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Articles 151 - 180 of 411

Full-Text Articles in Computer Engineering

Optimization Of Patch Antennas Via Multithreaded Simulated Annealing Based Design Exploration, James E. Richie, Cristinel Ababei Jan 2017

Optimization Of Patch Antennas Via Multithreaded Simulated Annealing Based Design Exploration, James E. Richie, Cristinel Ababei

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In this paper, we present a new software framework for the optimization of the design of microstrip patch antennas. The proposed simulation and optimization framework implements a simulated annealing algorithm to perform design space exploration in order to identify the optimal patch antenna design. During each iteration of the optimization loop, we employ the popular MEEP simulation tool to evaluate explored design solutions. To speed up the design space exploration, the software framework is developed to run multiple MEEP simulations concurrently. This is achieved using multithreading to implement a manager-workers execution strategy. The number of worker threads is the same …

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H2−H∞ Control Of Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems Using The State-Dependent Riccati Equation Approach, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz, Susan C. Schneider, Yvonne I. Yaz Jan 2017

H2−H∞ Control Of Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems Using The State-Dependent Riccati Equation Approach, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz, Susan C. Schneider, Yvonne I. Yaz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper presents a novel state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) control approach with the purpose of providing a more effective control design framework for continuous-time nonlinear systems to achieve a mixed nonlinear quadratic regulator and H∞ control performance criteria. By solving the generalized SDRE, the optimal control solution is found to achieve mixed performance objectives guaranteeing nonlinear quadratic optimality with inherent stability property in combination with H∞ type of disturbance reduction. An efficient computational algorithm is given to find the solution to the SDRE. The efficacy of the proposed technique is used to design the control system for inverted …

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A Patterned Single Layer Graphene Resistance Temperature Sensor, Benyamin Davaji, Hak Dong Cho, Mohamadali Malakoutian, Jong-Kwon Lee, Gennady Panin, Tae Wong Kang, Chung-Hoon Lee Jan 2017

A Patterned Single Layer Graphene Resistance Temperature Sensor, Benyamin Davaji, Hak Dong Cho, Mohamadali Malakoutian, Jong-Kwon Lee, Gennady Panin, Tae Wong Kang, Chung-Hoon Lee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Micro-fabricated single-layer graphenes (SLGs) on a silicon dioxide (SiO2)/Si substrate, a silicon nitride (SiN) membrane, and a suspended architecture are presented for their use as temperature sensors. These graphene temperature sensors act as resistance temperature detectors, showing a quadratic dependence of resistance on the temperature in a range between 283 K and 303 K. The observed resistance change of the graphene temperature sensors are explained by the temperature dependent electron mobility relationship (~T−4) and electron-phonon scattering. By analyzing the transient response of the SLG temperature sensors on different substrates, it is found that the graphene sensor …

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An Efficient And Cost Effective Fpga Based Implementation Of The Viola-Jones Face Detection Algorithm, Peter Irgens, Curtis Bader, Theresa Lé, Devansh Saxena, Cristinel Ababei Jan 2017

An Efficient And Cost Effective Fpga Based Implementation Of The Viola-Jones Face Detection Algorithm, Peter Irgens, Curtis Bader, Theresa Lé, Devansh Saxena, Cristinel Ababei

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

We present an field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) based implementation of the popular Viola-Jones face detection algorithm, which is an essential building block in many applications such as video surveillance and tracking. Our implementation is a complete system level hardware design described in a hardware description language and validated on the affordable DE2-115 evaluation board. Our primary objective is to study the achievable performance with a low-end FPGA chip based implementation. In addition, we release to the public domain the entire project. We hope that this will enable other researchers to easily replicate and compare their results to ours and …

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Pvdf-Trfe Electroactive Polymer Mechanical-To-Electrical Energy Harvesting Experimental Bimorph Structure, William G. Kaval, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Jan 2017

