Engineering Commons^™

Communication Challenges And Lessons Learned For An International Research And Development Project, Ryan Fehrenbach

Construction Management

This paper discusses the importance of communication for an International Research and Development project given the timeline it takes to accomplish. With a Cal Poly team of 5 students, 2 professors as advisors, an off-campus external advisor, and the Moringa Connect team in Ghana, many forms of communication were utilized and documented throughout the duration of the project. For a project of this magnitude, it was crucial to establish clear forms of communication from the first discussions of the project for both the internal Cal Poly team and the external team in Ghana. Implementing shared documents such as a deliverable …

Skip The Grid: Pv System Installations In The Navajo Nation, Samuel Varney

Construction Management

The Skip the Grid initiative is a collaborative effort between interdisciplinary California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students, SOLV Energy, and the non-profit organization Heart of America aiming to strengthen the quality of life for Navajo Nation families. Many of the Navajo Nation’s residents are not connected to the power grid and don’t have access to sustainable alternatives, and this project aims to combat this by installing photovoltaic energy panel systems with lights and a battery storage system in their homes. With the help and guidance of the Consolidated School District near Farmington New Mexico, the project team was …

Design, Estimate, And Cut-Sheet Of Playhouse For Girls Build Summer Academy, Miles Paul Miller

Construction Management

This Project-Based-Project was inspired by the Girls Build Summer Academy which is run by Professor Stacy Kolegraff. The camp is a week-long and the group of girls will construct a playhouse from scratch. The camp is to immerse young girls into the construction industry. This senior project is composed of 3 different components which include the Design, Estimate, and Cut-sheet of the playhouse. The project did not have any type of needed funding. This project is aimed to create an in-depth but intuitive set of plans and directions to create the playhouse for the girls. This project’s goal is to …

Heavy Civil Estimating Utilizing Hcss Heavybid, Quintan Matthew Davis

Construction Management

The estimate process is an essential aspect of the construction industry. Understanding how bids are formed and being able to create one for yourself is critical in being able to really understand cost breakdown of a construction process. This paper will focus around the process in creating a presentation for Cal Poly students, breaking down HCSS HeavyBid and its functions. This project was created to address this idea of attempting to teach HeavyBid to Cal Poly future young engineers. This was particularly important because young students learn how to be a great young engineer in the construction field, however not …

Coolsplint: Inflammation Reduction Accessory, Laura C. Denney, Winston H. Giang, Aanchal Singh

Biomedical Engineering

This document outlines a project sponsored by Elizabeth Mentel and Michael Clausson that addresses the shortcomings in current splinting options, particularly for wrist fractures in elderly patients. Stakeholders include clinicians, patients, and emergency medical technicians. Multiple improvements can be made to current splinting options to help alleviate inflammation along with splint versatility, affordability, accessibility, and ease of use. After determining the critical customer requirements, the primary objective of this project was to find a way to manage inflammation. The project explores existing splinting solutions and proposes a new design that utilizes cooling rods to reduce inflammation. The document reviews various …

A Data-Driven Agent-Based Model Of Occupants’ Thermal Comfort Behaviors For The Planning Of District-Scale Flexible Work Arrangements, Martín Mosteiro-Romero, Matias Quintana, Rudi Stouffs, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

In a global context of increasing flexibility in the way workplaces and the districts in which they are located are used, there is a need for occupant-driven approaches to plan urban energy systems. Several authors have suggested the use of agent-based models (ABM) of building occupants in urban building energy simulations due to their ability to reproduce emergent behaviors from individual agents’ actions. However, few works in the literature take full advantage of the ABM paradigm, accounting for both occupant presence and energy-relevant behaviors at the district scale. In this work, we propose a methodology to develop a data-driven, agent-based …

Network-Based Representations And Dynamic Discrete Choice Models For Multiple Discrete Choice Analysis, Huy Hung Tran, Tien Mai

