Engineering Commons^™

Integrating Deep Learning And Augmented Reality To Enhance Situational Awareness In Firefighting Environments, Manish Bhattarai

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

We present a new four-pronged approach to build firefighter's situational awareness for the first time in the literature. We construct a series of deep learning frameworks built on top of one another to enhance the safety, efficiency, and successful completion of rescue missions conducted by firefighters in emergency first response settings. First, we used a deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) system to classify and identify objects of interest from thermal imagery in real-time. Next, we extended this CNN framework for object detection, tracking, segmentation with a Mask RCNN framework, and scene description with a multimodal natural language processing(NLP) framework. Third, …

Effects Of Laser Power And Substrate On The Raman Shift Of Carbon-Nanotube Papers, Fuqian Yang, Shanshan Wang, Yuling Zhang

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The progress in the fabrication of carbon-nanotube-based structures has made it possible to use Raman spectroscopy to measure the deformation states of carbon nanotubes and abutting materials. In this work, we investigate the effects of laser power and surrounding materials on the Raman shift of carbon-nanotube (CNT) papers for the laser intensity in a range of 0.071 to 1.415 kW/mm² without action of mechanical loading. Two different configurations of the CNT papers are used in the Raman measurement; one uses a suspended CNT paper, and the other places a CNT paper on a glass or aluminum substrate. The experimental …

Evaluation Of A Bulge Reduction Technology For Corrugated Fiberboard Containers Under Static Compression, Daan Peleman, Jay Singh, Koushik Saha, S. Roy

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

This research examines the effect of top-to-bottom static compression load on the bulge of RSC containers. The study compares a control regular slotted container (RSC) constructed with corrugated fiberboard to tape-reinforced designs. The bulge reduction, achieved using various tape placements and conditioning environments, were measured. Currently, no research on the effect of reinforcement tape towards reduction in the out-of-plane displacement (bulging) of the corrugated fiberboard panels has been undertaken. Samples related to four different container designs, varying by presence, quantity and the position of the reinforcement tape on the vertical panels, were tested and analyzed. The study involved the use …

Obtaining Mechanical Shock Fragility Statistics For Simple Stochastic Cushioning Design., Shogo Horiguchi, Katsuhiko Saito

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Proper cushioning to prevent product damage and over-packaging must consider the mechanical-shock fragility of the product. Furthermore, improved cushioning design can be achieved by performing stochastic cushioning design using mechanical-shock fragility statistics and transport hazard statistics. However, many samples are required to obtain mechanical-shock fragility statistics from standard testing comprising critical velocity change tests and critical-acceleration tests (the “conventional method”). In many cases, the required number of samples cannot be prepared. Thus, this research is designed to develop testing methods requiring half the number of samples of the conventional method. Thus far, "test method with one sample" has been developed …

Water Resources International Development: What On Earth Are We Doing?, Patrick Ray

All ECSTATIC Materials

Large agencies such as the World Bank, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the United Nations, regional development banks (such as the Asian Development Bank), and philanthropic organizations (such as the Rockefeller Foundation) are actively engaged in water resources development in low-income countries. Why? And what metrics do they use to decide if the investments of hundreds of millions or billions of dollars in water infrastructure projects are justified? And what accommodations do they tend to make for risks such as climate change? And what attention do they tend to give to questions of equity? I probably have no idea. But I’ve …

Evaluating Public Transit Accessibility In Albuquerque, New Mexico: A Fixed-Route Bus Service Analysis, Risa E. Gutierrez

Civil Engineering ETDs

This research analyzed how residential accessibility to fixed-route bus service in Albuquerque, New Mexico varies by distance, income level, and headway. A literature review investigated components of travel that might deter people from using public transit such as travel distance, sidewalk condition or availability, bus headway, lack of active travel in today’s society, personal and traffic safety, and access equity. Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping was used to determine if low-income neighborhoods have better or worse access to ABQ Ride bus stops relative to medium- or high-income neighborhoods. Residential land use was divided into three economic classes based on 2018 …

