Engineering Commons^™

Seabed Observations At The New England Mud Patch: Reflection And Scattering Measurements And Direct Geoacoustic Information, Charles W. Holland, Chad M. Smith, Zackary Lowe, Jim Dorminy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Seabed reflection and scattering measurements were conducted at the New England Mud Patch to better understand the acoustic properties of fine-grained (muddy) sediments. The measurement philosophy and the measurements themselves are summarized. In addition, geoacoustic information accessed directly from the data in the time and frequency domains is presented. The main result is the existence of an angle of intromission. This observation proves that the mud sound speed is less than that of the water and yields a sediment sound speed ratio 0.9865 with outer bounds {0.985 0.989}. Another result is the observation of strong scattered arrivals from within the …

A Three-Dimensional Musculoskeletal Model Of The Dog, Heiko Stark, Martin S. Fischer, Alexander Hunt, Fletcher Young, Roger Quinn, Emanuel Andrada

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Abstract The domestic dog is interesting to investigate because of the wide range of body size, body mass, and physique in the many breeds. In the last several years, the number of clinical and biomechanical studies on dog locomotion has increased. However, the relationship between body structure and joint load during locomotion, as well as between joint load and degenerative diseases of the locomotor system (e.g. dysplasia), are not sufficiently understood. Collecting this data through in vivo measurements/records of joint forces and loads on deep/small muscles is complex, invasive, and sometimes unethical. The use of detailed musculoskeletal models may help …

Detection Of Subsurface, Nanometer-Scale Crystallographic Defects By Nonlinear Light Scattering And Localization, Farbod Shafiei, Tommaso Orzali, Alexey Vert, Mohammad-Ali Miri, Pui Yee Hung, Man Hoi Wong, Andrea Alù, Gennadi Bersuker, Michael C. Downer

Advanced Science Research Center

Heteroepitaxial crystalline films underlie many electronic and optical technologies but are prone to forming defects at their heterointerfaces. Atomic-scale defects such as threading dislocations that propagate into a film impede the flow of charge carriers and light degrading electrical/optical performance of devices. Diagnosis of subsurface defects traditionally requires time-consuming invasive techniques such as cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Using III–V films grown on Si, noninvasive, bench-top diagnosis of subsurface defects have been demonstrated by optical second-harmonic scanning probe microscope. A high-contrast pattern is observed of subwavelength “hot spots” caused by scattering and localization of fundamental light by defect scattering sites. Size …

Siheyuan, Andrea Horvath, Isabel Wu

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Learning Chinese as a second language often poses a challenge to students, and the extensive non-alphabetic script that accompanies it adds to the complexity of the language. It can take years for a student to feel comfortable writing with Chinese characters, and practice is a key component of this learning process. Most practice includes repetitive writing of the characters until the student memorizes the look and stroke order of a character, but this method could be improved with the addition of visuals and audio to enhance the learning experience. The stakeholders of this problem are students seeking to learn the …

Proceedings Of The 8th International Junior Researcher And Engineer Workshop On Hydraulic Structures, International Association For Hydro-Environmental Engineering And Research

International Junior Researcher and Engineer Workshop on Hydraulic Structures

Full proceedings for the 8th International Junior Researcher and Engineer Workshop on Hydraulic Structures.

Adaptive Routing Behavior With Real-Time Information Under Multiple Travel Objectives, Ravi Venkatraman, Stephen D. Boyles, Rachel James, Avinash Unnikrishnan, Priyadarshan N. Patil

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Real-time information about traffic conditions is becoming widely available through various media and connected-vehicle technology. In such conditions, travelers have better knowledge about the system and adapt as the system evolves dynamically during their travel. Drivers may change routes during their travel in order to optimize their own objective of travel. Various travel objectives are captured in mathematical models via disutility functions. The focus of this research was to study the behavior of travelers with multiple trip objectives when they are provided real-time information, and assess their ability to determine “optimal” routing policies, compared to exact solutions based on the …

A Review On Alpha Case Formation And Modeling Of Mass Transfer During Investment Casting Of Titanium Alloys, R. Sharon Uwanyuze, Janos E. Kanyo, Sarah F. Myrick, Stefan Schafföner

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Titanium alloys have excellent corrosion resistance, high temperature strength, low density, and biocompatibility. Therefore, they are increasingly used for aerospace, biomedical, and chemical applications. Investment casting is a well-established process for manufacturing near-net-shape intricate parts for such applications. However, mass transfer arising from metal-mold reactions is still a major problem that drastically impairs the surface and properties of the castings. Although there have been astounding developments over the past 20 years, they remain scattered in various research papers and conference proceedings. This review summarizes the current status of the field, gaps in the scientific understanding, and the research needs for …

Biotransformation Of Doxycycline By Brevundimonas Naejangsanensis And Sphingobacterium Mizutaii Strains, Ting He, Jianguo Bao, Yifei Leng, Daniel D. Snow, Shuqiong Kong, Tong Wang, Xu Li

