Engineering Commons^™

Thermal-Mechanical Precast Concrete Panels Comprised Of Hybrid-Polymerized Sandwich Interfaces For High-Impact Projectile Resistance, Hector R Orozco Avalos

All ETDs from UAB

In this study, the thermal resistance, flexural behavior, and impact resistance via hurricane impact loads of two-wythe precast concrete composite sandwich beams comprised of an intermediate carbon-fiber epoxy inter-facially bonded to a dual Hybrid Matrix Composite (HMC) were investigated as an affordable alternative for enhancing thermal and mechanical (debris-impact and flexural) properties. The study is a precursor to the design of Precast Concrete Sandwich Panels (PCSP). HMC is a chemical reaction between a thermosetting epoxy network and a fast-setting, yet highly reactive, isocyanate-amine system at a pre-polymerized stage. The interfacial reaction of HMC is a function of epoxy curing kinetics, …

Modeling And Analysis Of Iot Systems Using Shannon's Channel Model, Anthony G. Winchester

All ETDs from UAB

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a ubiquitous technology that can mark the evolution of modern world. Since the internet has become a common household resource like the land line was in the past, it is time to take technology to the next level. With the manipulation of signals, we now have the use of wireless devices that are connected to various devices (both wireless and wired). The idea is to not only engineer devices that connect to the web, but also make them smart using processors embedded in devices coupled with internet to provide an intelligent system. Our research …

Novel Anti-Cancer Therapy Development Using Omics Guided Rational Cell Process Engineering, Ningning Xu

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality globally, and multiple anti-cancer therapies have been developed and applied over last few decades. Antibody-based cancer therapies have been on one of the most exciting and promising therapeutic strategies. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can control the progression of cancers via targeted binding to the specific antigen of tumors to trigger an immune response, target and block the signaling pathway involved in cancer progression, or deliver cytotoxic agents into tumors. Two chimeric/humanized monoclonal antibodies (anti-HER2 mAb and anti-CD 20 mAb) with higher efficacy were successfully expressed in engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO). …

Sleep Transistors Aided Side-Channel Analysis For Hardware Trojan Detection, Lin Yi

All ETDs from UAB

Modern integrated circuits (ICs) are vulnerable due to the emergence of Hardware Trojans (HTs). The semiconductor industry has been split into several sections caused by the market demand. This trend increased the risk that ICs could be embedded with Trojans for malicious purpose. Hardware Trojan (HT) is an extra circuity, which carried malicious functions. Hardware Trojan can be tiny-size and stealthy to detect, due to their sophisticated design and rare activation. Detecting methodologies are mainly focused on three directions: Supply chain phase detection, Run time phase detection and Design phase detection. Recently, most of the researchers trend to utilize logic …

Edge-Wave Formation During Multi-Stand Tube Mill Operation, Daniel Lerew

All ETDs from UAB

Cold-Formed (CF), High-Frequency (HF), Electric-Resistance-Welded (ERW) tubing is manufactured using a continuous roll forming process where a flat steel strip is progressively formed into a round which is then passed through an induction coil to be heated prior to having the heated edges forged to make a weld. A somewhat common issue, particularly as the thickness decreases and outside dimension increases, is an elastic edge wave that ultimately sets into a plastically deformed strip edge that cannot be successfully joined into a welded tube. Many variables can cause or exacerbate this effect including strip not centered in the mill, significant …

Diginol: A Joule-Heated Binary-Partitioned Nitinol Actuator, Martin Dawson Holland

All ETDs from UAB

New and innovative robotic designs are always needed in both research and commercial fields. To that end, new and innovative actuators are needed as well. In this paper, a digitally controlled Nitinol actuator, Diginol, is proposed. Diginol is a Nitinol actuator that uses Joule heating to individually activate partitions of a length of Nitinol. The lengths of the partitions follow a base-2 pattern, minimizing the number of partitions required for a given number of actuation lengths. Activating separate partitions instead of the entire length of Nitinol circumvents the need to account for the hysteresis and nonlinearities inherent in the transformation …

The Biomimetic Cardiac Tissue Model, Aaron Joseph Rogers

All ETDs from UAB

Every year about 735,000 Americans will suffer a heart attack and 1 in 4 will end up dying from heart disease. Study of this disease has been impacted by the limited availability of appropriate human cell types. The discovery of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and development of protocols to differentiate these cells into cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) has enabled study into this disease free from ethical dilemma, and reliance on animal models. Unfortunately, hiPSC-CMs are immature in nature and closely resemble fetal or neonatal cardiomyocytes. We hypothesized that hemodynamic stimuli, missing from static cultures, would allow us to mature hiPSC-CMs …

The Automated Beehive, Lighten The Load Of Beekeeping, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Our system will be useful to new and experienced beekeepers alike. Our project will provide consistent information about the beehive to the beekeepers. The system will monitor the state of the beehive by examining each frame in the hive. If the system detects invasive species such as spiders or wax moths, the system will inform the beekeeper through email letting them know what actions need to be taken.

