Engineering Commons^™

Multiple-Valued Quantum Automata For Robotics, Yuchen Huang

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation introduces a new type of quantum automata, their encoding and circuit realization. I concentrate on possible applications in robotics. Several methods and application of quantum automata and quantum circuit-based controllers for elementary robotic systems, with a focus on humanoid robot motion, emotion, and behavior generation are illustrated in detail. The research introduces several novel methodologies that bridge quantum computing principles with robotic control, aiming to overcome the limitations of classical deterministic and probabilistic approaches.

The dissertation first presents a quantum-circuit-based framework for generating non-repetitive and expressive (e)motions in a humanoid robot actor, using superposition and entanglement to produce …

Gas Lift Valve Operation Under Elevated Pressure And Temperature Conditions, Pedro O. De Melo Flores

LSU Master's Theses

Gas lift valves are critical components in artificial lift systems, and their performance directly influences well unloading efficiency and long-term production. Current industry models used to correct valve opening and closing pressure for temperature rely on assumptions that have not been extensively validated against experimental data. This study experimentally investigates the opening and closing behavior of injection pressure-operated (IPO) gas lift valves under controlled elevated-temperature conditions. A load rate test bench was modified to include a heating system capable of maintaining valve temperatures up to 220°F. Five gas lift valve designs from multiple manufacturers were tested over a range of …

Thermoacoustic Effects Of A Variable Equivalence Ratio In A Single Element Methane Combustor, Carter Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Combustion instability is one of the leading factors in limiting the progress and innovations of liquid rocket engines and power plants. Under certain operating conditions, unsteady heat release and acoustic wave interactions can couple and lead to instabilities, such as self-sustaining pressure oscillations, that can lead to reduced combustor performance and potentially hardware damage. In this project, the thermoacoustic effects of controlling the equivalence ratio of a single-element natural gas combustor were modeled and analyzed. The project used Fidelity Pointwise for meshing, ANSYS Fluent for modeling, ERAU VEGA HPC for computing, and MATLAB for acoustic analysis. A numerical model of …

Threat-Analysis Oriented Digital Twinning Of Ml-Powered Future Autonomous Weapon Systems, Thomas Neubert

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Warfare is undergoing a rapid transformation with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into autonomous weapon systems (AWS) for perception, decision support, and control. As these systems become more software-defined, their cyber attack surface expands across sensing, communications, autonomy logic, and human-machine interfaces. As human oversight diminishes, ensuring the cybersecurity, resilience, and reliability of these systems becomes critical to mission success. This thesis investigates how a digital twin-driven threat modeling framework that integrates system-centric analysis with adversary-informed methodologies can support structured cybersecurity vulnerability evaluation and defensive strategy development associated with ML-powered AWS. First, the study analyzes …

Scale-Dependent Particle Transport Over Urban-Like Roughness In Turbulent Flow, Rae Riddle

Dissertations and Theses

This study employs direct numerical simulation (DNS) to investigate the dispersion of inertial particles in turbulent flow over three-dimensional urban-like roughness at Reτ = 200. Particles with Stokes numbers St = 5, 25, and 100 are tracked over cubic arrays with spanwise spacings Sy from 2h to 32h, where h = δ/8 and δ is the half-channel height, alongside a smooth-wall reference case. The results reveal scale-dependent particle responses characterized by three distinct regimes. First, high-inertia particles (St = 100) align strongly with mean secondary flows, exhibiting organized plumes above roughness elements. Their vertical transport peaks at intermediate spacing …

Exploring Hemodynamic Signatures Using Event Camera, Zaid Ahmed

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This thesis investigates event-based sensing for hemodynamic measurements in transmission mode through the human finger. Conventional frame-based imagers are limited by exposure time, frame rate, and motion blur, which reduce sensitivity to fast optical transients. To address these bottlenecks, this thesis introduces a novel transmission-mode sensing framework using a Prophesee EVK4 HD neuromorphic sensor. By capturing asynchronous ON/OFF events generated by local intensity changes, this work presents a new approach to three tasks: intra-finger pulse transit time (PTT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) estimation, event-based transmission mode laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and Flicker Spike Arrival Time (FSAT) Delay Mapping, …

