Engineering Commons^™

Improvement Of Spice Based Esd Protection Models For I/O Protection Modeling, Amin Pak, Seyed Mostafa Mousavi, David Pommerenke, Giorgi Maghlakelidze, Yang Xu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modeling ESD protection using the System Efficient ESD Design (SEED) methodology enables optimal protection of an IO using TVS and external components. The success of modeling depends on the accuracy of the models. This work shows improvements to SPICE models used to characterize TVS diodes and IC I/O. The improvement is twofold. The transition phases between snapback and main current flow have been adjusted to achieve realistic waveforms for the rise times from 500 ps to 5 ns in a voltage range from Vt1 to the high current region, and complex curvatures of the IV curve are included. The model …

Data-Driven Discovery Of The Governing Equation For The Transmission Lines System, Yanming Zhang, Lijun Jiang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sophisticated structures in the transmission line system introduce the nonuniformity and nonlinearity, which brings the challenge for its characterization and modeling. In this work, a novel data-driven method is proposed to derive the governing partial differential equations of the transmission line. Based on the polynomial interpolation of the spatial-temporal samples of current and voltage, the time and spatial derivatives can be obtained. Then, the ridge regression algorithm is adopted to determine the active spatial differential terms from the candidate functions. Three benchmarks, the uniform and nonuniform transmission line, and a soliton generation system, are provided to demonstrate the validity of …

It’S A Context Gap, Not A Competency Gap: Understanding The Transition From Capstone Design To Industry, Marie C. Paretti, Julie Dyke Ford, Susannah Howe, Daria A. Kotys-Schwartz, Robin Ott

Engineering: Faculty Publications

This paper describes the completion of a multi-year, multi-institution study to explore students’ transitions from capstone design courses into engineering workplaces. Numerous studies and industry reports point to gaps between school and work with respect to engineering practice. Such misalignment poses a serious challenge to the professional formation of engineers within the academy. Industry-oriented capstone courses are key opportunities to bridge these gaps. These courses provide a direct connect to industry, and faculty view them as vehicles to help students synthesize prior coursework and engage in real-world projects. Yet few if any studies have examined the effectiveness of capstone courses …

The Impact Of Micro Porous Layer On Liquid Water Evolution Inside Pemfc Using Lattice Boltzmann Method, Mitchell Sepe, P. Satjaritanun, I. V. Zenyuk, N. Tippayawong, Sirivatch Shimpalee

Faculty Publications

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) require a gas diffusion layer to aid in fuel transport to the catalyst sites. A microporous layer (MPL) is often added to the GDL to improve liquid saturation inside gas diffusion media. In this work, the lattice Boltzmann method was applied to four GDL samples with the addition of an MPL. Three injection orientations were used to study liquid evolution through the samples. Each orientation used four different injection pressures, ranging from 5,000 Pa to 8,000 Pa. Saturation data for GDL samples with and without an MPL were compared. Results showed that when adding …

Hardware Acceleration In Image Stitching: Gpu Vs Fpga, Joshua David Edgcombe

Masters Theses

Image stitching is a process where two or more images with an overlapping field of view are combined. This process is commonly used to increase the field of view or image quality of a system. While this process is not particularly difficult for modern personal computers, hardware acceleration is often required to achieve real-time performance in low-power image stitching solutions. In this thesis, two separate hardware accelerated image stitching solutions are developed and compared. One solution is accelerated using a Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ ZU3EG FPGA and the other solution is accelerated using an Nvidia RTX 2070 Super GPU. The image …

Assessment Of Creative Thinking In An Introductory Robotics Course Using Final Project, Lili Ma, Jose Reyes Alamo, Yu Wang

Publications and Research

This study describes development of an assignment (the final project) used for assessment of creative thinking in an undergraduate robotic course. Robotics inherently demands creativity, requiring exploration and investigation among several different methods to eventually generate a satisfactory solution. Assessment of students’ creative thinking fits naturally into our robotic course, which has a 2.5-hour lab session each week for students to work on physical/simulated robots. Students are asked to complete three projects over one semester. This paper describes the re-design and fine-tuning of the final project such that assessment of creative thinking can be incorporated into this robotic course as …

Hydrolearn: Improving Students’ Conceptual Understanding And Technical Skills In A Civil Engineering Senior Design Course, Melissa Ann Gallagher, Jenny Byrd, Emad Habib, David G. Tarboton, Clinton S. Wilson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Engineering graduates need a deep understanding of key concepts in addition to technical skills to be successful in the workforce. However, traditional methods of instruction (e.g., lecture) do not foster deep conceptual understanding and make it challenging for students to learn the technical skills, (e.g., professional modeling software), that they need to know. This study builds on prior work to assess engineering students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge. The results provide an insight into how the use of authentic online learning modules influence engineering students’ conceptual knowledge and procedural skills. We designed online active learning modules to support and deepen undergraduate …