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In many choice modeling applications, consumer demand is frequently characterized as multiple discrete, which means that consumer choose multiple items simultaneously. The analysis and prediction of consumer behavior in multiple discrete choice situations pose several challenges. In this paper, to address this, we propose a random utility maximization (RUM) based model that considers each subset of choice alternatives as a composite alternative, where individuals choose a subset according to the RUM framework. While this approach offers a natural and intuitive modeling approach for multiple-choice analysis, the large number of subsets of choices in the formulation makes its estimation and application …

Imitating Cost-Constrained Behaviors In Reinforcement Learning, Qian Shao, Pradeep Varakantham, Shih-Fen Cheng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Complex planning and scheduling problems have long been solved using various optimization or heuristic approaches. In recent years, imitation learning that aims to learn from expert demonstrations has been proposed as a viable alternative to solving these problems. Generally speaking, imitation learning is designed to learn either the reward (or preference) model or directly the behavioral policy by observing the behavior of an expert. Existing work in imitation learning and inverse reinforcement learning has focused on imitation primarily in unconstrained settings (e.g., no limit on fuel consumed by the vehicle). However, in many real-world domains, the behavior of an expert …

Pkt-Sin: A Secure Communication Protocol For Space Information Networks With Periodic K-Time Anonymous Authentication, Yang Yang, Wenyi Xue, Jianfei Sun, Guomin Yang, Yingjiu Li, Hwee Hwa Pang, Robert H. Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Space Information Network (SIN) enables universal Internet connectivity for any object, even in remote and extreme environments where deploying a cellular network is difficult. Access authentication is crucial for ensuring user access control in SIN and preventing unauthorized entities from gaining access to network services. However, due to the complex communication environment in SIN, including exposed links and higher signal delay, designing a secure and efficient authentication scheme presents a significant challenge. In this paper, we propose a secure communication protocol for SIN with periodic k-time anonymous authentication (named PkT-SIN) that allows satellite users to anonymously authenticate to ground stations …

Poster: Towards Efficient Spatio-Temporal Video Grounding In Pervasive Mobile Devices, Dulanga Kaveesha Weerakoon Mudiyanselage, Vigneshwaran Subbaraju, Joo Hwee Lim, Archan Misra

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As the use of pervasive devices expands into complex collaborative tasks such as cognitive assistants and interactive AR/VR companions, they are equipped with a myriad of sensors facilitating natural interactions, such as voice commands. Spatio-Temporal Video Grounding (STVG), the task of identifying the target object in the field-of-view referred to in a language instruction, is a key capability needed for such systems. However, current STVG models tend to be resource-intensive, relying on multiple cross-attentional transformers applied to each video frame. This results in runtime complexity that increases linearly with video length. Furthermore, deploying these models on mobile devices while maintaining …

Analyzing Swimming Performance Using Drone Captured Aerial Videos, Ngoc Doan Thu Tran, Kenny Tsu Wei Choo, Shaohui Foong, Hitesh Bhardwaj, Shane Kyi Hla Win, Wei Jun Ang, Kenneth T. Goh, Rajesh Krishna Balan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Monitoring swimmer performance is crucial for improving training and enhancing athletic techniques. Traditional methods for tracking swimmers, such as above-water and underwater cameras, face limitations due to the need for multiple cameras and obstructions from water splashes. This paper presents a novel approach for tracking swimmers using a moving UAV. The proposed system employs a UAV equipped with a high-resolution camera to capture aerial footage of the swimmers. The footage is then processed using computer vision algorithms to extract the swimmers' positions and movements. This approach offers several advantages, including single camera use and comprehensive coverage. The system's accuracy is …

Cervical Spinal Cord Angiography And Vessel-Selective Perfusion Imaging In The Rat, Seongtaek Lee, Brian Schmit, Shekar N. Kurpad, Matthew D. Budde

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) has been widely used to evaluate arterial blood and perfusion dynamics, particularly in the brain, but its application to the spinal cord has been limited. The purpose of this study was to optimize vessel-selective pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) for angiographic and perfusion imaging of the rat cervical spinal cord. A pCASL preparation module was combined with a train of gradient echoes for dynamic angiography. The effects of the echo train flip angle, label duration, and a Cartesian or radial readout were compared to examine their effects on visualizing the segmental arteries and anterior spinal artery …

