Engineering Commons^™

Vision-Based Autonomous Tracking Of A Non-Cooperative Mobile Robot By A Low-Cost Quadrotor Vehicle, Cheikhna Ahmed Tidiane Sy

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The goal of this thesis is the detection and tracking of a ground vehicle, in particular a car-like robot, by a quadrotor. The first challenge to address in any pursuit or tracking scenario is the detection and unique identification of the target. From this first challenge, comes the need to precisely localize the target in a coordinate system that is common to the tracking and tracked vehicles. In most real-life scenarios, the tracked vehicle does not directly communicate information such as its position to the tracking one. From this fact, arises a non-cooperative constraint problem. The autonomous tracking aspect of …

Information Extraction From Primary Care Visits To Support Patient-Provider Interactions, Daniel Baruch Gutstein

College of Computing and Digital Media Dissertations

The extent of electronic health record systems usage in clinical settings has affected the dynamic between clinicians and patients and has thus been connected to physician morale and the quality of care patients receive. Recent research has also uncovered a correlation between physician burnout and negative physician attitudes electronic health record systems. In order to begin exploring the nature of the relationship between electronic health record usage, physician burnout, and patient care, it is necessary to first analyze patient-provider interactions within the context of verbal features such as turn-taking and non-verbal features such as eye-contact. While previous works have sought …

Synthesis & Characterization Of Polymer-Modified Calcium Silicate Hydrate For Wellbore Applications, Jeremy J. Starr

Civil Engineering ETDs

Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) acts as the primary binding material that is mainly responsible for the strength and durability of concrete. C-S-H constitutes approximately 67% of hydrated ordinary Portland cement by volume. C-S-H forms with a range of stoichiometric formula dependent on many factors such as CaO/SiO₂ ratio. The continued rise of hydrocarbon exploration in the United States has developed the need for improved wellbore cementing materials. Binders with good bond strength to steel and rock interfaces, low shrinkage, and high cracking strength are sought by the oil and gas industry. The incorporation polymers and nano materials has evolved …

Understanding The Role Of Complexation In The Charge-Transfer Kinetics Of The Cu2+ + E ↔ Cu1+ Redox Reaction In Ethaline Deep Eutectic Solvent, Dai Shen, Rohan Akolkar

Faculty Scholarship

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) based electrolytes are gaining attention for electrochemical applications. As such, knowledge of the charge transfer kinetics in DES and its dependence on electrolyte composition and temperature is important. Using Cu2+ + e ↔ Cu1+ as a model system, we demonstrate that metal redox reactions in chloride-containing DES media suffer from sluggish charge transfer kinetics. The exchange current density, i0, displayed a peculiar inverse relationship with the bulk chloride concentration, [Cl−]b. The i0 decreased from 7.9 to 3.0 mA/cm2 when [Cl−]b increased from 2.8 to 4.6 M at 30°C. Such dependence is shown to originate from Cl− …

High Ammonia Strength Wastewater Treatment Using Algae, Bacteria And Ion Exchange, Nadezhda Zalivina

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen pollution has been considered one of the major problems of the 21st century. Discharge of nitrogen from improperly treated wastewaters into surface water bodies causes eutrophication and hypoxia, which results in significant environmental, public health and economic damages. In addition to the incoming flow, wastewater treatment plants generate internal highly concentrated ammonium streams, such as anaerobic digestion sidestream. As a current practice, sidestream without prior treatment is returned to the head of the plant, which increases the total incoming nitrogen load by 20-30% and often exceeds the treatment capacity. The most commonly used conventional biological nitrogen removal processes are …

Trajectory Based Traffic Analysis And Control Utilizing Connected Autonomous Vehicles, Yu Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent scholars have developed a number of stochastic car-following models that have successfully captured driver behavior uncertainties and reproduced stochastic traffic oscillation propagation. While elegant frequency domain analytical methods are available for stability analysis of classic deterministic linear car-following models, there lacks an analytical method for quantifying the stability performance of their peer stochastic models and theoretically proving oscillation features observed in the real world. To fill this methodological gap, this study proposes a novel analytical method that measures traffic oscillation magnitudes and reveals oscillation characteristics of stochastic linear car-following models. We investigate a general class of stochastic linear car-following …