Water Regulation For Enhancing Soil Quality Using Cactus Mucilage: A Theoretical And Experimental Analysis, Khuloud Alrashdi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As water is one of the primary sources of life, it is essential in an endless number of systems and processes to be utilized efficiently in nature and in practical applications. One of these applications includes farming, which depletes a lot of water as the water irrigation systems cover large soil areas. While water is a critical factor in growing crops, a question here stands, can the irrigation process be transformed? This is the overarching goal of my work since it is centered on studying if cactus mucilage, a natural substance, is capable of improving water absorption processes on crops …

Building A Functional Cardiograph Over Four Semesters, Part 3: Estimating Heart Rate And Respiration Rate In The Time And Frequency Domains Using Matlab, Gail Baura, Francisca Fils-Aime, Vincent Chiun-Fan Chen, Leanne Kallemeyn

Engineering Science Faculty Publications

At Loyola University Chicago (LUC), all engineering courses are taught using a mandatory minimal lecture style, where the majority of course meeting time is devoted to group activities. Each activity may take place during that course meeting only, over the entire semester, or over multiple semesters. Curricular contextual threads take place over multiple semesters. One such contextual thread is the cardiograph project, whereby students build a functional cardiograph that estimates heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) over four semesters (first, third, fifth, and sixth semesters). In Part III, students acquire their own electrocardiogram (ECG) using a custom motherboard, with …

Evaluation Of Fine And Coarse Graded Asphalt Mixes, Md Mehedi Hasan

Civil Engineering ETDs

During the last 20 years, asphalt pavements were built in New Mexico (NM) and around the country using mostly Superpave coarse graded mixes as opposed to fine graded mixes. This is because coarse mix uses larger aggregates with good interlocking and requires less asphalt binder than a fine mix, while both mixes fulfill the Superpave criteria. Recently, it was observed nationally that the Superpave coarse graded mixes have good field rutting performances but poor cracking performances. It is hypothesized that fine graded mix can help improve pavement cracking performances. The idea is, the fine mixes would have less air voids …

Effects And Solutions On The Human Body After Long-Duration Space Flights, Jose Jaime Esquivel Patricio

McNair Research Journal SJSU

During the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy made it a mission for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to accomplish a lunar landing and return to Earth. The final lunar landing and the last time humans left Low Earth Orbit (LEO) was in December, 1972. However, 47 years have passed and the fascination with traveling into deep space remains alive and flourishing. A major problem with future human missions to Mars is the effects of microgravity and Mars’ 0.38g environment. Unfortunately, space medicine is limited and little is known about the effects of microgravity on the human body …

Issue 9: Contributors, D. Flournoy, Randall Johnson

Online Journal of Space Communication

List of issue 9 contributors.

Gps & Galileo: Prospects For Building The Next Generation Of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Glen Gibbons Jr.

Online Journal of Space Communication

In the next 5 to 10 years, the world will experience the emergence of a true Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - a compatible and, in many respects, interoperable system of systems. The U.S. Global Positioning System, Europe's Galileo, perhaps Russia's Glonass system, and regional augmentations including the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), radiobeacon-based systems such as the U.S. Nationwide Differential GPS, and compatible commercial differential correction services will comprise this multifaceted GNSS. Common signal structures and frequency plans will enable combined user equipment that reduces the technical complexity and cost, while vastly …

New U.S. Gps Policy From A European Perspective, Martin U. Ripple, Alexis Vidal

Online Journal of Space Communication

On December 8, 2004, the President of the United States of America authorized the new U.S. Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Policy. This new policy sets forth a forward-looking framework for the management of GPS and its augmentations. In particular, the new U.S. policy mentions interaction with other satellite navigation systems.

Following the establishment of a U.S.-E.U. framework agreement for cooperation between GPS and Galileo, signed on June 26, 2004, European policy makers and industrialists expected clear statements on cooperation and interoperability issues from the new U.S. GPS policy. Regrettably, the related recommendations hold short of the need for cooperation …

Receiver Performance For An Enhanced Dgps Data Channel, Gregory Johnson, Michael Kuhn, Peter F. Swaszek, Richard Hartnett, Per Enge

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Coast Guard currently operates a maritime differential GPS service consisting of two control centers and over 85 remote broadcast sites. This service broadcasts GPS correction information on marine radiobeacon frequencies to improve the accuracy and integrity of GPS. The existing system provides differential corrections over a medium frequency carrier using minimum shift keying (MSK) as the modulation method. MSK is a version of the Continuous Phase Frequency Shift Keying (CPFSK) modulation technique that is "spectrally compact," meaning that it is a narrow band modulation scheme. In a binary signaling channel, the two instantaneous frequencies for this modulation method are …

