Engineering Commons^™

Soft-Microrobotics: The Manipulation Of Alginate Artificial Cells, Samuel Sheckman

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

In this work, the approach to the manipulation of alginate artificial cell soft-microrobots, both individually and in swarms is shown. Fabrication of these artificial cells were completed through centrifugation, producing large volumes of artificial cells, encapsulated with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles; these artificial cells can be then externally stimulated by an applied magnetic field. The construction of a Permeant Magnet Stage (PMS) was produced to manipulate the artificial cells individually and in swarms. The stage functionalizes the permanent magnet in the 2D xy-plane. Once the PMS was completed, Parallel self-assembly (Object Particle Computation) using swarms of artificial cells in complex …

A Microresonator-Based Laser Doppler Velocity Sensor For Interplanetary Atmospheric Re-Entry, Benjamin Wise

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a laser velocity sensor concept based on optical microresonators is presented and the application to spacecraft atmospheric entry is explored. The concept is based on the measurement of Doppler shift of back-scattered laser light. Specifically, the Doppler shift is detected by observing the whispering gallery optical modes (WGM) of a dielectric microresonator excited by the back scattered light from particulates and gas molecules. The microresonator replaces the typical Fabry-Perot interferometer and CCD camera system, thereby significantly reducing the size and weight of the overall detection system. This thesis presents proof-of-concept results for this measurement approach. The Doppler …

Blunt And Ballistic Impacts On Human Head Models: An Analytical And Numerical Study, Yongqiang Li

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Head injuries, as a leading cause of death, have become a major health care issue for civilians and soldiers. There has been an urgent need to understand mechanisms of such injuries. The objective of this dissertation research is to study some head injuries and related mechanisms using analytical and computational models.

In Chapter 2, a new analytical (non-linear) model for the impact of a solid sphere on a fluid-filled spherical shell is developed by including the stress wave propagation effect in addition to the Hertzian contact deformations and the shell membrane and bending actions. A simplified (linearized) model incorporating the …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

Improving System-On-Chip Test Networks For: Bandwidth, Security, And Power, Saurabh Gupta

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Modern System-on-Chips (SoCs) provide benefits such as reduction in overall system cost, and size, increased performance, and lower power consumption. Increasing complexity of these Integrated Circuits (ICs) has resulted in a higher probability of manufacturing defects. Manufacturing defects can result in the faulty operation of a system. Thus, it is essential to test an IC after it is manufactured to detect any possible faults in it. These SoCs include on-chip embedded instruments that can be used for test, debug, diagnosis, validation, monitoring, characterization, configuration, or functional purposes. IEEE 1687 Std. (IJTAG) provides a standard interface for the reconfigurable access and …

Subspace Averaging Of Auditory Evoked Potentials, Xiaoliang Wang

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

The auditory evoked potential (AEP) is an electric potential generated in the brain in response to auditory stimuli. It has clinical importance in the detection of newborn infant hearing loss. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the AEP is low, so signal averaging is typically employed to estimate it. Often, thousands of trials must be averaged before a sufficiently high SNR estimate is obtained.

In this research, we have developed a new AEP averaging method called subspace averaging. The subspace averaging method projects onto the signal subspace: the span of the principal eigenvectors of the signal correlation matrix. The …

Linear Phase Multi-Frequency Notch Filter Via Quadratic Programming, Yueran Ma

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Discrete-time notch filters can be divided into infinite impulse response (IIR) and finite impulse response (FIR) notch filters. Infinite impulse response notch filters are easy to design and implement but suffer from nonlinear phase characteristics and unacceptable startup transients. Finite impulse response filters on the other hand can be designed to have linear phase but require more coefficients to achieve narrow notch widths. Multiple frequency FIR notch filters that can effectively reject several selected spectral regions while providing high transmission at frequencies outside the rejected regions have applications in communication systems, radar systems and biomedical signal processing.