Pvdf-Trfe Electroactive Polymer Mechanical-To-Electrical Energy Harvesting Experimental Bimorph Structure, William G. Kaval, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Research of electrostrictive polymers has generated new opportunities for harvesting energy from the surrounding environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Electroactive polymer (EAP) research is one of the new opportunities for harvesting energy from the natural environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Piezoelectric ceramic based energy harvesting devices tend to be unsuitable for low-frequency mechanical excitations such as human movement. Organic polymers are typically softer and more flexible therefore translated electrical energy output is considerably higher under the same mechanical force. In addition, cantilever geometry is one of the most used structures in piezoelectric energy harvesters, …

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H2−H∞ Control Of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems Using The State-Dependent Riccati Equation Approach, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz, Susan C. Schneider, Yvonne I. Yaz Jan 2017

H2−H∞ Control Of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems Using The State-Dependent Riccati Equation Approach, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz, Susan C. Schneider, Yvonne I. Yaz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A novel H2−H∞ State-dependent Riccati equation control approach is presented for providing a generalized control framework to discrete-time nonlinear system. By solving a generalized Riccati equation at each time step, the nonlinear state feedback control solution is found to satisfy mixed performance criteria guaranteeing quadratic optimality with inherent stability property in combination with H∞ type of disturbance attenuation. Two numerical techniques to compute the solution of the resulting Riccati equation are presented: The first one is based on finding the steady-state solution of the difference equation at every step and the second one is based on finding …

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Axially Uniform Magnetic Field-Modulation Excitation For Electron Paramagnetic Resonance In Rectangular And Cylindrical Cavities By Slot Cutting, Jason Walter Sidabras, James Richie, James S. Hyde Jan 2017

Axially Uniform Magnetic Field-Modulation Excitation For Electron Paramagnetic Resonance In Rectangular And Cylindrical Cavities By Slot Cutting, Jason Walter Sidabras, James Richie, James S. Hyde

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In continuous-wave (CW) Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) a low-frequency time-harmonic magnetic field, called field modulation, is applied parallel to the static magnetic field and incident on the sample. Varying amplitude of the field modulation incident on the sample has consequences on spectral line-shape and line-height over the axis of the sample. Here we present a method of coupling magnetic field into the cavity using slots perpendicular to the sample axis where the slot depths are designed in such a way to produce an axially uniform magnetic field along the sample. Previous literature typically assumes a uniform cross-section and axial excitation …

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Mass Reduction Patterning Of Silicon-On-Oxide–Based Micromirrors, Harris J. Hall, Andrew Green, Sarah Dooley, Jason D. Schmidt, Lavern A. Starman, Derrick Langley, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Dec 2016

Mass Reduction Patterning Of Silicon-On-Oxide–Based Micromirrors, Harris J. Hall, Andrew Green, Sarah Dooley, Jason D. Schmidt, Lavern A. Starman, Derrick Langley, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

It has long been recognized in the design of micromirror-based optical systems that balancing static flatness of the mirror surface through structural design with the system’s mechanical dynamic response is challenging. Although a variety of mass reduction approaches have been presented in the literature to address this performance trade, there has been little quantifiable comparison reported. In this work, different mass reduction approaches, some unique to the work, are quantifiably compared with solid plate thinning in both curvature and mass using commercial finite element simulation of a specific square silicon-on-insulator–based micromirror geometry. Other important considerations for micromirror surfaces, including surface …

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Investigation Of Polymer–Plasticizer Blends As Sh-Saw Sensor Coatings For Detection Of Benzene In Water With High Sensitivity And Long-Term Stability, Pintu Adhikari, Laura Jeanne Alderson, Florian Bender, Antonio J. Ricco, Fabien Josse Dec 2016

Investigation Of Polymer–Plasticizer Blends As Sh-Saw Sensor Coatings For Detection Of Benzene In Water With High Sensitivity And Long-Term Stability, Pintu Adhikari, Laura Jeanne Alderson, Florian Bender, Antonio J. Ricco, Fabien Josse

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

We report the first-ever direct detection of benzene in water at concentrations below 100 ppb (parts per billion) using acoustic wave (specifically, shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave, SH-SAW) sensors with plasticized polymer coatings. Two polymers and two plasticizers were studied as materials for sensor coatings. For each polymer–plasticizer combination, the influence of the mixing ratio of the blend on the sensitivity to benzene was measured and compared to commercially available polymers that were used for BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) detection in previous work. After optimizing the coating parameters, the highest sensitivity and lowest detection limit for benzene were found …

