Engineering Commons^™

An Indigoidine Biosynthetic Gene Cluster From Streptomyces Chromofuscus Atcc 49982 Contains An Unusual Indb Homologue, Dayu Yu, Fuchao Xu, Jonathan Valiente, Siyuan Wang, Jixun Zhan

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

A putative indigoidine biosynthetic gene cluster was located in the genome of Streptomyces chromofuscus ATCC 49982. The silent 9.4-kb gene cluster consists of five open reading frames, named orf1, Sc-indC, Sc-indA, Sc-indB, and orf2, respectively. Sc-IndC was functionally characterized as an indigoidine synthase through heterologous expression of the enzyme in both Streptomyces coelicolor CH999 and Escherichia coli BAP1. The yield of indigoidine in E. coli BAP1 reached 2.78 g/l under the optimized conditions. The predicted protein product of Sc-indB is unusual and much larger than any other reported IndB-like protein. The N-terminal portion of this enzyme resembles IdgB and the …

Toe Brace Designs, Tarun Goswami, Allison L. Van Horn, Alexander O. Sheets

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

In various embodiments, provided are braces for use in supporting the metatarophalangeal joint, reducing or maintaining the intermetatarsal angle, enhancing or maintaining alignment of the hallux, or combinations thereof in a subject having hallux valgus.

A Model For Designing M-Agriculture Applications For Dairy Farming, Amos Gichamba, Ismail A. Lukandu

The African Journal of Information Systems

In the recent past, developing countries have experienced major technological advancements including high mobile phone penetration. With the implementation of innovative technological solutions (e.g. mobile-based systems in key economic activities such as agriculture), there is need to develop models that software developers and researchers can use to design solutions. This paper aims to study the implementation of mobile systems in agriculture and presents a model for designing such applications. This study shows that models exist for general mobile applications design and development, although none specifically suits mobile agriculture applications. A model for designing and implementing M-Agriculture applications is presented. The …

An Information Architecture For Icme, William Marsden

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

Multiscale Modeling For Material Design Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrode, Y. Umeno, S. Hara, T. Tada, N. Shikazono

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

Some (Other) Uses Of Diffusion Couples In Metallurgy: Model Calibration And Mapping Transitions In Mechanisms, Christopher Hutchinson

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

An Exponential Moving Average Algorithm, David Haynes, Steven Corns, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Techniques to reduce the search space when an optimizer seeks an optimal value are studied in this paper. a new mutation technique called the "Exponential Moving Average" algorithm (EMA) is introduced. the performance of EMA algorithms is compared to two other similar Computational Intelligence (CI) algorithms (an ordinary Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) and a "Mean-Variance Optimization" (MVO)) to solve a multi-dimensional problem which has a large search space. the classic Sudoku puzzle is chosen as the problem with a large search space. © 2012 IEEE.

Infrared And Intertial Tracking In The Immersive Audio Environment For Enhanced Military Training, Pratik Shah, Ayman Faza, Raghavendra Nimmala, Steven Grant, William Chapin, Robert Montgomery

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Immersive Audio Environment (IAE) was designed to provide an effective military training facility. It's efficacy at synthesizing sounds from desired directions and also the ability to synthesize moving sounds has been previously reported. This paper discusses the addition of a tracking system to evaluate subject training performance. Numerous tracking systems have been developed for tracking in immersive environments. Some examples include using head mounted web cams, visible light cameras mounted on the support structure, or even single camera tracking as in commercially available entertainment. Our system uses a combination of an existing infrared tracking system and a specially designed …

A Comparison Of Representations For The Prediction Of Ground-Level Ozone Concentration, Benjamin Daniels, Steven Corns, Elizabeth Cudney

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work presents a comparison of methods to predict ground-level ozone to highlight differences in the ability of the algorithms and to compare their performance to an established signal to noise-based prediction method. Existing data related to weather conditions and ground-level ozone was divided into a training set and a test set. Three algorithms were trained using the training set to create predictors, which were then analyzed with the test set, and then compared to the Taguchi Method to determine performance. It was found that the newly introduced R-LCS performed well on this problem, predictors using the Taguchi method had …

From Genome To Flying Cyberalloys: The First Half Century, G. B. Olson

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

Work In Progress: Outreach Assessment: Measuring Engagement, Lizabeth Schlemer, John Oliver, Katherine Chen, Sophia Rodriguez Mata, Eric Kim

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The Learn By Doing Lab (LBDL) at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is an on-campus laboratory where 5th through 8th grade students are taught by undergraduates who may be planning a careers in teaching. The two populations - elementary students and undergraduates - are equally important in the process. Since 2008, the lab has seen over 4000 elementary and junior high students and over 100 undergrads have participated. In most outreach assessment the number of individuals participating is an important metric, but this last Spring we experimented with a more in depth measure of effectiveness. As in any learning experience …

