Computer Engineering Commons^™

An Energy-Efficient, Time-Constrained Scheduling Scheme In Local Mobile Cloud, Ting Shi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mobile devices have limited resource, such as computation performance and battery life. Mobile cloud computing is gaining popularity as a solution to overcome these resource limitations by sending heavy computation to resourceful servers and receiving the results from these servers. Local mobile clouds comprised of nearby mobile devices are proposed as a better solution to support real-time applications. Since network bandwidth and computational resource is shared among all the mobile devices, a scheduling scheme is needed to ensure that multiple mobile devices can efficiently offload tasks to local mobile clouds, satisfying the tasks' time constraint while keeping low-energy consumption. Two …

Polarization-Coupled Ferroelectric Unpolarunction Memory And Energy Storage Device, Mathias M. Schubert, Tino Hofmann, Venkata Rao Voora

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells and a controller to write data to and read data from the memory cells. Each memory cell includes a first semiconductor material having a spontaneous polarization, a resistive ferroelectric material having a switchable spontaneous polarization, and a second semiconductor material having a spontaneous polarization, the resistive ferroelectric material being positioned between and in contact with the first and second semiconductor materials. The memory device can be configured to store energy that can be released by applying a voltage pulse to the memory device.

Flame-Enhanced Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, L. Liu, S. Li, X. N. He, X. Huang, C. F. Zhang, L. S. Fan, M. X. Wang, Y. S. Zhou, K. Chen, L. Jiang, J. F. Silvain, Yongfeng Lu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Flame-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was investigated to improve the sensitivity of LIBS. It was realized by generating laser-induced plasmas in the blue outer envelope of a neutral oxy-acetylene flame. Fast imaging and temporally resolved spectroscopy of the plasmas were carried out. Enhanced intensity of up to 4 times and narrowed full width at half maximum (FWHM) down to 60% for emission lines were observed. Electron temperatures and densities were calculated to investigate the flame effects on plasma evolution. These calculated electron temperatures and densities showed that high-temperature and low-density plasmas were achieved before 4 μs in the flame environment, …

Numerical Examination Of The Nonlinear Dynamics Of A Hybrid Acousto-Optic Bragg Cell With Positive Feedback Under Profiled Beam Propagation, Fares S. Almehmadi, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In standard weak interaction theory, acousto-optic Bragg analysis typically assumes that the incident light and sound beams are uniform plane waves. Acousto-optic Bragg diffraction with nonuniform profiled input beams is numerically examined under open loop via a transfer function formalism. Unexpected deviations in the first-order diffracted beam from the standard theory are observed for high �� values. These deviations are significant because the corresponding closed-loop system is sensitive to input amplitudes and initial conditions, and the overall impact on the dynamical behavior has not been studied previously in standard analyses. To explore the effect of such nonuniform output profiles on …

Transparent Spectrum Co-Access In Cognitive Radio Networks, Jonathan Daniel Backens

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The licensed wireless spectrum is currently under-utilized by as much as 85%. Cognitive radio networks have been proposed to employ dynamic spectrum access to share this under-utilized spectrum between licensed primary user transmissions and unlicensed secondary user transmissions. Current secondary user opportunistic spectrum access methods, however, remain limited in their ability to provide enough incentive to convince primary users to share the licensed spectrum, and they rely on primary user absence to guarantee secondary user performance. These challenges are addressed by developing a Dynamic Spectrum Co-Access Architecture (DSCA) that allows secondary user transmissions to co-access transparently and concurrently with primary …

Relationship Between Photofixed Condensate, Effluent And Bulk Composition Of Several Common Rtv Materials, Fen Zhou Hanrahan, Natale J. Ianno

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Raman spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy are employed to analyze the bulk compositions of five kinds of Room Temperature Vulcanized (RTV) silicones (CV2568, RTV566, DC93-500, SCV2590 and SCV2590-2) that are commonly employed in orbiting spacecraft. It is found that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicon dioxide, Tetra-n-propylsilicate (NPS), silicic acid, tetraethyl orthosilicate, and trimethylsilanol are contained in all of them. The outgassing products from those silicones are characterized by FTIR. By comparing the position of the peaks, it is found that the outgassing products of each material are PDMS and NPS which are consistent with the compositions of samples determined with …

