Engineering Commons^™

Special Issue: Selected Papers From Idetc 2017, Andreas Mueller, Andrew Murray, Venkat N. Krovi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The Mechanisms and Robotics Conference has traditionally provided a vigorous and stimulating international forum for the exchange of technical and scientific information on the theory and practice of mechanical systems. The topical coverage has span areas central to mechanical systems including design (novel mechanisms and robots, synthesis), analysis (kinematics, dynamics, computational approaches, and software systems), applications (from micro-air vehicles, modular robotics, origami applications, medical robotics, to exoskeleton-assistive systems), and educational practices.

Determination Of Chemical Notch, KChem On Aluminum And Steel When Subjected Under Slow Strain Rate Test In Corrosive Environment, Joshua Teo Lee Kuok

Masters Theses

When designing for any mechanical components or system, the question would arise as to how the material would react to the loads subjected on it? Would the component survive its service load? How would it react to environmental corrosion? To answer these questions, the technique used in this thesis paper is the Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT) method. Aluminum and steel were chosen as the material to be tested in this paper. Al 7075-T651, and Al 6061-T651 was chosen due to its wide range of application, high strength to weight ratio and ease of machinability. It is highly used in …

Nonlinear Model Predictive Control For A Managed Pressure Drilling With High-Fidelity Drilling Simulators, Junho Park

Theses and Dissertations

The world's energy demand has been rapidly increasing and is projected to continue growing for at least the next two decades. With increasing global energy demand and competition from renewable energy, the oil and gas industry is striving for more efficient petroleum production. Many technical breakthroughs have enabled the drilling industry to expand the exploration to more difficult drilling such as deepwater drilling and multilateral directional drilling. For example, managed pressure drilling (MPD) offers ceaseless operation with multiple manipulated variables (MV) and wired drill pipe (WDP) provides two-way, high-speed measurements from bottom hole and along-string sensors. These technologies have maximum …

Modelling And Visualizing Selected Molecular Communication Processes In Biological Organisms: A Multi-Layer Perspective, Aditya Immaneni

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The future pervasive communication and computing devices are envisioned to be tightly integrated with biological systems, i.e., the Internet of Bio-Nano Things. In particular, the study and exploitation of existing processes for the biochemical information exchange and elaboration in biological systems are currently at the forefront of this research direction. Molecular Communication (MC), which studies biochemical information systems with theory and tools from computer communication engineering, has been recently proposed to model and characterize the aforementioned processes. Combined with the rapidly growing field of bio-informatics, which creates a rich profusion of biological data and tools to mine the underlying information, …

Ring And Peg Simulation For Minimally Invasive Surgical Robot, Evan Brown

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Surgical procedures utilizing minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques have shown less complications, better cosmetic results, and less time in the hospital than conventional surgery. These advantages are partially offset by inherent difficulties of the procedures which include an inverted control scheme, instrument clashing, and loss of triangulation. Surgical robots have been designed to overcome the limitations, the Da Vinci being the most widely used. A dexterous in vivo, two-armed robot, designed to enter an insufflated abdomen with a limited insertion profile and expand to perform a variety of operations, has been created as a less expensive, versatile alternative to the Da …

The E-Agriculture Research Landscape In South Africa: A Systematic Literature Review, Alain Nzuzi Kintoki

The African Journal of Information Systems

Despite the growing interest in e-agriculture research in South Africa, academic studies have not sufficiently and deeply investigated the current e-agriculture research trends in the South African context. It is unclear how primary e-agriculture research in South Africa will aid both current and future generations to create new and better ways to transform agricultural development using this modern technology. This study sought to determine the current status of e-agriculture research in the South African context. A systematic literature review was used to gather and analyze data. The results indicate that 17 papers (26.5%) were published during the first two years …

Wright State University's Symposium Of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities From Friday April 13, 2018, Wright State University

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students' oral and poster presentations at Wright State University's Symposium of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities on April 13, 2018.