Recommendation Of Minimal Distal Tibial Length For Long Axis Coordinate System Definitions, Erika P. Muhlrad, Andrew C. Peterson, Abigail M. Anderson, Katelyn C. Aragon, Rich J. Lisonbee, Bruce A. Macwilliams, Karen M. Kruger, Amy L. Lenz

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Accurate anatomical coordinate systems for the foot and ankle are critical for interpreting their complex biomechanics. The tibial superior-inferior axis is crucial for analyzing joint kinematics, influencing bone motion analysis during gait using CT imaging and biplane fluoroscopy. However, the lack of consensus on how to define the tibial axis has led to variability in research, hindering generalizability. Even as advanced imaging techniques evolve, including biplane fluoroscopy and weightbearing CT, there exist limitations to imaging the entire foot together with the full length of the tibia. These limitations highlight the need to refine axis definitions. This study investigated various superior-inferior …

Photodegradation Of Microplastics Through Nanomaterials: Insights Into Photocatalysts Modification And Detailed Mechanisms, Yiting Xiao, Yang Tian, Wenbo Xu, Jun Zhu

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microplastics (MPs) pose a profound environmental challenge, impacting ecosystems and human health through mechanisms such as bioaccumulation and ecosystem contamination. While traditional water treatment methods can partially remove microplastics, their limitations highlight the need for innovative green approaches like photodegradation to ensure more effective and sustainable removal. This review explores the potential of nanomaterial-enhanced photocatalysts in addressing this issue. Utilizing their unique properties like large surface area and tunable bandgap, nanomaterials significantly improve degradation efficiency. Different strategies for photocatalyst modification to improve photocatalytic performance are thoroughly summarized, with a particular emphasis on element doping and heterojunction construction. Furthermore, this review …

Design And Assembly Of A Variable Buoyancy System For An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Evan Brown

Master's Theses

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) play a vital role in the surveillance and mapping of our oceans, often requiring extensive travel in extreme environments. These data-gathering missions benefit from extended durations, making the minimization of power consumption a key consideration in AUV design. One effective strategy to reduce energy use in AUVs is to implement a variable buoyancy system (VBS) for depth control. The purpose of this work is to design, develop, test, and model a variable buoyancy system to enhance the efficiency and capabilities of a high-speed, long-range AUV.

After evaluating various VBS designs, a piston-cylinder buoyancy system was selected …

Non-Linear Modeling Of Hysteresis In Piezoelectric Actuated Cantilever Beam Using The Bouc-Wen Model, Andrew Donald Maas

Master's Theses

Piezoelectric actuators frequently exhibit a time-dependent behavioral phenomenon known as hysteresis, resulting in a lag in the deformation of the actuator compared to linear models. The presence of hysteresis complicates control systems involving piezoelectric actuators. However, traditional modeling methods for piezoelectric actuated smart structures often treat the piezoelectric patches as linear actuators without considering hysteresis, leading to suboptimal controller performance.

This thesis aims to establish a comprehensive model by integrating the Euler-Bernoulli beam bending model with the hysteresis dynamics induced by two opposing piezoelectric patches attached to a beam. A model expansion method is employed to transform the partial differential …

Providing Cadence Feedback In Real-Time To Guide Cardiovascular Workouts, Levi O. Rash

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular workouts offer numerous health benefits, yet beginners often find it challenging to initiate them. Existing wearable technologies, although providing valuable feedback such as heart rate zones, often disrupt the workout flow and distract users due to the need for interaction with the wearable display. In response, we propose an alternative feedback mechanism: cadence, measured in steps per minute. This feedback mechanism uses multiplicative control to produce the correct cadence for the user’s target heart rate (HR). To model the HR and cadence relationship, a first-order system was used. The prototype implementation of this system was completed in Arduino, using …

Implementation And Efficiency Of Electric Motors In Lygus Bug Vacuums For Strawberries, Adam J. Rantz

Master's Theses

Further automation of the agricultural industry and an increase in organic fruit production are needed to address labor shortage and increased demand. The move to an autonomous bug vacuum is easier if the equipment is electric, and not powered by a tractor’s PTO (power take-off) shaft. The main objective of this project was to design a set of lygus bug vacuums to go on a robot that meets industry standards while using electric power instead of hydraulic. The frame of the vacuum was designed using the industry standard. While hydraulic systems have been a very effective power source for vacuums …

