Engineering Commons^™

Direct Electrochemistry Of Glucose Oxidase Based On Ws2 Quantum Dots And Its Biosensing Application, Chen-Lu Li, Hua-Ping Peng, Zhong-Nan Huang, Yi-Lun Sheng, Pei-Wen Wu, Xin-Hua Lin

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this study, a novel electrochemical glucose biosensor has been developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) on tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS₂ QDs) on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were employed to characterize the morphology, structure, and electrochemical behaviors of the as-prepared WS₂ QDs and the biofilm modified electrode. The results suggested that the WS₂ QDs could accelerate the electron transfer between the electrode and the immobilized enzyme, which enabled the direct electrochemistry of GOx without any electron mediator. Besides, the immobilized GOx in WS₂ QDsfilm …

Application Of Adamantane Schiff Base Nickel Complexes/Graphene Oxide/Glassy Carbon Modified Electrode In Detection Of Carmine, Peng Guo, Zheng Liu, Hai-Ying Li, Li-Ming Ma

Journal of Electrochemistry

The Schiff base nickel complexes/graphene oxide/glassy carbon electrodes were prepared by embedded method and electrodeposition on which were used to quantitatively detect the contents of carmine. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and other methods were employed to characterize properties and morphologies of the modified electrodes. The results show that the adamantane double Schiff base nickel complexes/graphene oxide/glassy carbon electrode had high electric catalytic activity toward carmine oxidation reaction, and might provide an easy and quick way to detect carmine content with good reproducibility.

Optimizing Virtual Reality For All Users Through Gaze-Contingent And Adaptive Focus Displays, Nitish Padmanaban, Robert Konrad, Tal Stramer, Emily Cooper, Gordon Wetzstein

Dartmouth Scholarship

From the desktop to the laptop to the mobile device, personal computing platforms evolve over time. Moving forward, wearable computing is widely expected to be integral to consumer electronics and beyond. The primary interface between a wearable computer and a user is often a near-eye display. However, current generation near-eye displays suffer from multiple limitations: they are unable to provide fully natural visual cues and comfortable viewing experiences for all users. At their core, many of the issues with near-eye displays are caused by limitations in conventional optics. Current displays cannot reproduce the changes in focus that accompany natural vision, …

Timing And Magnitude Of Lumbar Spine Contribution To Trunk Forward Bending And Backward Return In Patients With Acute Low Back Pain, Iman Shojaei, Milad Vazirian, Elizabeth G. Salt, Linda R. Van Dillen, Babak Bazrgari

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Alterations in the lumbo-pelvic coordination denote changes in neuromuscular control of trunk motion as well as load sharing between passive and active tissues in the lower back. Differences in timing and magnitude aspects of lumbo-pelvic coordination between patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and asymptomatic individuals have been reported; yet, the literature on lumbo-pelvic coordination in patients with acute LBP is scant. A case-control study was conducted to explore the differences in timing and magnitude aspects of lumbo-pelvic coordination between females with (n=19) and without (n=19) acute LBP. Participants in each group completed one experimental session wherein they performed …

Application Of The Rotating Cylinder Electrode In Molten Licl-Kcl Eutectic Containing Uranium(Iii)- And Magnesium(Ii)-Chloride, Devin Rappleye, Michael F. Simpson

Faculty Publications

The application of the rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) to molten LiCl-KCl eutectic mixtures for electroanalytical measurements is presented. This enabled the measurement of the limiting current which was observed to follow a linear trend with the rotational rate raised to 0.64–0.65 power on average, which closely agrees with existing RCE mass-transfer correlations. This is the first publication of electroanalytical RCE measurements in LiCl-KCl eutectic based molten salt mixtures, to our knowledge. These measurements were made in mixtures of molten LiCl-KCl eutectic containing UCl₃ and MgCl₂. Kinetic parameters were calculated for Mg²⁺ in LiCl-KCl eutectic. The exchange …

Bio-Mimicry Of A Leopard Tortoise’ Shoulder Girdle In Space Frame Design Of An Ambulance Body, Sarah A. Matiko

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

It appears that there is a need for affordable, functional and safe emergency medical support service vehicles in rural Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is inferred that the road conditions have an influence on the availability, durability and affordability of motorized and non-motorized vehicles in rural areas. Also, it is deduced that locally modified bicycle and motorcycle ambulances are not conducive to maternal patients during emergencies. This study investigates the feasibility of modelling an ergonomically and crashworthy patient compartment for road conditions in rural SSA. The patient compartment is modelled by establishing geometrical requirements via a design standard for emergency medical …

Decibel Notes, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A class notes on "Decibel Notes" created by Professor Bob Twiggs on February 27, 2017.

