Engineering Commons^™

Comfort Evaluation Of A Customized Additively Manufactured Headset, Rene Alexis Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Comfortability and end user satisfaction are two of the main objectives in any human-centered product. This is especially important when the product requires interaction with the human head and with the brain. For this research, a customized wearable headset fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM) techniques along with three commercial head devices were analyzed to provide an evaluation of comfort and determine the factors that affect comfort score. The customized headset protects users from dangerous sound frequencies and levels that can permanently damage the human ear (around 82 dB, for extended periods of time). This device is designed to preserve spatial …

Towards Sustainable Cities: Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of The Construction Of A Novel Wastewater Management System, Bibhas B. Tanmoy

Theses and Dissertations

Wastage of water is one of the most common environmental issues in the modern era. However, if this level of usage can be controlled, or recirculated properly, the wastage can be lowered down to a very minimum. In the conventional residential plumbing system, blackwater and greywater gets mixed and goes through the same sewage pipe. This mixture turns the whole wastewater amount into blackwater, which requires complex treatment before discharge. Greywater on the other hand can be discharged to waterbodies requiring almost zero treatment. In this study, a new wastewater management method is proposed where the plumbing system is split …

Tree Ring Reconstructions Of Streamflow For The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Adedolapo Mutiyat Adeyanju

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande River is a major water source for people living within the USA-Mexico border. The Rio Grande River has its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico before flowing into Texas through El-Paso. The water supply issues facing the Lower Rio Grande Basin (LRGB) are extremely complex from international restrictions to severe climate change. The river shares its flow between the U.S.A and Mexico based on the provisions of the 1944 treaty between the U.S.A and Mexico. The LRGB flow is regulated by releases from Falcon and Amistad Reservoirs managed …

Tracking Control Of Quadrotors, Shihab Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the tracking control problem of a 6 DOF quadrotor is considered, and different control method is proposed considering optimal control, parametric and nonparametric uncertainty, input saturation, and distributed formation control. An optimal control approach is developed for single quadrotor tracking by minimizing the cost function. For uncertainties of the dynamic system, a robust adaptive tracking controller is proposed with the special structure of the dynamics of the system. Considering the uncertainty and input constraints, a robust adaptive saturation controller is proposed with the aid of an auxiliary compensated system. Decentralized formation control method for quadrotors is presented …

Single Laser System Approach To Synthesizing And Printing Tin Oxide Nanoparticles For Printed Electronic Applications, Enrique Contreras Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The need for smaller and more efficient printed electronics is on the rise, and while nanoparticles are the clear next step in realizing this goal due to their unique properties that cannot be detected in their bulk form, research on how to use them effectively is still in its early stages. Through a manufacturing convergence approach, we aim to develop a system that can process raw materials all the way through to the final application. In this study, we suggest modifying the setup design of an ultrafast pulsed laser system to demonstrate both the synthesis of Tin Oxide …

Disruptions In International Trade: A Perspective On Ports Of Entry And Supply Chain Resilience, Jose A. Jara Jr. Guerrero

Theses and Dissertations

United States (U.S.) ports of entry (POEs) and supply chains (SCs) have a prominent trade relationship with a growing desire to improve their operational capabilities. Though trade deals like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement have facilitated trade between these countries, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at POEs have also increased security inspections, following the September 11th incident, which have impacted international and global SCs. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused labor shortages at both sea and land POEs, increasing vessel and commercial vehicle congestion. These POE disruptions have also propagated into the third-party logistics (3PL) of SC networks, which …

Tap Water Disinfection In The Electrochemical Precipitation Process By Using Novel Conductive Concrete, Md Shoriful Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical precipitation (EP) is tested to learn about its impact on disinfectants in tap water. The EP process involves applying electricity through electrodes submerged in water to precipitate dissolved metals like water hardness out without chemical additives. In the study, tap water was tested to learn about EP’s impact on disinfectants. Tap water contains not only hardness but also residual disinfectants. It is very essential for the safety of drinking water against the potential ingress of pathogens before the water reaches the end-users. USEPA mandates that the free chlorine level in drinking water should be 0.2mg/L to 4 mg/L. …

Modeling And Performance Analysis Of Deb Based Hydrogen Getters, John A. Matteson

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Hydrogen getter materials are used to irreversibly absorb hydrogen gas in sealed environments. The DEB based getter system, despite finding widespread use in this application, still posses challenges with respect to experimental performance analysis and fundamental understanding of reaction mechanism. The second chapter of this report addresses the experimental challenges of this getter system by demonstrating the utility and experimental strengths of a custom magnetic suspension balance (MSB) based gravimetric sorption system. This apparatus enables performance evaluation in process relevant conditions including dilute mixed gas environments which our results indicate is necessary for accurate performance evaluation of getter systems. Chapter …

Distributed Learning With Automated Stepsizes, Benjamin Liggett

All Theses

Stepsizes for optimization problems play a crucial role in algorithm convergence, where the stepsize must undergo tedious manual tuning to obtain near-optimal convergence. Recently, an adaptive method for automating stepsizes was proposed for centralized optimization. However, this method is not directly applicable to decentralized optimization because it allows for heterogeneous agent stepsizes. Furthermore, directly using consensus between agent stepsizes to mitigate stepsize heterogeneity can decrease performance and even lead to divergence.