Space Based Real-Time Kinematic Gps For National Geodetic Survey Texas Height Modernization, S. D. Lyle, D. M. Mulcare

Online Journal of Space Communication

Height Modernization is a program in NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other new technologies to increase the accuracy of elevation measurements that comprise the vertical portion of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). Height Modernization Program within NGS is working with states to improve the height component of their survey control networks and related products. Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) was designated as the recipient of a grant under the Program during the most recent Congressional cycle. In order to best coordinate and manage the activities funded by the grant, A&M-CC …

Sea Surface Wave Information Using Gps Sea Reflected Signal - Wave Height, Shigeyuki Okuda, Yasuo Arai, Nobuyoshi Kouguchi

Online Journal of Space Communication

In case of positioning by GPS, the direct signal from the satellite to the receiver is ordinarily utilized, but the multipath signal is regarded as one error source that deteriorate the positioning accuracy. In this paper, we focus on characteristics of the reflected signal, and had a few simulation tests. The correlator output signals are checked out and compared to the change of wave height and the wave period.

In this paper we describe that in sufficient long wave compared with reflection area size we can measure an accurate wave height, and by pointing antenna beam center from two directions …

Moving Map And Situational Awareness Capabilities Of The Dagr, Gary L. Bachman

Online Journal of Space Communication

This paper presents an overview of the Moving Mapp and Situational Awareness capabilities of the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) military handheld GPS receiver (refer to Figure 1), and how these capabilities can be utilized for other applications. The paper first presents an overview of situational awareness and moving maps as provided by handheld GPS receivers, factors driving the DAGR's requirements, and the requirements themselves.

This paper presents the system design in a two-part approach corresponding to the two primary components of the system: 1) importing digital map products into the DAGR and 2) displaying moving maps and situational awareness …

Egnos Terrestrial Regional Augmentation Networks Based On Ais For River Information Services, M. Jandrisits, J. C. De Mateo, G. Abwerzger

Online Journal of Space Communication

Within the ESA Advanced Research Telecommunications program ARTES-5, the project GALEWAT (Galileo and EGNOS for Waterway Transport) aims at introducing EGNOS into River Information Services (RIS) through the Automatic Identification System (AIS), a link that is mandatory for seagoing vessels above 300 GT.

The GALEWAT project comprises several phases: During the initial definition phase, the system architecture and user equipment have been defined in line with standards and international recommendations. This phase was followed by the implementation phase, aiming at developing and setting up the equipment. Finally, the project will be completed by an extensive demonstration phase, which is currently …

Geosynchronous Satellite Use Of Gps, Jennifer L. Ruiz, Charles H. Frey

Online Journal of Space Communication

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of GPS use for a geosynchronous (GEO) satellite. Current missions at GEO altitude mainly use traditional ranging for orbit determination. With changing mission requirements and the increase in the number of GEO missions, utilizing GPS signals is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative for position and timing determination. A previous ION paper discusses the use of GPS data for a particular geosynchronous satellite mission and is included here as a reference. GPS use at GEO is primarily limited by the availability of the spillover from the GPS earth coverage signal. The …

Galileo In Bavariansky - Network Of Excellence In Satellite Navigation, Bärbel Deisting

Online Journal of Space Communication

The building up of the European satellite navigation system Galileo with its new services, the guaranteed reliability and continuity as well as the interoperable and complementary relation to GPS is expected to open new markets for satellite navigation applications all over the world. Many sectors will benefit from Galileo as the range of application is varied and an exponential grow is being expected for fields related to the development of satellite navigation.

During the last years several examinations dealing with satellite navigation sector in Bavaria have been carried out. The analyses revealed that satellite navigation signals serve as basis for …

Sensing Ocean, Ice And Land Reflected Signalsfrom Space: Results From The Uk-Dmc Gps Reflectometry Experiment, Scott Gleason, Mounir Adjrad, Martin Unwin

Online Journal of Space Communication

The use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals reflected from the Earth's surface has progressed from its beginnings in the early 1990's to a demonstrated practical linkage of measurements to geophysical characteristics of ocean, ice and land surfaces.

A pioneering space-based experiment was carried on the UK-DMC satellite launched in September of 2003. The GPS receiver on the satellite was modified to accommodate a downward (nadir) pointing medium gain antenna and to send sampled IF data to a solid-state data recorder [1]. Since its launch it has been successfully used to target and detect specular reflections of GPS signals …

Galileo In Maritime Applications, Stig Erik Christiansen, John Klepsvik, Michael Fairbanks, Alan Grant, Nick Ward, Marko Jandrisits

Online Journal of Space Communication

The past decade has seen the continued growth of GPS and its many different applications. The European Union and the European Space Agency has announced the development of the European Global Navigation Satellite System - Galileo. Clearly acceptance of additional satellite systems into markets that successfully use GPS will require identification of those key areas where Galileo is capable of providing added-value, either standalone or more likely as a component of an overall integrated suite of navigation systems. These key areas are often termed the key differentiators for Galileo.