Proximity-Induced Magnetization In Graphene: Towards Efficient Spin Gating, Mihovil Bosnar, Ivor Lončarić, P. Lazić, Kirill Belashchenko, Igor Žutić

Kirill Belashchenko Publications

Gate-tunable spin-dependent properties could be induced in graphene at room temperature through the magnetic proximity effect by placing it in contact with a metallic ferromagnet. Because strong chemical bonding with the metallic substrate makes gating ineffective, an intervening passivation layer is needed. Previously considered passivation layers result in a large shift of the Dirac point away from the Fermi level, so that unrealistically large gate fields are required to tune the spin polarization in graphene (Gr). We show that a monolayer of Au or Pt used as the passivation layer between Co and graphene brings the Dirac point closer to …

Identification Of Ecg Anomalies Through Deep Deterministic Learning, Uzair Iqbal

Student Works (2020-2029)

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a primary diagnostic tool for measuring the malfunctioning of the heart muscles in the context of morbidity of different cardiac diseases and arrhythmia. Different existing techniques and methods delivered accurate cardiac diseases myocardial infarction (heart stroke) and atrial fibrillation recognition. However, there are still some flaws in existing methods like recognition of special myocardial infarction situation flattened T wave in “Non-Specific ST-T Changes (nsst-t)” and reduction of computational cost in cardiac diseases recognition. Accurate recognition of cardiac diseases along with least computational complexity and feature analysis of flattened T wave in myocardial infarction remains an open job. …

New Metal Based Saturable Absorber For Ultrashort Pulse Generation, Muhammad Taufiq Ahmad

Student Works (2020-2029)

Cost-efficient, robust and flexible laser systems are vital for a wide-range of applications ranging from high-precision material processing to biomedicine. This thesis aims to explore pure silver and gold based saturable absorbers (SAs) as Q-switcher and mode-locker in various fibre laser cavities. The generations of Q-switched pulses in 1-,1.55-, and 2-micron regions have been successfully demonstrated using a pure gold, which was deposited using electron beam deposition onto a PVA thin-film as SA. For instance, a stable Q-switched thulium-doped fibre laser (TDFL) operating at 1949 nm was successfully demonstrated with the gold SA. The proposed laser generates Q switched pulses …

Isolation Of Specific Phospholipids From Nannochloropsis Oculata Microalga For Cosmetic Applications, Ahmet Yener Manisali

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Algae, photosynthetic aquatic organisms, have recently caught the attention of the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries due to the variety of natural compounds in their cellular bodies such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Specifically, microalgae-derived natural compounds such as phospholipids are extensively utilized in cosmetics as part of liposome formers, emulsifiers, solubilizers, and wetting agents. Although phospholipids are currently extracted from food sources, this practice raises sustainability concerns. Hence, growing microalgae on the provision of macronutrients such as nitrates and phosphates will serve as a more sustainable source of the several specific phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (PE), …

Experimental Investigation Of Liquid Height Estimation And Simulation Verification Of Bolt Tension Quantification Using Surface Acoustic Waves, Hani Alhazmi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, two separate applications that are related to surface acoustic waves in a solid media are presented. The first study concerns simulating and validating an experimentally study for quantifying the bolt tension in the bolted joints using the surface acoustic wave. The second study experimentally investigates measuring the level of a liquid existing on a solid surface via surface acoustic waves and exploring the effect of liquid existence on the propagation of surface acoustic waves over the solid surface.

Quantifying bolt tension and ensuring that bolts are appropriately tightened for large-scale civil infrastructures are crucial. This study investigates …

Conversion From Metal Oxide To Mof Thin Films As A Platform Of Chemical Sensing, Meng Chen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chemical sensor is working as a widely used device which can be applied to the detection of specific chemicals that are existing in the environment especially in gas phase. The detection of combustible and toxic chemicals can be extremely important in the field of both industrial and civil activities. The chemical sensor is commonly operating by utilizing a chemical or physical interaction between the specific chemical compound and the sensing functional unit, to obtain an electronic signal caused by the property change and realize the chemical detection. Traditional chemical gas sensors such as catalytic gas sensor, thermal conductivity gas sensor, …