This thesis proposes an algorithm to remedy the tedious manual tuning of stepsizes in decentralized optimization. Our proposed algorithm automates the stepsize and uses dynamic consensus between agents’ stepsizes …

The Physical Properties And Handling Characteristics Of Pelletized Biomass Materials, Ryan Dean

All Theses

Biomass and feed pellets can be handled and stored using similar equipment used for other bulk materials; however, their unique physical characteristics can lead to handling challenges. Understanding the flow characteristics of these materials is essential for handling and storage system design, but these characteristics are not well defined in less-than-ideal conditions. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate how moisture content and level of fines influence the angle of repose (AoR) of hardwood, pine bedding, and feed pellets along with determining the impacts of displacement on the shear stress of fuel pellets utilizing a modified linear wall …

Feature Analysis Of Indus Valley And Dravidian Language Scripts With Similarity Matrices, Sarat Sasank Barla, Sai Surya Sanjay Alamuru, Peter Revesz

School of Computing: Conference and Workshop Papers

This paper investigates the similarity between the Indus Valley script and the Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu scripts that are used to write Dravidian languages. The closeness of these scripts is determined by applying a feature analysis of each sign of these scripts and creating similarity matrices that describe the similarity of any pair of signs from two different scripts. The feature list that we use for the analysis of these Dravidian language-related scripts includes six new features beyond the thirteen features that were used for the study of Minoan Linear A and related scripts by Revesz. These new features …

Integrating Forward And Reverse Logistics In Vehicle Routing Problem With Cross-Docking, Vincent F. Yu, Pham T. Anh, Aldy Gunawan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A closed-loop supply chain is one of the vital parts for maintaining the success of enterprises, where forward and reverse logistics are integrated to eliminate wastes (e.g., transportation costs). However, previous studies related to the Vehicle Routing Problem have almost overlooked this integration. This research therefore introduces a variant of the Vehicle Routing Problem with cross-docking (VRPCD) by simultaneously considering three additional factors: (1) various types of vehicles in terms of their capacities and unit travel costs; (2) multiple cross-docks; and (3) the integration of forward and reverse logistics. In particular, the flows of the network consist of distributing goods …

Structured Encryption For Knowledge Graphs, Yujie Xue, Lanxiang Chen, Yu Mi, Lingfang Zeng, Fatemeh Rezaeibagha, Robert H. Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We investigate the problem of structured encryption (STE) for knowledge graphs (KGs) where the knowledge of data can be efficiently and privately queried. Presently, the application of natural language processing (NLP) for knowledge-based search is gradually emerging. Compared with the traditional search based only on keywords of documents-symmetric searchable encryption (SSE), the knowledge-based search system transforms the latent knowledge contained in documents into a semantic network as a knowledge base, which greatly improves the accuracy and relevance of search results. In order to develop a knowledge-based search, the contents of documents are analyzed and extracted using KG techniques (e.g. multi-relational …

Effectiveness Assessment Of E-Ticketing Technology In Construction Of Transportation Projects, Sharareh Kermanshachi, Karthik Subramanya

Publications

The construction of highway infrastructure has devoted significant resources towards e-Construction to reduce the paperwork and automate the tasks in daily operations. Electronic Ticketing (e-Ticketing) is one such component of e-Construction that aids in the digital transfer of material tickets such as asphalt and concrete which accounts for more than fifty per cent of construction costs. Despite the benefits of e-Ticketing, many state departments and agencies are unwilling to transition into this technology. No studies have identified the cause of the delay in the implementation process, developed a framework to comprehend the platform's full potential, quantified savings, and suggested strategies …

Mobile 3d Printing Of Rail Track Surface For Rapid Repai, Ershad Mortazavian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The frequent replacement of worn rails on tracks brings an immense economic burden on the railroad industry, and also causes significant interruptions to railroad operation. Restoration of worn rails via additive manufacturing, i.e., 3D printing, can considerably reduce the associated maintenance costs.The scope of this dissertation is to utilize metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology to repair worn rails that are used in the U.S. railway transportation system (e.g. 75-lb/yd light transit rails, or 136-lb/yd heavy freight rails). More specifically, this study aims to understand the interactive mechanisms between the deposited materials and the high-carbon rail steel to identify and alleviate …