Rescue Of Hearing And Protection Of Auditory Structures From Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Reza Amanipour

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hearing loss due to exposure to high level sound is a major health problem that causes permanent hearing impairment and has a significant impact on job productivity and quality of life. A large population suffers from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), a disorder for which there is currently no FDA-approved prevention, treatment or cure. The goal of my dissertation work is to provide insights into the effects of noise trauma on hearing abilities of normal hearing subjects, and determine how a new therapeutic compound (mGlu7 modulator) can protect and/or prevent loss of, or damage to sensory cells and brain neurons, including …

First-Principles Simulations Of Materials Under Extreme Conditions, Kien Nguyen Cong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The investigation of materials at extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature (high-PT), has been one of the greatest scientific endeavors in condensed mater physics, chemistry, astronomy, planetary, and material sciences. Being subjected to high-PT conditions, materials exhibit dramatic changes in both atomic and electronic structure resulting in an emergence of exceptionally interesting phenomena including structural and electronic phase transitions, chemical reactions, and formation of novel compounds with never-previously observed physical and chemical properties. Although new exciting experimental developments in static and dynamic compression combined with new diagnostics/characterization methods allow to uncover new processes and phenomena at high P-T conditions, …

Innovating Green Stormwater Infrastructure For Nutrient Management: Long-Term Field And Modeling Studies Of Conventional And Modified Denitrifying Bioretention Systems, Emma V. Lopez-Ponnada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urban stormwater and nutrient management are increasingly important topics to address globally, as coastal urbanization increases, disturbing the natural landscape, hydrology, and water quality. Untreated urban stormwater runoff carries pollutants that enter our waterways, such as rivers and marine environments, which serve as drinking water sources, recreational sites, and locations for economic livelihood. One pollutant and nutrient of concern for water quality is reactive nitrogen (N). Since pre-industrial time, reactive nitrogen has doubled from human activity. When found in excess in waterways, nitrogen causes an overabundant growth of algae, which can result in eutrophic and hypoxic conditions, impacting ecosystems, human …

New Insights Into Anhydrobiosis Using Cellular Dielectrophoresis-Based Characterization, Mohamed Z. Rashed, Clinton J. Belott, Brett R. Janis, Michael Menze, Stuart J. Williams

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are found in desiccation-tolerant species from all domains of life. Despite several decades of investigation, the molecular mechanisms by which LEA proteins confer desiccation tolerance are still unclear. In this study, dielectrophoresis (DEP) was used to determine the electrical properties of Drosophila melanogaster (Kc167) cells ectopically expressing LEA proteins from the anhydrobiotic brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana. Dielectrophoresis-based characterization data demonstrate that the expression of two different LEA proteins, AfrLEA3m and AfrLEA6, increases cytoplasmic conductivity of Kc167 cells to a similar extent above control values. The impact on cytoplasmic conductivity was surprising, given …

Acoustic Engineering Workstation At The College Of The Ozarks, Geoffrey A. Akers, Nicolas C. White, David E. Frey

Symposium on Education in Entertainment and Engineering

The College of the Ozarks is developing the ability to provide acoustic engineering services to customers on and off-campus. The College is the only federally recognized work college with an undergraduate engineering program, which means students do not pay tuition and are assigned workstations on campus to help defray expenses and to generate income for the College. This paper addresses the purpose and administration of the workstation and how it is unique from other service-learning programs, the perceived benefits to the student workers and the engineering program, recent workstation accomplishments, lessons learned, and future plans.

Beauty In Engineering And The Performing Arts, Robert Klimek, Catherine Skokan, John Persichetti, Jonathan Cullison

Symposium on Education in Entertainment and Engineering

This paper outlines the intersection of the Performing Arts and Engineering, and methods for successful inclusion of the arts in an engineering curriculum. Through a discussion of the classic ideas of Beauty and Art, parallels are drawn between the engineering design approach and the composition / creation approach common in the arts as a means to find common ground for engaging engineering students more fully into the arts as a life-long passion and possibly a career path.

