Engineering Commons^™

Cramer-Rao Bound Analysis Of Multi-Frame Blind Deconvolution, Alim Haji

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

This thesis explores how support constraints and multiple frames affect multi-frame blind deconvolution. Previous research in non-blind deconvolution, which seeks to estimate an object from a blurred and noisy image, characterized how the use of support constraints exploited spatial noise correlations to reduce noise in the estimate of the object. In multi-frame blind deconvolution, the blurring function is unknown and must be estimated along with the object. Applying a support constraint to both the object and the blurring functions, when using blind deconvolution, is one way to ensure a unique solution. The effects on the estimate of the object as …

Unlv Research Foundation High Temperature Heat Exchanger Development: 9/08, Anthony Hechanova

Publications (NSTD)

Barriers addressed:

Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative R&D Plan – Material performance and component design and testing for the intermediate heat exchanger and high-temperature thermochemical water splitting (H₂SO₄ decomposition and HI decomposition). Improved materials for High Temperature Electrolysis.

Foundations For Seismic Loads, Vijay K. Puri, Shamsher Prakash

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Design of foundations in earthquake prone areas needs special considerations. Shallow foundations may experience a reduction in bearing capacity and increase in settlement and tilt due to seismic loading. the reduction in bearing capacity depends on the nature and type of soil and ground acceleration parameters. in the case of piles, the soil-pile behavior under earthquake loading is generally non-linear. the nonlinearity must be accounted for by defining soil-pile stiffness in terms of strain dependent soil modulus. Several behavioral and design aspects of shallow foundations and pile groups subjected to earthquakes have been critically reviewed. Copyright ASCE 2007.

Optimal Control Strategies For Constrained Relative Orbits, David J. Irvin Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The US Air Force's ability to protect space assets is enhanced by a proficiency in satellite proximity operations and Space Situational Awareness (SSA). In pursuit of that proficiency, this research develops a key capability of interest to mission planners; the ability of a deputy satellite to "hover" within a defined volume fixed in the vicinity of a chief satellite for an extended period of time. This research finds optimal trajectories, produced with discrete-thrusts, that minimize fuel spent per unit time and stay within the user-defined volume, thus providing a practical hover capability in the vicinity of the chief. The work …

3.3 Space Control In The Classroom, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "3.3 Space Control in the Classroom" from September 6, 2007.

Radar System Characterization Extended To Hardware In The Loop Simulation For The Lab-Volt™ Training System, Oscar C. Mayhew

Theses and Dissertations

Modeling RADAR signals in software allows the testing of potential electronic counter measures and electronic counter counter measures without the associated RADAR hardware and test facilities. Performing a characterization process on a real world RADAR system reveals all imperfections within the system. The Lab-Volt™ RADAR system served as the characterized real world RADAR system. The characterization process consisted of measurements at selected front panel locations on the Lab-Volt™ transmitter module, antenna pedestal, receiver module, and dual channel sampler module. Due to the overwhelming influence of antenna parameters on a received signal, the characterization process also attempted to derive an antenna …

A Wireless, Passive Sensor For Quantifying Packaged Food Quality, Ee Lim Tan, Wen Ni Ng, Ranyuan Shao, Brandon D. Pereles, Keat Ghee Ong

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This paper describes the fabrication of a wireless, passive sensor based on aninductive-capacitive resonant circuit, and its application for in situ monitoring of thequality of dry, packaged food such as cereals, and fried and baked snacks. The sensor ismade of a planar inductor and capacitor printed on a paper substrate. To monitor foodquality, the sensor is embedded inside the food package by adhering it to the package’sinner wall; its response is remotely detected through a coil connected to a sensor reader. Asfood quality degrades due to increasing humidity inside the package, the paper substrateabsorbs water vapor, changing the capacitor’s capacitance …

Raman Scattering Study Of Supercritical Bi-Component Mixtures Injected Into A Subcritical Environment, Young Man An

Theses and Dissertations

This research studies the species distribution profiles of methane/ethylene bi-components at downstream locations filled with subcritical nitrogen in a closed chamber. Unique thermodynamic and transport properties of supercritical fluids along with phase transition phenomena during fuel injection process can significantly change combustion characteristics inside a scramjet combustor. Plume properties of supercritical jets are of great interests to the studies of fuel/air mixing and subsequent combustion. The primary goal of this research is to help to clarify whether there is any preferential condensation within the condensed jets. The Raman Scattering technique is used to quantify spatial distribution of injected methane and …

2007 Engr333/Biol354 Project Assignment, Matthew K. Heun

ENGR 333

The Fall 2007 semester ENGR333 project involved a collaboration with students in BIOL354, taught by my colleague Dave Warners. We asked our students “What would it take to make Calvin College carbon neutral?”

