Engineering Commons^™

Final Project Report: Motorized "Hover Board", Gabriele Pregadio

Biomedical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bitrate Classification Of Twice-Encoded Audio Using Objective Quality Features, Colm Sloan, Damien Kelly, Naomi Harte, Anil C. Kokaram, Andrew Hines

Conference papers

When a user uploads audio files to a music stream- ing service, these files are subsequently re-encoded to lower bitrates to target different devices, e.g. low bitrate for mobile. To save time and bandwidth uploading files, some users encode their original files using a lossy codec. The metadata for these files cannot always be trusted as users might have encoded their files more than once. Determining the lowest bitrate of the files allows the streaming service to skip the process of encoding the files to bitrates higher than that of the uploaded files, saving on processing and storage space. This …

Portable Sensory Room For The West Orange County Consortium For Special Education, Lindsey Chase, Emma Eskildsen, Alex Fox, Claire Francis, Nate Hoffman, Kaylee Keck, Sarah Sullivan

Biomedical Engineering

This report discusses the development of a Portable Sensory Room to be used at Newland Elementary School in Huntington Beach. Newland Elementary has an exceptional Special Needs program that teaches the children with the most severe cases of autism in its school district. People with autism typically also have sensory processing disorders, which can be extremely disruptive for a child’s development and can make it difficult for a child to be able to concentrate long enough to gain necessary life skills. The idea behind a Sensory Rooms is to create a place to calm the students and to expose them …

Minimization Of Metamerism In Wood Grain Printing Using Different Gcr Settings, Vinay Anil Turke

Masters Theses

In printing industry, prototyping is necessary to ensure quality reproduction of jobs. Conventional printing processes like gravure cannot be used for prototyping because of high manufacturing cost of gravure cylinders. Such challenges can be successfully tackled by use of relatively cheap and flexible printing processes, such as inkjet. Even though inkjet printing is a cost effective way for prototyping, it has its own limitations, especially in the case of woodgrain printing. Wood-grain patterns need to be printed with a release coating and adhesive. Inkjet printers are incapable of printing release coating and adhesive because release coat and adhesive require certain …

Fiber Length Attrition In Additive Manufacturing, Michael Chapiro

Materials Engineering

Chopped carbon fibers are used as reinforcements in thermoplastics, but the viscous shear forces that arise in melt-processing reduces the fiber length well below its critical length resulting in only moderate strength and stiffness gains compared to the neat resin. This research project aimed to experimentally determine the effect of the melt–flow portion of a single-screw- extrusion process on carbon fiber length attrition in isolation from the immediately preceding screw–plastication step that is responsible for most of the heat needed for melting. Carbon fibers with an initial length of 2 mm were stirred into 5,000 centipoise and 10,000 centipoise silicone …

Roborodentia Xxi Robot, Jose A. Villa

Computer Engineering

This report covers the design and implementation of a robot built to compete in Roborodentia 2016.

Music Reactive Led Lights, Peter P. Chu

Computer Engineering

This project enhances the user’s music listening experience by not only adding but also synchronizing visuals to the music. The project digitally analyzes music being played back and controls LEDs to give an audio-visual experience. This report describes the materials and knowledge used to create a proof of concept for a wireless and portable music reactive LED lighting system.

Stand, Lisa Yip

Computer Engineering

With busy lives, people sometimes forget to take breaks for multiple hours at a time. The purpose of this project is to remind the user to move around every hour if they have not already. To do so, stand will be a light weight fitness tracker that will detect the number of steps made within an hour. If the step count, dependent on goals, is not met then a vibration motor will gently remind them to take a break and walk. The data throughout the day will be shown on an iOS application where the user will be able to …

Cashtag Ios Application, Kevin J. Tsui

Computer Science and Software Engineering

An iOS Application meant to help manage cash purchases/transactions.

Legends App, Varsha Roopreddy, Anusha Praturu

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The purpose of this project is to create a location-based story archiving mobile application for the iOS platform. The application is aimed to be a social network with an emphasis on storytelling and location. It will have functionality similar to most popular social networks, such as following, liking, and commenting capabilities, among others. Stories themselves can be accompanied by photos, and can be discovered by users in a number of different ways. The application has a huge range for potential audiences, as it has no geographical or age-based bound for interest.