Understanding The Nuremberg Trials: An Examination Of The Use Of Live Theatre As An Educational Tool, Bingxin Fa, Amanda Mayes

Symposium on Education in Entertainment and Engineering

This study examined what impact a live theatre performance has for university students. Does a play help college students contextualize academic content? Does a play offer benefits students do not gain from textbook readings and class discussions? Survey research conducted at Purdue University suggests exposure to a live performance offers benefits for college students in their ability to understand and critically analyze the historical events they learn within their coursework. Our research indicates live theatre could assist in enhancing traditional education models at the collegiate level and should be explored further as a potential methodology to aid in student success.

Using Storytelling And Robot Theater To Develop Computational Thinking, Denise Szecsei

Symposium on Education in Entertainment and Engineering

The University of Iowa’s Robot Theater Project teaches computational thinking and promotes STEM education in the context of the performing arts. Students write scripts and program robots to give live performances on stage; over the past 5 years we have taught 122 students to program robots, and our robots have performed in front of several thousand students, teachers, and parents. In this experience report, we introduce the project, describe the framework used to coordinate the behavior of multiple robots in a scene, and discuss the challenges with live performances involving robot actors from different manufacturers. We also describe an initiative …

International Competition As Stopgap Curriculum: Case Study Of Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition, Kathryn Woodcock

Symposium on Education in Entertainment and Engineering

Students aspiring to careers in the themed entertainment and attractions industry have few formal options to learn and demonstrate skills and knowledge specific to the industry. Students have shown initiative in developing extracurricular activities, and industry has reached out to offer “next generation” programs and internships. It still remains problematic for industry employers to select the best qualified students from a large pool of aspirants and for motivated candidates to stand out as highly qualified for these opportunities. The Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition (RITDC) was developed to address this problem. RITDC provides learning experiences and performance evaluation with not …

Validation Of Gaseous Absorption & Cloud Attenuation Models Utilizing A 72 Ghz Terrestrial Link, Ralph Lyndon Gesner

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Interest in the W & V-bands of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum has become steadily more desirable for system designers due to the ever increasing need for greater communication bandwidths and higher data rates. The 40 GHZ to 110 GHz range that constitutes the W & V-bands provide a unique solution to both of these current demands by providing a bandwidth nearly double that of all current RF frequencies in use. To date, this range has only been used for point to point satellite and short link communications meaning these bands have remained largely unexplored and undeveloped.

To capitalize on …

Decorative Articles Based On Polymeric Materials, Bassant Hussein, Yasser M. Asal, M. A. Radwan, M. A. Sadek, Hany A. Elazab

Chemical Engineering

The aim of the research is to create decorative articles based on polymeric materials, study the effects of fillers and the type of moulds that it can cope with the exothermic reaction nature of resin to create a scientific background on the usage of the resins in daily life products. The polymeric materials that will be concentrated on are the unsaturated polyester resins and epoxy resins. The unsaturated polyester is of many types and chemical constituents, the used experimentally is a general-purpose type and the epoxy also have different types and the used is a commercially 3D floor coating type. …

In-Situ Extraction And Impregnation Of Black Walnut Husk Into Polyethylene Film Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide With An Ethanol Modifier, Johnathon Wenzel, Veronica Moorman, Lihua Wang, Cheryl S. Samaniego, Michelle Ammerman, Isaiah Spencer-Williams, Mitchell Hall

Chemical Engineering Publications

Walnuts are commonly cultivated for their kernel, which is a rich source of antioxidant phenolic compounds. The husk likewise contains antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds, but is typically discarded without further processing. Antioxidant compounds are useful in creating active packaging films, but typically decompose at melt extrusion temperatures in polymer processing. Due to carbon dioxide's low critical point and ability to swell polymer films, supercritical carbon dioxide may be used to impregnate phenolic compounds into polymers. For this study, a novel technique is used to simultaneously produce walnut husk extracts and impregnate the extract into polymer films in the same batch …