Analysis Of Co-Associated Transcription Factors Via Ordered Adjacency Differences On Motif Distribution, Gaofeng Pan, Jijun Tang, Fei Guo

Faculty Publications

Transcription factors (TFs) binding to specific DNA sequences or motifs, are elementary to the regulation of transcription. The gene is regulated by a combination of TFs in close proximity. Analysis of co-TFs is an important problem in understanding the mechanism of transcriptional regulation. Recently, ChIP-seq in mapping TF provides a large amount of experimental data to analyze co-TFs. Several studies show that if two TFs are co-associated, the relative distance between TFs exhibits a peak-like distribution. In order to analyze co-TFs, we develop a novel method to evaluate the associated situation between TFs. We design an adjacency score based on …

Quadded Gasp: A Fault Tolerant Asynchronous Design, Kristopher S. Scheiblauer

Dissertations and Theses

As device scaling continues, process variability and defect densities are becoming increasingly challenging for circuit designers to contend with. Variability reduces timing margins, making it difficult and time consuming to meet design specifications. Defects can cause degraded performance or incorrect operation resulting in circuit failure. Consequently test times are lengthened and production yields are reduced.

This work assess the combination of two concepts, self-timed asynchronous design and fault tolerance, as a possible solution to both variability and defects. Asynchronous design is not as sensitive to variability as synchronous, while fault tolerance allows continued functional operation in the presence of defects. …

Influence Of Supply-Channel Velocity On Farm Delivery Meter Gate Flow Measurement, Daniel J. Howes, Charles M. Burt, John M. Thorburn

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The work presented here is an extension of previous papers that updated the calibration of round (Armco-type) meter gates (three sizes: 0.30, 0.46, and 0.61 m), developed ratings for rectangular gates (two sizes: 0.46 and 0.61 m) on round pipes, and examined errors and uncertainty related to using these devices for water discharge measurement. Previous works examined gate discharge ratings under low supply-channel flow velocity perpendicular to the gate discharge pipeline. Here, additional testing was conducted to test the hypothesis that higher velocities in the supply channel would show decreased meter gate flow compared to the low-velocity ratings, but that …

The Influence Of Bmss On The Characterization And Modeling Of Series And Parallel Li-Ion Packs, Sandra Castano-Solis, Daniel Serrano-Jimenez, Lucia Gauchia, Javier Sanz

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This work analyzes the effects of a BMS (battery management system) on the characterization and modeling of series and parallel connections of Li-ion cell packs. The Li-ion pack studied consists of four series modules connected in parallel. This pack has been characterized by means of charge, discharge and frequency tests. As a result of these tests, series and parallel influence on battery parameters have been determined. A model considering the effects of a BMS is established and compared with a model based on a single-cell approach. Experimental validations show that the single cell based approach gives poor results in comparison …

A New Approach For Realistic 3d Reconstruction Of Planar Surfaces From Laser Scanning Data And Imagery Collected Onboard Modern Low-Cost Aerial Mapping Systems, Zahra Lari, Naser El-Sheimy, Ayman Habib

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Over the past few years, accurate 3D surface reconstruction using remotely-sensed data has been recognized as a prerequisite for different mapping, modelling, and monitoring applications. To fulfill the needs of these applications, necessary data are generally collected using various digital imaging systems. Among them, laser scanners have been acknowledged as a fast, accurate, and flexible technology for the acquisition of high density 3D spatial data. Despite their quick accessibility, the acquired 3D data using these systems does not provide semantic information about the nature of scanned surfaces. Hence, reliable processing techniques are employed to extract the required information for 3D …

Intelligent Roic For Real-Time In-Pixel Image Processing, Mohammad J. Ghasemibenhangi

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

As the resolution of current image sensors is increasing and the readout electronics is getting faster, the amount of data produced by these imagers is becoming excessively large to store, transmit, and analyze. As a result, sparse data representation has become an interesting research topic in the last few years. Human eye contains millions of photoreceptors, however, only some sparse data is transmitted to the optic nerves. Image processing techniques implemented on a chip and at the pixel level is the main building blocks for retina-like sensors. In this way, instead of transmitting raw images that require massive storage, and …

Exploring The Positive Utility Of Travel And Mode Choice, Patrick Allen Singleton

PSU Transportation Seminars

Why do people travel? We traditionally assume traveling is a means to an end, travel demand is derived (from the demand for activities), and travel time is to be minimized. Recently, scholars have questioned these axioms, noting that some people may like to travel, use travel time productively, enjoy the experience of traveling, or travel for non-utilitarian reasons. The idea that travel can provide benefits and may be motivated by factors beyond reaching activity destinations is known as “the positive utility of travel” or PUT.