Design And Analysis Of A New Buck-Boost Converter With A Low-Side Switch, Abdullah Awidah

Master's Theses

This work explores the design, simulation, construction, and analysis of a novel Non-isolated DC-DC Buck-Boost converter which has the advantage of incorporating a low-side switch compared to the traditional buck-boost which requires a high-side switch. This allows the use of a low-side driver which further simplifies the design and operation of the converter. The proposed Buck-Boost converter was constructed to provide -24 V output from an input range of 12V-18V with 15V nominal input at 10W maximum output power utilizing 500kHz switching frequency. Findings from simulations and hardware tests verify that the converter effectively provides the desired -24 V output …

Feasibility And Characterization Of Leak-Tight Single-Track Thin Walls Produced By Laser Powder Bed Fusion In 316l Stainless Steel, Peyton J. Archibald

Master's Theses

This thesis explores the optimization of process parameters for producing single-track thin walls using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing. Using two different coupon designs, the study assesses the feasibility of creating the thinnest possible leak-tight structures within LPBF and evaluating their mechanical properties, including burst pressure and modulus of elasticity under pressure loads. A series of experimental iterations were conducted, varying laser power and laser speed to identify optimal conditions. The findings indicate that a narrow range of process parameters can produce consistently leak-tight thin walls. The results contribute to understanding how to achieve high quality, reliable thin …

Anomaly Detection In Heterogeneous Iot Systems: Leveraging Symbolic Encoding Of Performance Metrics For Anomaly Classification, Maanav Patel

Master's Theses

Anomaly detection in Internet of Things (IoT) systems has become an increasingly popular field of research as the number of IoT devices proliferate year over year. Recent research often relies on machine learning algorithms to classify sensor readings directly. However, this approach leads to solutions being non-portable and unable to be applied to varying IoT platform infrastructure, as they are trained with sensor data specific to one configuration. Moreover, sensors generate varying amounts of non-standard data which complicates model training and limits generalization. This research focuses on addressing these problems in three ways a) the creation of an IoT Testbed …

A Federation Of Sentries: Secure And Efficient Trusted Hardware Element Communication, Blake A. Ward

Master's Theses

Previous work introduced TrustGuard, a design for a containment architecture that allows only the result of the correct execution of approved software to be outputted. A containment architecture prevents results from malicious hardware or software from being communicated externally. At the core of TrustGuard is a trusted, pluggable device that sits on the path between an untrusted processor and the outside world. This device, called the Sentry, is responsible for validating the correctness of all communication before it leaves the system. This thesis seeks to leverage the correctness guarantees that the Sentry provides to enable efficient secure communication between two …

Exploring The Feasibility Of The Resonance Corridor Method For Post Mission Disposal Of High-Leo Constellations, Payton G. Porter

Master's Theses

In the upcoming decade, the proliferation of high-LEO constellations is expected to exceed 20,000 objects, yet comprehensive Post Mission Disposal (PMD) strategies for these constellations are currently lacking. With the inherent challenges of efficiently deorbiting satellites from High-LEO orbits, there arises an urgent need to explore innovative approaches. Building upon insights garnered from the ReDSHIFT project and anticipating the proliferation of high-LEO constellations such as OneWeb, TeleSat, and GuoWang, this thesis delves into the potential viability of the Resonance Corridor Method for PMD. The investigation encompasses key metrics, including deorbit timelines and $\Delta v$ requirements to meet regulatory standards or …

The Pressure Distribution Of Rotating Cylinders Using An Onboard Wireless Data Acquisition System, Nathan Eller

Master's Theses

This thesis presents a novel, cost-effective method for mapping the pressure distribution on a rotating cylinder in cross flow, a phenomenon central to the Magnus effect. Utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensors, a high-resolution data acquisition system was developed and integrated into a rotating cylinder model. Compared to traditional approaches, such as slip rings or one-off designs, this method proved significantly cheaper and faster while achieving comparable or superior resolution. The experimental setup, including a modified continuous rotation technique and adaptable model design, facilitated rapid testing across a broad range of Reynolds numbers and reduced frequencies, exceeding the …