Automatic Guitar Tuner, Trent Smith, Courtney Adams

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Automatic Guitar Tuner is a mobile, compact device that mounts onto the head of a guitar and automatically tunes the guitar by rotating each peg. This device is designed to operate quickly and accurately, providing a convenient method of tuning for guitarists. Implemented as a real-time embedded system, the device processes the sound generated by a plucked guitar string and tunes it by using a mechanical arm to rotate the peg. Due to its efficiency, this device could especially benefit beginning guitarists who haven't built up the necessary ear training to tune their instrument correctly.

Acs: Autonomous Camera Slider, Jim Jowers

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Autonomous Camera Slider (ACS) is a system that gives amateur videographers a low-cost solution for shooting video pans. This system allows users to attach a camera to the platform and control it via an app on their Android/iOS device. The app includes two modes, Manual and Autonomous, which give the user the ability to control side-to-side movement of the camera across the rails.

Blind Aide, Joshua Smith

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Blind Aide is a hardware and software package designed to leverage advanced computer vision technologies to help those with visual impairments with a variety of tasks. It is built to be an economic, open source, and practical solution that can be easily distributed and expanded upon. The modular software design is structured to allow new functionality to be easily incorporated. It is controlled purely by voice commands and communicates all information back to the user through speech.

Cnc Plasma Machine, Joshua Benson, Andrew Sharratt, Gary Mitchell

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Our project is a 3-Axis CNC Plasma Cutter. This project provides a smaller more cost effective CNC Plasma Cutter machine for those with limited space and funds. Our project incorporates a hand-held plasma torch with a 3-axis CNC gantry to produce a precise and efficient method of cutting designs.

Custom Electric Accordion, William Balling

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The custom Electronic Accordion is a portable synthesizer with an interface similar to accordions. Electric Accordions do exist, but they only provide a way for accordions to send electrical signals and not an option to change the accordion sounds or behavior. The Custom Electric Accordion provides this option.

Electric Go Kart, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Electric Go Kart is a system design to create a small scale unit of transportation without a internal combustion engine. This system is intended to create a efficient and fun experience for those who use this product.

The go kart is designed using two DC-Brushless motors that use a 60V battery. Each motor moves it’s own drive socket to provide faster acceleration. Each motors torque is monitored and constantly adjusted by a controller and an acceleration pedal.

The Electric Go Kart is designed to be a fun, inexpensive mode of transportation.

Eve: Engine Volumetric Effeciency, Dallin Lloyd

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Engine Volumetric Effeciency gauge is a system that is designed to optomize fuel economy in high performance vehicles.

Many competitive automotive events limit the amount of fuel that can be consumed during each race. The EVE gauge is designed to help engine calibrators and tuners optomize the turbocharger system, resulting in higher performance and increased fuel economy.

Foozee: The Automated Foosball Table, Nathan Cook, Leif Chipman

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Foozee is an automated foosball table designed to allow a user to play a game of foosball without another person. As Foozee captures a video stream of the playing field, it will control the foosball players in a strategic manner. Foozee’s tracking algorithm generates a command for the motors, which controls the position of the players. During game play, a single user is challenged in a game of foosball as Foozee competitively reacts to the playing field.

Gesture Aerial Camera, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

What is it?

• Video recorder via a quadcopter with a mounted camera
• Gesture controlled device via electromyography
• The sensing of electric pulses through one’s muscles.
• Unique networking structure via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct
• Bluetooth short range communications to connect gesture reading armband to a phone application.
• Wi-Fi Direct long range ad-hoc communications to connect the phone app to the Gesture Aerial Camera.

Gps Tracker With 15km Range, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Aurora board is designed to be a light weight, low power tracker that is able to communicate location outside of any external networks such as Wi-fi or cell service. It is designed to run from USB or battery power, and requires no operator after powered on. This makes it ideal for unmanned aircraft, high altitude balloons, or drones. It can also be used for vehicle or human tracking. External antennas connectors allow Aurora to be used for a wide range of applications.

Hscr: High Speed Cubesat Radio, Dana Sorensen, Colton Lindstrom

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Software Defined Radios (SDRs) are limited by their usable bandwidth, which restricts how quickly they can transmit or receive data. The High Speed Cubesat Radio (HSCR) is capable of transmitting and receiving higher bandwidth signals by combining the bandwidths of several individual SDR transceivers. The HSCR performs phase correction to seamlessly stitch the bandwidths of each individual SDR into a single larger bandwidth.

Iphone Waveform Generator, Erik Sargent

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The iPhone Waveform Generator is a dual-channel arbitrary function generator controlled by an iPhone app to provide a more accessible instrument for circuit testing.