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Smart Power Grid Synchronization With Fault Tolerant Nonlinear Estimation, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz Nov 2016

Smart Power Grid Synchronization With Fault Tolerant Nonlinear Estimation, Xin Wang, Edwin E. Yaz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Effective real-time state estimation is essential for smart grid synchronization, as electricity demand continues to grow, and renewable energy resources increase their penetration into the grid. In order to provide a more reliable state estimation technique to address the problem of bad data in the PMU-based power synchronization, this paper presents a novel nonlinear estimation framework to dynamically track frequency, voltage magnitudes and phase angles. Instead of directly analyzing in abc coordinate frame, symmetrical component transformation is employed to separate the positive, negative, and zero sequence networks. Then, Clarke's transformation is used to transform the sequence networks into the αβ …

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Saliency Ratio And Power Factor Of Ipm Motors Optimally Designed For High Efficiency And Low Cost Objectives, Peng Zhang, Dan M. Ionel, Nabeel Demerdash Nov 2016

Saliency Ratio And Power Factor Of Ipm Motors Optimally Designed For High Efficiency And Low Cost Objectives, Peng Zhang, Dan M. Ionel, Nabeel Demerdash

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper uses formal mathematical optimization techniques based on parametric finite-element-based computationally efficient models and differential evolution algorithms. For constant-power applications, in the novel approach described, three concurrent objective functions are minimized: material cost, losses, in order to ensure high efficiency, and the difference between the rated and the characteristic current, aiming to achieve very high constant-power flux-weakening range. Only the first two objectives are considered for constant-torque applications. Two types of interior permanent magnet rotors in a single- and double-layer V-shaped configuration are considered, respectively. The stator has the typical two slots per pole and phase distributed winding configuration. …

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Data Fusion For Vision-Based Robotic Platform Navigation, Andrés F. Echeverri Oct 2016

Data Fusion For Vision-Based Robotic Platform Navigation, Andrés F. Echeverri

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Data fusion has become an active research topic in recent years. Growing computational performance has allowed the use of redundant sensors to measure a single phenomenon. While Bayesian fusion approaches are common in general applications, the computer vision community has largely relegated this approach. Most object following algorithms have gone towards pure machine learning fusion techniques that tend to lack flexibility. Consequently, a more general data fusion scheme is needed. The motivation for this work is to propose methods that allow for the development of simple and cost effective, yet robust visual following robots capable of tracking a general object …

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An On-Line Diagnostic Method For Open-Circuit Switch Faults In Npc Multilevel Converters, Jiangbiao He, Nabeel Demerdash Sep 2016

An On-Line Diagnostic Method For Open-Circuit Switch Faults In Npc Multilevel Converters, Jiangbiao He, Nabeel Demerdash

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

On-line condition monitoring is of paramount importance for multilevel converters used in safety-critical applications. A novel on-line diagnostic method for detecting open-circuit switch faults in neutral-point-clamped (NPC) multilevel converters is introduced in this paper. The principle of this method is based on monitoring the abnormal variation of the dc-bus neutral-point current in combination with the existing information on instantaneous switching states and phase currents. Advantages of this method include simpler implementation and faster detection speed compared to other existing diagnostic methods in the literature. In this method, only one additional current sensor is required for measuring the dc-bus neutral-point current, …

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A Fault-Tolerant T-Type Multilevel Inverter Topology With Soft-Switching Capability Based On Si And Sic Hybrid Phase Legs, Jiangbiao He, Nathan Weise, Ramin Katebi, Lixiang Wei, Nabeel Demerdash Sep 2016

A Fault-Tolerant T-Type Multilevel Inverter Topology With Soft-Switching Capability Based On Si And Sic Hybrid Phase Legs, Jiangbiao He, Nathan Weise, Ramin Katebi, Lixiang Wei, Nabeel Demerdash