This project resulted in the first-ever carbon dioxide emissions and sequestration assessment of Calvin College, attached below.

The student presenters animated the pie charts, and an audible gasp filled the hall when the imbalance between carbon emissions and carbon sequestration became clear.

The students also studied potential routes to carbon neutrality, one of which was a green revolving fund.

This class project resulted in a co-authored publication …

Method Of Calibrating Effects Of Field Of Classification Search Multi-Aoi-System For Easy Changing Angles-Of-Incidence In Ellipsometers And The Like, Blaine D. Johs, Ping He, Martin M. Liphardt, Christopher A. Goeden, John A. Woollam, James D. Welch

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Disclosed is a system for enabling easy sequential setting of different Angles-of-Incidence of a beam of electromagnetic radiation to a surface of a sample system involving regression based methodology for evaluating and compensating the effects of the presence electromagnetic beam intercepting angle-of-incidence changing systems, including where desired, parameterization of calibration parameters.

Analysis Of A Variable Speed Double-Fed Induction Generator Wind Turbine During Network Voltage Unbalance Conditions., Joseph Kearney, Michael Conlon

Conference papers

The behaviour of Double-Fed Induction Generators to supply network voltage unbalance is investigated. The paper shows the effects that voltage unbalance can have on a DFIG, using Matlab/Simulink. The results from simulations show that voltage unbalance affects both the induction generator and the rotor converter, due to the high unbalanced currents generated. The ability to modify the control strategy of a DFIG to compensate for voltage unbalance is outlined and simulations show the improvements to the performance of the DFIG.

Airflow Network Modeling In Energyplus, Florida Solar Energy Center, Lixing Gu

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The airflow network model in EnergyPlus provides the ability to simulate multizone wind-driven airflows. The model is also able to simulate the impacts of forced air distribution systems, including supply and return air leaks. The air distribution system portion of the model is currently applicable for constant-air-volume systems. Future enhancements will include adding hybrid ventilation control and possible extension to include variable-air-volume distribution systems.

This paper describes the input objects, calculation procedures, model validation, and example results. The model inputs consist of five main objects: simulation control, multizone data, node data, component data, and linkage data. The model calculates pressure …

A Simplified Hot Water Distribution System Model, Florida Solar Energy Center, Lixing Gu

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Water heating in the U.S. has been identified as a major component of total energy consumption used in buildings, mostly coming from the residential sector at around 11%. A potential opportunity for energy savings in water heating systems is to improve the design of hot water distribution systems (HWDS). Due to the complex heat losses of HWDS, models are needed to optimize HWDS by reducing heat losses. There are three models currently used to simulate thermal performance of hot water distribution systems (HWDS): HWSim, ORNL-HWDS, and TRNSYS. The first two models are used to study hot water distribution systems only …

Acuta Enews September 2007, Vol.36, No. 9

ACUTA Newsletters

ln This lssue

From ACUTA Headquarters ................. Jeri A. Semer, CAE, ACUTA Executive Director

lnfo Links.................. Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern lowa

Tech Talk: Change May Be Constant, But at Least lt's Gradual.............. Kevin Tanzilto, Dux PR

DC Update................ Jeanne Jansenius, Sewanee, The University of the South

Board Report..................... Riny Ledgerwood, San Diego State Univ., ACUTA Sec./Treasurer

Telecommunications Enhancing School Safety............. Gerard Shallo, XTEND Communications

Check lt Out: RFls/RFPs, Job Postings, Press Releases

ACUTA Resources Make Membership a Great Value ................. Patty Benton, University of Alabama

FYI: Useful lnformation from the Campus Student Monitor

Treasure Chest Winners

Welcome New Members …

Dolce Ergo Sumo: On Foundational And Domain Models In Swinto (Smart Web Integrated Ontology), Daniel Oberle, Anupriya Ankolekar, Pascal Hitzler, Philipp Cimiano, Michael Sintek, Malte Kiesel, Babak Mougouie, Stephan Baumann, Shankar Vembu, Massimo Romanelli, Paul Buitelaar, Ralf Engel, Daniel Sonntag, Norbert Reithinger, Berenike Loos, Hans-Peter Zorn, Vanessa Micelli, Robert Porzel, Christian Schmidt, Moritz Weiten, Felix Burkhardt, Jianshen Zhou

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Increased availability of mobile computing, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), creates the potential for constant and intelligent access to up-to-date, integrated and detailed information from the Web, regardless of one's actual geographical position. Intelligent question-answering requires the representation of knowledge from various domains, such as the navigational and discourse context of the user, potential user questions, the information provided by Web services and so on, for example in the form of ontologies. Within the context of the SmartWeb project, we have developed a number of domain-specific ontologies that are relevant for mobile and intelligent user interfaces to open-domain question-answering …

