Engineering Commons^™

Delphi Panel For Establishing Land Use Compatibility Areas And Standards For Vertiports, David C. Ison

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This study aimed to determine land use compatibility guidelines for vertiports, which are locations where vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft operate. The study employed a three-round e-Delphi panel to establish vertiport land use compatibility zones and standards. The results reached a consensus of at least 70%, providing comprehensive land use compatibility recommendations for vertiports. The study provides a foundation for vertiport land use compatibility planning, ensuring the integration of vertiports in existing communities. The findings can also increase public and local officials' awareness of the needs and requirements of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure development. The uniformity between existing …

Real-Time Detection Of Sea Turtles Using Uav And Neural Networks On Edge Devices, Jose A. Gonzalez Nunez, Jose G. Gonzalez Nunez, Mustafa I. Akbas, Patrick Currier, Nickolas D. Macchiarella

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Sea turtle populations continue to diminish around the globe for various reasons. Therefore, the need for innovative solutions to monitor sea turtles has been increasing. This research paper focuses on an innovative application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) together with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to improve sea turtle conservation efforts. We outline the design, implementation, and evaluation of a system that deploys UAVs equipped with high-resolution cameras, coupled with a purpose-built neural network to recognize, classify, and monitor sea turtles. This project thus serves as a platform for understanding the wider applicability and limitations of this technology …

Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study In Aviation Maintenance, Nadine Amin, Tracy L. Yother, Julia Rayz

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying tasks (Bergkvist & Sabbagh, 2021). One such task is the technical documentation of the performed maintenance operations (Chandola et al., 2022). Instead of manual documentation, voice tools that transcribe spoken logbook entries allow technicians to document their work right away in a hands-free and time efficient manner. However, an accurate automatic speech recognition (ASR) model requires large training corpora (Siyaev & Jo, 2021a), which are lacking in the domain of aviation maintenance. In …

A New Trajectory In Uav Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning For Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations, Xiaolin Xu, Jeffrey Sun

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle. A thorough analysis and rigorous simulation and testing of aircraft systems are essential to avoid severe safety hazards. This paper delves into the safety issue in UAV operations, specifically regarding maintaining minimum safety distances under fluctuating wind conditions. The study introduces a novel solution based on a Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) model, a reinforcement learning method. The DDPG model was trained using a simulated environment created through the Gazebo simulator, with values for wind …

High-Flying Results: A Case Study In A Pilot Development Mentor Program, Catherine G. Cordova, Barron Parsons-Daisley, Emma Fox Captain

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Consistently considered one of the world’s most stressful occupations, the job of an airline pilot requires increasingly specific skills and responsibilities, especially amidst the global pandemic (Cullen, et al., 2020; Sew, et al., 2022). Given the severity and implications of their decisions and actions, airline pilots must continuously undergo training and practices to ensure proper procedure. In 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) augmented qualifications by enacting Pilot Professional Development requirements (85 FR 10923), including mentoring for newly hired pilots in command (PIC’s). In complement with 85 FR 10923, CFR 121-N ensures “techniques for reinforcing the highest standards of technical …

User Experience, Motivation And Self-Efficacy Comparisons Between Virtual Reality And Conventional Pc-Based Flight Simulation Training, Tianxin Zhang, Christina Frederick, Andrew Dattel, Elizabeth Blickensderfer, Barbara Chaparro

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The current project investigated the effect of utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) technologies for flight training by comparing user experience, motivation, and self-efficacy when using conventional desktop flight simulation versus VR flight simulation. This research employed a quasi-transfer of training experiment with 48 participants. Findings showed that VR flight simulation could provide a better user experience and generate a higher level of training motivation than traditional training technologies, while maintaining trainees’ perceptions of self-efficacy. This work contributed positive evidence that VR flight simulation has great potential to be an effective means of flight training and provided a foundation for future research …

Comparative Analysis Of Aviation And Ground Transportation Safety Standards Applicable To The Integration Of Unmanned Aircraft Operations, Andrew Walker