The Development Of A Novel Experiment On Confined, Flattened Brazilian Disks To Correlate Damage And Permeability In Brittle Geo-Materials, Samuel H. Boyce

Civil Engineering ETDs

This research develops a novel experiment using flattened Brazilian disks under confining pressure with concurrent permeability measurements and acoustic emission monitoring. The purpose of this work is to correlate damage and permeability in brittle geo-materials. Two series of tests are performed on concrete and one series on tuff, under a range of confining stresses between 2.76 and 13.79 MPa. Tests were continued beyond peak stress conditions, capturing data in the post-peak region. The acoustic emission data (cumulative energy and counts) are used to identify damage thresholds and track the progression of microscopic damage. This quantified damage is then correlated to …

Integrated Chirped-Grating Spectrometer-On-A-Chip, Shima Nezhadbadeh

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

In this dissertation we demonstrate a new structure based on waveguide coupling atop a silicon wafer using a chirped grating to provide the dispersion that leads to a high-resolution, compact, fully integrable and CMOS-compatible spectrometer. Light is both analyzed and detected in a single, completely monolithic component which enables realizing a high-resolution portable spectrometer with an extremely compact footprint. The structure is comprised of a SiO₂/Si₃N₄/SiO₂ waveguide on top of a silicon wafer. Grating regions are fabricated on the top cladding of the waveguide. The input light is incident on a chirped grating …

Implementations Of Resilience Engineering For Natural System Disturbances: A Panarchical Perspective, Mark Charles Stone Victoria Jaramillo

Civil Engineering ETDs

This body of work seeks to advance knowledge of resilience and resilience engineering (RE) from a practical and theoretical perspective. Three distinct applications of resilience and RE that align two fundamental frameworks are presented. The first application, a vulnerability assessment, exemplifies the largest scale of panarchy and the measuring aspect of RE. The second application, a Bayesian network approach, exemplifies the intermediate scale of panarchy and the modeling aspect of RE. The third application, an engineering design project using analytical hierarchy process (AHP), exemplifies the smallest scale of panarchy and the building aspect of RE. Studying these applications enriches understanding …

Dual Mode Radiation Sensor For Uas Platforms, Alexander Barzilov, Monia Kazemeini

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Remote sensing technologies are important for radiation safety and environmental security applications. A dual-mode Cs2LiYCl6:Ce3+ (CLYC) sensor was developed for simultaneous neutron measurements and gamma-ray spectroscopy. To keep users away from hazardous areas, an unmanned aerial system was used as a mobile sensor platform. The sensor was integrated into a multicopter platform as a ‘plug and fly’ component allowing deployment in the field conditions. The photon energy resolution of the CLYC sensor was measured as less than 5% at 662 keV. The detection of neutrons was achieved via 6Li(n,α)t reaction. The sensor’s signal communication and data fusion were programmed using …

Near-Field And Far-Field Microscopic And Spectroscopic Characterizations Of Coupled Plasmonic, Excitonic And Polymeric Materials, Chih-Feng Wang

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

The properties of localized surface plasmons (LSP) have been broadly utilized for chemical sensing, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, biomedical imaging and photothermal treatments. By exploiting well-established plasmonic effects, the spectroscopic investigation of intriguing quantum phenomena, such as excitonic interband and intersubband (ISB) transitions in semiconductor heterostructures, was examined and extended in both far- and near-field optical measurements. For far-field characterization, we used colloidal plasmonic Au nanorods (AuNRs) to increase the quantum efficiency of InGaAs/GaAs single quantum well. By analyzing the temperature-dependent photoluminescence enhancement as a function of GaAs capping layer thickness, we attributed the mechanism of the LSP enhancement to …