A new multi-frequency …

High-Speed Single-Channel Sar Adc Using Coarse And Fine Comparators With Background Comparator Offset Calibration, Guanhua Wang

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

A 1-GS/s 8-bit single-channel successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using coarse and fine comparators with fully background comparator offset calibration is presented. Low-power coarse comparators and low-noise fine comparators are both employed to improve the comparator power efficiency. Non-binary digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with redundancy is employed to tolerate possible errors in the most-significant-bit (MSB) decisions. A novel comparator offset calibration scheme is proposed to remove the offsets between the different comparators, without slowing down the speed of the SAR conversion. The prototype ADC is simulated in a 28 nm CMOS technology and achieves an SNDR of 42.13 dB near Nyquist …

Computational Theories For Human Stereo Vision, Han Gao

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Binocular stereopsis refers to the ability to perceive depth, which has always been a central problem in perception since the time of da Vinci. The foremost theoretical difficulty that arises when attempting to understand how the visual system computes disparity is known as the correspondence or matching problem. Decades of research upon macaque primary visual cortex has shown that in each layer of the primary visual cortex (V1) long-range horizontal connections among striate cortex cells exist which integrate information from different parts of the visual field. Inspired by long-range horizontal connections in V1 and the Jeffress model, a time-delay neural …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Harmful Radiation On Type-Ii Strained Layer Superlattice Focal Plane Arrays Operated In The Long Wave Infrared, Patrick Fumo

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

In-situ exposure of InAs/InAsSb strained layer superlattice focal plane arrays to gamma-rays revealed the possibility of a detector capable of imaging through a total ionizing dose event. Two long wave infrared focal plane arrays were exposed to a Co⁶⁰ source at dose rates of 60 Rads/s and 70 Rads/s in incremental steps up to a total accumulated dose of 30 kRads. The first device showed no degradation in dark current density with accumulated dose while the second device tested showed a small increase up to 1 kRad and minimal increases with subsequent dose steps. The primary imaging defect in …

Cell-Aware Fault Analysis And Test Set Optimization In Digital Integrated Circuits, Fanchen Zhang, Jennifer Dworak

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Structural tests have many advantages over functional patterns. The fault coverage of structural patterns is generally higher and easier to quantify, well-known algorithms are available to generate them, and they are often a much easier choice for debugging and diagnosis. However, depending on the fault models used, traditional structural patterns can still miss many defects, such as the defects that may occur inside the standard cells, and when chips are placed on a board, they may fail in functional mode even if they pass all structural tests. This can happen even if those same structural tests are applied in-system on …

Modeling Kidney Transplantation Decisions: Regulatory Oversight, Information Sharing, And Post-Transplant Drug Choice, Zahra Gharibi

Operations Research and Engineering Management Theses and Dissertations

The United States and many other nations are encountering a disturbing obstacle: A shortage of available organs for patients who are in need of kidney transplantation. This dissertation strives to analyze this trend and present potential solution by focusing on three different aspects, namely regulatory oversight, information sharing, and post-transplant immunosuppressant drug choice. In my first essay, I propose a stochastic model that identifies a socially-optimal kidney transplant choice given the inherent trade-off between the expected wait time (driven by supply and demand) and the quality of received donor kidney.

I modify the model to account for changes made by …

Discovering The Needs Of People At The 10/40 Window With Data Science, Germán H. Alférez, Ceila M. González

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

Abstract: We propose an approach to discover the needs of people in particular areas of Iraq, a country located at the 10/40 Window, by means of Data Science applied to Open Big Data. The resulting model predicts refugee crises and artillery attacks with high accuracy even in areas with scarce data.

Analysis Of Data Erasure Capability On Sshd Drives For Data Recovery, Andrew Blyth

Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Data Protection and Computer Forensics/Anti-Forensics has now become a critical area of concern for organizations. A key element to this is how data is sanitized at end of life. In this paper we explore Hybrid Solid State Hybrid Drives (SSHD) and the impact that various Computer Forensics and Data Recovery techniques have when performing data erasure upon a SSHD.

Knowledge Expiration In Security Awareness Training, Tianjian Zhang

Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

No abstract provided.

Positive Identification Of Lsb Image Steganography Using Cover Image Comparisons, Michael Pelosi, Nimesh Poudel, Pratap Lamichhane, Devon Lam, Gary Kessler, Joshua Macmonagle

Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

In this paper we introduce a new software concept specifically designed to allow the digital forensics professional to clearly identify and attribute instances of LSB image steganography by using the original cover image in side-by-side comparison with a suspected steganographic payload image. The “CounterSteg” software allows detailed analysis and comparison of both the original cover image and any modified image, using sophisticated bit- and color-channel visual depiction graphics. In certain cases, the steganographic software used for message transmission can be identified by the forensic analysis of LSB and other changes in the payload image. The paper demonstrates usage and typical …