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This study performed a comparative analysis of SMS in both the aviation and ground transportation industries to identify any gaps that may impact aviation safety by incorporating UAS operations within the ground transportation industry. The study reviewed relevant literature and compared the FAA SMS and FMCSA SMC policy components. The study also compared the implementation of OSHA requirements within the aviation and ground transportation industries. After reviewing the relevant policy components, the study finds that differences in safety standards between the FAA SMA and FMCSA SMC would impact safety. The study recommends that the SMC incorporate process descriptions for SRM …

Analysis Of Delta In-Out For Irish Natural Gas Distribution Network, Utkarsha Chavan, Anthony Reynolds, Michael Carr, L. Walsh

Articles

This article investigates the issue of Unaccounted for Gas (UAG) in the natural gas distribution network of Ireland, focusing on the DeltaIO (i.e. the difference between the gas entering and leaving the network). The study applies the DeltaIO methodology developed for Italian distribution networks to Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), the sole Distribution System Operator (DSO) in Ireland. The analysis covers the period from 2013 to 2019 and provides insights into the magnitude and trends of UAG in the Irish context. The results show that GNI's DeltaIO ranges from 0.93% to 1.57%, with an average of 1.15%. Comparisons with large Italian …

Sustainability Policy Inventory, Conor Shaw, James O’Donnell

Tools

The purpose of this inventory is to inform Irish organisations, including the private sector, public agencies and semi-states, about current or upcoming EU and Irish policies which have implications on reporting or other action in relation to 'sustainability in construction'.

การปรับปรุงรอยต่อสะพานเหล็กด้วยแผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อ, พัชรพล บัวทุม

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การออกแบบและก่อสร้างสะพานเหล็กในอดีตมักใช้รอยต่อขยายตัว (Expansion Joint) เพื่อรองรับการเคลื่อนที่จากอุณหภูมิ แต่เมื่อใช้งานไประยะเวลาหนึ่งจะเกิดการเสื่อมสภาพ ทำให้เกิดการกัดกร่อนและความเสียหายสะสม เนื่องจากน้ำและสิ่งสกปรกซึมผ่านลงสู่โครงสร้างส่วนล่างได้ง่าย ส่งผลให้เกิดการเสื่อมสภาพของโครงสร้างบริเวณรอยต่อ เป็นภาระในการบำรุงรักษาและกระทบต่ออายุการใช้งานสะพาน การใช้แผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อ (Link Slab) จึงเป็นทางเลือกในการเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพสะพานเหล็กเดิม โดยมีบริเวณไม่ยึดติด (Debonded Zone) เพื่อลดความเค้นภายใน ร่วมกับการใช้คอนกรีตสมรรถนะสูงพิเศษ (UHPC) ที่มีความแข็งแรงทั้งด้านแรงอัดและแรงดึง และทนต่อการยืดตัวหลังแตกร้าว ช่วยเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพให้แผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อยิ่งขึ้น การศึกษานี้พิจารณากรณีสะพานเหล็กช่วงพาดเดี่ยวปกติ 25 เมตร พบว่าเมื่อใช้ UHPC กำลังอัด 110 MPa สามารถเปลี่ยนรอยต่อสะพานเป็นแผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อได้ต่อเนื่อง 4 ช่วงพาด เพิ่มระยะห่างรอยต่อขยายตัวจาก 25 เมตรเป็น 100 เมตร ผลการวิเคราะห์โครงสร้างพบว่าแผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อที่ใช้วัสดุ UHPC ช่วยลดการเสียรูปโดยภาพรวมของสะพานจากน้ำหนักบรรทุกและการเปลี่ยนแปลงอุณหภูมิ อีกทั้งยังสามารถออกแบบเพื่อลดขนาดและปริมาณเหล็กเสริมลงได้ ดังนั้น การเปลี่ยนรอยต่อสะพานเป็นแผ่นพื้นเชื่อมต่อจึงช่วยเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพในการรับแรง ลดต้นทุนบำรุงรักษาในระยะยาว อย่างไรก็ตามพบว่าอาจทำให้ฐานรองรับสะพานบางตำแหน่งต้องรับแรงเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ ผู้ออกแบบจึงควรพิจารณาปรับเปลี่ยนฐานรองรับให้เหมาะสมกับภาระที่เพิ่มขึ้นด้วย

