for most applications of mode-locked lasers.

Obscured Object Detection Via Bayesian Target Modeling Techniques, Rufus H. Cofer

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Underground objects are by nature often severely obscured although the general character of the intervening random media may be reasonably understood. The task of detecting these underground objects also implies that their exact location and or orientation is not known. To partially counter these difficulties, one may; however, be given a model of the target of interest, e.g. a particular tank type, a water pipe, etc. To set up a quality framework for solution of the above problem, this paper utilizes the paradigm of Bayesian decision theory that promises minimum error detection given that certain probability density functions can be …

Rate Equations For The Phonon Peak In Resonant-Tunneling Structures, Roger Lake, Gerhard Klimeck, J. P. Anantram, Supriyo Datta

Birck and NCN Publications

The ratio of the phonon peak current to the main peak current in double-barrier resonant-tunneling structures is significantly enhanced by barrier asymmetry. Previously, using the Keldysh formalism, we derived analytical expressions, valid in the zero-temperature, high-bias regime, which explained this eftect. We now provide analytical expressions valid for finite temperature and bias obtained from (i) an intuitive derivation using a rate equation approach and (ii) a more general derivation using the Keldysh formalism. The results of the two difFerent approaches are shown to be essentially identical for the ex- perimental device parameters. The finite temperature expressions shed light on the …

Local Needs Implementation For All Programs, James G. Harris, Madeleine M. Johnson, Norm Rogers, Jay Waddell

Electrical Engineering

SYNTHESIS is one of four ex1sting NSF Engineering Education Coalitions (there are apparently plans to add two others this year to bring the total number to six). SYNTHESIS consists of eight universities: Cal Poly, Cornell. Hampton, Iowa State, Southern, Stanford, Tuskgekee, and UC-Berkeley. It has been supported by NSF for over three years, being one of the first two-the other being ECSEL. The other two existing coalitions are GATEVI/AY and SUCCEED. One 9f the main goals of the 'SYNTHESIS coalition is the development of the National Engineering Education Dehvery System (NEEDS). After giving a brief overv1ew of the NEEDS, we …

National Engineering Education Delivery System (Needs), Alice M. Agogino, Sheri Sheppard, Kate Mink, James G. Harris, Lawrence Genalo, Jaya Krishnagopalan, Dave Martin, John Saylor

Electrical Engineering

The Synthesis Coalition, supported by the National Science Foundation and industrial partners, is comprised of the following eight educational institutions: California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Comell, Hampton, Iowa State, Southern, Stanford, and Tuskegee Universities, and the University of California at Berkeley (1].

The National Engineering Education Delivery System (NEEDS) is an entirely new courseware development and distribution system which will provide Widespread, rapid, electronic access to an almost arbitrarily large number of diverse instructional modules (2-4). Curricular material in the NEEDS database are organized by a diverse range of indices. Links across disciplines are provided in the …

Acuta Enews November 1993, Vol. 22, No. 11

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

Board Report

President's message

TASA commissions

Numbering plan means net manager pains

21st Century Technology

Toll Fraud

Sensitivity Improvement Of A 1-Μm Ladar System Incorporating An Active Optical Fiber Preamplifier, Michael S. Salisbury, Paul F. Mcmanamon, Bradley D. Duncan

Electro-Optics and Photonics Faculty Publications

In an effort to increase the SNR of a continuous wave, 1-μm all solid state ladar system, a rare-earth-doped optical fiber amplifier is investigated as a preamplifier for ladar return signals. The experimental system is detailed and a theoretical analysis of the fiber amplifier's effect on both heterodyne and direct detection schemes is provided. Beginning with the optical powers incident on the detector, the signal and noises are analyzed, through the detector electronics, to predict the SNR. The SNR is then plotted as a function of the return signal power, and a SNR threshold is defined to determine a minimum …

Computer Program For Analysis Of Embankments With Tensile Elements, Mikhail E. Slepak, Tommy C. Hopkins

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A generalized computer program for analyzing stability of earth structures reinforced with geosynthetics (geogrids, geotextiles etc.) was developed in this research study. The newly proposed computer program was built in such a way that a reinforced slope stability problem may be analyzed using a variety of limit equilibrium methods including Hopkins', Morgenstern and Price's, Bishop's methods, Raulin's perturbation method, as well as new perturbation methods proposed by the authors of this study. It was shown in the research study that two versions of the Bishop's method were possible in the case of reinforced analyses: the traditionally used version referred to …

Periodic Pn Sequence Delay Estimation Using Phase Spectrum Data, Kurt Louis Kosbar, Jorge J. Zaninovich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An algorithm for estimating the delay of a periodic pseudonoise (PN) sequence is presented. It is a rapid, block-based estimator that can be used for both linear and nonlinear codes. The algorithm exploits the periodicity of the difference between the phase spectra of the received sequence and a local reference. The estimator takes the Fourier transform of the phase spectrum difference data, and searches for the fundamental frequency. Unlike previously described methods, phase unwrapping is not required. The performance in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and a continuous wave (CW) jammer is investigated using computer simulation. Comparisons …

A Summary Of Highway Revenues, Expenses And Distributions: 1986 Through 1993, Herpicc

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This report shows the history of receipts, expenses and distributions of revenues that provide funding to all local governments for highway, road and street work.