Dynamic Prediction Of Runway Configuration And Airport Acceptance Rate, Yuan Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Automated prediction of runway configuration and airport capacity is critical for the future generation of air traffic management. In the future aviation industry, multi-sources weather forecast information will be available for air traffic decision-making units; how to use these data efficiently is key for overall efficiency of air traffic management. Currently, air traffic management personnel lack tools to assist them to translate weather forecast data into real-time airport capacity. Runway configurations and AARs of airports in a multi-airport system are determined by different air traffic controller personnel. The lack of synchronization may lead to the loss of efficiency of the …

The Effects Of Temperature On The Yields Of Aliphatic And Aromatic Products From The Supercritical Pyrolysis Of 1-Octene, Elizabeth Anne Hurst

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Prior to their combustion, fuels for future high-speed aircraft are expected to experience supercritical conditions, leading to the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), precursors to solid carbonaceous deposits, via pyrolytic reactions. These solid deposits can clog fuel-transfer lines, causing unsafe aircraft operation. To prevent the formation of fuel-line deposits, it is critical to understand the reaction pathways that lead to PAH formation in the supercritical fuel pyrolysis environment.

To better understand the role of large 1-alkenes in PAH formation, supercritical pyrolysis experiments with model fuel 1-octene, a representative 1-alkene product from supercritical n-alkane pyrolysis, have been performed. The …

Intermountain Biological Engineering Conference A Success | College Of Engineering, Utah State University

College of Engineering News

Intermountain Biological Engineering Conference at USU on Nov. 9 was tremendous success. About 150 people were in attendance.

Ultra-Low-Supply-Voltage Analog-To-Digital Converters, Alexander Craig Petrie

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents techniques to implement analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) under an ultra-low-supply-voltage of 0.2 V to reduce the power consumption. The thesis proposes a dynamic bulk biasing circuit to adjust the PMOS bulk voltage to balance the NMOS and PMOS drain currents to guarantee functionality in the presence of process, voltage, and temperature variations. The dynamic bulk bias circuit is analyzed rigorously to show its functionality. This thesis also describes a new comparator suitable for a 0.2-V supply using ac-coupling, stacked input pairs, and voltage-boosted load capacitor. A 10-bit 5-kS/s successive-approximation-register (SAR) ADC in a 180-nm CMOS process with a …

Security Of The Internet Of Things: Vulnerabilities, Attacks And Countermeasures, Ismail Butun, Houbing Song, Patrik Osterberg

Publications

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) constitute one of the most promising third-millennium technologies and have wide range of applications in our surrounding environment. The reason behind the vast adoption of WSNs in various applications is that they have tremendously appealing features, e.g., low production cost, low installation cost, unattended network operation, autonomous and longtime operation. WSNs have started to merge with the Internet of Things (IoT) through the introduction of Internet access capability in sensor nodes and sensing ability in Internet-connected devices. Thereby, the IoT is providing access to huge amount of data, collected by the WSNs, over the Internet. Hence, …

Biointerfacial Studies Of Nitrifying Biofilms On Physically And Chemically Modified Surfaces, Philip Marley Roveto

Civil Engineering ETDs

Interactions between bacteria and surfaces during the initiation of biofilm formation are complex phenomena with significant and wide-ranging implications for nutrient cycling, ecosystem and human health, and the remediation of anthropogenic pollutants. Nitrifying biofilms are currently used for ammonia removal in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) systems. As well-studied biofilms, they can serve as models towards understanding crucial aspects of biofilm engineering. The overall objective of this research was to better understand how variations in specific surface chemistries and topographical features affect nitrification rates and microbial populations in an effort to develop technologies for improved productivity. The experimental approach was to …

Bio-Mechanical Characterization Of Adherent Cell Layers With A Pdms Cantilever, Merrel Truly Holley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the last few decades, the mechanical characteristics of human cells has been linked to many physiological processes and pathological conditions, illustrating the importance as effective biomarkers. Mounting research has shown the mechanical force between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a vital role in cellular processes such as tissue homeostasis, wound healing, cancer metastasis, and the progression of various diseases. This mechanical force, or the force that a cell produces on its surroundings, is termed as the cellular traction force (CTF). Precise characterization of the CTF can expand our knowledge of these important cellular processes as well as …