Crop Selection, Cost Analysis, And Irrigation System Design For The Replanting Of A Nut Orchard, Maximilian Bricker

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This report was made to help the landowner of Bricker Farms make decisions regarding the replanting of his orchard. The decisions that need to be made in this process include: which crop to plant, how to plant it, and how to improve the distribution uniformity of irrigation water on the orchard. The report does not give definitive final decisions, but presents viable options that the landowner can utilize when deciding. In addition to the options that are presented, the report offers suggestions to the landowner so that the replanting process is done properly in a timely and economically-friendly manner.

Design, Construction, And Evaluation Of An Almond End-Row Nut Sweeper, Andrew J. Mancini

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design, construction, and evaluation of an almond end-row nut sweeper. The sweeper attached to the three-point hitch of a John Deere orchard tractor using a Category 2 hitch and was used to sweep nuts back into the orchard after they had been swept into windrows. This system worked by utilizing the tractor hydraulics to power an 18 inch diameter cylinder brush.

Proper field testing of the implement could not be done during the academic year in which this project was constructed since this implement was designed to be used as part of the California almond …

Total Harmonics Distortion Reduction Using Adaptive, Weiner, And Kalman Filters, Liqaa Alhafadhi

Masters Theses

Total harmonics distortion is one of the main problems in power systems due to its effects in generating undesirable issues in power quality. These effects include heating (in transformers, capacitors, motors, and generators), disoperation of electronic equipment, incorrect readings on meters, disoperation of protective relays, and communication interference. Besides these problems, harmonics affect the power quality in both transmission and distribution systems. Different techniques have been used to mitigate the effects of harmonics. These techniques include; passive filters, active power filter, artificial intelligent, and adaptive selective harmonics reductions. Each method has some advantage and disadvantage. This thesis presented new models …

Non-Schmid Effects And Criteria For Dislocation Nucleation On Different Slip Systems At Grain Boundaries, Richard Durtschi Wyman

Theses and Dissertations

Criteria for grain boundary dislocation nucleation are developed. A bicrystal containing two grain boundaries is placed under varying triaxial stress states using molecular dynamics. The local resolved shear, normal, and co-slip stresses needed for grain boundary dislocation nucleation are found. A framework is developed to detect the slip system grain boundary dislocation nucleation occurs on. A survey of the different ways grain boundary dislocation nucleation occurs in the sample shows a single grain boundary can nucleate dislocations in a rich variety of ways. Using the nucleation system and resolved stress values, criteria for grain boundary dislocation nucleation on different slip …

Duplicate With Choose: Using Statistics For Fault Mitigation, Jon-Paul Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a novel technique called duplicate with choose (DWCh) which is a modification of the fault detection technique duplicate with compare (DWC). DWCh adds a smart decider block to DWC that monitors the duplicated circuits and decides which circuit is fault free when a fault occurs. If chosen correctly, DWCh is able to mask faults at a lower cost than conventional techniques like TMR.This dissertation derives reliability expressions for DWCh showing that under ideal conditions its reliability exceeds the most commonly used fault masking technique for spacecraft, triple modular redundancy. For non-ideal conditions, DWCh provides a lower cost …

An Investigation Of The Impact A Rov Competition Curriculum Has On Student Interest In Stem, Specifically Technology And Engineering, Daniel Gordon Bates

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the impact a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) program has on student interest in, and perception of, technology and engineering (sTEm). ROV programs embed areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) into their curriculum; however, emphasis for this study is placed on interest and perception of the "T" and "E" of STEM. Although there are many articles detailing the benefits of ROV programs, there is little empirical data documenting the impact on student interest and perception of sTEm. This study outlines the background of a few major ROV programs in the U.S.; specifically Utah Underwater Robotics (UUR), …

Optimum Pick Point Locations For Straight, Singly Symmetric Steel Plate Girders, J. Andrew Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

Optimal pick point location is discovered in order to have the full buckling capacity of a suspended, non-prismatic, singly symmetric plate girders. The results show that a significant increase in stability occurs at the pick point location of 0.25L, where L is the span length. This recommendation can be utilized in the field to save construction cost and time because of how simplistic it is to use. A finite element software, ABAQUS 6.14, is used to determine the buckling capacities at different pick point locations and of different cross sections. The dimension of the cross sections and span lengths for …