This paper introduces three projects; GALEWAT, MARGAL and GEM. The GALEWAT …

Implementation Of A Positioning And Telemetry Buoy To Determine Chart Datum For Hydrographic Survey Applications, Elliot N. Arroyo-Suarez, Deborah L. Mabey, Vic Hsiao, Reo Phillips

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and the U. S. Navy’s Fleet Survey Team (FST) conduct worldwide hydrographic surveys in accordance with International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) S-44
standards. The current concept of operations (CONOPS) requires that tide gauges be installed in-shore to define the local vertical chart datum. This requires clearances and permissions from national and local authorities as well as landowners in order to establish and access these shore stations. Substantial effort to establish and maintain
security for shore parties and equipment left behind is also required. The recent implementation of real-time Global Differential GPS (GDGPS) point positioning
technology presents …

Range-Extended Post-Processing Kinematic (Ppk) In A Marine Environment, Marcelo Santos, Felipe Nievinski, Karen Cove, Robert Kingdon, Dave Wells

Online Journal of Space Communication

We have been investigating the extension in range of baselines used in support to marine applications. Our focus has been with PPK (post-processing kinematic) following the Remondi's lemma: "it is better to have a reliable float ambiguity resolution rather than a wrongly fixed ambiguity." We have focused our attention on the residual effect due to differential troposphere. Our investigation makes use of data sets collected under the scope of the Princess of Acadia Project.

In this paper, we focus on a storm know as the 2004 Halifax weather bomb. Zenith tropospheric delays have been compared for that time period. It …

Helicopter Ship Board Landing System, Tom Ford, Mark Hardesty, Mike Bobye

Online Journal of Space Communication

Relative navigation of an aircraft (fixed wing or helicopter) close to ships at sea is a unique navigation problem. Shipboard helicopter operations provide a difficult operational environment. Wind over deck and wake turbulence shed by ship super structure offer challenging and unpredictable conditions during takeoff and landing. This is especially true in the operational environment that includes sea-state six, with its associated twenty-foot waves and thirty-three knot winds. Anything other than calm seas can create pitch, roll, yaw, and heave of the landing platform. Different sea going vessels behave in a variety of ways due to their size, hull design, …

The Giant Project, Luis Chocano, Javier Pérez, Miguel Aguilera

Online Journal of Space Communication

As the European satellite navigation programme moves forward, with EGNOS as the first step towards Galileo, the user community finds out the potential benefits that the GNSS-based applications can provide to the different economic areas of society. The aviation sector, which has played a decisive role in the specification of these systems, can obtain significant advantages by means of the combined use of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) systems, once the technical, operational and regulatory problems are overcome.

This paper describes the activities that are planned in the context of the GIANT project, the organization of the proposed work and …

Space Communication And Aviation Navigation: The United States Moves Towards Performance-Based Navigation, Hank Cabler, Jeff Williams

Online Journal of Space Communication

The U.S. NAVSTAR GPS communications satellite network, integrated with the FAA's Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS, provides improvements in GPS accuracy and integrity for aviation navigation throughout the U.S. National Airspace System. WAAS has allowed the FAA to move toward a performance-based NAS, exploiting the concept of "required navigation performance," or RNP. The FAA, in cooperation with aviation stakeholders, is implementing performance-based navigation in the U.S. NAS. Two key components of performance-based navigation are Area Navigation (RNAV) and RNP. These components allow the flexibility to design more efficient airspace and instrument procedures that improve safety, access, capacity and efficiency.

Navigation Errors Introduced By Ground Vehicle Dynamics, William Travis, David M. Bevly

Online Journal of Space Communication

An analysis of navigational accuracy when influenced by ground vehicle dynamics is presented. Tests beds outfitted with various sensor suites were used to collect data when normal and extreme driving maneuvers are executed. The data was run through an extended Kalman filter to produce a navigation solution. The Kalman filter inputs varied on each test bed, using both automotive and tactical grade Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). The position, velocity, and course measurements were obtained from a DGPS unit mounted on the vehicles and used as a truth measurement when exploring dead reckoning error. Additional measurements, such as wheel speed, radar …

Intelligent In-Vehicle Device Based On Arm-Linux Techniques, Xiaoqing Yue, Qishan Zhang, Qing Chang

Online Journal of Space Communication

A new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is introduced and some ideas about instruction trigger position (ITP) are presented. The design of terminal devices based on an embedded ARM-Linux system in vehicles is presented in detail, including the design and development of both hardware and software.