Bright-Field Transmission Imaging Of Carbon Nanofibers On Bulk Substrate Using Conventional Scanning Electron Microscopy, Makoto Suzuki, Quoc Ngo, Hirohiko Kitsuki, Kristofer Gleason, Yusuke Ominami, Cary Y. Yang

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The authors present scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on a bulk substrate using conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) without specimen thinning. By utilizing the electron beam tilted >85° from the substrate normal, bright-field STEM contrast is obtained for the CNFs on substrate with conventional SEM. Analysis of the observed contrast using Monte Carlo simulation shows that the weakly scattered electrons transmitted from the CNF are selectively enhanced by the largely tilted substrate and result in the observed STEM contrast. This mechanism provides a useful STEM imaging technique to investigate the internal structure of materials on bulk …

Examination Of Energy And Group Velocities In Positive And Negative Index Chiral Materials With And Without Dispersion, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee, Partha P. Banerjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Concepts of energy and group velocities, Poynting and propagation vectors are examined for both positive and negative index materials. Known definitions for these entities are explored in terms of the interplay of chirality and dispersion.

Random Fuzzy Sets, Hung T. Nguyen, Vladik Kreinovich, Gang Xiang

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

It is well known that in decision making under uncertainty, while we are guided by a general (and abstract) theory of probability and of statistical inference, each specific type of observed data requires its own analysis. Thus, while textbook techniques treat precisely observed data in multivariate analysis, there are many open research problems when data are censored (e.g., in medical or bio-statistics), missing, or partially observed (e.g., in bioinformatics). Data can be imprecise due to various reasons, e.g., due to fuzziness of linguistic data. Imprecise observed data are usually called {\it coarse data}. In this chapter, we consider coarse data …

In Some Curved Spaces, One Can Solve Np-Hard Problems In Polynomial Time, Vladik Kreinovich, Maurice Margenstern

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, Yuri Matiyasevich actively used his knowledge of engineering and physical phenomena to come up with parallelized schemes for solving NP-hard problems in polynomial time. In this paper, we describe one such scheme in which we use parallel computation in curved spaces.

Ufuzzy Prediction Models In Measurement, Leon Reznik, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

The paper investigates a feasibility of fuzzy models application in measurement procedures. It considers the problem of measurement information fusion from different sources, when one of the sources provides predictions regarding approximate values of the measured variables or their combinations. Typically this information is given by an expert but may be mined from available data also. This information is formalized as fuzzy prediction models and is used in combination with the measurement results to improve the measurement accuracy. The properties of the modified estimates are studied in comparison with the conventional ones. The conditions when fuzzy models application can achieve …

The Theory Of Planned Behavior As A Model Of Academic Dishonesty In Engineering And Humanities Undergraduates, Trevor S. Harding, Mathew J. Mayhew, Cynthia J. Finelli, Donald D. Carpenter

Materials Engineering

This study examines the use of a modified form of the Theory of Planned Behavior in understanding the decisions of undergraduate students in engineering and humanities to engage in cheating. We surveyed 527 randomly selected students from three academic institutions. Results supported the use of the model in predicting ethical decision-making regarding cheating. In particular, the model demonstrated how certain variables (gender, discipline, high school cheating, education level, international student status, participation in Greek organizations or other clubs) and moral constructs related to intention to cheat, attitudes toward cheating, perceptions of norms with respect to cheating, and ultimately, cheating behaviors. …

Video Frame Differentiation For Streamed Multimedia Over Heavilty Loaded Ieee 802.11e Wlan Using Txop, Nicola Cranley, Mark Davis

Conference papers

In this paper we perform an experimental investigation of using video frame differentiation in conjunction with the TXOP facility to enhance the transmission of parallel multimedia streaming sessions in IEEE 802.11e. The delay constraints associated with the audio and video streams that comprise a multimedia session pose the greatest challenge since real-time multimedia is particularly sensitive to delay as the packets require a strict bounded end-to-end delay. Video streaming applications are considered to be bursty. This burstiness is due to the frame rate of vide., the intrinsic hierarchical structure of the constituent video frame types. The TXOP facility is particularly …

Wideband Printed Monopole Design Using A Genetic Algorithm, Matthias John, Max Ammann

Articles

A method for the design and optimisation of wide-band printed planar monopoles using a genetic algorithm is presented. This novel technique employs overlapping sub-patches which ensures electrical contact in such constellations where two sub-patches are touching only at the corner, hence re-ducing losses. The method was usd optimisation of wide-band printed planar monopoles using a genetic algorithm is presented. This novel technique employs overlapping sub-patches which ensures electrical contact in such constellations where two sub-patches are touching only at the corner, hence re-ducing losses. The method was used to design a wideband monopole antenna with application in higher cellular, WLAN …