Dynamic Characteristic Identification Of Seismic-Excited Multi-Story Buildings Through Response-Only Technique, Agung Budipriyanto, Priyo Suprobo

Makara Journal of Technology

Identifying dynamic characteristics of civil engineering structures is still a challenging task. It intends to assess behavior of the structures under time-dependent loads. This paper discusses a methodology suitable for identifying the characteristics of multi-story buildings using only their measured response under earthquake ground excitations. Appropriateness of technique used for structural identification was corroborated through coherence of the structure’s responses. The methodology was applied for identifying the characteristics of 14-story and 20-story office buildings located in a high seismic region. Responses of these two buildings recorded during three different seismic ground motions were investigated. The buildings’ response spectral densities and …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Soy-Based Polyurethane Foam With Utilization Of Ethylene Glycol In Polyol, Flora Elvistia Firdaus

Makara Journal of Technology

The use of vegetable oils on replacing petroleum has attracted attention of many researchers. The chemical structure of vegetable oils are different from petrochemicals, so the structure of soybean oil has to be chemically modified through its unsaturated fatty acid chain in triglyceride. A two step process was conducted for the preparation of soy-polyol in designated temperatures; 50 °C, 60 °C, and 70 °C. Ethylene glycol (EG) as co-reagent was taking part in soy-polyol synthesis, and the soy-polyol was used as a sole polyol for polyurethane synthesis. Referred to the previous study, the existence of EG in polyurethane synthesis can …

Performances Of Free-Space Optical Communication System Over Strong Turbulence, Ucuk Darusalam, Purnomo Sidi Priambodo, Harry Sudibyo, Eko Tjipto Rahardjo

Makara Journal of Technology

We report an experimental of free-space optical communication (FSOC) system that use tube propagation simulator (TPS) as the turbulence medium. The FSOC system use wavelength of 1550 nm at the rate transmission of 1000 Mbps and amplified with EDFA at the output of +23 dBm. Index structure of 10-15–10-13 as the representation of atmosphere index turbulences are used for simulation of intensity distribution model or scintillation. The simulation use gammagamma and K model as well. The beam wave propagation models used in simulation are plane wave, spherical wave and Gaussian wave. Spherical wave achieves highest performance via gamma-gamma in strong …

Preparations Of Nanostructured Silicide Bundles And Oxide Arrays, Hirokazu Tatsuoka, Wen Li, Erchao Meng, Daisuke Ishikwa, Kaito Nakane, Shingo Oda, Tomoji Matsushita, Natsuki Kurebayashi

Makara Journal of Technology

A variety of nanostructured silicide bundles and oxide nanowire arrays with abundant, non-toxic materials we are prepared. The CrSi2 nanowire and Mg2Si/MgO composite nanowire bundles were synthesized using a Si substrate and a SiOx nanofiber bundle, respectively. The hexagonal MoSi2 nanosheet bundles were also synthesized using a MoS2 layered material as a template. In addition, ZnO, CuO/Cu2O and a-Fe2O3 nanowire arrays were prepared on semiconductor or metallic substrates. The growth phenomena and the structural properties of the nanostructured materials awere investigated. In addition, the preparations of axial and radial nanowire structures weare examined.

Bioethanol Production From Iles-Iles And Sorghum Starch As Raw Materials (Effect Of Cacl 2 Addition And Saccharification Time), Kusmiyati Kusmiyati, Ali Mahmudi

Makara Journal of Technology

Bioethanol produced from agricultural sources is one alternative energy that has been developed to substitute for petroleum. However, the use of food sources such as corn and cassava to produce bioethanol still face obstacles that lead to the scarcity of food and an increase in food prices. The aim of this study was to produce bioethanol from sorghum and iles-iles, which are not used by humans as food, especially in Indonesia. For both materials, the variables studied were saccharification time (4, 8, 24, and 48 h) and concentration of CaCl2 added to the liquefaction slurry (0, 100, 200, 300, and …

The Effect Of Zephyr Layer Orientation On Zephyrboard Made From Oil Palm Petiole, Lusita Wardani, Muhamad Yusram Massijaya, Yusuf Sudo Hadi, I Wayan Darmawan