Guardians Of The Catheters, Interprofessional Collaboration Reduced Cauti Rates At Phfh, Dawn Doud, Angela Shemwell, Stephanie Brown, Tobi Bryan, Georgia Gauron, Tasha Anisimov, Peter Weitzman, Emma Peterson, Tiffanie Rampley

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Abstract Title: A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce CAUTIs on Inpatient Units

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to understand how interprofessional collaboration contributed to CAUTI reduction on inpatient acute care units.
2. Participants will be able to understand education nurses completed to reduce CAUTI rates on inpatient acute care units.

Purpose/Aims:

To reduce CAUTI rates for adult inpatients admitted to the acute care units: Progressive Care Unit (PCU), Surgical/Orthopedics, Medical/Oncology, and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Background

An increase in CAUTI rates for adults admitted to inpatient units was identified in January of 2024. The CAUTI rate at that time was …

Iterative Power Flow Control Architecture For Dc-Ac-Ac Triple Active Bridge Converters: Design, Simulation, And Hardware Testing, Jonathan Henri Saelens

Masters Theses

Driven by widespread electrification and escalating energy demands, efficient and cost-effective converter systems are necessary to maintain and improve our nation's electrical grid. Facilitating this necessity are power electronic converters in applications such as smart grids, renewable energy integration, and electric vehicles. Guided by the demand for improved converter topologies and conversion efficiency, much research has been conducted on varying designs, development, and control implementations. One such topology gaining significant research attention is the triple active bridge (TAB) converter. The TAB is a three-port power converter enabling both bidirectional power flow on each port and galvanic isolation for safety and …

Evaluating The External Human-Machine Interface Of Autonomous Vehicles On Pedestrian Safety At Mid-Block Crossings: A Virtual Reality-Enabled Simulation Study, Zizheng Yan, Hong Yang, Junqing Wang

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Unified Framework For Calculation Of Surrogate Safety Metrics For Autonomous Vehicles In Work Zones, Marcus Putz, Sean Brennan

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

No abstract provided.

Multivariate Model Of Road Crashes For Vulnerable Users, Jonathan Agüero-Valverde, Darío Vargas Aguilar

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

No abstract provided.

Equitable Roadways: Analyzing Rural-Urban Road Safety In Nevada For Informed Strategic Planning, Khandaker Arafin Islam, Shashi Nambisan

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

No abstract provided.

Unintended Consequences: Changes In Driver Behavior Associated With The Adoption Of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Nischal Gupta, Peter T. Savolainen

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are a disruptive precursor to fully autonomous vehicles (AVs), which will have far-reaching impacts on the nature of travel. With various ADAS features becoming increasingly common in vehicles, some unintended changes in driving behavior are expected including engaging in more risk-taking behavior while driving. To that end, the present study utilizes survey-based data of 1,000 Michigan adults and investigates the likelihood of drivers engaging in three different driving behaviors- cell phone use, consumption of alcohol, and tailgating when driving a vehicle with collision alert systems by means of multivariate ordered probit regression analysis. Results showed …

The Impact Of Dissolved Organic Matter On Photodegradation Rates, Byproduct Formations, And Degradation Pathways For Two Neonicotinoid Insecticides In Simulated River Waters, Josephus F. Borsuah, Tiffany L. Messer, Daniel D. Snow, Steven D. Comfort, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The influences of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on neonicotinoid photochemical degradation and product formation in natural waters remain unclear, potentially impacting the sustainability of river systems. Therefore, our overall objective was to investigate the photodegradation mechanisms and phototransformation byproducts of two neonicotinoid pesticides, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, under simulated sunlight at the microcosm scale, to assess the implications of DOM for insecticide degradation in rivers. Direct and indirect photolysis were investigated using twelve water matrices to identify possible reaction pathways with two DOM sources and three quenching agents. Imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and potential degradants were measured, and reaction pathways identified. The photodegradation …