Integrating Plcs With Robot Motion Control In Engineering Capstone Courses, Sanjeevi Chitikeshi, Shirshak K. Dhali, Vukica Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Robotic motion control methods and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are critical in engineering automation and process control applications. In most manufacturing and automation processes, robots are used for moving parts and are controlled by industrial PLCs. Proper integration of external I/O devices, sensors and actuating motors with PLC input and output cards is very important to run the process smoothly without any faults and/or safety concerns. Most traditional electrical and computer engineering (ECE) programs offer high level of motion theory and controls but little hands-on exposure to PLCs which are the main industrial controllers. This paper provides a framework for …

Optimal Scheduling Of Connected And Autonomous Vehicles At A Reservation-Based Intersection., Muting Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reservation-based intersection control has been evaluated with better performance over traditional signal controls in terms of intersection safety, efficiency, and emission. Controlling connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) at a reservation-based intersection in terms of improving intersection efficiency is performed via two factors: trajectory (speed profile) and arrival time of CAVs at the intersection. In an early stage of the reservation-based intersection control, an intersection controller at the intersection may fail to find a feasible solution for both the trajectory and arrival time for a CAV at a certain planning horizon. Leveraging a deeper understanding of the control problem, reservation-based intersection …

Effect Of Dorsal Quadrant Or Ventral Quadrant Spinal Cord Injury On Gait Features During Locomotion., Anya Nicole Trell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Unites States, approximately 1.5 million people currently have a spinal cord injury and suffer permanent sensory and motor loss due to the disruption of the spinal cord. Due to the significant morbidity, it is vital to understand the functional impact of disrupting neural descending pathways that modulate spinal neurons involved in intermuscular coordination critical for gait behaviors. Tasks that are more difficult require additional input from these neural pathways; therefore, fourteen feline subjects were familiarized with level overground locomotion and stair descent gait tasks. After collection of baseline kinematic data, the subjects received either a dorsal or ventral …

Experimental Evaluation Of Heat Leak From Anti-Sweat Components Into Fresh Food And Freezer Compartments Of A Household Refrigerator., Delva Felissaint

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Condensation beads forming on outside surfaces around a refrigerator is an undesirable byproduct driven by the cold temperature exhibited throughout the unit. To combat this issue, anti-sweat components usually in the form of electrical heaters or tubes carrying hot refrigerant, bring heat to the cold surfaces to ensure their temperatures do not drop below the dew point. Some heat produced by the anti-sweat components may transfer to the interior refrigerated compartment. The purpose of this study is to quantify how much heat from the anti-sweat components are entering the fresh food and freezer compartments and what impact that has on …

Development And Applications Of A Sensor For Measurement Of Different Modes Of Heat Transfer On Foods In A Residential Oven., Kervins Petit-Bois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thermal characterization of an oven is an important part of designing an oven. Understanding how changes in cooking algorithm, oven construction, and oven materials affect cooking performance is critical in ensuring that an oven is properly designed. Often temperature data is used to characterize oven behavior, but this neglects the mode of heat transfer used to achieve these temperatures. Several studies have compared the different modes of heat transfer and cooking performance and have shown that cooking performance in radiation dominated modes are different than in convection dominated modes. The goal of this study is to develop a heat flux …

Computer Aided Diagnosis System For Breast Cancer Using Deep Learning., Asma Baccouche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recent rise of big data technology surrounding the electronic systems and developed toolkits gave birth to new promises for Artificial Intelligence (AI). With the continuous use of data-centric systems and machines in our lives, such as social media, surveys, emails, reports, etc., there is no doubt that data has gained the center of attention by scientists and motivated them to provide more decision-making and operational support systems across multiple domains. With the recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, the use of machine learning and deep learning models have achieved remarkable advances in computer vision, ecommerce, cybersecurity, and healthcare. Particularly, numerous …

Role Of Deep Learning Techniques In Non-Invasive Diagnosis Of Human Diseases., Hisham Abouelseoud Elsayem Abdeltawab

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning, a sub-discipline in the domain of artificial intelligence, concentrates on algorithms able to learn and/or adapt their structure (e.g., parameters) based on a set of observed data. The adaptation is performed by optimizing over a cost function. Machine learning obtained a great attention in the biomedical community because it offers a promise for improving sensitivity and/or specificity of detection and diagnosis of diseases. It also can increase objectivity of the decision making, decrease the time and effort on health care professionals during the process of disease detection and diagnosis. The potential impact of machine learning is greater than …

Role Of Machine Learning In Early Diagnosis Of Kidney Diseases., Mohamed Nazih Mohamed Ibrahim Shehata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) approaches have been used as indispensable tools in modern artificial intelligence-based computer-aided diagnostic (AIbased CAD) systems that can provide non-invasive, early, and accurate diagnosis of a given medical condition. These AI-based CAD systems have proven themselves to be reproducible and have the generalization ability to diagnose new unseen cases with several diseases and medical conditions in different organs (e.g., kidneys, prostate, brain, liver, lung, breast, and bladder). In this dissertation, we will focus on the role of such AI-based CAD systems in early diagnosis of two kidney diseases, namely: acute rejection (AR) post …