Visual Observations Of Parking And Driving Areas And Drainage Conditions On Colverfield Lane Fort Wright Trace, Fort Wright, Ky., David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

On September 30, 1993, the Condominium Council of Co-Owners of Fort Wright Trace in Fort Wright, Kentucky requested of the Director of the Kentucky Transportation Center that a member of his staff meet with them to review and visually inspect the drainage and pavement conditions in their community. The Head of the Pavements Section met with representatives of the Council on October 13, 1993 as a part of the Transportation Center's Technology Exchange Program.

A visual inspection was conducted of Cloverfield Lane and its associated parking areas beginning at the intersection of Cloverfield Lane and Castle Hill Lane and continuing …

A Robust Aggregation Approach To Simplification Of Manufacturing Flow Line Models, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

One of the more difficult tasks facing a modeler in developing a simulation model of a discrete part manufacturing system is deciding at what level of abstraction to represent the resources of the system. For example, questions about plant capacity can be modeled with a simple model, whereas questions regarding the efficiency of different part scheduling rules can only be answered with a more detailed model. In developing a simulation model, most of the actual features of the system under study must be ignored and an abstraction must be developed. If done correctly, this idealization provides a useful approximation of …

S/O Modeling Technique For Optimal Containment Of Light Hydrocarbons In Contaminated Unconfined Aquifers, Grant S. Cooper Jr., Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

An innovative approach is presented to minimize pumping for immobilizing a floating plume of a light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL). The best pumping strategy is determined to contain the free oil product and provide for gradient control of the water table. This approach combined detailed simulation, statistical analysis, and optimization. This modeling technique uses regression equations that describe system response to variable pumping stimuli. The regression equations were developed from analysis of systematically performed simulations of multiphase flow in an areal region of an unconfined aquifer. Simulations were performed using ARMOS, a finite element model. ARMOS can be used simulate …

A Kinematically Intelligent Blackboard For Computer Aided Instruction, J. Keith Nisbett, D. Watkins, Clark R. Barker

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A CAI (computer-aided instruction) package is being developed to be used as a classroom tool for the instruction of undergraduate mechanical engineering students in an introductory kinematics of mechanisms course. This graphical environment allows the instructor to emulate on the projected graphics screen everything that is currently done on the blackboard for planar mechansims. Unlike the blackboard, the software will have the intelligence to interpret the drawings in a kinematic sense so that the drawing of the linkage will behave as a linkage. The software environment involves three principal components: (1) a sketching method for defining the linkage, (2) the …

A Robust Aggregation Approach To Simplification Of Manufacturing Flow Line Models, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Presentations

One of the more difficult tasks facing a modeler in developing a simulation model of a discrete part manufacturing system is deciding at what level of abstraction to represent the resources of the system. For example, questions about plant capacity can be modeled with a simple model, whereas questions regarding the efficiency of different part scheduling rules can only be answered with a more detailed model. In developing a simulation model, most of the actual features of the system under study must be ignored and an abstraction must be developed. If done correctly, this idealization provides a useful approximation of …

Set-Up Saving Schemes For Printed Circuit Boards Assembly, Oded Z. Maimon, Ezey M. Dar-El, Tali F. Carmon

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Focusing on a basic printed circuit board (PCB) assembly line configuration characterized by very long set-up times, we examine two scheduling methods that can significantly reduce the set-up. Both methods -the Grouped Set-Up (GSU) method that has been recently introduced in the literature and the Sequence Dependent Scheduling (SDS) method, which has not been studied in this context -are based on component commonality among PCB types. Using the typical traditional scheduling method as a benchmark, the GSU and the SDS methods are compared in terms of three performance measures: line throughput, average work-in-process (WIP) inventory level, and implementation complexity. Guidelines …

Minutes Of Tractor Test Museum Committee October 21, 1993, Tractor Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum: Planning and Development Documents

Status of using tractor test building. Organizing Friends of the Tractor Test Museum

Notes From Museum Committee Meeting October, 1993, Tractor Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum: Planning and Development Documents

No abstract provided.