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

The fate of doxycycline (DC), a second generation tetracycline antibiotic, in the environment has drawn increasing attention in recent years due to its wide usage. Little is known about the biodegradability of DC in the environment. The objective of this study was to characterize the biotransformation of DC by pure bacterial strains with respect to reaction kinetics under different environmental conditions and biotransformation products. Two bacterial strains, Brevundimonas naejangsanensis DD1 and Sphingobacterium mizutaii DD2, were isolated from chicken litter and characterized for their biotransformation capability of DC. Results show both strains rely on cometabolism to biotransform DC with tryptone as …

Satellite Security And Performance In An Era Of Dual Use, Joseph N. Pelton

Online Journal of Space Communication

Since the mid-1990s the U.S. Government and military forces have placed more and more reliance on commercial satellite systems for military communications of a non-tactical nature. Requirements such as the U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television require a great deal of bandwidth but do not require any special security protection. Further there are many other forms of communications involving national security or defense systems where a varying degree of security is required. Many of these applications do not require a very high level of "top secret" protection since these communications do involve tactical, strategic or highly classified messages. For instance, …

International Guidelines For The Preservation Of Space As A Unique Resource, Phillip D. Anz-Meador

Online Journal of Space Communication

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Overview: Satellite Signal Security: Copyright Protection Korean Dbs Content And Transaction Security, Don Flournoy

Online Journal of Space Communication

As a result of new developments in broadband communication, residential users, office workers and those who move from place to place have more ways to access the programming and services they want when they want them.

Space-Based Offensive Weapons: Have Policymakers Discussed This Enough?, Kathleen M. Sweet

Online Journal of Space Communication

Arguably, one of the most significant global security policy debates of the 21st century is whether the United States and more specifically the Bush Administration should develop and deploy space-based weaponry. The age of space is upon us. But how convinced is the rest of America, the West and potential adversaries of the legitimate need to do so? For almost half a century, the world's space powers have abstained from deploying such weapons as basic unwritten policy. To date, the military has been limited to surveillance, navigation and communications satellites

Overview: Space Security: Possible Issues And Potential Solutions, Ziad I. Akir

Online Journal of Space Communication

Space communication has become an integral component of our overall global telecommunication infrastructure. Satellites are being used for telecommunication, business, entertainment, education, Internet, navigation, remote sensing, imaging, and weather forecasting.

Satellites are also providing backup communication capabilities when terrestrial communication is interrupted in cases such as earthquakes or other natural (or unnatural) disasters. The September 11th events in 2001 demonstrated the value of redundant satellite systems in supporting rescue efforts.

Overview: The Increasing Threat To Satellite Communications, Sean Patrick Bain

Online Journal of Space Communication

Communication security has been a priority since the beginning of recorded history. The survival of human cultures has always relied on the use of accurate information transported over distances. The interception of this information, preventing its reception or its misuse, can alter the course of nations. As technology advances, so too does the threat to modern satellite communication. The methods of interfering with or intercepting satellite signals are numerous and need to be better understood.

As has been demonstrated by a small team of undergraduate students, the capability to intercept the nation's communication satellite signals is no longer limited to …

Issue 6: From The Guest Editor, Kathleen Sweet

Online Journal of Space Communication

Guest editor introduction.

Structural Reform For It Competitiveness In Japan, Kei Hata

Online Journal of Space Communication

Five years ago, in order to publicize the necessity for the Japanese government to have an Information Technology policy that until then was largely ignored, as a member of the House of Counselors of the Japanese Diet, I created an urgent proposal and presented it to Prime Minister Hashimoto.

Issue 5: Contributors, Bruce Elbert

Online Journal of Space Communication

List of issue 5 contributors.

Bridging The Digital Divide: Towards A New Paradigm, Virgil Labrador

Online Journal of Space Communication

My direct experience in the "digital divide" was when I was marketing director for a band-new state-of-the-art program origination and satellite transmission facility in Singapore seven years ago in 1996. Our first and anchor client was the highly successful Discovery Network--which housed in our facility the first all-digital channel to the Asia-Pacific market.

Bridge Over Troubled Skies: Satellite Broadband And The Digital Divide, Phillip L. Spector

Online Journal of Space Communication

A few years ago, at the height of the Internet boom, pundits often spoke of "Internet time." They meant many things by this reference, but certainly there was a recognition that a key strength of the Internet is the fast communications speeds involved. While the concept of "Internet time" has faded somewhat with the bloom on the Internet rose, it is still the case that ever-increasing numbers of Americans and others in the world have access to high-speed Internet services. Through this access, they are able to refer quickly to a myriad of resources that have made the Internet an …

The Digital Divide… Teach A Man To Fish!, Vince Waterson

Online Journal of Space Communication

Recently Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) that co-organized the regional conference together with the Japanese Government and other collaborators, acknowledged that more work is needed. "The Tokyo Declaration is directional", he said. "We need more meetings".

Strengthening Access To Communications Policy & Regulatory Guidelines For Satellite Services, David Hartshorn

Online Journal of Space Communication

This work is designed to help bridge the "Regulatory Divide" that continues to thwart end users' efforts to obtain affordable communications. From tele-medicine to distance learning to rural telecenters to disaster recovery to enterprise networks, the satellite industry is offering not only telecommunications solutions for the "have nots", but also the regulatory tools to enable the public sector to fulfill their policy objectives.