Exploring The Use Of Graph Databases To Catalog Artifacts For Client Forensics, Rose Shumba

Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Cloud computing has revolutionized the methods by which digital data is stored, processed, and transmitted. It is providing users with data storage and processing services, enabling access to resources through multiple devices. Although organizations continue to embrace the advantages of flexibility and scalability offered by cloud computing, insider threats are becoming a serious concern as cited by security researchers. Insiders can use authorized access to steal sensitive information, calling for the need for an investigation. This concept paper describes research in progress towards developing a Neo4j graph database tool to enhance client forensics. The tool, with a Python interface, allows …

Optimizing The Removal Of Stormwater Pollutants In Small-Scale, Constructed Treatment Wetlands, Isabella Evans

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Research Publications

Natural wetlands use plants to absorb and break down harmful pathogens and water pollutants. This process improves water quality in a natural and efficient way. By mimicking natural wetlands with constructed wetlands, we are able to perform the same functions. We used the two small-scale treatment wetlands in the Cook Laboratory for Bioscience Research to perform experiments to optimize the removal of stormwater pollutants. These two treatment wetlands consist of three connected basins each with the goal of removing harmful pollutants in each basin. These stormwater pollutants include total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand (organic carbon), and nitrate. Past studies …

Numerical Simulations And Studies On Round Jet Impingement, Twin Jet Impingement And Helicopter Rotor Blades Ground Effect, Han Gao

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, the whole materials can be divided in to three parts. The first part focused on single round jet impingement. The convention air jet impingement on ground surface was compared to air jet impingement on water surface in the range of Mach number from 0 to 0.3. Currently the studies on round jet impingement on water surface are very few. The goal of this research is to study the difference of aerodynamics and flow physics between air jet impinging on water surface and ground surface at different low Mach number and Non-dimensional height. The incompressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations …

Inferring Intent From Interaction With Visualization, Ran Wan

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Today's state-of-the-art analysis tools combine the human visual system and domain knowledge, with the machine's computational power. The human performs the reasoning, deduction, hypothesis generation, and judgment. The entire burden of learning from the data usually rests squarely on the human user's shoulders. This model, while successful in simple scenarios, is neither scalable nor generalizable. In this thesis, we propose a system that integrates advancements from artificial intelligence within a visualization system to detect the user's goals. At a high level, we use hidden unobservable states to represent goals/intentions of users. We automatically infer these goals from passive observations of …

Remote Monitoring Of Cherry Wetness Using A Leaf Wetness Sensor And A Wireless Sensor Network, Shyla Clark

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

To get the best prices, sweet cherry growers must supply blemish-free fruit. Unfortunately, mature cherries have a fragile composition, rendering them susceptible to damage from heat, wind, birds, and rain. Rain is particularly devastating, because cherries split when they absorb too much water. Since rainstorms are common in the otherwise arid regions where most cherries are grown, growers must have a system for quickly deploying rain removal methods. The current industry solution relies on human observation and implementation, which is error-prone and costly. This project proposes an automated cherry wetness system using a Decagon Devices leaf wetness sensor (LWS) and …

Multi-Label Latent Spaces With Semi-Supervised Deep Generative Models, Rastin Rastgoufard

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Expert labeling, tagging, and assessment are far more costly than the processes of collecting raw data. Generative modeling is a very powerful tool to tackle this real-world problem. It is shown here how these models can be used to allow for semi-supervised learning that performs very well in label-deficient conditions.

The foundation for the work in this dissertation is built upon visualizing generative models' latent spaces to gain deeper understanding of data, analyze faults, and propose solutions. A number of novel ideas and approaches are presented to improve single-label classification. This dissertation's main focus is on extending semi-supervised Deep Generative …

Risk Assessment Of Dropped Cylindrical Objects In Offshore Operations, Adelina Steven

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Dropped object are defined as any object that fall under its own weight from a previously static position or fell due to an applied force from equipment or a moving object. It is among the top ten causes of injuries and fatality in oil and gas industry. To solve this problem, several in-house tools and guidelines is developed over time to assess the risk of dropped objects on the sub-sea structures. This thesis focuses on compiling and comparing those methods in hope to improve the recommended practices available in the market. A simple modification is done on the in-house tools …

Long Term Bathymetry Changes In The Lower Mississippi River Due To Variability In Hydrograph And Variable Diversion Schemes, Nina J. Reins

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research is part of an ongoing effort to improve predictions for bathymetric and morphological changes in the Lower Mississippi River. The utilized model is a subset of a previously calibrated Delft3D model. This shorter model has reduced computational time, and can be deployed for analysis focused on the area between Belle Chasse and HOP, which is the domain of the model. Simulation runs conducted under this study vary from 12 years to 48 years, utilizing a developed 12-year variable hydrograph.