The Spirit Iii Radiometer Data Compression System, Scott E. Budge

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we describe the image data compressor designed and built for the SPIRIT III radiometer which will be used to provide a real-time "quick-look" capability for the instrument. A a brief description of elements of the radiometer design which determine the data compression requirements is given, followed by a description of the VQ-based hybrid data compression algorithm. Highlights of the hardware design are also discussed.

The performance of the compressor is presented. Tests made using data obtained during cold tests of the instrument indicate an RMS error of 6.26 counts for the 10:1 compression mode and 5.83 counts …

Method Of Stemming A Blast Hole, Paul Nicholas Worsey

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A method of stemming a blast hole loaded with an explosive charge. The blast hole has side walls, an outwardly opening mouth and a central axis extending longitudinally of the blast hole. The method comprises inserting a conduit having a discharge end inwardly through the mouth of the blast hole and positioning the discharge end of the conduit within the blast hole generally adjacent the explosive charge. Particulate stemming material is forced under pressure through the conduit for exit from its discharge end into the blast hole toward the explosive charge thereby to pack stemming material in the blast hole …

Acuta Enews October 1993, Vol. 22, No. 10

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

E-mail

President's message

Data Comm Project at Delaware Tech

User Groups Meet at Conference

21st Century Technology

Staff Report

Seismic Code Analysis Of Buildings Without Locating Centers Of Rigidity, Rakesh K. Goel, Anil K. Chopra

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Static force procedures of most building codes require that the lateral earthquake force at each floor level of an asymmetric-plan building be applied eccentrically from the centers of rigidity. To implement such procedures, it seemed necessary in the past to determine the locations of the centers of rigidity, an often confusing and cumbersome process. This paper presents a new approach for code lateral force analysis of asymmetric-plan buildings without locating the centers of rigidity. This procedure combines the results from three static analyses, which can be implemented directly on most commercially available computer programs for analysis of multistory buidings. The …

Coordinated Intelligent Control Via Epistemic Utility Theory, Wynn C. Stirling

Faculty Publications

An approach to local reactive coordinated intelligent control based on the concept of an epistemic system, together with a principle of action that may be exercised locally, is presented. An epistemic system provides a mechanism for agents to characterize their knowledge corpora, options, goals, and beliefs. Levi's rule of epistemic utility provides a principle of action for decision making by comparing the informational value of rejection with the belief of correctness. Decisions are made locally and reactively, rather than globally. Coordination is implemented between agents by sharing and learning the epistemic systems of other agents. The resulting coordination model is …

Field Performance Report On Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe On Ky 17 Kenton County, L. John Fleckenstein, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents the installation and performance of corrugated smooth lined polyethylene pipe installed during construction of KY 17 in Kenton County. The majority of the pipe installed was N-12 pipe manufactured by Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., and is designated as ADS N-12. ADS N-12 is a corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. The pipe has a corrugated exterior for increased strength and a smooth interior to provide maximum flow capacity.

Sags in grade, misalignment, poor coupling, and vertical deformation were observed during visual inspections and do not appear to be a material related problem but are largely due to poor …

Polymerization-Induced Phase-Separation In A Liquid-Crystal-Polymer Mixture, J. Y, Kim, C. H. Cho, P. Palffy-Muhoray, M. Mustafa, Thein Kyu

College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering

We have used light scattering to study the kinetics of polymerization-induced phase separation in a liquid-crystal-polymer mixture. The evolution of the structure factor is compared with scaling predictions for thermally quenched systems. We have also observed a cascading phenomenon where phase separated domains become unstable and undergo phase separation for a second time.

Evaluation Of Lime Stabilized Subgrade (Aa-19), Bobby W. Meade, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Construction of Section 19 of the Ashland-Alexandria Highway began in 1987. Because native soils have very low CBR values (1 to 3), it was decided to stabilize the soil subgrade with an application of 6% hydrated lime. The top 6 inches of the subgrade was to be stabilized. This process had not been previously used in Kentucky; and consequently, a research study was initiated to monitor this project. Objectives of the study were to monitor and document construction procedures, to determine the engineering characteristics of the treated subgrade through laboratory testing, and to report on the study findings. A substantial …

Survey Of The Impacts Of Environmental Regulations On State Highway Operations, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Christopher M. Oberst

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In recent years, the transportation industry in Kentucky as represented by Kentuckians for Better Transportation (KBT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC), have expressed concern over the growing impact of environmental regulations upon transportation activities in the state. The imposition of environmental regulations has resulted in higher costs for new construction and maintenance on roads, project delays, scheduling and financing difficulties, and the creation of additional transportation agency bureaucracy to address environmental regulation mandates. In Kentucky, the impacts of those regulations have not been thoroughly assessed nor have the attendant costs been measured. Coinciding with that lack of information is …