Makara Journal of Technology

It is very important to utilize oil palm petiole for the production of zephyr boards. This study aimed to analyze the effect of layer orientation on zephyr board quality. Zephyr boards were made with three coating patterns (A = cross perpendicular, B= combine A and C, and C= paralell) and five zephyr layers using urea formaldehyde adhesive. They were pressed for 20 min at a pressure of 25 kgf/cm² and a temperature 120 ºC, to a target density of 0.80 g/cm³ and a size of 300 mm X 300 mm X 12 mm. Our results showed that the physical and …

Performance Evaluation Of An Optimized Floating Breakwater In Oblique Waves With A Higher-Order Boundary Element Method, Faisal Mahmuddin, Masashi Kashiwagi

Makara Journal of Technology

In the previous study, the optimal performance of a two-dimensional (2D) floating breakwater shape was obtained. The performance of this shape was also confirmed with a model experiment in a towing tank. Moreover, the shape’s performance in three dimensions (3D) was investigated in a subsequent study. However, to predict the shape’s performance in a real application more accurately, the shape’s characteristics in oblique waves must also be evaluated. In this study, the performance and characteristics of the model (hydrodynamic forces, body motions, wave elevations, and drift forces) are computed using a higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM). The HOBEM, which is …

Using The K-Means Clustering Algorithm To Classify Features For Choropleth Maps, Mark Polczynski, Michael Polczynski

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Common methods for classifying choropleth map features typically form classes based on a single feature attribute. This technical note reviews the use of the k-means clustering algorithm to perform feature classification using multiple feature attributes. The k-means clustering algorithm is described and compared to other common classification methods, and two examples of choropleth maps prepared using k-means clustering are provided.

Reliability Of Heterogeneous Distributed Computing Systems In The Presence Of Correlated Failures, Jorge E. Pezoa, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

While the reliability of distributed-computing systems (DCSs) has been widely studied under the assumption that computing elements (CEs) fail independently, the impact of correlated failures of CEs on the reliability remains an open question. Here, the problem of modeling and assessing the impact of stochastic, correlated failures on the service reliability of applications running on DCSs is tackled. The service reliability is modeled using an integrated analytical and Monte-Carlo (MC) approach. The analytical component of the model comprises a generalization of a previously developed model for reliability of non-Markovian DCSs to a setting where specific patterns of simultaneous failures in …

Memristor-Based Neuron Circuit And Method For Applying Learning Algorithm In Spice, Christopher Yakopcic, R. Hasan, T.M. Taha, M. Mclean, D. Palmer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The learning of nonlinearly separable functions in cascaded memristor crossbar circuits is described and the feasibility of using them to develop low-power neuromorphic processors is demonstrated. This is the first study evaluating the training of memristor crossbars through SPICE simulations. It is important to capture the alternate current paths and wire resistance inherent in these circuits. The simulations show that neural network learning algorithms are able to train in the presence of alternate current paths and wire resistances. The fact that the approach reduces the area by three times and power by two orders of magnitude compared with the existing …

Numerical Analysis Of First-Order Acousto-Optic Bragg Diffraction Of Profiled Optical Beams Using Open-Loop Transfer Functions, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee, Fares S. Almehmadi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In standard acousto-optic Bragg analysis, the incident light and sound beams are assumed to be uniform plane waves (with constant profiles) leading to the results based on standard weak interaction theory. As a follow-up to earlier work dealing with nonuniform incident optical beams, we revisit the problem of Bragg diffraction under nonuniform profiles, and include Gaussian, third-order Hermite–Gaussian, and zeroth-order Bessel profiles in our investigation, along with a few others. The first-order diffracted beam is examined (using a transfer function formalism based on angular spectra) under several parametric limits [such as the Klein–Cook parameter Q, the effective profile width, and …

Addressing User Requirements In Open Source Software: The Role Of Online Forums, Arif Raza, Luiz Fernando Capretz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

User satisfaction has always been important in the success of software, regardless of whether it is closed and proprietary or open source software (OSS). OSS users are geographically distributed and include technical as well as novice users. However, it is generally believed that if OSS was more usable, its popularity would increase tremendously. Hence, users and their requirements need to be addressed in the priorities of an OSS environment. Online public forums are a major medium of communication for the OSS community. The research model of this work studies the relationship between user requirements in open source software and online …

A Review Of Active Management For Distribution Networks: Current Status And Future Development Trends, Junhui Zhao, Bo Zhao, Feng Lin, Quan Zhou, Yang Wang, Caisheng Wang

Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

Driven by smart distribution technologies, by the widespread use of distributed generation sources, and by the injection of new loads, such as electric vehicles, distribution networks are evolving from passive to active. The integration of distributed generation, including renewable distributed generation changes the power flow of a distribution network from unidirectional to bi-directional. The adoption of electric vehicles makes the management of distribution networks even more challenging. As such, an active network management has to be fulfilled by taking advantage of the emerging techniques of control, monitoring, protection, and communication to assist distribution network operators in an optimal manner. This …

Contrast Enhancement Using Silica Microspheres In Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopic Imaging, X. Huang, X. N. He, W. Xiong, Y. Gao, L. J. Jiang, Li Liu, Y. S. Zhou, L. Jiang, J. F. Silvain, Yongfeng Lu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is a powerful imaging technique that can provide chemical information of organic and nonorganic materials through vibrational spectroscopy. However, its contrast is not sufficient for monitoring thin film materials. In this study, silica microspheres were employed for enhancing the signal contrast in CARS imaging. One layer of optically transparent silica microspheres was self-assembled onto polymer grating samples to enhance the CARS signals. The highest contrast enhancement factor of 12.5 was achieved using 6.1-μm-diameter microspheres. Finite-difference timedomain method (FDTD) simulation was conducted to simulate the contrast enhancement with silica microspheres of different diameters.

Investigation Of Profiled Beam Propagation Through A Turbulent Layer And Temporal Statistics Of Diffracted Output For A Modified Von Karman Phase Screen, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee, Fathi H.A. Mohamed

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Gaussian beam propagation through a turbulent layer has been studied using a split-step methodology. A modified von Karman spectrum (MVKS) model is used to describe the random behavior of the turbulent media. Accordingly, the beam is alternately propagated (i) through a thin Fresnel layer, and hence subjected to diffraction; and (ii) across a thin modified von Karman phase screen which is generated using the power spectral density (PSD) of the random phase obtained via the corresponding PSD of the medium refractive index for MVKS turbulence.

The random phase screen in the transverse plane is generated from the phase PSD by …

Numerical Inversion And Assessment Of 2d Laplace Transforms Using The Brancik Algorithm And Its Use In 3d Holography, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee, Le Feng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An analytic examination of 3D holography under a 90° recording geometry was carried out earlier in which 2D spatial Laplace transforms were introduced in order to develop transfer functions for the scattered outputs under readout [1,2].

Thereby, the resulting reconstructed output was obtained in the 2D Laplace domain whence the spatial information would be found only by performing a 2D Laplace inversion. Laplace inversion in 2D was attempted by testing a prototype function for which the analytic result was known using two known inversion algorithms, viz., the Brancik and the Abate [2]. The results indicated notable differences in the 3D …

Second-Harmonic Double-Resonance Cones In Dispersive Hyperbolic Metamaterials, Domenico De Ceglia, Maria Antonietta Vincenti, Salvatore Campione, Filippo Capolino, Joseph W. Haus, Michael Scalora

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We study the formation of second-harmonic double-resonance cones in hyperbolic metamaterials. An electric dipole on the surface of the structure induces second-harmonic light to propagate into two distinct volume plasmon-polariton channels: a signal that propagates within its own peculiar resonance cone and a phase-locked signal that is trapped under the pump's resonance cone. Metamaterial dispersion and birefringence induce a large angular divergence between the two volume plasmon polaritons, making these structures suitable for subwavelength second- and higher-harmonic imaging microscopy.

Speech Enhancement Using Bayesian Estimators Of The Perceptually-Motivated Short-Time Spectral Amplitude (Stsa) With Chi Speech Priors, Marek B. Trawicki, Michael T. Johnson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In this paper, the authors propose new perceptually-motivated Weighted Euclidean (WE) and Weighted Cosh (WCOSH) estimators that utilize more appropriate Chi statistical models for the speech prior with Gaussian statistical models for the noise likelihood. Whereas the perceptually-motivated WE and WCOSH cost functions emphasized spectral valleys rather than spectral peaks (formants) and indirectly accounted for auditory masking effects, the incorporation of the Chi distribution statistical models demonstrated distinct improvement over the Rayleigh statistical models for the speech prior. The estimators incorporate both weighting law and shape parameters on the cost functions and distributions. Performance is evaluated in terms of the …