The comparison of variable annual hydrograph and repeated representative annual (uniform) hydrograph input data on bathymetric changes indicated that …

Applications Of Artificial Intelligence In Power Systems, Samin Rastgoufard

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence tools, which are fast, robust and adaptive can overcome the drawbacks of traditional solutions for several power systems problems. In this work, applications of AI techniques have been studied for solving two important problems in power systems.

The first problem is static security evaluation (SSE). The objective of SSE is to identify the contingencies in planning and operations of power systems. Numerical conventional solutions are time-consuming, computationally expensive, and are not suitable for online applications. SSE may be considered as a binary-classification, multi-classification or regression problem. In this work, multi-support vector machine is combined with several evolutionary computation …

User's Manual For Tardigrade Risk Assessment, Alexis M. Shook

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This user-guide provides instructions for operating Tardigrade 1.1.3, a cybersecurity software for Nollysoft, LLC. This guide instructs users step-by-step on how to set security controls, risk assessments, and administrative maintenance. Tardigrade 1.1.3 is a Risk Assessment Enterprise that evaluates the risk level of corporations and offers solutions to any security gaps within an organization. Tardigrade 1.1.3 is a role-based software that operates through three modules, Cybersecurity Assessment, Internal Control, and Security Requirement Traceability Matrix.

A Numerical Study In Prediction Of Pressure On High-Speed Planing Craft During Slamming Events, Shivank Srivastava

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an attempt to create a computer based tool that can be used academically and later industrially by naval architects in analysis and development of efficient planing hull forms. The work contained here is based on the theory created by Vorus (1996) which falls between empirical asymptotic solutions and intractable non-linear boundary value problem in the time-domain. The computer code developed predicts pressures on the bottom of high-speed planing craft during slamming events. The code is validated with available numerical data as a benchmark case. An aluminum wedge is dropped from various heights resulting in unsteady pressure distributions …

Active Vibration Control Of Helicopter Rotor Blade By Using A Linear Quadratic Regulator, Md Mosleh Uddin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Active vibration control is a widely implemented method for the helicopter vibration control. Due to the significant progress in microelectronics, this technique outperforms the traditional passive control technique due to weight penalty and lack of adaptability for the changing flight conditions. In this thesis, an optimal controller is designed to attenuate the rotor blade vibration. The mathematical model of the triply coupled vibration of the rotating cantilever beam is used to develop the state-space model of an isolated rotor blade. The required natural frequencies are determined by the modified Galerkin method and only the principal aerodynamic forces acting on the …

Ii-Vi Semiconductor Nanowire Array Sensors Based On Piezotronic, Piezo-Phototronic And Piezo-Photo-Magnetotronic Effects, Shuke Yan

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid progress of nanotechnologies, there are two developing trends for the next generation of sensors: miniaturization and multi-functionality. Device miniaturization requires less power consumption, or even self-powered system. Multi-functional devices are usually based on multi-property coupling effects. Piezoelectric semiconductors have been considered to be potential candidates for self-powered/multi-functional devices due to their piezotronic coupling effect. In this dissertation, ZnO and CdSe nanowire arrays have been synthesized as the piezoelectric semiconductor materials to develop the following self-powered/multi-functional sensors: (1) self-powered gas sensors of ZnO/SnO₂, ZnO/In₂O₃, ZnO/WO₃ and CdSe nanowire arrays have been …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis Of Arteriovenous Graft Configurations, Dillon Williams

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Hemodialysis is a process of external blood filtration that becomes necessary in the event of end stage renal disease. The most common method of the treatment is the creation of an arteriovenous fistula, which is a surgically created connection between a vein and an artery. For patients who are unable to have an arteriovenous fistula, an arteriovenous graft is required. This graft serves to provide an access site for the removal on unfiltered blood and the return of filtered blood. The design and placement of this graft has not yet been optimized based upon mechanical principles. The aim of this …