A 3-Step, Open-Data, Ride-Hailing Ridership Model With Pricing Applications, Richard A. Mucci

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Researchers and practitioners studied the effects ride-hailing had in cities before the covid-19 pandemic. Previous research found ride-hailing to produce negative externalities, such as reducing transit ridership and increasing congestion in various cities. Since the pandemic, ride-hailing ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Ride-hailing ridership has grown steadily since the pandemic while a rider’s willingness to share their trip stagnated. Ride-hailing ridership nearly recovering to pre-covid levels in Chicago suggests that transportation planners, and policy makers, will need to continue assessing the impacts ride-hailing trips have in their cities.

Pickup and drop off locations in the Chicago …

Is There Such Thing As The "Best" Running Shoe?, Andrew Peet

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Over the past semester, running has played a huge part in my social life here at Johnson and Wales. But although I have been a runner for years, this past semester stuck out the most. I constantly struggled with foot pain, and I decided to find if the problem was actually due to my shoes! Thankfully, I found that actually the problem was due to high arches, but this led me to question, are there shoes that could best fit me? Furthermore, if there are shoes designed to help one set of people, is there a “best” overall running shoe? …

The Bear Paws, Nathaniel Neville, Christopher Dimovski

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

According to the World Health Organization, there are roughly 250,000 to 500,000 people around the world that suffer from spinal cord injury every year. The demographic with the highest risk for this debilitating injury is young adult males, aged 20 to 29. Currently, there is a lack of assistive technologies that do not rely on the user’s grip. Some current technologies use a locking strap that goes around patient’s fist and require assistance of others to be fully put on. The goal of this assistive design project is to provide a client-specific device to assist with independent dressing tasks. The …

Wunderfall's Personex, Autumn Ford, Johanna Wunder

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is an increasingly prevalent form of diabetes that causes patients to experience symptoms of both Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. LADA currently accounts for 2-12% of all cases of diabetes in the adult population. Around 20% of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may have LADA; patients with LADA are constantly misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Patients may experience chronic vascular complications which can cause neuropathy (frequency between 27-29%) and can lead to amputations and diabetic retinopathy (frequency of 51%). This project’s purpose is to develop client-specific assistive technology that …

Trouvaille, Lucky Finds For Inspiration Minizine, Estefany Almanzar Pascual

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

What inspires you in your day-to-day life? ‘Trouvaille’, named after the French word for ‘lucky find’, is a collection of art and design inspired by a variety of sources, from historical movements, local architecture, and modern design to everyday sights like cracks on the sidewalk or the pattern of bricks on a wall. Aimed at creatives, artists, and designers, Trouvaille features bold colors and edgy typography derived from hand-lettering and brush scripts. The publication was laid out and designed using Adobe InDesign. Adobe Illustrator was used to develop the masthead as well as all vector-based graphics, and Adobe Photoshop was …

Post-Capture Synthesis Of Images Using Manipulable Integration Functions, Paul Eberhart

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Traditional photographic practice, as dictated by the properties of photochemical emulsion film, mechanical apparatus, and human operators, largely treats the sensitivity (gain) and integration interval as coarsely parameterized constants for the entire scene, set no later than the time of exposure. This frame-at-a-time capture and processing model permeates digital cameras and computer image processing. Emerging imaging technologies, such as time domain continuous imaging (TDCI), quanta image sensors (QIS), event cameras, and conventional sensors augmented with computational processing and control, provide opportunities to break out of the frame-oriented paradigm and capture a stream of data describing changes to scene appearance over …