Spacecraft Formation Flying Control Switching Surface Based On Relative Orbital Elements, Tyson K. Smith, John Akagi, Greg Droge

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The development of a switching surface constraint based on the D’Amico relative orbital elements (ROE) is presented in this paper. Relative orbital elements give a more intuitive understanding of how the relative motion of a cluster of satellites changes with time and allows the control algorithm to take advantage of the natural dynamic motion. This work models each vehicle using a model predictive control (MPC) approach, based on the Hill-Clohessey-Whiltshire (HCW) equations, to plan maneuvers which are simulated using a high-fidelity motion model. An ROE based convex polytope switching surface is added to the MPC formulation to force the states …

Optimization Of Solar-Coal Hybridization For Low Solar Augmentation, Aaron T. Bame, Joseph Furner, Ian Hoag, Kasra Mohammadi, Kody Powell, Brian D. Iverson

Faculty Publications

This work presents a process to determine the preliminary optimal configuration of a concentrating solar power-coal hybrid power plant with low solar augmentation, and is demonstrated on a regenerative steam Rankine cycle coal power plant in Castle Dale, UT, USA (average DNI of 542 W m⁻²). A representative plant model is developed and validated against published data for a coal power plant. The simplifications that lead to the representative model from a coal power plant model include combining multiple feedwater heaters, combining turbines, and using a mass-average calculation for extraction steam properties. Comparing net power generation and boiler …

Additive Metal Deposition Feedback Optimization For The 3d Hybrid Metal Printer, Andrew James Wyman

Dissertations

In the additive manufacturing realm, explicitly the direct energy deposition method, there continues to be numerous advancements along with advantages to control print quality of the component and the ability to apply the successful repetition of metallic layers consecutively. Metal additive printed components have the capacity to directly use the component for the desired application or intended purpose from which the three-dimensional model was created. In contrast, plastic printers that produce components that would not hold to the physical conditions required such as a metallic component could withstand.

Research exertions were focused on improving the present Western Michigan University patented …

Tissue-Engineered Living Pulmonary Valve For Young Adult Patients, Erica Hoskins

All Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a non-communicable disease responsible for 659,000 deaths annually in the United States. While CVD can affect all components of the cardiovascular system, heart valve disease is responsible for 25,000 deaths yearly. Of specific interest is the pulmonary valve since there is limited research on resolving pathologies that affect it. Like the aortic and mitral valves, common pathologies include stenosis, regurgitation, and atresia. Notably, the pulmonary valve requires repair and replacement in pediatric patients and young adults due to congenital disabilities. Even with technological advances in valve replacements, limitations still present themselves for use with younger patients …

Bioleaching Of Arsenic From Agricultural Soils, Zachary Gilstrap

All Theses

Arsenic is a ubiquitous trace metalloid. However, increasing concentrations of arsenic in soil and water is a problem the world faces due to inputs from anthropogenic sources such as mining, milling, agriculture, and coal ash. One method of remediation for these arsenic-contaminated sites is bioleaching. While it is most often used to extract metals from raw ore, it is a viable and environmentally friendly method to remove the same metals from soil. Bioleaching removes metals by cultivating living organisms such as the fungi Aspergillus niger (A.niger) or the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (T.ferrooxidans). This research aimed to investigate A. …

Computational Tradespace Exploration, Analysis, And Decision-Making: A Proposed Framework For Organizational Self-Assessment, Julia Daniels

All Theses

The ability to assess technical feasibility, project risk, technical readiness, and realistic performance expectations in early-phase conceptual design is a challenging mission-critical task for large procurement projects. At present, there is not a well-defined framework for evaluating current practices of organizations performing computational trade studies. One such organization is the US Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC). When defining requirements and priorities for the next-generation autonomy-enabled ground vehicle system, GVSC is faced with the challenge of an increasingly complex programmatic tradespace due to emerging complexities of ground vehicle systems. This thesis aims to document and evaluate tradespace processes, methods, and …

A 3d Tissue Engineering Model To Study Mitral Valve Annulus Calcification Under Diabetic Conditions, Erin James

All Theses

The most complex heart valve is the mitral valve (MV). Many pathologies can affect the MV, including stenosis, regurgitation, prolapse, and mitral annulus calcification (MAC). MAC is chronic degeneration of the annulus, which is the fibrous, saddle-shaped “ring” that can contract and relax with the myocardium. The prevalence of MAC is around 15% but increases in patients with other cardiovascular diseases and risk factors. It is also thought to increase in patients with type 2 diabetes, but MAC has not been properly characterized within this population because of confounding factors such as cardiac disease and kidney disease. The goal of …