This study presents a conceptual and empirical look at the positive utility of travel and …

Altruistic Punishment Can Help Resolve Tragedy Of The Commons Social Dilemmas, Garrison W. Greenwood

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social dilemmas force individuals to choose between cooperation, which benefits a group, and defection which benefits the individual. The unfortunate outcome in most social dilemmas is mutual defection where nobody benefits. Researchers frequently use mathematical games such as public goods games to help identify circumstances that might improve cooperation levels within a population. Altruistic punishment has shown promise in these games. Many real-world social dilemmas are expressed via a tragedy of the commons metaphor. This paper describes an investigation designed to see if altruistic punishment might work in tragedy of the commons social dilemmas. Simulation results indicate not only does …

Proceedings (Abstracts) From The 2nd Annual Student Research Symposium “Meeting Of The Minds” And The 27th Annual Csusb Student Research Competition

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Electric Vehicle Charging Technologies Analysis And Standards, Florida Solar Energy Center, J. Doug Kettles

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This project has evaluated the technologies and standards associated with Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) and the related infrastructure, and the major cost issue related to electric vehicle (EV) charging -- the cost of utility power. The technology assessment report evaluated safety standards for infrastructure, highway and vehicles and the barriers and challenges of deploying an expanded network of EV charging stations. The report also made recommendations to help standardize and expedite EVSE infrastructure and charging network deployment.

Pv-Driven Heat Pump Water Heater Final Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Carlos Colon

FSEC Energy Research Center®

As part of the effort towards zero energy buildings and high efficiency water heating systems, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) working under contract with the National Renewable Energy laboratories (NREL) has successfully completed a demonstration of a photovoltaic heat pump water heater (PV-HPWH) concept. The system integrates two 310Wp solar photovoltaics (PV) modules and grid tied micro-inverters with a commercially available 50-gallon HPWH. The project showcases innovative strategies for distributed PV thermal systems that limit grid interaction and provide increased thermal energy storage. The system utilizes a custom appliance control module (ACM) interface to vary thermostat settings (115 °F …

Impact Force Reduction Using Variable Stiffness With An Optimal Approach For Jumping Robots, Juan Manuel Calderon Chavez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Running, jumping and walking are physical activities that are performed by humans in a simple and efficient way. However, these types of movements are difficult to perform by humanoid robots. Humans perform these activities without difficulty thanks to their ability to absorb the ground impact force. The absorption of the impact force is based on the human ability to vary muscles stiffness.

The principal objective of this dissertation is to study vertical jumps in order to reduce the impact force in the landing phase of the jump motion of humanoid robots. Additionally, the impact force reduction is applied to an …

Autonomy At The End Of The Earth, Jeremy P. Bos

TechTalks

Despite press accounts to the contrary, significant challenges remain in the development of true autonomous vehicles. Though these challenges are many and varied my research focuses on two areas. First, operation of autonomous vehicles in inclement weather with emphasis on ice and snow. The other focus is on developing functionally safe mobility solutions. In this talk, I will briefly describe some approaches I am developing to solving these challenges.

Multi-Sensor Fusion On Mobile Platforms, Timothy C. Havens

TechTalks

An important goal for many mobile platforms---terrestrial, aquatic, or airborne---is reliable, accurate, and on-time sensing of the world around them. The PRIME Lab has been investigating multi-sensor fusion for many applications, including explosive hazard detection and infrastructure inspection, from terrestrial vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). New developments in multi-sensor fusion using radars, imaging sensors, and LIDAR will be discussed that encompass advancements from novel signal processing approaches for mobile ground-penetrating radar to more theoretical approaches for optimal fusion of measurements from multi-modal sensors. This talk will explore the area of sensor-fusion both from a practical, application-focused standpoint and also …

Persistent Operation Of Mobile Robots, Nina Mahmoudian

TechTalks

Success of numerous unmanned mobile missions in space, air, ground, and water is measured by the ability of the robots to usefully operate for extended time in dynamic and uncertain environments. This talk will provide an overview of the recent progress towards performing autonomous long-term missions. The approach includes task and energy routing scheduling, efficient path planning and coordination, and low-infrastructure platforms. The goal is to provide practical solutions by lowering deployment and operating costs, while also increasing efficiency, endurance and persistence during complex missions like disaster responses and long-term science discoveries.

Mobility And Safety: Do Drivers Behave As Engineers Want Them To Behave?, Pasi T. Lautala

TechTalks

As engineers, we thrive to provide environment for safe mobility through proper geometric designs, regulations, guidance and warnings. However, safe movements are still heavily dependent on the individual behavior and reactions by the drivers/users (at least for now). Traditionally, understanding drivers’ behavior has been a difficult topic to research, but today we have increasing number of data and tools available to improve that understanding. One of the tools that has recently become available is the Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) database that provides an opportunity to investigate the behavior of almost 3,500 instrumented vehicles and drivers in six different regions of …

Doe Apra-E Nextcar Program On Connected And Automated Vehicles In Collaboration With Gm, Jeffrey D. Naber