Development Of A Self-Orienting Cubesat Solar Array, Eric Mcgill

Honors Theses

The sponsor of this conceptual design project was the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. AFIT was striving to give CubeSats more capability to conduct research, reconnaissance, and other functions. One of the major barriers for AFIT to overcome to give CubeSats more capability was the ability of the CubeSat to generate usable power while in orbit. All of AFIT’s CubeSats generated the power needed while in orbit with solar panels that are rigidly mounted to the outside of the craft. AFIT believes that a new design for the solar array used …

Study Of Mm-Wave Microstrip Patch Array On Curved Substrate, Zeeshan Ahmed, Kansheng Yang, Patrick Mcevoy, Max Ammann

Conference papers

A millimetre wave rectangular microstrip patch antenna array for fifth generation communications (5G) applications is presented. With the increase in demand for high data rates and capacity, there is a need to include mm-Wave frequencies for 5G. The 4×2 patch array is simulated and fabricated on a Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate with a thickness of 0.25 mm. The effects of bending the substrate on the antenna performance are also presented. The experimental results show a fractional bandwidth and gain of more than 3% and 16.1 dBi, respectively.

Absorption Of Carbon Dioxide Via Single And Blends Of Aqueous Amine Solutions And Nanofluids In Gasliquid Hollow Fiber Membrane Contactor, Zia Ur Rehman Said Rehman

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Theses

In this work, CO₂ gas was absorbed from a gas mixture (20 vol.% CO₂ + 80 vol.% N₂) in a custom made Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane contactors by using a variety of single and blends of aqueous amine solutions and nanofluids. An ultrasonic dispersion method was used to prepare nanofluids where SiO₂ nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were dispersed in deionized (DI) water without adding any surfactant. The prepared solvents were fed into the tube side of the membrane module, whereas the gas mixture was passed through the shell side. CO₂ absorption experiments were carried out using four …

Equivalent Capacitance Approach To Calculate Effective Roughness Dielectric Parameters For Copper Foils On Printed Circuit Boards, Marina Y. Koledintseva, Tracey Vincent

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Effective roughness dielectric (ERD) is a homogeneous lossy dielectric layer of certain thickness with effective (averaged) dielectric parameters. The ERD layer is used to model copper foil roughness in printed circuit board interconnects by being placed on a smooth conductor surface to substitute an inhomogeneous transition layer between a conductor and laminate substrate dielectric. This work derives the ERD parameters based on the understanding that there is a gradual variation of concentration of metallic inclusions in the transition layer between the dielectric and foil. The gradual variation can be structured as thin layers that are obtained using the equivalent capacitance …

Tracing Actin Filament Bundles In Three-Dimensional Electron Tomography Density Maps Of Hair Cell Stereocilia, Salim Sazzed, Junha Song, Julio Kovacs, Willi Wriggers, Manfred Auer, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is a powerful method of visualizing the three-dimensional organization of supramolecular complexes, such as the cytoskeleton, in their native cell and tissue contexts. Due to its minimal electron dose and reconstruction artifacts arising from the missing wedge during data collection, cryo-ET typically results in noisy density maps that display anisotropic XY versus Z resolution. Molecular crowding further exacerbates the challenge of automatically detecting supramolecular complexes, such as the actin bundle in hair cell stereocilia. Stereocilia are pivotal to the mechanoelectrical transduction process in inner ear sensory epithelial hair cells. Given the complexity and dense arrangement of actin …

An Embeddable Strain Sensor With 30 Nano-Strain Resolution Based On Optical Interferometry, Chen Zhu, Yizheng Chen, Yiyang Zhuang, Fujian Tang, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A cost-effective, robust and embeddable optical interferometric strain sensor with nanoscale strain resolution is presented in this paper. The sensor consists of an optical fiber, a quartz rod with one end coated with a thin gold layer, and two metal shells employed to transfer the strain and orient and protect the optical fiber and the quartz rod. The optical fiber endface, combining with the gold-coated surface, forms an extrinsic Fabry—Perot interferometer. The sensor was firstly calibrated, and the result showed that our prototype sensor could provide a measurement resolution of 30 nano-strain (nε) and a sensitivity of 10.01 µε/ µm …

Displacement And Strain Measurement Up To 1000 °C Using A Hollow Coaxial Cable Fabry-Perot Resonator, Chen Zhu, Yizheng Chen, Yiyang Zhuang, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present a hollow coaxial cable Fabry-Perot resonator for displacement and strain measurement up to 1000 °C. By employing a novel homemade hollow coaxial cable made of stainless steel as a sensing platform, the high-temperature tolerance of the sensor is dramatically improved. A Fabry-Perot resonator is implemented on this hollow coaxial cable by introducing two highly-reflective reflectors along the cable. Based on a nested structure design, the external displacement and strain can be directly correlated to the cavity length of the resonator. By tracking the shift of the amplitude reflection spectrum of the microwave resonator, the applied displacement and strain …