A Comprehensive Exploration Of Fundamental And Experimental Characteristics Of Nanophotonic Metasurfaces, Nasrin Razmjooei

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The advent of diffraction gratings with periodic unit cells has led to numerous advancements in theoretical studies and practical applications. Recently, these structures have been recognized as subsets of “meta-surfaces” or “meta-materials”, employing periodically aligned features at the wavelength scale to manipulate electromagnetic wave properties for diverse applications. This manipulation extends to controlling amplitude, phase, spectral distribution, polarization state, and the local mode structure of light across various spectral expressions. A significant characteristic of these metasurfaces is their ability to couple incident light to laterally propagating leaky Bloch modes in the subwavelength regime, resulting in resonance at specific wavelengths known …

A Wearable Sensing System For High-Speed Interface Of Wide Range Electrochemical Sensor Array, Shanthala Lakshminarayana

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Electrochemical sensing systems have emerged as indispensable tools in various fields due to their remarkable sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility. They play a pivotal role in modern research, industry, environmental monitoring, and healthcare devices. In environmental monitoring, these systems are deployed for detecting pollutants, heavy metals, and toxic gases, facilitating real-time monitoring, and ensuring environmental safety. Whereas, in the biomedical field, electrochemical sensing systems play a crucial role in diagnosing diseases, monitoring biomarkers etc, thereby revolutionizing healthcare practices.

Cost-effective wearable electrochemical sensing devices are significant for democratizing healthcare and improving public health outcomes. These devices enable continuous monitoring of physiological parameters, …

Pulsed Dielectric Breakdown And Permittivity Characterization Of Composite Solid Insulators In Pulsed Power Systems, Shawn T. Scoggin

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

In high voltage pulsed power systems, liquids and gases are often used as insulating materials because they offer high breakdown strengths, conform around complex geometries, and are self-healing, but they can introduce significant engineering challenges and restrictions when it comes to implementing them. Solid dielectrics can be desirable for improving the maintenance requirements, shelf life, and power/energy density metrics associated with insulating high voltage pulsed power systems, however they possess design challenges of their own. Solid dielectrics are not self-healing and can be difficult to manufacture, especially around complex geometries. Epoxy dielectrics are of high interest because of their naturally …

Manifold Learning In Robotics: A Tutorial And Survey, Marcus Hawkins

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

In this article, we hope to represent the current state of the art of manifold learning in an understandable and approachable way. The authors will present a general overview core algorithms associated with linear and nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques, give rudimentary definitions from differential geometry, and tenets of robotic perception, manipulation and path planning. Some of the historical applications of these algorithms will be presented, as well as conjectures about future uses, through examples from peer-reviewed journals.

Exploring Machine Learning Techniques For Embedded Hardware, Neel R. Vora

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

This thesis delves into the intricate symbiosis between machine learning (ML) methodologies and embedded hardware systems, with a primary focus on augmenting efficiency and real-time processing capabilities across diverse application domains. It confronts the formidable challenge of deploying sophisticated ML algorithms on resource-constrained embedded hardware, aiming not only to optimize performance but also to minimize energy consumption. Innovative strategies are explored to tailor ML models for streamlined execution on embedded platforms, with validation conducted across various real-world application domains. Notable contributions include the development of a deep-learning framework leveraging a variational autoencoder (VAE) for compressing physiological signals from wearables while …

Stock Price Trend Prediction Using Emotion Analysis Of Financial Headlines With Distilled Llm Model, Rithesh H. Bhat

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

Capturing the volatility of stock prices helps individual traders, stock analysts, and institutions alike increase their returns in the stock market. Financial news headlines have been shown to have a significant effect on stock price mobility. Lately, many financial portals have restricted web scraping of stock prices and other related financial data of companies from their websites. In this study we demonstrate that emotion analysis of financial news headlines alone can be sufficient in predicting stock price movement, even in the absence of any financial data. We propose an approach that eliminates the need for web scraping of financial data. …