A Hybrid Computational-Experimental Approach For Automated Crystal Structure Solution, Bryce Meredig, Scott Kirklin, Chris Wolverton

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

Predicting Microstructure-Property Relationships In Structural Materials Via Multiscale Models Validated By In-Situ Synchrotron Observation, Peter D. Lee, Lang Yuan, Chedtha Puncreobutr, S. Karagadde

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

A Neurocomputing Approach For Monitoring Plinian Volcanic Eruptions Using Infrasound, Fredric M. Ham, Ishwarya Iyengar, Bereket Mathewos Hambebo, Milton A. Garcés, John E. Deaton, Anna Bellesiles, Brian Williams

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Plinian volcanic eruptions can inject a substantial amount of volcanic ash and gas into the stratosphere, which can present a severe hazard to commercial air traffic. A hazardous volcanic ash eruption was reported on April 14, 2010, and London's aviation authority issued an alert that an ash plume was moving from an eruption in Iceland towards northwestern Europe. This eruption resulted in the closure of large areas of European airspace. Large plinian volcanic eruptions radiate infrasonic signals that can be detected by a global infrasound array network. To reduce potential hazards for commercial aviation from volcanic ash, these infrasound sensor …

Nist Databases For Materials Research, T. Vanderah, Vicky Karen, Peter Linstrom, Donald Burgess

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

The Materials Project – A Public Materials Design Platform, Kristin Persson

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

New Stage Of Matnavi, Materials Database At Nims, Toshio Ogata, Masayoshi Yamazaki

Harnessing The Materials Genome: Accelerated Materials Development via Computational and Experimental Tools

No abstract provided.

Method And Apparatus For Utilizing Amplitude-Modulated Pulse-Width Modulation Signals For Neurostimulation And Treatment Of Neurological Disorders Using Electrical Stimulation, Jeffrey Hargrove, Theodore Stokes, Mary L. Esty

Mechanical Engineering Patents

A computing device-controlled system is described for the generation of amplitude-modulated pulse-width modulation (AMPWM) signals for use in treating neurological dysfunction via cranial neurostimulation, where the AMPWM signal is specifically designed to minimize the electrical impedance of the tissues of the head. A low-frequency carrier signal is determined for the AMPWM signal by measuring EEG activity at a reference site or sites, generally corresponding with the location of suspected brain dysfunction. Carrier signal frequency is variably related to critical frequency components of the EEG power spectral density, determined from statistical analysis of amplitudes and variability, and dynamically changed as a …

Development And Implementation Of A Calibration Procedure For Complex Impedance Spectrum Measurements With Applications To Embedded Battery Health Monitoring And Management Systems, William H. Morrison

Master's Theses

Energy storage devices such as rechargeable Lithium ion batteries are assuming an increasingly prominent role in society, covering applications from electric / hybrid electric vehicles to personal portable electronics. In response to this increasing demand, technologies that monitor battery health and remaining useful life have developed. One such system is the Smart Battery Status Monitor (SBSM), developed by the Idaho National Laboratory, Montana Tech and Qualtech Systems, Inc. The SBSM utilizes impedance spectrum measurements using a subsystem called the Impedance Measurement Box (IMB). The impedance measurements are complex quantities (having both a resistive and a reactive component) and are made …

Low Latency Fault Tolerance System, Wenbing Zhao, P. M. Melliar-Smith, L. E. Moser

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The Low Latency Fault Tolerance (LLFT) system provides fault tolerance for distributed applications within a local-area network, using a leader-follower replication strategy. LLFT provides application-transparent replication, with strong replica consistency, for applications that involve multiple interacting processes or threads. Its novel system model enables LLFT to maintain a single consistent infinite computation, despite faults and asynchronous communication. The LLFT Messaging Protocol provides reliable, totally-ordered message delivery by employing a group multicast, where the message ordering is determined by the primary replica in the destination group. The Leader-Determined Membership Protocol provides reconfiguration and recovery when a replica becomes faulty and when …

Validation Of The Ballistic Limit Equation For Monolithic Aluminum Shielding At Geostationary Orbital Debris Impact Velocity, Brandon Holladay

Aerospace Engineering

The Cal Poly Electro Magnetic Rail Gun was used to eject a 0.370 gram, rectangular aluminum projectile towards a 1/16 inch monolithic aluminum plate at a speed of 280 ± 50 m/s. The resulting impact left a large attached spall on the back of the shielding. The impact damage was compared to an industry ballistic limit equation for a spherical aluminum projectile of similar diameter and was shown to have slightly less damage than the expected results.