Cooperative Estimation For A Vision-Based Multiple Target Tracking System, Joshua Y. Sakamaki

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the Recursive-Random Sample Consensus (R-RANSAC) algorithm is applied to a vision-based, cooperative target tracking system. Unlike previous applications, which focused on a single camera platform tracking targets in the image frame, this work uses multiple camera platforms to track targets in the inertial or world frame. The process of tracking targets in the inertial frame is commonly referred to as geolocation.In practical applications sensor biases cause the geolocated target estimates to be biased from truth. The method for cooperative estimation developed in this thesis first estimates the relative rotational and translational biases that exist between tracks from …

Typical And Darkened Portland Cement Concrete Pavement: Temperature, Moisture, And Roughness Analyses, Tenli Waters

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to 1) investigate the effects of lower concrete albedo on the thermal behavior of concrete pavement by directly comparing temperatures and moisture contents of typical and darkened concrete pavements and 2) investigate changes in roughness of both typical and darkened concrete pavements as a result of changes in temperature and moisture gradients. The scope of the research included instrumentation, testing, and analysis of typical and darkened concrete pavements constructed in northern Utah.Procedures related to field testing included infrared thermography, thermocouple readings, sensor data collection, and roughness surveys. Elevation surveys and albedo measurements were also …

Modeling And Control Of A Tailsitter With A Ducted Fan, Matthew Elliott Argyle

Theses and Dissertations

There are two traditional aircraft categories: fixed-wing which have a long endurance and a high cruise airspeed and rotorcraft which can take-off and land vertically. The tailsitter is a type of aircraft that has the strengths of both platforms, with no additional mechanical complexity, because it takes off and lands vertically on its tail and can transition the entire aircraft horizontally into high-speed flight. In this dissertation, we develop the entire control system for a tailsitter with a ducted fan. The standard method to compute the quaternion-based attitude error does not generate ideal trajectories for a hovering tailsitter for some …

Novel Techniques For Rapid Cardiac Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Whole Heart Coverage, Haonan Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical imaging method that is used in the diagnosis of many common diseases. Compared to other medical imaging modalities, MRI has the ability to provide high-resolution 2D and 3D images in arbitrary orientations, without the use of potentially damaging ionizing radiation. Myocardial perfusion MRI is a promising non- invasive clinical way to detect cardiac disease. It can also provide quantitative analysis for blood flow within the heart. However, MRI requires longer scan times to acquire images at comparable resolutions to some other imaging modalities. Increasing image resolution, both spatially and temporally, is very …

Lean Six Sigma Journey In A Uk Higher Education Institute: Challenges, Projects, And Key Lessons Learned, Jiju Antony, Elizabeth A. Cudney

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lean Six Sigma is a powerful methodology for achieving process efficiency and effectiveness resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and improved bottom line results. Although a number of manufacturing and service organizations are utilizing the power of this integrated methodology, Higher Education Institutions have been slow to introduce and develop this process excellence methodology. The purpose of the paper is to critically evaluate Lean Six Sigma as a powerful business improvement methodology for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Higher Education Institutions. The paper will explore the fundamental challenges and critical success factors encountered with the introduction and development of Lean …

Work Zone Simulator Analysis: Driver Performance And Acceptance Of Alternate Merge Sign Configurations, Suzanna Long, Ruwen Qin, Dincer Konur, Ming-Chuan Leu, S. Moradpour, S. Wu

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Improving work zone road safety is an issue of great interest due to the high number of crashes observed in work zones. Departments of Transportation (DOTs) use a variety of methods to inform drivers of upcoming work zones. One method used by DOTs is work zone signage configuration. It is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of different configurations, by law, before implementation of new signage designs that deviate from national standards. This research presents a driving simulator based study, funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that evaluates a driver’s response to work zone sign configurations. This study has …

Evaluating The Cost Efficiency Of Modular Construction, Deborah R. Rampoldi

Construction Management

The use of modular construction techniques, also referred to as prefabricated or off-site construction, has been suggested as a practical method for reducing construction costs. However, quantifying these potential cost reductions and identifying the cost items most affected by modular delivery remain significant challenges. This study evaluates the financial effectiveness of 3D volumetric modular construction in which fully fitted modules are manufactured in a factory and assembled onsite. The study aims to identify the primary cost savings and cost increases associated with off-site construction and to support more informed contractor decision-making during project planning and preconstruction. Data was collected through …