Verification Of Automatically Generated Pattern-Based Ltl Specifications, Salamah Salamah, Ann Q. Gates, Vladik Kreinovich, Steve Roach

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

The use of property classifications and patterns, i.e., high-level abstractions that describe common behavior, have been shown to assist practitioners in generating formal specifications that can be used in formal verification techniques. The Specification Pattern System (SPS) provides descriptions of a collection of patterns. The extent of program execution over which a pattern must hold is described by the notion of scope. SPS provides a manual technique for obtaining formal specifications from a pattern and a scope. The Property Specification Tool (Prospec) extends SPS by introducing Composite Propositions (CPs), a classification for defining sequential and concurrent behavior to represent pattern …

A Web-Based Flood Informat Ion System, Jordan Black, Subhankar Karmakar, Slobodan P. Simonovic

Water Resources Research Report

The web has become a major source of information for many water resources management tasks. With the growing popularity of the Internet, it provides a convenient, accessible way to provide the public with flood-related information. The present study focuses on web dissemination of information on flood risk and vulnerability to different types of users; general public, decision makers, and professionals. By gearing the display and representation of risk to each user, the information can be better understood and facilitate the flood management process. A user-friendly web-based flood information system is developed to provide flood risk, different components of flood vulnerability, …

Physical, Economical, Infrastructural And Social Flood Risk -- Vulnerability Analyses In Gis, Angela Peck, Subhankar Karmakar, Slobodan P. Simonovic

Water Resources Research Report

An exhaustive knowledge of flood risk, vulnerability and exposure in different spatial locations is essential for developing an effective flood mitigation strategy for a watershed. In the present study, a flood risk-vulnerability analysis is performed. All four components of flood vulnerability: (a) physical; (b) economic; (c) infrastructure and (d) social, are evaluated individually using a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. The proposed methodology estimates the impact on infrastructure vulnerability due to inundation of critical facilities, emergency service stations, and road bridges. The components of vulnerability are combined to determine the overall vulnerability. The patterns of land use and soil type …

Wdo-It! A Tool For Building Scientific Workflows From Ontologies, Paulo Pinheiro Da Silva, Leonardo Salayandia, Ann Q. Gates

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

One of the factors that limits scientists from fully adopting e-Science technologies and infrastructure to advance their work is the technical knowledge needed to specify and execute scientific workflows. In this paper we introduce WDO-It!, a scientist-centered tool that facilitates the scientist's task of encoding discipline knowledge in the form of workflow-driven ontologies (WDOs) and presenting process knowledge in the form of model-based workflows (MBWs). The goal of WDO-It! is to facilitate the adoption of e-Science technologies and infrastructures by allowing scientist to encode their discipline knowledge and process knowledge with minimal assistance from technologists. MBWs have demonstrated potential to …

Human Image Preference And Document Degradation Models, Chris Hale, Elisa H. Barney Smith

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Because most degraded documents are created by people, the preferences individuals have in relation to degraded documents are quite important. Their preferences may determine whether or not the documents they created are appropriate for machines. The goal of this study was to find relationships between preference and several parameters of a scanner degradation model. It was found that the difference in binarization threshold and the difference in edge displacement caused by the degradation both had strong linear relationships to preference. The width of the point spread function did not show such a relationship. These relationships were counterintuitive because degraded characters …

Finite-Difference Time Domain Method For Nonorthogonal Unit-Cell Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystals, Wan Kuang, Woo J. Kim, John D. O'Brien

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method based on a regular Cartesian Yee’s lattice is developed for calculating the dispersion band diagram of a 2-D photonic crystal. Unlike methods that require auxiliary difference equations or nonorthogonal grid schemes, our method uses the standard centraldifference equations and can be easily implemented in a parallel computing environment. The application of the periodic boundary condition on an angled boundary involves a split-field formulation of Maxwell’s equations. We show that the method can be applied for photonic crystals of both orthogonal and nonorthogonal unit cells. Complete and accurate bandgap information is obtained by using this FDTD …

Development And Laboratory Trials Of The Light-Based High-Resolution Target Movement Monitor For Monitoring Convergence At Underground Mines, B. D. Apel, B. R. Gray, Randy Hays Moss, Steve Eugene Watkins, T. H. Jones

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper describes a development and laboratory evaluation of the light-based high-resolution target movement monitor which can be used to measure convergence at underground excavations with submillimeter accuracy. The monitor is based on unique measurement technology which was developed at the University of Missouri-Rolla. This system has the potential for high accuracy detection and monitoring of positional changes (as small as 0.1mm with the current laboratory implementation) presented by many types of targets located in close proximity to or at far distances from the monitor. The sensitivity of the system to camera resolution and the error analysis as a function …