Dynamic Between Biomass, Ph And Acid Lactic By Microorganisms In Fermentation Of Fresh Milk, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Aurelio Castillo, Paul A. Valle, Yolocuauhtli Salazar

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Strain And Stress Relationships For Optical Phonon Modes In Monoclinic Crystals With Β-Ga2O3 As An Example, Rafal Korlacki, Megan Stokey, A. Mock, Sean Knight, A. Papamichail, V. Darakchieva, Mathias Schubert

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Strain-stress relationships for physical properties are of interest for heteroepitaxial material systems, where strain and stress are inherent due to thermal expansion and lattice mismatch. We report linear perturbation theory strain and stress relationships for optical phonon modes in monoclinic crystals for strain and stress situations which maintain the monoclinic symmetry of the crystal. By using symmetry group analysis and phonon frequencies obtained under various deformation scenarios from density-functional perturbation theory calculations on β-Ga₂O₃, we obtain four strain and four stress potential parameters for each phonon mode. We demonstrate that these parameters are sufficient to …

Health Monitoring Using Deep Learning Of Acoustic And Speech Signals, Eric E. Hamke

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The focus of the research is to identify stress markers in a firefighter's speech. These markers include changes in breathing patterns and changes in the fundamental frequency of an individual’s voice. The breathing patterns are characterized using the number of breaths taken in a minute and the time spent inhaling. These measures are estimated using a Restricted Boltzmann Machine to process a firefighters’ SCBA regulator sounds, as open and closed. The classifications are then combined into continuous intervals. Observing the length of the intervals and the number of interval-starts represents time spent inhaling and the breathing rates (breaths per minute). …

Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways, Marjolijn Haasnoot

All ECSTATIC Materials

• Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) is a decision making approach that explicitly includes decision making over time. The essence is proactive and dynamic planning in response to how the future actually unfolds.
• DAPP explores alternative sequences of decisions (adaptation pathways) for multiple futures and illuminates the path dependency of alternative strategies. It opens the decision space and helps to overcome policy paralysis due to deep uncertainty. There are different routes that can achieve the objectives under changing conditions (like ‘different roads leading to Rome’).
• Policy actions have an uncertain design life and might fail sooner or later to continue achieving …

Cost Efficient Algorithms And Methods For Spectral Efficiency In Future Radio Access, Murat Karabacak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The growing interest in data-hungry wireless applications of mobile devices has led the cellular industry to look for new frequencies and new techniques for utilization of next-generation wireless technologies. As millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication becoming a promising solution, It can provide greater bandwidth and higher data rates in future radio access. While in the hostile environment of mmWave bands, the signals suffer from high propagation loss, the smaller wavelengths of mmWave frequencies make it possible to practically pack a large number of antennas with reasonable form factors. Thus, mmWave communication can provide directional transmission with high gain antenna arrays to penetrate …

Design And Implementation Of Solid/Solid Phononic Crystal Structures In Lateral Extensional Thin-Film Piezoelectric On Silicon Micromechanical Resonators, Abdulrahman Alsolami

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Achieving high quality factor in MEMS resonator devices is a critical demand for today’s wireless communication and sensing technologies. In order to reach this goal, several dedicated prior works have been conducted based on published literature at different frequency ranges. Particularly, piezoelectrically transduced resonators, which are widely deployed in commercial wireless communication systems, could benefit from greatly improved qualify factor. So far, their development has evolved from thin film bulk acoustic resonators (FBAR’s) using surface attached piezoelectric thin-film transducers with moderate Q factors to high Q resonators equipped with a side-supporting tether (anchor) attached vibrating resonators that allow the devices …

The Utilization Of Shared Energy Storage In Energy Systems: Design, Modeling And Optimization, Rui Dai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Energy storage (ES) plays a significant role in modern smart grids and energy systems. With the advances of ES technologies, efficiently applying ES to energy systems has become the bottleneck for achieving the benefits of ES. The traditional approach of utilizing ES is the so-called distributed framework in which there is a separate ES for each individual user. Due to the inherent limits in the distributed framework such as cost inefficiency and space limitations, many studies have promoted to utilize a shared ES in energy systems to further exploit the potentials of ES. However, current studies always focus on maximizing …