Direct Error Driven Learning For Deep Neural Networks With Applications To Bigdata, R. Krishnan, Jagannathan Sarangapani, V. A. Samaranayake

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, generalization error for traditional learning regimes-based classification is demonstrated to increase in the presence of bigdata challenges such as noise and heterogeneity. To reduce this error while mitigating vanishing gradients, a deep neural network (NN)-based framework with a direct error-driven learning scheme is proposed. To reduce the impact of heterogeneity, an overall cost comprised of the learning error and approximate generalization error is defined where two NNs are utilized to estimate the costs respectively. To mitigate the issue of vanishing gradients, a direct error-driven learning regime is proposed where the error is directly utilized for learning. It …

Computer-Aided Design, Gary Benenson

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

From Architectural Design To Structural Analysis: A Data-Driven Approach To Study Building Information Modeling (Bim) Interoperability, Mohammed Aldegeily

Masters Theses

BIM has been playing an essential role in building construction projects in recent years. It was used to automate many tasks such as clash detection, 4D planning, and quantity takeoff, among others. However, the interoperability of BIM still lacks in many fields across the architecture, engineering, and construction domains. This research studies the interoperability between architectural design and structural analysis. The goal is to explore structural analysis of BIM models through data transfer processes between different software platforms via three types of paths: (1) Application Programming Interface (API); (2) “immediately connect,” which is the direct link between software programs from …

High-Intensity Variable Stepping Training In Patients With Motor Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Series, Carey L. Holleran, Patrick W. Hennessey, Abigail L. Leddy, Gordhan B. Mahtani, Gabrielle Brazg, Brian D. Schmit, T. George Hornby

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background and Purpose: Previous data suggest that large amounts of high-intensity stepping training in variable contexts (tasks and environments) may improve locomotor function, aerobic capacity, and treadmill gait kinematics in individuals poststroke. Whether similar training strategies are tolerated and efficacious for patients with other acute-onset neurological diagnoses, such as motor incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), is unknown. Individuals with iSCI potentially have greater bilateral impairments. This case series evaluated the feasibility and preliminary short- and long-term efficacy of highintensity variable stepping practice in ambulatory participants for more than 1 year post-iSCI.

Case Series Description: Four participants with iSCI (neurological levels …

Neural Mechanisms Of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation In The Treatment Of Tinnitus, Andrea S. Lowe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Millions of people suffer from tinnitus, a disorder for which there is currently no effective treatment or cure. My dissertation work provides insight into the neural correlates of this pervasive hearing disorder and examines how a newly emerging therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), affects the central auditory system in the generation of the tinnitus percept. This work has a multifold focus of: i) developing and modeling the function of a miniature magnetic coil that can be used for TMS in rodents, ii) establishing a reliable mouse model of tinnitus that can be used for assessing TMS treatment-induced changes, iii) measuring …

Economic Analysis Of Reactive Distillation In The Production Of Tert-Amyl Methyl Ether (Tame), Clayton Brandenburg

Senior Theses

Aspen HYSYS was used to make two flowsheets, one with plug flow reactors and distillation columns and another with a reactive distillation column, to see which flowsheet was better at producing tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and which one was more economically feasible. The goal was to produce 15,000 metric tons of TAME per year by reacting a naptha stream with methanol. It was found that both flowsheets were capable of producing the desired amounts of TAME and with product purities around 100%. The conversions of the reactive distillation was 93.93%, significantly higher than the 72.48% and 76.98% in the base …

2018 (Spring) Ensi Informer Magazine, Morehead State University. Engineering Sciences Department

ENSI Informer Magazine Archive

The ENSI Informer Magazine published in the spring of 2018.

Tracing Sources Of Design Uncertainty And Controversy In Web 2.0 Facilitated Collaborative Design Process, Lockias Chitanana Dr, Desmond Wesley Govender Dr

The African Journal of Information Systems

The integration of Internet-based collaborative tools such as Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the design process has rendered collaborative design a chaotic practice filled with controversy and uncertainty, with the inevitable risk of unintended consequences. The purpose of this study was to trace the sources of design controversy in a Web 2.0 facilitated collaborative design process. The study employed an Actor Network Theory (ANT) methodological framework to explore design controversy in five design teams comprising of 4 to 6 undergraduate engineering students. Data was constituted by following the traces left by the actors, both human and nonhumans, their actions and …

A Multi-Step Nonlinear Dimension-Reduction Approach With Applications To Bigdata, R. Krishnan, V. A. Samaranayake, Jagannathan Sarangapani