Roof Mounted Single-Axis Solar Tracking Platform, German Markaryan, Dean Schultz, Isabella Bravo, Lucas Matter, Quacy Moore, Robert Wang

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

The growing need for efficient and reliable renewable energy sources has been increasing in the 21st century. All residential solar panel systems suffer from efficiency losses due to their inability to adjust their angle and a lack of a proper cleaning system. Automated Tracking Light Acquisition System (ATLAS) aims to solve this problem. Fixed solar panels without self cleaning harvest 30% less energy than adjustable counterparts. With an Arduino Nano ESP32 and Raspberry Pi 3B+ controlling ATLAS, it is designed to autonomously log data, have a night mode, have battery safety features and automatically adjust to the trajectory of the …

A Comparative Study On Performance Of Iot-Driven Ml-Enabled Forecasting Models For Efficient Air Quality Monitoring, Bara Ksiksi

Theses

Air pollution is one of the most critical environmental challenges affecting public health globally, responsible for approximately 4.2 million premature deaths annually according to the World Health Organisation. This thesis presents a comparative study of IoT-driven machine learning forecasting models for air quality monitoring in Abu Dhabi, UAE, introducing a zonal approach combined with satellite-based spatial validation. The primary objective is to evaluate forecasting performance across three distinct activity zones using ground station data from the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), and to incorporate a spatial validation component using satellite imagery to assess the consistency of ground-based predictions at a …

Analysis Of A Coaxial Transmission Line Filled With An Orthorhombic Dielectric-Magnetic Medium, Fathima Manikunnath Abdul Akbar

Theses

Coaxial transmission lines are fundamental means for Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) wave propagation in RF, microwave and high-speed electronic systems. The study of transmission lines is often familiar when they are filled with isotropic materials; however modern engineered direction dependent materials reshape field distributions. In this thesis, we consider a coaxial transmission line of an inner radius and outer radius b filled with an orthorhombic dielectric-magnetic material, which is described by two anisotropy parameters αx and αy. The potential and field distributions are studied in relation to the ratio b/a as well as the anisotropy parameters αx and αy. Due to …

Efficient Fpga Implementation Of A 1 Million-Point Fft, Jwaher Abdulqader Al Tamimi

Theses

The one-million-point Fast Fourier Transform is implemented using a radix-2 single-path delay feedback pipeline architecture. To minimize the computational overhead, twiddle factors were pre-computed and stored in memory. The design uses a fixed-point representation with two integer bits and seven fractional bits, achieving a measured signal-to-noise ratio of 37.98. Given the substantial memory requirements, a memory partitioning approach was used. It mapped the delay buffers in each stage lookup table memory, block random-access memory, or ultra random-access memory, based on word width and memory depth.

The implementation operates successfully at 100 megahertz on a mid-scale field-programmable gate array. Post-implementation reported …

Breath-Based Detection Of Liver Cancer Biomarkers Using An Swcnt-Fet Nano-Biosensor: Quantumatk, Mohamed Mohieb Rashdan

Theses

Early detection of liver cancer remains limited by the slow pace and invasiveness of current testing methods. This study proposes a single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (SWCNT-FET) designed to detect hexanal—a volatile organic compound (VOC) elevated in liver cancer—directly from exhaled breath. The device is modeled in QuantumATK using a semi-empirical Extended Hückel Hamiltonian within the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) framework, emphasizing realistic contact physics by employing metallic SWCNT electrodes instead of conventional metal films. Zigzag channels with (11,0) and (12,0) chiralities are examined to analyze how geometry and contact matching influence charge transport. Simulations include current–voltage (I–V) characteristics and …

Development Of A Novel Cfd Approach For Predicting Multiphase Flow Enhanced By Machine Learning, Abdulrahman Elazazi Salem

Theses

Accurate estimation of interface orientation is crucial for ensuring both the accuracy and robustness of Volume of Fluid (VOF) schemes in multiphase flow simulations, especially when using non-uniform Cartesian meshes. Conventional gradient reconstruction approaches, such as least-squares (LSQ) methods, often suffer from significant errors and strong oscillations on highly stretched grids. This work proposes a grid-transferable, learning-based methodology that predicts interface unit normal vectors directly from the local volume-fraction field on nonuniform structured Cartesian grids using a feedforward neural network. The methodology extends earlier work originally developed for uniform grids, which is first reproduced to assess how performance deteriorates in …