Incorporation Of Lignin In Natural And Synthetic Biomaterials To Alter Mechanical And Biochemical Properties For Enhanced Wound Healing, Jorge Alfonso Belgodere

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is estimated that chronic, non-healing wounds affect more than 6.5 million Americans annually, with an estimated healthcare cost beyond $14 billion. Here, we attempted to create composites of natural (collagen type I or gelatin-methacrylate) or synthetic (poly(ethylene glycol) polymers incorporating a natural plant component, lignin, to combat the costs and limitations current wound healing methods face. Three-dimensional matrices of collagen type I (Col I) are widely used in tissue engineering applications for its abundance in many tissues, bioactivity with many cell types, and excellent biocompatibility. Inspired by the structural role of lignin in plant tissue, we found that sodium …

Thermal Mapping And Evaporation Estimation Of Cochiti Lake Using Landsat 8 Imagery, Claudia Jimenez Arellano

Civil Engineering ETDs

Satellite remote sensing (RS) techniques have revolutionized the study of spatial and temporal processes in environmental science and water resources engineering. This study was focused on advancing the understanding of RS techniques to provide estimates of spatial variability of surface water temperature and corresponding evaporation rates for open water.

Evaporation plays a crucial role in water budgets, which is critical knowledge for water management, especially in arid environments. However, there are few methods to estimate its spatial variability, which is relevant because water does not evaporate equally everywhere on a large waterbody. Hence, we cannot assume the calculations of evaporations …

Blockchain Based Communication Architectures With Applications To Private Security Networks, Ashley N. Mayle

Computer Science ETDs

Existing communication protocols in security networks are highly centralized. While this naively makes the controls easier to physically secure, external actors require fewer resources to disrupt the system because there are fewer points in the system can be interrupted without the entire system failing. We present a solution to this problem using a proof-of-work-based blockchain implementation built on MultiChain. We construct a test-bed network containing visual imagers and microwave sensor information. These data types are ubiquitous in perimeter security systems and allow a realistic representation of a real-world network architecture. The cameras in this system use an object detection algorithm …

Gan Nanowire Laser For A Universal Atomic Force Microscope Probe: A Computational And Feasibility Study, Neal Wostbrock

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

This thesis attempts to establish the groundwork for integrating a GaN nanowire into an AFM probe resulting in a universal atomic force microscope probe. Previous studies have shown GaN nanowires have stable mechanical properties, can be fabricated at scale with high aspect ratios and very smooth side walls, and have intrinsic lasing capabilities; however, mechanical and lasing capabilities have not yet been integrated into a single AFM probe. Here, we develop and analyze a suspended waveguide optical pumping concept that can be fabricated and applied to an AFM probe cantilever, unlocking full potential of GaN’s optical and mechanical properties as …

Strain And Stress Relationships For Optical Phonon Modes In Monoclinic Crystals With Β-Ga2O3 As An Example, Rafal Korlacki, Megan Stokey, A. Mock, Sean Knight, Alexis Papamichail, Vanya Darakchieva, Mathias Schubert

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Strain-stress relationships for physical properties are of interest for heteroepitaxial material systems, where strain and stress are inherent due to thermal expansion and lattice mismatch. We report linear perturbation theory strain and stress relationships for optical phonon modes in monoclinic crystals for strain and stress situations which maintain the monoclinic symmetry of the crystal. By using symmetry group analysis and phonon frequencies obtained under various deformation scenarios from density-functional perturbation theory calculations on β-Ga₂O₃, we obtain four strain and four stress potential parameters for each phonon mode. We demonstrate that these parameters are sufficient to …

Structural And Electrochemical Characterizations Of Activated Carbon Derived From Corn Crops For High Performance Energy Storage Devices, Seongwoo Hong