• The app enables easy drawing and customization of the waveforms
• Waveform information is transmitted wirelessly to the waveform generator
• Two different waveforms can be generated at once

Learn Piano With The Piano Trainer, Jay Mattinson

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The purpose of this project was to help make learning the piano easier.The Piano Trainer is a simple bar of lights that sits above the keys on any piano. It lights up the lights to help you know which key you should play next. You can plug in a USB drive and play any song you like.

Nirs-Hyperscan Toolbox, Joseph Ipson

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) can used to measure blood oxygenation changes in the scalp, which are an indicator for brain activity
• Hyperscanning refers to measuring the brain activity in two or more individuals simultaneously
• The NIRS Lab here at USU uses a NIRS system to perform language and learning studies, but did not have tools to analyze data in a Hyperscan setting
• This software is meant to provide a tool for viewing and analyzing NIRS-hyperscan data
• Having the proper tools may help in the research of language development and communicative disorders in the brain

Noise Cancellation, Golden Money

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Noise cancellation is a technology that utilizes adaptive filtering and can be found in many different applications. This technology is used to cancel out unwanted sound waves by producing a similar wave with an inverted phase. When done properly the volume of the unwanted sound can be greatly reduced and sometimes entirely removed. This project analyzed how noise cancellation can be achieved through signal processing and attempts to show in the real world how this type of adaptive filtering works.

Perfect Stryde, Tyler Johnson, Taylor Hansen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Over striding occurs when an athlete overextends their stride. Over striding reduces reduces the athlete's forward momentum and can increase risk of running related injury. Perfect Stryde provides feedback to the athlete while they are running to allow them to correct their stride.

Personal Cloud: A Better Way To Store Files, Jeffrey Heilbut

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cloud storage is like a hard drive you can access over the internet. One example is Google Drive. The purpose of the Personal Cloud is to:

• Allow larger cloud storage for less money
• Better security for cloud files

The Personal Cloud allows users to store as much data as they want, without the yearly subscription fee from other cloud options. The Personal Cloud also gives the users management of the security of their files.

The Personal Cloud implementation is in the “Materials” and “Methods” sections. The final outcome of the Personal Cloud is in the “Results” section.

Real-Time Camera Array Lecture Capture System, Clint Ferrin, Daniel Mortensen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Distance Education programs are rising in popularity, and classroom lectures are commonly recorded to host both in-person and online students. However, technical lectures that rely on several whiteboards are inhibited by current lecture recording techniques that reduce a teacher’s workspace.

The Camera Array Lecture Capture (CALC) System enhances the learning of both in-class and online students by sending a real-time, video of multiple white boards stitched together. The system allows a teacher to utilize every whiteboard in the classroom and send a complete replica of the whiteboard notes to distance education students.

Remote Control Boat With Camera And Depth Sensor Capabilites, Emerson Udy

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Climate change, urbanization, and agricultural runoff increase destabilization of aquatic ecosystems.
• Monitoring shoreline ecosystems can be very invasive to aquatic life.
• This monitoring can also require a lot of man hours and equipment.
• A system allowing minimal economical impact and man hours will greatly improve shoreline management
• Implementing reclamation in lake ecosystems requires adequate monitoring that gives up-do-date feedback on ecosystem improvement without impacting reclamation efforts
• An RC boat equipped with a built-in camera allows for effective monitoring with minimal disturbance and man power.

Smartsmoker, Nathan Tipton

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The SmartSmoker is an automated meat smoking device that controls the smoking environment based on sensor data. The controller adjusts feed rates for the wood pellet dispensing auger and the liquid dispensing peristaltic pump to maintain desired environmental conditions. The heating element is used to maintain the optimal meat smoking temperature.

Rpi Cluster: The Affordable Supercomputer Solution!, Cameron Frandsen, Joel Meine

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Problem:

Supercomputer systems in use today are...

• Expensive to develop, operate, and maintain
• Vulnerable to malfunctions
• Limited to non-scalable resources
• Large in physical dimensions
• Immobile to prevent relocating the system

Solution:

The RPi Cluster supercomputer system is...

• Affordable to acquire, operate, and maintain
• Adaptive to malfunctions
• Scalable to allow more resources
• Small in physical dimensions
• Mobile to allow relocating the system

Software Defined Radio For Communication Between Cubesats, Arden Barnes, Tia Bradley, Caleb Young, Tyler Gardner, Sarah Watkins, Emily Clark Young

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cube satellites, or CubeSats, are small satellites that have become increasingly common for academic, amateur, commercial, and scientific applications over the past five to ten years. There is potential for CubeSats to be deployed in swarms and clusters, and a need for communication between satellites in these missions.

The purpose of this project is to design and demonstrate proof-of-concept for a Software Defined Radio (SDR) for communication between CubeSats. The preliminary design has focused on two main components: electrical and software design of the radio, and the mechanical packaging that will encase the radio chip-set and mount within the satellite.