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The performance of a novel three-phase four-leg fault-tolerant T-Type inverter topology is presented in this paper, which significantly improves the inverter's fault-tolerant capability regarding device switch faults. In this new modular inverter topology, only the redundant leg is composed of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices and all other phase legs are constituted by Silicon (Si) devices. The addition of the redundant leg, not only provides fault-tolerant solution to switch faults that could occur in the T-Type inverter, but also can share load current with other phase legs. Moreover, quasi zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and zero-current switching (ZCS) in the Si Insulated-Gate …

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Improving Gold/Gold Microcontact Performance And Reliability Under Low-Frequency Ac Through Circuit Loading, T. Laurvick, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Sep 2016

Improving Gold/Gold Microcontact Performance And Reliability Under Low-Frequency Ac Through Circuit Loading, T. Laurvick, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper investigates the performance and reliability of microcontacts under low-frequency and low-amplitude ac test conditions. Current microcontact theory is based on dc tests adapted to RF applications. To help better apply dc theory to RF applications, frequencies between 100 Hz to 100 kHz were experimentally investigated. Microcontacts designed to conduct performance and reliability measurements were used, which in prior dc testing typically lasted for 100 million cycles or more. Under ac loads, at similar power levels, eight devices were tested under cold-switching conditions, and only one was still operational at 10 million cycles. The effect of external circuitry on …

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Generalizing Effective Spatial Bandwidth For Pole Location In Mas: The Elliptic Cylinder, James Richie Sep 2016

Generalizing Effective Spatial Bandwidth For Pole Location In Mas: The Elliptic Cylinder, James Richie

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The location of poles in the method of auxiliary sources for 2-D scatterers can be assisted using the effective spatial bandwidth (EBW) of the incident and scattered fields. Previously, only circular boundaries were considered. Here, EBW is extended to noncircular boundaries. Calculations presented for a cylinder with elliptical cross section verify EBW as an additional tool for pole placement for more general geometries.

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Thermal Management Using Mems Bimorph Cantilever Beams, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., R. S. Lafleur, J. P.K. Walton, Lavern A. Starman Sep 2016

Thermal Management Using Mems Bimorph Cantilever Beams, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., R. S. Lafleur, J. P.K. Walton, Lavern A. Starman

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper examines a passive cooling technique using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for localized thermal management of electronic devices. The prototype was designed using analytic equations, simulated using finite element methods (FEM), and fabricated using the commercial PolyMUMPs™ process. The system consisted of an electronic device simulator (EDS) and MEMS bimorph cantilever beams (MBCB) array with beams lengths of 200, 250, and 300 μm that were tested to characterize deflection and thermal behavior. The specific beam lengths were chosen to actuate in response to heating associated with the EDS (i.e. the longest beams actuated first corresponding to the hottest portion of …

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Large-Scale Design Optimization Of Pm Machines Over A Target Operating Cycle, Alireza Fatemi, Nabeel Demerdash, Thomas W. Nehl, Dan M. Ionel Sep 2016

Large-Scale Design Optimization Of Pm Machines Over A Target Operating Cycle, Alireza Fatemi, Nabeel Demerdash, Thomas W. Nehl, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A large-scale finite element model-based design optimization algorithm is developed for improving the drive-cycle efficiency of permanent magnet (PM) synchronous machines with wide operating ranges such as those used in traction propulsion motors. The load operating cycle is efficiently modeled by using a systematic k-means clustering method to identify the operating points representing the high-energy-throughput zones in the torque-speed plane. The machine performance is evaluated over these cyclic representative points using a recently introduced computationally efficient finite element analysis, which is upgraded to include both constant torque and field-weakening operations in the evaluation of the machine performance metrics. In contrast …

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Mems-Based Terahertz Photoacoustic Chemical Sensing System, Nathan Glauvitz, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Ivan R. Medvedev, Douglas T. Petkie Aug 2016

Mems-Based Terahertz Photoacoustic Chemical Sensing System, Nathan Glauvitz, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Ivan R. Medvedev, Douglas T. Petkie

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Advancements in microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology over the last several decades has been a driving force behind miniaturizing and improving sensor designs. In this work, a specialized cantilever pressure sensor was designed, modeled, and fabricated to investigate the photoacoustic (PA) response of gases to terahertz (THz) radiation under low-vacuum conditions associated with high-resolution spectroscopy. Microfabricated cantilever devices made using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers were tested in a custom-built test chamber in this first ever demonstration of a cantilever-based PA chemical sensor and spectroscopy system in the THz frequency regime. The THz radiation source was amplitude modulated to excite acoustic waves in …