In addition, an aluminum mesh double bumper shield was fired upon in order to verify its higher protection per aerial density as well …

Evolving Expert Agent Parameters For Capture The Flag Agent In Xpilot, Gary Parker, Sarah Penrose

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Xpilot is an open source, 2d space combat game. Xpilot-AI allows a programmer to write scripts that control an agent playing a game of Xpilot. It provides a reasonable environment for testing learning systems for autonomous agents, both video game agents and robots. In previous work, a wide range of techniques have been used to develop controllers that are focused on the combat skills for an Xpilot agent. In this research, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to evolve the parameters for an expert agent solving the more challenging problem of capture the flag.

Evolving Predator Control Programs For An Actual Hexapod Robot Predator, Gary Parker, Basar Gulcu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

In the development of autonomous robots, control program learning systems are important since they allow the robots to adapt to changes in their surroundings. Evolutionary Computation (EC) is a method that is used widely in learning systems. In previous research, we used a Cyclic Genetic Algorithm (CGA), a form of EC, to evolve a simulated predator robot to test the effectiveness of a learning system in the predator/prey problem. The learned control program performed search, chase, and capture behavior using 64 sensor states relative to the nearest obstacle and the target, a simulated prey robot. In this paper, we present …

Automation Techniques For Intelligent Environments - Prediction Of Building Activity Patterns Using A Cyclic Genetic Algorithm, Gary Parker, David T. Alpert

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This work involves learning the use schedule of an academic building in order to intelligently control various aspects of the environment. Motion sensors are used to monitor and record the activity of each of the rooms in the building. After a basic preprocessing of the data, a Cyclic Genetic Algorithm (CGA) is used to pick out the patterns of use of the rooms. The CGA is seen as ideal for such a problem because of its ability to find repetitive cyclic patterns in the data. Our results show that a CGA has the ability to pick out such patterns and …

Efficient And Cost Effective Solar Cells: New Materials For Improved Recombination And Charge Dissociation Losses In Organic Photovoltaics, Jonathan D. Servaites

Link Foundation Energy Fellowship Reports

Solar energy resources are vast: more energy hits the planet in one hour than humankind consumes in entire year. However, solar technologies have only been used to a limited degree in energy production thus far because of high costs.1 Organic solar cells2-21 offer the potential to change the landscape of how we produce and use energy. If developed into a mature technology, they present the opportunity to significantly reduce solar energy costs through earth-abundant materials, efficient installation, and roll-to-roll production. 6-8 Their properties and designs can be tuned and optimized via materials versatility, solution-based processing, and mechanical flexibility.8-10 In recent …

Designing Autonomous Robot Missions With Performance Guarantees, Damian M. Lyons, Ronald Arkin, Prem Nirmal, Shu Jiang

Faculty Publications

This paper describes the need and methods required to construct an integrated software verification and mission specification system for use in robotic missions intended for counter-weapons of mass destruction (c-WMD) operations, as part of a 3-year effort for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The overall system architecture is described. The principal tool for verification is a process algebra, PARS, based on port automata theory. PARS is introduced, emphasizing its ability to represent probabilistic programs and uncertain and dynamic environments, followed by the analysis of mission properties for an example robotic mission.

Using Slow-Release Permanganate Candles To Remove Tce From A Low Permeable Aquifer At A Former Landfill, Mark D. Christenson, Ann Kambhu, Steve D. Comfort

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Past disposal of industrial solvents into unregulated landfills is a significant source of groundwater contamination. In 2009, we began investigating a former unregulated landfill with known trichloroethene (TCE) contamination. Our objective was to pinpoint the location of the plume and treat the TCE using in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO). We accomplished this by using electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to survey the landfill and map the subsurface lithology. We then used the ERI survey maps to guide direct push groundwater sampling. A TCE plume (100-600 µg L^-1) was identified in a low permeable silty-clay aquifer (K_h = 0.5 …

Acuta Enews October 2012 Vol. 41, No. 10

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How to Be a Hero When You Roll Out UC

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Designing For Success: Developing Engineers Who Consider Universal Design Principles, Kimberly Edginton Bigelow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Engineers must design for a diverse group of potential users of their products; however, engineering curricula rarely include an emphasis on universal design principles. This research article details the effectiveness of a design project implemented in a first-year engineering course in an effort to raise awareness of the need for engineers to be more inclusive when designing. Students were asked to apply universal design principles to redesign an engineering laboratory to make it more usable to all, including individuals with disabilities who use the room. A representative from the university’s disability services staff, as well as individuals with first-hand experience …

Warehouse Redesign, Cristine Carmel Dewar

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

A young, growing biomedical company is expanding its warehouse space to keep up with the increasing production. This project’s goals were to recommend a layout and improve a process that would minimize the distance traveled by the material handlers, increase the safety of the warehouse by implementing visual controls, implement ergonomics to reduce chance of injury, and save money for the company. To achieve this first I familiarized myself with their current processes and department and the space required for their current and future production levels. Next I created two alternative layouts, the first (Layout A) to minimize distance and …