On The Use Of Gaussian Approximation In Analyzing The Performance Of Optical Receivers, George El-Howayek, C. Zhang, Y. Li, J. S. Ng, J. P.R. David, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The analytical calculation of the bit error rate (BER) of digital optical receivers that employ avalanche photodiodes (APDs) is challenging due to 1) the stochastic nature of the avalanche photodiode's impulse-response function and 2) the presence of intersymbol interference (ISI). At ultrafast transmission rates, ISI becomes a dominant component of the BER, and its effect on the BER should be carefully addressed. One solution to this problem, termed the bit-pattern-dependent (PD) approach, is to first calculate the conditional BER given a specific bit pattern and then average over all possible bit patterns. Alternatively, a simplifying method, termed the bit-pattern-independent (PI) …

Fabrication And Application Of A Polymer Neuromorphic Circuitry Based On Polymer Memristive Devices And Polymer Transistors, Robert A. Nawrocki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neuromorphic engineering is a discipline that aims to address the shortcomings of today's serial computers, namely large power consumption, susceptibility to physical damage, as well as the need for explicit programming, by applying biologically-inspired principles to develop neural systems with applications such as machine learning and perception, autonomous robotics and generic artificial intelligence.

This doctoral dissertation presents work performed fabricating a previously developed type of polymer neuromorphic architecture, termed Polymer Neuromorphic Circuitry (PNC), inspired by the McCulloch-Pitts model of an artificial neuron. The major contribution of this dissertation is a development of processing techniques necessary to realize the Polymer Neuromorphic …

Are Students Satisfied With Media: A Canadian Case Study, Gerd Gidion, Luiz Fernando Capretz, Ken Meadow, Michael Grosch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

The article presents partial results of a survey about media usage habits for studying and learning conducted in 2013 at Western University, a large Canadian university. The article focuses on students’ frequency of use and satisfaction with media for studying and learning. The results of this study support the assumption that student’s media usage includes a mixture of traditional and new media. The main traditional media continue to play an important role in the students’ academic life, and some new media have emerged as seemingly on equal footing or even more important than the traditional forms of media. The use …

Introduction To Special Issue Of Journal Of Defense Modeling And Simulation: Novel Approaches To Defense And Military Modeling And Simulation, Scott D. Snyder, James M. Taylor Jr.

Peter Kiewit Institute: Faculty Publications

Developing solutions to complex problems in government and industry is a daunting task that often requires tremendous investment in time and resources to solve. Modeling and simulation (M&S) has incredible potential to streamline development and cut costs by conducting virtual experiments that give insight into performance under various test conditions. As many program managers in the federal acquisition process can attest, realistic testing of live equipment in an operational environment can be some of the most expensive parts of a development program. M&S can provide insight into mission success of yetto- bedesigned systems without the need to actually build and …

Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique For Renewable Energy Deployment Decisions (Smart Redd), James M. Taylor Jr., Betty Love

Peter Kiewit Institute: Faculty Publications

In the effort to provide electrical power service and the sustaining fuel required to run generators at forward-deployed bases in Afghanistan and Iraq over more than 10 years, the United States military spent billions of dollars and a paid a heavy toll in terms of human casualties. The green energy linear program for optimizing deployments (GELPOD) proof-of-concept model showed that a linear program could be used to optimize combat deployment of energy generation systems to minimize cost and casualties. Results indicated that reduction in both cost and casualties for renewable energy sources was highly dependent on fuel cost and deployment …

Fiber-Optic Temperature Sensor Using A Fabry–Pérot Cavity Filled With Gas Of Variable Pressure, Yujie Lu, Ming Han, Jiajun Tian

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

We report a high-temperature fiber-optic sensor based on measuring the spectral fringes of a Fabry–Pérot (FP) cavity on a microstructure fiber (MF) when the gas pressure in the cavity is varied through the holes in the MF. Theoretical analysis shows that the absolute temperature can be deduced from the slope of the spectral shift versus pressure curve, which requires no calibration and is insensitive to the FP cavity length variations. For demonstration, we fabricated a miniature sensor whose FP cavity is formed by sandwiching a fuse-silica tube between a side-hole MF and a solid-core fiber. Using the holes in the …