Comparison Of Energy Analysis Platforms For Title 24compliance, Holli L. Tripp

Construction Management

The 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Low-Rise Residential Buildings allow users to demonstrate compliance via two methods: performance or prescriptive. Prescriptive documentation requires analysis to be conducted by-hand while performance compliance utilizes computer modeling software to analyze trade-offs, and demonstrate compliance through alternative building design parameters. Typically computer demonstrated compliance via the performance method is the most popular choice because it allows for complex buildings to be analyzed using their actual metrics which results in a more accurate report of proposed energy consumption (Ross, 2016). This method however requires additional software outside of the tools that architects and designers …

Integrating Bim To The Construction Industry: The Hardships, Benefits, And An Unyielding Educational Gap Between Technology And Field Application, Torrie Peth

Construction Management

In recent years, Building Information Modeling has taken the construction industry by storm and revolutionized the construction process entirely. It allows for trades to coordinate more efficiently and effectively, while providing a hands-on, 3D overview of a structure being built. Certain characteristics are more easily adoptable by existing companies than others, but there are vast "fallacies of hype" in the concept. This study will examine the effects as BIM, positive and negative, and its current usage in industry. In addition it will identify the gap developing between students exiting the university setting that has a strong emphasis on technological integration, …

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Roofing At Ac2 Auditorium: A Case Study, Jacob R. Hague

Construction Management

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) has been used in several capacities in the manufacturing of products such as high performance cars and airplanes, as well as many other smaller products. In construction, it has primarily been used as a way to strengthen or repair existing structures, and in some more recent applications, in tension cables. This paper will examine a new way to use CFRP- as a roofing material, and will specifically focus on the design and installation of a CFRP roof installed at Apple’s new AC2 Auditorium, forming the roof for the main entrance lobby. Installed in February of …

Pervious Pavement Systems For High Traffic Roadways, Kevin M. Smith

Construction Management

This report highlights the benefits and detriments of pervious pavement systems through research of existing knowledge and multifaceted experiments to determine the feasibility of implementing a pervious pavement system on high traffic roadways. With over 40,000 miles of highway in the United States alone and severe water crises in states like California and growing environmental and safety concerns, the need for pervious pavements is abundantly clear. The research conducted utilizes existing knowledge on pervious pavements and applies it to the application of high traffic roadways. The experiment tests four different pervious concrete mix designs to determine compressive strength and water …

A Comprehensive Analytical Study On Dielectric Modulated Drift Regions-Part Ii: Switching Performances, Chih Fang Huang, Jiuyang Zhou, Chia Hui Cheng, Feng Zhao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A comprehensive study on the dielectric modulated (DM) drift region for power devices is presented in this paper. The performance of this drift region structure is theoretically analyzed and compared with other two structures: conventional and super junction. In this paper, a study is focused on switching performance. The C-V relationships during switching are analytically derived, and the depletion widths predicted by the proposed analytical model agree well with simulation in a wide reverse bias region. The switching energy loss is evaluated based on the analytical model and its accuracy is verified by 2-D simulations. An effective depletion charge Q …

Work In Progress: Rigorously Assessing The Anecdotal Evidence Of Increased Student Persistence In An Active, Blended, And Collaborative Mechanical Engineering Environment, Jennifer Deboer, Nick Stites, Edward J. Berger, Jeffrey F. Rhoads, Charles Morton Krousgrill, David B. Nelson, Craig Zywicki, David A. Evenhouse

Freeform Publications

This work in progress describes an ongoing study of an active, blended, and collaborative (ABC) course environment used in a core mechanical engineering course. This course has built on the growing body of literature citing active learning (Freeman et al., 2014), blended structures (Bowen & Ithaka, 2012), and collaborative engagement (Jeong & Chi, 2007) as positive influences on college and university science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) outcomes. For the last six years, “Dynamics”, a core mechanical engineering course at a large public university, has utilized in-class activities, frequently-watched problem-solving videos, and a collaborative blog space to realize an ABC …