Enhancing Direction Finding Accuracy In Perturbed Digital Arrays Via Rf Ranging-Based Self Calibration, Ariel Freiman

Master's Theses

Direction finding with radio-frequency (RF) waves have numerous applications in radio navigation, wireless localization, emergency aid, and air traffic control, among others. Direction-finding using digital arrays outperforms traditional analog techniques but requires precise knowledge of the location of the array elements to obtain accurate results. Array perturbations can lead to algorithm failures and false detection, compromising direction-finding capabilities.

This research proposes implementing a Matched Filter - Least Square (MF-LS) algorithm for Two-Way Ranging (TWR) to enhance direction-finding accuracy in arrays with perturbed element locations. The MF-LS algorithm leverages the properties of matched filters to accurately determine element positions by measuring …

Effective And Sustainable Strategies For Federally Qualified Health Centers To Engage Young Adults, Olivia Mcnulty

Master's Theses

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are instrumental in providing top tier healthcare and other resources to underserved populations. Whether they administer services in house or refer patients to other providers, FQHCs aim to provide comprehensive primary and preventative care services to people of all ages. They offer a range of services, from doctor and dental appointments to mental health and substance abuse counseling, regardless of a patient’s insurance status. To receive funding, FQHCs must follow the regulations and quality standards set forth by groups like the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Health Resources and Services …

Product Design For Repairability: Identifying Failure Modes With Topic Modeling And Designing For Electronic Waste Reuse, Claire J. Franz

Master's Theses

Design for repairability is imperative to making products that last long enough to justify the resources they consume and the pollution they generate. While design for repairability has been gaining steady momentum, especially with recent advances in Right to Repair legislation, there is still work to be done. There are gaps in both the tools available for repair-conscious designers and the products coming onto store shelves. This thesis work aims to help set sails in the right direction on both fronts.

This research explores the use of topic modeling (a natural language processing technique) to extract repairability design insights from …

Shuffled Faster Than Nyquist Signaling For Spectrally Efficient And Secure Wireless Communication, John Gharib

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the implementation and performance of Shuffled Faster than Nyquist (SFTN) signaling, a communication method that enhances spectral efficiency and provides physical layer security (PLS) in wireless communications. In Faster than Nyquist signaling, the Nyquist inter-symbol interference (ISI) criterion is exceeded, thereby increasing spectral efficiency. By varying the transmission rate of symbols above the Nyquist rate, SFTN signaling is able to obfuscate the timing of transmitted symbols with ISI. The work in this thesis evaluates the performance of SFTN in Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channels and the MATLAB 802.11ax fading channels. Results show that while SFTN signaling …

Liquefaction Case Histories From Oceano, California During The 2003 San Simeon Earthquake, Hayden Brake

Master's Theses

On December 22nd, 2003, the Mw=6.5 San Simeon earthquake occurred 12 kilometers east of San Simeon, California, causing damage to buildings, roads, and other infrastructure throughout the central coast. The community of Oceano, 80 kilometers southeast of the epicenter, experienced damage to foundations, roads, and utilities due to liquefaction and lateral spreading. The unique geologic environment in Oceano caused a local amplification of ground motions, liquefaction, and lateral spreading. This study entailed developing ten liquefaction case histories from Oceano during the 2003 San Simeon earthquake. Four of the ten case histories are liquefaction cases and six are non-liquefaction cases, with …

Sequential Memory Generation For Cognitive Models, Eben Miles Sherwood

Master's Theses

Understanding the process of memory formation in neural systems is of great interest in the field of neuroscience. Valiant’s Neuroidal Model poses a plausible theory for how memories are created within a computational context. Previously, the algorithm JOIN has been used to show how the brain could perform conjunctive and disjunctive coding to store memories. A limitation of JOIN is that it does not consider the coding of temporal information in a meaningful manner. We propose SeqMem, a similar algorithmic primitive that is designed to encode a series of items within a random graph model. We investigate the feasibility of …