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Surface Feature Engineering Through Nanosphere Lithography, Tod V. Laurvick, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., James M. Sattler, Robert A. Lake Aug 2016

Surface Feature Engineering Through Nanosphere Lithography, Tod V. Laurvick, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., James M. Sattler, Robert A. Lake

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

How surface geometries can be selectively manipulated through nanosphere lithography (NSL) is discussed. Self-assembled monolayers and multilayers of nanospheres have been studied for decades and have been applied to lithography for almost as long. When compared to the most modern, state-of-the-art techniques, NSL offers comparable feature resolution with many advantages over competing technologies. Several high-resolution alternatives require scan-based implementation (i.e., focused ion beams and e-beam lithography) while NSL is much more of a batch operation, allowing for full wafer or possibly even multiple wafer processing, potentially saving time and increasing throughput in a manufacturing environment. Additionally, NSL has continued to …

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Variable Response Of A Thermally Tuned Mems Pressure Sensor, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Aug 2016

Variable Response Of A Thermally Tuned Mems Pressure Sensor, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A typical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor consists of a thin, deformable membrane and sensing element such as a piezoresistive element which is used to measure the amount of deflection in response to an applied pressure. Previous efforts demonstrated that buckled membranes, from silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers, can be thermally tuned via joule heating. By applying heat to the membrane through a resistive heating element, compressive stress is induced in the membrane causing it to buckle further out of plane and increasing its overall stiffness response. It is demonstrated that by increasing the stiffness of the membrane, the response …

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Engineered Surfaces To Control Secondary Electron Emission For Multipactor Suppression, James M. Sattler, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake, Tod V. Laurvick Jul 2016

Engineered Surfaces To Control Secondary Electron Emission For Multipactor Suppression, James M. Sattler, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake, Tod V. Laurvick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A significant problem for space-based systems is multipactor - an avalanche of electrons caused by repeated secondary electron emission (SEE). The consequences of multipactor range from altering the operation of radio frequency (RF) devices to permanent device damage. Existing efforts to suppress multipactor rely heavily on limiting power levels below a multipactor threshold [1]. This research applies surface micromachining techniques to create porous surfaces to control the secondary electron yield (SEY) of a material for multipactor suppression. Surface characteristics of interest include pore aspect ratio and density. A discussion is provided on the advantage of using electroplating (vice etching) to …

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Design Of Ferroelectric Mems Energy Harvesting Devices, Noah T. Blach, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Jul 2016

Design Of Ferroelectric Mems Energy Harvesting Devices, Noah T. Blach, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Waste heat is a widely available but little used source of power. Converting a thermal gradient into electricity is conventionally done using the Seebeck effect, but devices that use this effect are naturally inefficient. An alternate approach uses microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to generate movement and time-varying temperature from a constant temperature gradient. Ferroelectric materials can harvest electricity from moving structures and temperature variations. This concept was realized using traditional silicon microprocessing techniques. A silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer was backside Deep Reactive Ion Etched (DRIE) to form a one mm2 by 7 micron thick silicon/silicon dioxide membrane. Lead zirconate …

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Enhancing The Thermal Performance Of Temporary Fabric Structures For The Advanced Energy Efficient Shelter System, Justin E. Eshleman, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Jul 2016

Enhancing The Thermal Performance Of Temporary Fabric Structures For The Advanced Energy Efficient Shelter System, Justin E. Eshleman, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The focus of this research is to characterize the thermal load on temporary fabric shelters deployed in the Middle East in order to establish realistic contract specification for the thermal performance of future shelters. Three different testing methods were utilized to evaluate shelter thermal performance. Small-scale tests allowed for economical comparisons of different shelter materials and configurations.