Optimization Of A High-Performance Lightweight Concrete Mix Design For Concrete Canoe Application, Caiden Sisson

Honors Theses

Arkansas State University competes annually in the National Concrete Canoe Competition that requires the development of a concrete mix design capable of maintaining buoyancy while satisfying strength, workability, and performance criteria under racing and handling conditions. Because conventional structural concrete is too dense for buoyant applications, this research focused on developing and optimizing a concrete mixture for concrete canoe application.

Development Of A Benchmark Building Condition Index Utilizing Discrete Facility Subsets For Use In Risk Prioritization Analysis, Christopher A. May

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Within the healthcare facilities management arena, key performance-based condition indices such as a calculated Building Condition Index (BCI) are currently utilized as a governing indicator of facility health and performance. However, BCI alone does not adequately support enterprise-level risk prioritization and fails to provide a validated facility-to-facility risk prioritization model. Assets within the same enterprise receiving similar sustainment funding experience different rates of degradation depending on asset type and construction age thus impairing the BCI rating scale. Statistical analysis of facility metrics indicates a strong correlation between facility degradation drivers and prediction of a subset-based benchmark BCI. The research validates …

Biocrude From Organic Waste And Its Conversion To Hard Carbon: Experimental And Modeling Study, Isamu Umeda

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study establishes a technical and theoretical foundation for the efficient conversion of organic waste into biocrude and high-value carbon materials, aiming to facilitate the industrialization of hydrothermal and solvothermal liquefaction. The dissertation research is structured as follows:

Chapter 2 developed a novel chemical kinetic model for the HTL of corn stover based on elemental balances (C, H, N, and O). By incorporating temperature, residence time, solid loading as an independent variable, the model successfully predicted product yields and properties, revealing that there was non-pseudo-first-order reaction pathways in the conversion of water soluble organics in aqueous phase (AP) to hydrochar. …

Engineering Cryogenic Thermal Links And Transport Systems For Conduction-Cooled Superconducting Cavities, Jacob B. Lewis

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is currently developing a prototype conduction-cooled 915 MHz SRF cryomodule proposed for industrial use, capable of increasing the energy of an electron beam with 5 mA current by ~ 4 MeV. Two Nb3Sn resonant cavities are under development for this project, in which cryogenic cooling is provided by closed cycle refrigerators (cryocoolers). One cavity utilizes high-purity electroformed copper on the outer surface to provide heat extraction from the cavity, the other relies on high-purity aluminum thermal links. This thesis investigated the thermal conduction pathways between the cavities and cryocooler cold heads, with …

Emc Testing Apparatus, Madison Randle

Honors Capstones

Common-mode current is a critical diagnostic parameter for predicting radiated electromagnetic emissions in variable-frequency drives (VFDs). At Danfoss, these measurements have traditionally been performed manually by sliding a current transformer along a mains cable—an approach that is slow, operator-dependent, and prone to inconsistent sensor positioning. As regulatory standards tighten and development cycles accelerate, the limitations of 6 this manual process create risks: longer test times, higher labor costs, and an increased likelihood of failing expensive anechoic chamber compliance tests. This project set out to design an automated measurement apparatus capable of improving repeatability, reducing operator workload, and supporting both continuous …

Cooperative Unmanned Aerial System (Uas) Geolocation Of Emitters, Christopher Peters

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

A collection of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can be networked as a cooperative wireless sensor array to geolocate an unknown-location RF emitter using time-based measurements. In operation, however, environmental multipath and hardware errors in sensor positioning and timing can degrade emitter localization accuracy and limit the practicality of single-snapshot solutions. This dissertation evaluates time-of-arrival and time-difference-of-arrival (TOA/TDOA) geolocation for cooperative UAS arrays under realistic error sources and develops geometry-control strategies that actively reduce localization uncertainty through iterative UAS repositioning.

