Bronco Scholarhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/55542024-03-28T14:39:06Z2024-03-28T14:39:06ZBalance of a Robotic Leg on Uneven TerrainMcClain, A Micahhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2168592020-06-29T23:24:52Z2020-06-29T00:00:00ZBalance of a Robotic Leg on Uneven Terrain
McClain, A Micah
Bipedal balancing is a complex subject as the process of balancing is difficult to define. As robot designs are becoming increasingly humanoid and human-robot interactions increasingly common, algorithms must be developed to replicate natural movement in non-ideal circumstances. This project implements such an algorithm on a robotic leg to attempt to balance on uneven surfaces and terrain. A pseudoinverse Jacobian was implemented to handle positional movement, and a
linear quadratic regulator was used to shape smooth motion to desired balance points. They were then developed into an Arduino code which controls the motion of the robot in attempts at balance. Due to the limited stall torque of the chosen servos the robot could not achieve balance in practice. And although the position and control codes work well with the chosen microcontroller, the balance equations could be more versatile and accurate, so future work should focus on these aspects of the robot design process
2020-06-29T00:00:00ZAruba Wireless Network: A Personalized eLearning Module for Network AnalystsBalansi, Jerrold Clinthttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2168582020-06-29T22:19:21Z2020-06-29T00:00:00ZAruba Wireless Network: A Personalized eLearning Module for Network Analysts
Balansi, Jerrold Clint
Maintaining the technical workforce is crucial for current and future success for both the organization and employee. This enables organizations to use revolutionary tools and cutting-edge technology to gain lead or competitive advantage (Gurjar, 2017). To keep an organization and employees in top form, corporate training and development is one of the best solutions (Ghiciuc, 2016). So, the purpose of this project was to design a personalized online eLearning training module for the Network Analyst staff of a 4-year university in the CSU system in California.
This research explored what Corporate Training is, and its brief history and evolution. The research also presented the value and benefits of Corporate Training and reviewed why Corporate Training must be based on a thorough Needs Assessment (Gutierrez, 2017). Furthermore, it explored the best practices of using many available emerging technologies such as interactive videos, simulations, and gamification to produce a practical, efficient and, effective Corporate Training program.
The project was developed based on review of related literature and needs assessment. WordPress with its main plugin of LearnPress and GamiPress were used to build the project. In order to make the project fun and interactive, gamification was utilized by giving each learners the ability to earn points, awards and ranks (Hughes, 2017).
Furthermore, the development of the project and the interaction with the target learners were carefully performed using the proven training development model of ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). This was to ensure that training was planned and executed properly (Quigley, 2019).
Approval from the Executive Director of Converged Network Services and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) was received opening the door to invite participants for field testing the eLearning module project. Through email, the researcher invited 4 Network Analysts and 2 student assistants to voluntarily participate and within, it explained the details of the purpose of the project as well as the rights of the participants. The email also included a link to the eLearning module and an anonymous online survey.
At the end of the eLearning module course, the survey was consolidated and evaluated and the results showed that the participants had overall positive experience on the entire training program. The participants also hinted that they wanted more advanced content.
2020-06-29T00:00:00ZGaussian Process Models for Computer VisionFrank, Hakeemhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2168572020-06-29T21:59:58Z2020-06-29T00:00:00ZGaussian Process Models for Computer Vision
Frank, Hakeem
Supervised learning is the task of finding a function f(x) that maps an input x to an output y using observed data. Gaussian process models approach supervised learning by assuming a probability distribution over a space of possible functions, using observed data to update the space of functions to consider using Bayes the- orem, and taking the expected value over the space of functions to get an estimate for f(x). While Gaussian process models are commonly used in time series and regression domains, they can extend to classification tasks using a response function and variational inference. This thesis investigates Gaussian process models for image classification tasks with an emphasis on kernels that are effective for the high dimensional nature of image data. Specifically, stationary and non-stationary kernels are compared with each other and their performance is analyzed on image recognition tasks. The models are evaluated on high-resolution aerial images, a handwritten digit dataset, and a dataset of X-ray images of patients exhibiting signs of pneumonia.
2020-06-29T00:00:00ZSmoky Mountain Appalachia: A Study Of Rural Economic Development Through The Lens Of Cultural Heritage TourismSissi, Edwarhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2168542020-06-29T21:27:01Z2020-06-29T00:00:00ZSmoky Mountain Appalachia: A Study Of Rural Economic Development Through The Lens Of Cultural Heritage Tourism
Sissi, Edwar
This research seeks to understand rural economic development through cultural heritage tourism, while utilizing Sevier County in Eastern Tennessee as a case study. Sevier County presents a unique example of a rural and historically impoverished region that has become an economic tourism powerhouse. However, as with any economic development model, one centered on cultural heritage can come with the risk of diluting the very resources that give this place its identity and unique sense of place. If carefully crafted, cultural heritage tourism can be a successful economic development model, and a sustainable one that preserves the area’s unique culture, its environment, and still provides for economic growth. In Sevier County, the natural world of the Great Smoky Mountains, the cultural history of the Appalachian peoples, and the massive influx of tourist-related development located along its central valley all converge together in this remote corner of Eastern Tennessee to take part in the predominate industry of tourism. Seemingly, at the center of it all is the cultural icon and the region’s hometown girl, Dolly Parton whom has coalesced these disparate worlds into a tourism empire based on the region’s unique assets and cultural heritage, including that of her own.
The primary goal of this research is to identify existing and potential resources of significance pertaining to cultural heritage and sense of place, as embedded units of analysis, and grade their impacts against select categorical variables of economic, cultural, and environmental measurements. It is hoped that the grading and measurement tool developed in this study can be used in future studies to determine efficacies of cultural heritage sites, and their impacts in costs and benefits.
2020-06-29T00:00:00Z