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a multi-step dimension-reduction approach is proposed for addressing nonlinear relationships within attributes. In this work, the attributes in the data are first organized into groups. In each group, the dimensions are reduced via a parametric mapping that takes into account nonlinear relationships. Mapping parameters are estimated using a low rank singular value decomposition (SVD) of distance covariance. Subsequently, the attributes are reorganized into groups based on the magnitude of their respective singular values. The group-wise organization and the subsequent reduction process is performed for multiple steps until a singular value-based user-defined criterion is satisfied. Simulation analysis is …

A Hollow Coaxial Cable Fabry-Perot Resonator For Liquid Dielectric Constant Measurement, Chen Zhu, Yiyang Zhuang, Yizheng Chen, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report, for the first time, a low-cost and robust homemade hollow coaxial cable Fabry-Pérot resonator (HCC-FPR) for measuring liquid dielectric constant. In the HCC design, the traditional dielectric insulating layer is replaced by air. A metal disk is welded onto the end of the HCC serving as a highly reflective reflector, and an open cavity is engineered on the HCC. After the open cavity is filled with the liquid analyte (e.g., water), the air-liquid interface acts as a highly reflective reflector due to large impedance mismatch. As a result, an HCC-FPR is formed by the two highly reflective reflectors, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Holographic, 3d-Printed, And Computer-Generated Models: Implications For Engineering Technology Students' Spatial Visualization Ability, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Mildred V. Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

A number of studies indicate that the use of holographic displays can influence spatial visualization ability; however, research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was conducted to identify the existence of statistically significant effects on sectional view drawing ability due to the impacts of holographic displays. In particular, the study compared the use of three different types of displays: 3D printed model, computer generated model, and holographic model to determine whether a significant difference exists towards sectional view drawing ability, among engineering technology students. According to the results of this study, it is suggested that the impact of …

A Hierarchal Decision Model To Determine The Most Promising Tier-2 Space Agency, Smarajit Chakraborty

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

When it comes to space exploration programs NASA, ISRO, SpaceX, CNSA, JAXA and ESA has made remarkable achievements in the past and is keep making more and more success. The study, on completion, seeks to guide the decision problem of “which space agency has the best future in space exploration?”.

This study will seek to find which space agency has the best future prospect in terms of various perspectives. To find a solution to the stated problem, initially available literature was studied and the probable solutions for the decision problem was enlisted. Data Records from the organization websites were studied …

Maximizing Whole Watershed Storage Through Optimized Reservoir Reoperation And Managed Aquifer Recharge, Erfan Goharian, Robert Gailey, Stephen Maples, Samuel Sandoval-Solis, Graham Fogg

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Forward-Looking, Velocity-Driven, Powertrain Modeling And Optimal Control For Continuous Variable Transmission, Paresh Deshmukh

Masters Theses

This thesis is the second part of a two-part study focused on improving Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) ratio management and control. The objective of the overall project was to develop a methodology for a vehicle with a CVT and a downsized gasoline engine to deliver the maximum vehicle fuel economy within drivability and performance constraints. The first part of this study, as described in [1], focuses on developing a cycle driven model for optimizing the CVT ratio. The study presented in this paper focuses on developing a velocity driven model to simulate the real-time behavior of a vehicle. The results …

Evaluation Of Metallurgical And Mechanical Properties Of Alsi10mg Produced By Selective Laser Melting, Luke J. Suttey

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing (AM) of metal powders has long been a focus in the study of AM due to the possibility of weight reduction, complex shape formation, and production cost savings. Although applicable to a variety of metals SLM AM of the AlSi10Mg alloy was studied in an attempt to characterize the effect of processing parameter and build angle variation on the final microstructural, fractographic, and mechanical properties of parts produced without any thermal post-processing techniques. Research was conducted on five build angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°), and three Global Energy Densities (GED) (37.15, 45.39, …

Gender Difference In Situation Awareness When Receiving Wayfinding Direction By Landmarks And Headings, Ziyi Dong

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In aviation, situation awareness (SA) is a fundamental requirement for effective flying and air traffic control. This skill has greatly been associated with pilot and air traffic controller performance. Previous studies in aviation and other fields have shown that gender differences exist in SA performance. Four hypotheses were tested in this study: women navigate better from landmark cues; men navigate better from headings cues; women have better SA performance than men when receiving landmark directions; and men have better SA when receiving cardinal directions. Thirty-eight participants drove a driving simulator twice. While driving, participants were asked SA questions to assess …