This work studies the Location on a Conic Axis (LOCA) method for emitter localization. Using Monte Carlo simulations with hardware error …

Machine Learning For Real-Time Body Movement Classification Using Eeg And Vr Technologies, Aiden H. Behler, Robin Ghosh

Undergraduate Research

This project investigates the feasibility of real-time full-body movement classification using electroencephalography (EEG) integrated with virtual reality (VR) technologies. The primary objective is to develop and evaluate machine learning models for predicting human body movements using EEG data alone, with the long-term goal of reducing or eliminating reliance on wearable motion trackers. Currently, several machine learning algorithms have been tested, but classification accuracy remains modest, indicating the complexity of the task. Ongoing work focuses on optimizing preprocessing, feature selection, and model architectures to improve performance. The system architecture combines synchronized neural and motion data collected within a VR environment. EEG …

Numerical Study Of Nutrient Mixing In Trabecular Bone In Microgravity, Disuse And Normogravity, Sagar Gharti

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Mechanical loading is known to regulate bone remodeling by driving interstitial fluid flow which stimulates cells and drives nutrient transport within the trabecular network. In microgravity, the absence of mechanical stimulation or loading suppresses convective flow processes, causing diffusion-driven nutrient mixing and renewal, and accelerated bone loss. This thesis investigates how oscillation frequency and trabecular bone density jointly control nutrient mixing and wall shear stress within trabecular cavities.

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework is developed in STAR-CCM+ using a soft-cap oscillation model that mimics cyclic compression. Three idealized trabecular morphologies are simulated across different frequencies to represent microgravity or …

Instrumentation And Control Of A Novel Device To Simulate A Hypersonic Environment, Andrew Marcello

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The hypersonic flow regime poses several challenges regarding the design of hypersonic vehicles. Among them is the massive energy and economic expense associated with ground- testing evaluation of material responses within this extreme environment. In order to provide a low-cost, rapid option for preliminary material analysis within hypersonic applications, a novel device is under production to replicate this environment on the surface of these materials. This device has been designed to work in conjunction with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Advanced Photo Source (APS) synchrotron, to allow for in-situ characterization of ablation and oxidation on the sample surface.

To achieve this, …

Numerical Investigation Of Rotor-Gust Acoustic Interactions Using The Overflow Cfd Solver, Jordan Mills

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The rapid expansion of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) necessitates high-fidelity modeling to predict and mitigate the noise signatures of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft within dense urban landscapes. A critical unknown in community-noise certification is the aeroacoustic response of rotors to unsteady inflow conditions. This research addresses this gap by investigating the aerodynamic and acoustic behavior of a representative rotor subjected to time-harmonic inflow disturbances. By establishing a robust numerical framework, this thesis quantifies the relationship between periodic atmospheric gusts and their impact on rotor performance, unsteady blade loading, and subsequent sound radiation. The research consists of a …

Insect Inspired Behavioral Strategies For Improving Multi-Agent System Resilience In The Presence Of Contagious Faults, James E. Hand

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As Multi-Agent Systems (MASs) become increasingly involved in every aspect of everyday life the need to maintain reliability and resilience within these systems grows. However, in equal measure bad actors wishing to maliciously control or alter these systems are growing in both scale and capability. Thus, there is a present need for control schemes and agent behaviors that provide security against these threats while also avoiding large degradation in system performance as a tradeoff. Current research has covered a wide breadth of avenues and strategies that provide measurable resilience to faulted agents. However, these strategies often require group consensus, specialized …

Ellie - Exteroceptive Light Locomotion In Eukaryote-Fungi, Brandon Etwarroo

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Over the past decade, fungal research and its technological applications have expanded across multiple disciplines, including the emerging field of biohybrid systems. This thesis develops and evaluates a wireless, untethered mobile robot controlled by the action potential-like activity generated by Pleurotus ostreatus sporocarps under red, green, and blue optical stimulation. Light is applied to the sporocarps, the resulting electrical responses are recorded, and these signals are transmitted wirelessly to actuate the mobile robot. Both the action potential-like activity patterns and the robot’s movement trajectories were analyzed. The results demonstrate that wireless robotic control mediated by fungal electrophysiology is feasible. Overall, …