TechTalks

Within the $3.5M ARPA-e NEXTCAR program, Michigan Tech in collaboration with GM will development and demonstrate on a fleet of eight 2017 Chevrolet Volts and a mobile connected cloud computing center, a Vehicle Dynamics and Powertrain (VD&PT) model-based predictive controller (MPC) encompassing a real-time VD&PT dynamic model leveraging vehicle conductivity (V2X) with real-time traffic modeling and predictive speed horizons and eco-routing. The objective is to achieve a minimum of 20% reduction in energy consumption (electric + fuel) through the first ever real-time implementation and connection of route planning, powertrain energy management MPC algorithms. Connectivity data from vehicles, infrastructure, GPS, traffic …

Batteries In-N-Out: Multiple Lives Mobility, Lucia Gauchia

TechTalks

As batteries become more extended across all applications, battery second life or re-purposing is gaining traction. This adds another degree of mobility to batteries. Not only do they move with the person/mobile/vehicle during operation, but also after their life in that application ends. Then they can be re-purposed for other less demanding applications, such as residential or buildings. As batteries move in and out of applications as their performance degrades, they show an interesting mobility and life cycle analysis which presents better environmental solutions, lower costs and new opportunities.

Scitech News Volume 71, No. 1 (2017)

Sci-Tech News

Columns and Reports

• From the Editor 3

Division News

• Science-Technology Division 5
• Chemistry Division 8
• Engineering Division
• Aerospace Section of the Engineering Division 9
• Architecture, Building Engineering, Construction and Design Section of the Engineering Division 11

Reviews

• Sci-Tech Book News Reviews 12

Advertisements

• IEEE 4

Cost Effectiveness Of Energy Efficiency And On-Site Photovoltaic Power For 2015 International Energy Conservation Code Eri (Energy Rating Index) Compliance, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

EnergyGauge® USA v.5.1 is used to simulate the energy use of one-story, three bedroom, 2000 ft², single-family, frame homes in sixteen representative U.S. climates comprising all eight IECC climate zones. The energy use of the Section R406.2 minimum efficiency home (the Baseline Home) is compared against the energy use of homes complying with the prescriptive requirements of Section R402 of the 2015 IECC and against homes complying with the Section R406 Energy Rating Index (ERI) Compliance Alternative. The improvement cost and energy savings of the improved homes relative to the Baseline Home are then used to determine the cost effectiveness …

Phonon Interference In Crystalline And Amorphous Confined Nanoscopic Films, Zhi Liang, Thomas E. Wilson, Pawel Keblinski

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Using Molecular Dynamics Phonon Wave Packet Simulations, We Study Phonon Transmission Across Hexagonal (H)-BN and Amorphous Silica (A-SiO₂) Nanoscopic Thin Films Sandwiched by Two Crystalline Leads. Due to the Phonon Interference Effect, the Frequency-Dependent Phonon Transmission Coefficient in the Case of the Crystalline Film (Si|h-BN|Al Heterostructure) Exhibits a Strongly Oscillatory Behavior. in the Case of the Amorphous Film (Si|a-SiO₂|Al and Si|a-SiO₂|Si Heterostructures), in Spite of Structural Disorder, the Phonon Transmission Coefficient Also Exhibits Oscillatory Behavior at Low Frequencies (Up to ∼1.2 THz), with a Period of Oscillation Consistent with the Prediction from the Two-Beam …

Webinar: Integrating Explicit And Implicit Methods In Travel Behavior Research: A Study Of Driver Attitudes And Bias, Tara Goddard

TREC Webinar Series

Car crashes are still a leading cause of death in the United States, with vulnerable road users like bicyclists and pedestrians being injured or killed at rates that outpace their mode share.

Planners, engineers, and advocates are increasingly adopting Vision Zero and Tactical Urbanism approaches and trying to better understand the underlying causes of dangerous roadway interactions. However, existing research into crash causation has focused on instrumental factors (e.g. intersection type, vehicle speed) while little research has probed the role of attitudes or socio-cognitive mechanisms in interactions between roadway users.

Social psychology suggests that attitudes and social cognitions can play …

Side Information In Coded Aperture Compressive Spectral Imaging, Laura Galvis, Henry Arguello, Daniel L. Lau, Gonzalo R. Arce

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Coded aperture compressive spectral imagers sense a three-dimensional cube by using two-dimensional projections of the coded and spectrally dispersed source. These imagers systems often rely on FPA detectors, SLMs, micromirror devices (DMDs), and dispersive elements. The use of the DMDs to implement the coded apertures facilitates the capture of multiple projections, each admitting a different coded aperture pattern. The DMD allows not only to collect the sufficient number of measurements for spectrally rich scenes or very detailed spatial scenes but to design the spatial structure of the coded apertures to maximize the information content on the compressive measurements. Although sparsity …