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Standardized Testing Of Non-Standard Photovoltaic Pavement Surfaces, John H. Nussbaum, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Jul 2016

Standardized Testing Of Non-Standard Photovoltaic Pavement Surfaces, John H. Nussbaum, Robert A. Lake, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Emerging photovoltaic products have expanded the applications for the technologies into markets previously unconsidered for what was thought to be a delicate electronic product. One company leading this effort, Solar Roadways, Incorporated, is producing pavement replacing photovoltaic systems and proposing their use in everything from sidewalks to runways. Current pavement testing methods cannot be applied to these non-homogenous structures to identify if they can support the required loads. However, the standards called out specifically for pavements may be able to be translated to these products and their non-homogenous structures and non-standard materials to identify if they are able to perform …

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Electrostrictive Polymers For Mechanical-To-Electrical Energy Harvesting, William G. Kaval, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake Jul 2016

Electrostrictive Polymers For Mechanical-To-Electrical Energy Harvesting, William G. Kaval, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Research of electrostrictive polymers has generated new opportunities for harvesting energy from the surrounding environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Piezoelectric ceramic based devices have long been used in energy harvesting for converting mechanical motion to electrical energy. Nevertheless, those materials tend to be unsuitable for low-frequency mechanical excitations such as human movement. Since organic polymers are typically softer and more flexible, the translated electrical energy output is considerably higher under the same mechanical force. Currently, investigations in using electroactive polymers for energy harvesting, and mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion, are beginning to show potential for this application. In this …

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Design And Analysis Of Novel Ge-Gete Pn Junction For Photovoltaics, Andrew M. Jones, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake Jul 2016

Design And Analysis Of Novel Ge-Gete Pn Junction For Photovoltaics, Andrew M. Jones, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Robert A. Lake

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The continuing rise in demand for energy places a similarly increasing demand to improve power production methods and efficiency. In regards to solar power generation, one major limiting factor with existing photovoltaic (PV) systems is the management of heat produced and photon interactions with the PV device. Typical devices operate within the 300-1000 nm range of the solar spectrum, greatly limiting the range of photons used for power generation. Furthermore, since infrared light (

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Predicting Multiple Target Tracking Performance For Applications On Video Sequences, Juan Esteban Tapiero Bernal Jul 2016

Predicting Multiple Target Tracking Performance For Applications On Video Sequences, Juan Esteban Tapiero Bernal

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation presents a framework to predict the performance of multiple target tracking (MTT) techniques. The framework is based on the mathematical descriptors of point processes, the probability generating functional (p.g.fl). It is shown that conceptually the p.g.fls of MTT techniques can be interpreted as a transform that can be marginalized to an expression that encodes all the information regarding the likelihood model as well as the underlying assumptions present in a given tracking technique. In order to use this approach for tracker performance prediction in video sequences, a framework that combines video quality assessment concepts and the marginalized transform …

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Mims: Mobile Interruption Management System, Mohammad Kayes Kaykobad Jul 2016

Mims: Mobile Interruption Management System, Mohammad Kayes Kaykobad

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Mobile devices are increasing in an astronomical rate throughout the world. While it is bringing a lot of comfort to the users it is not coming without any hazards. Now a user is susceptible to mobile call interruptions wherever he is, whether he is in the middle of a very important discussion or in a very important task like performing a complicated emergency operation in a hospital. As a result researchers have been studying to find ways to minimize cost of mobile interruptions. In this thesis we have proposed a mobile interruption management system in which callers have been grouped …

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Cascading Failures In Interdependent Infrastructures: An Interdependent Markov-Chain Approach, Mahshid Rahnamay-Naeini, Majeed M. Hayat Jul 2016

Cascading Failures In Interdependent Infrastructures: An Interdependent Markov-Chain Approach, Mahshid Rahnamay-Naeini, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Many critical infrastructures are interdependent networks in which the behavior of one network impacts those of the others. Despite the fact that interdependencies are essential for the operation of critical infrastructures, such interdependencies can negatively affect the reliability and fuel the cascade of failures within and across the networks. In this paper, a novel interdependent Markov-chain framework is proposed that enables capturing interdependencies between two critical infrastructures with the ultimate goal of predicting their resilience to cascading failures and characterizing the effects of interdependencies on system reliability. The framework is sufficiently general to model cascading failures in any interdependent networks; …

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