Effect Of Nozzle Pressure Ratio On Thrust And Flow Behavior In A Supersonic De Laval Nozzle, Esha Jain

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Supersonic nozzles operate across a range of flow regimes. While an ideally expanded condition yields optimal thrust, practical propulsion systems rarely operate at this design point due to variations in altitude and engine operating conditions. As a result, nozzles frequently operate in off-design conditions. In overexpanded regime, where the exit pressure is lower than the ambient pressure, shock-induced separation may occur within the divergent section of the nozzle, potentially degrading nozzle performance. Understanding the aerodynamic behavior of nozzles operating under off-design conditions is therefore important for improving propulsion system performance and stability. In particular, direct thrust measurements provide a key …

Intelligent Flight Control Systems Using Adaptive Deep Neural Networks And Concurrent Learning-Based Design Methods, Maddox C. Morrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis investigates deep neural network (DNN)-based adaptive control strategies for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operating under aerodynamic uncertainty and complex actuator dynamics.

The first contribution presents a control strategy employing a concurrent learning (CL)-based DNN training algorithm, which combines online adaptive DNN weight adaptation with offline batch-like training updates using a recorded data stack. The analysis focuses on the closed-loop performance improvements resulting from the use of optimum CL data-selection algorithms, which ensure that the recorded data stack maintains sufficient data diversity to provide a statistically meaningful representation of the operating conditions using a reduced data set. Specifically, this …

Study Of Output And Behavior Of Llms Using Confidence Framing In Prompt Engineering, Micah Parrilla

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

While prompt engineering is pivotal for shaping Large Language Model (LLM) outputs, the impact of confidence framing on behavioral calibration remains underexplored. This study investigates the ways in which psychological framing, utilizing techniques such as capability praise, role amplification, and doubt induction, affects linguistic tone, objective accuracy, and internal calibration. A 1,080-trial experimental matrix evaluated six diverse models across factual, logical, coding, and cyber security domains. Analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis H-test revealed highly significant behavioral shifts across all measured dimensions, providing conclusive evidence that the applied frames exert a substantial influence on model performance.

The findings identify a distinct cognitive …

Guardrail Height Safety Requirements Given Recent Crash History And Evolution Of Vehicle Design, Delaney Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Roadside barriers such as guardrails are fundamental to roadway safety, providing a critical last line of defense in preventing vehicles from leaving the roadway and impacting potential hazards. As vehicles are ever changing, it is necessary for guardrail design to adapt in response. Many contemporary vehicles such as sport utility vehicles and light trucks have higher centers of gravity than previous years, while electric vehicles have increased weight. Having sufficient guardrail height is essential to ensure proper engagement with vehicles to prevent loss of containment during impact.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of current Florida …

Safety-Aware Trajectory Generation For Increased Autonomy In Advanced Air Mobility, Edison Alberto Martinez Samaniego

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) envisions highly automated aircraft that will enable short and medium range transportation. Unlike conventional aviation, these vehicles are expected to operate closer to populated areas and with increased levels of autonomy, making safe operation under abnormal or degraded conditions a critical requirement. Failures or performance degradation can reduce the maneuvering capability of an aircraft, causing trajectories planned under nominal conditions to become dynamically unfeasible.

This thesis presents a trajectory generation and replanning framework designed to maintain safe and feasible flight under reduced flight envelope conditions for a lift+cruise eVTOL aircraft. A unified control architecture based on …

Quantification Of The Depth-Of-Field In A Self-Aligned Focusing Schlieren System, Alexander Ephraim

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis investigates self-aligned focusing schlieren (SAFS) as a step toward future volumetric and quantitative measurements of three-dimensional compressible flows. Conventional schlieren imaging provides valuable visualization of density gradients, but it records only a line-of-sight projection and therefore does not directly resolve the spatial distribution of structures through the depth of the flowfield. SAFS addresses part of this limitation by introducing depth sensitivity, but its depth response has not been well characterized quantitatively. To help lay the foundation for future volumetric and quantitative SAFS methods, this work addresses two related problems. First, calibrated quantitative schlieren imaging is applied to an …