Technological Issues: A Day In The Life Of A Satcom Engineer In Nigeria, Andy Hope

Online Journal of Space Communication

The day began early, like all African days.

Technological Issues: The Citizen Initiated Performance Assessment (Cipa) Initiative Through Wireless Technology, William Stowe

Online Journal of Space Communication

Many governments, including my own that serves a population of about 200,000 Central Iowans, have been reluctant to invest in technologies supporting e-government services. The operating assumption for this reluctance is that the "digital divide" delivers the benefits of e-government to the wealthiest and often most educated citizens, effectively diverting resources to constituencies traditionally less reliant on government services than the poor who are often left on the down side of the "digital divide". While "digital divide" considerations are and should continue to be a focal point in deciding allocation of scarce financial resources supporting technological improvements, reallocation of resources …

Technological Issues: Closing The Digital Divide Through Resource Allocation Techniques, Avi Barda, Zvi Ner, Shaul Laufer

Online Journal of Space Communication

It is only after access to technology is assured that computer literacy can begin. Access is not simply having access to up-to-date technology; it should also include access to qualified teachers, appropriate software and Web content. Vital to this issue is the quality and quantity of the access.

The optimisation of the bandwidth use, obtained by implementing bandwidth allocation schemes and suited protocol solutions, will allow providing improved quality of service and reduced cost of broadband Internet access. This technology will allow the provision of QoS-based broadband services in hazardous environments and in areas where the technological development is less …

Social And Cultural Issues: The Impact Of Digital Divide On Development And How Satellite Addresses This Problem, Robin Gambu Wani Latio

Online Journal of Space Communication

The paper examines the problem of inaccessibility to education by the vast majority in East Africa, the factors that contribute to education problems and how the digital divide further helps isolate people in the rural communities of the region.

The author proposes satellite technology as the solution to the digital divide and offers reasons to support this proposition. Technology use in Uganda is discussed as a case study to provide further evidence that satellite communications help close the digital divide gap.

Social And Cultural Issues: Information And Communication Technology Policy In Mongolia, Lkhagvasuren Ariunaa

Online Journal of Space Communication

In the networking age, every country needs the capacity to understand and adjust global technologies for local needs. In the mid-seventies, the Government of Mongolia was giving much emphasis to science and technology information, having State Committee on Science and Technology and research institutions underneath.

The main purpose of the State Committee was to focus on the provision of the science and technology information mainly received from academic institutions of former Soviet Union and socialist system countries. A number of the policy regulatory documents were developed to address the issues of the science and technology information.

Social And Cultural Issues: The Digital Divide In The Gobi Desert: Spatiality, The National Identity Collapse, And A Language Gap, Undrahbuyan Basaanjav

Online Journal of Space Communication

No research has been conducted to examine how people in the countryside of Mongolia use the Internet and what social and cultural influences the Internet bring to these people. This study focuses on the geographical and cultural aspects of the digital divide in the Gobi desert of Mongolia. In this paper, I argue that the Internet brings a sense of mobility to people in remote Mongolia, which lets them move through social spaces. In the Gobi Desert the Internet has begun to break the geo-spatial notion of local vs. global. People in the Gobi Desert already use instant and mobile …

Social And Cultural Issues: Social, Cultural And Economic Issues In The Digital Divide - Literature Review And Case Study Of Japan, Shuho Otani

Online Journal of Space Communication

The definition of the digital divide generally refers to unequal access to digital and network resources, including the Internet, and opportunities to learn using information and communication technologies. The gaps are usually concerned with economic, social and cultural issues, such as income, age, education, gender, ethnic background, and physical handicaps.

Current Development: Domestic Satellites Make Indonesia A Model Of Telecommunications Development, Saleh Gunawan

Online Journal of Space Communication

Our Palapa A Domestic Satellite System, named for a mythical fruit, was inaugurated on August 17, 1976, almost 30 years ago, and it was surprising how quickly our nation started enjoying the ease and speed of telephone connections from an affordable high quality direct distance dialed network. Prior to this, Indonesian inter-island public telecommunications were served mainly by way of High Frequency radio. Dependence on the ionosphere limited connections to a few hours a day. In addition to poor capacity and quality, anyone wanting to place a call had to make prior booking through human operators.

Current Development: Soiasia Project: A New And Effective Distance Learning Environment For Internet Developing Area Utilizing The Satellite Link, Shoko Mikawa, Jun Takei

Online Journal of Space Communication

This paper describes a distance learning environment using the Internet via satellite in Asian regions where Internet infrastructure is insufficient. The merit of distance learning is that students can receive cutting edge lectures from professors all over the world. For those areas with sufficient Internet infrastructure, there would be no problem receiving these kinds of lectures. However, it is difficult for countries with insufficient Internet infrastructure to receive them. The SOI (School of Internet) ASIA project proposes and demonstrates a distance learning environment utilizing satellite links as an Internet infrastructure that can be quickly installed with low cost for those …