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The recent attention given to supercapacitors has been driven forward by the need for sustainable and renewable energy resources in the global energy storage market due to soaring energy demand and decreasing availability of fossil fuels. Accordingly, biomass materials as electrode materials for supercapacitors have been innovated due to the characteristic of being naturally abundant, low-cost, and eco-friendly. Therefore, the various parts of corn plants such as corn leaf (CL), grain distiller (CGD), cob (CC), husk (CH), and stem (CS) as biomass electrode materials were prepared and then chemically activated using different masses of potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a chemical …

Real-Time Optical Monitoring Of Endotracheal Tube Displacement, Ramzan Ullah, Karl Doerfer, Pawjai Khampang, Faraneh Fathi, Wenzhou Hong, Joseph E. Kerschner, Bing Yu

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Proper ventilation of a patient with an endotracheal tube (ETT) requires proper placement of the ETT. We present a sensitive, noninvasive, operator-free, and cost-effective optical sensor, called Opt-ETT, for the real-time assessment of ETT placement and alerting of the clinical care team should the ETT become displaced. The Opt-ETT uses a side-firing optical fiber, a near-infrared light-emitting diode, two photodetectors with an integrated amplifier, an Arduino board, and a computer loaded with a custom LabVIEW program to monitor the position of the endotracheal tube inside the windpipe. The Opt-ETT generates a visual and audible warning if the tube moves over …

Tuning Degradation And Cell Adhesion In Next Generation Resorbable Implants, Ufuomaroghene Ikoba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Osteoarthritic and bone degenerative diseases are expected to grow immensely as the aging population, 65 years and older increases. Orthopedic implants are one sub-class of medical devices that are used to treat bone breaks and fractures. Traditionally, internal fixation implants are manufactured using titanium or stainless steel. Magnesium, a bioresorbable and biodegradable material, has been proposed as an alternative to titanium and stainless steel. The goal of this research is to control the degradation behavior of magnesium implants by developing crystallized thin poly(lactic acid) copolymer films as protective coatings. To do this, this work was divided into two aims. Aim …

Update On The Use Of Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation To Manage Acute And Chronic Covid-19 Symptoms, Giuseppina Pilloni, Marom Bikson, Bashar W. Badran, Mark S. George, Steven A. Kautz, Alexandre Hideki Okano, Abrahão Fontes Baptista, Leigh E. Charvet

Publications and Research

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in the urgent need to develop and deploy treatment approaches that can minimize mortality and morbidity. As infection, resulting illness, and the often prolonged recovery period continue to be characterized, therapeutic roles for transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) have emerged as promising non-pharmacological interventions. tES techniques have established therapeutic potential for managing a range of conditions relevant to COVID-19 illness and recovery, and may further be relevant for the general management of increased mental health problems during this time. Furthermore, these tES techniques can be inexpensive, portable, and allow for trained self-administration. Here, …

Methodologies And Techniques For Determining The Value Of An Aircraft, Bijan Vasigh, Farshid Azadian, Kamran Moghaddam

Publications

Aircraft valuation and the estimation of an accurate aircraft price is undoubtedly a challenging task that has significant consequences for airlines. This paper presents an asset valuation model to show how a series of endogenous as well as exogenous factors can influence the value of an aircraft. Specifically, a discounted cash flow methodology is used to forecast the valuation of an old or new generation aircraft. Both total operating revenue and aircraft operating costs are taken into account to devise a reliable pre-tax profit measurement that is used as the basis of the discounted cash flow analysis. A sensitivity analysis …

Women In Aviation: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Needs And Wants Necessary For Graduation, Eugene Kim, Jorge L. D. Albelo

Student Works

Despite the increased awareness of gender and race equality movements, today's population of minority women in aviation is still underrepresented. This research focused on underrepresented minority women who want to pursue a career in the aviation field and what factors affect their level of success in a specialized aviation higher education institution. There is not enough data and research surrounding the topic of minority women in aviation and their paths to success in these institutions. This qualitative research aimed to bridge the existing gap in the literature related to minority women in aviation and their needs and wants to complete …