Matching Items (38)
Description
Along with the number of technologies that have been introduced over a few years ago, gesture-based human-computer interactions are becoming the new phase in encompassing the creativity and abilities for users to communicate and interact with devices. Because of how the nature of defining free-space gestures influence user's preference and the length of usability of gesture-driven devices, defined low-stress and intuitive gestures for users to interact with gesture recognition systems are necessary to consider. To measure stress, a Galvanic Skin Response instrument was used as a primary indicator, which provided evidence of the relationship between stress and intuitive gestures, as well as user preferences towards certain tasks and gestures during performance. Fifteen participants engaged in creating and performing their own gestures for specified tasks that would be required during the use of free-space gesture-driven devices. The tasks include "activation of the display," scroll, page, selection, undo, and "return to main menu." They were also asked to repeat their gestures for around ten seconds each, which would give them time and further insight of how their gestures would be appropriate or not for them and any given task. Surveys were given at different time to the users: one after they had defined their gestures and another after they had repeated their gestures. In the surveys, they ranked their gestures based on comfort, intuition, and the ease of communication. Out of those user-ranked gestures, health-efficient gestures, given that the participants' rankings were based on comfort and intuition, were chosen in regards to the highest ranked gestures.
ContributorsLam, Christine (Author) / Walker, Erin (Thesis director) / Danielescu, Andreea (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor) / School of Arts, Media and Engineering (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Computing and Informatics Program (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
G3Box's 2013 Marketing Plan outlines a strategic plan and short term operational strategies for the company. The document includes a discussion of the company's decision to enter the market for healthcare facilities in developing counties, and a situation assessment of the market conditions. G3Box is targeting small and large NGOs that currently provide healthcare facilities in developing countries. The market size for healthcare aid in developing countries is estimated to be $1.7 billion. The plan also analyses the customer's value chain and buying cycle by using voice of the customer data. The strategic position analysis profiles G3Box's competition and discusses the company's differential advantage versus other options for healthcare facilities in developing countries. Next the document discusses G3Box's market strategy and implementation, along with outlining a value proposition for the company. G3Box has two objectives for 2013: 1) Increase sales revenue to $1.3 million and 2) increase market presence to 25%. In order to reach these objectives, G3Box has developed a primary and secondary strategic focus for each objective. The primary strategies are relationship selling and online marketing. The secondary strategies are developing additional value-added activities and public relations.
ContributorsWalters, John (Author) / Denning, Michael (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Lonnie (Committee member) / Carroll, James (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
The majority of the 52 photovoltaic installations at ASU are governed by power purchase agreements (PPA) that set a fixed per kilowatt-hour rate at which ASU buys power from the system owner over the period of 15-20 years. PPAs require accurate predictions of the system output to determine the financial viability of the system installations as well as the purchase price. The research was conducted using PPAs and historical solar power production data from the ASU's Energy Information System (EIS). The results indicate that most PPAs slightly underestimate the annual energy yield. However, the modeled power output from PVsyst indicates that higher energy outputs are possible with better system monitoring.
ContributorsVulic, Natasa (Author) / Bowden, Stuart (Thesis director) / Bryan, Harvey (Committee member) / Sharma, Vivek (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
The 21st century engineer will face a diverse set of challenges spread out along a broad spectrum of disciplines. Among others, the fields of energy, healthcare, cyberspace, virtual reality, and neuroscience require monumental efforts by the new generation of engineers to meet the demands of a growing society. However the most important, and likely the most under recognized, challenge lies in developing advanced personalized learning. It is the core foundation from which the rest of the challenges can be accomplished. Without an effective method of teaching engineering students how to realize these grand challenges, the knowledge pool from which to draw new innovations and discoveries will be greatly diminished. This paper introduces the Inventors Workshop (IW), a hands-on, passion-based approach to personalized learning. It is intended to serve as a manual that will inform the next generation of student leaders and inventioneers about the core concepts the Inventors Workshop was built upon, and how to continue improvement into the future. Due to the inherent complexities in the grand challenge of personalized learning, the IW has developed a multifaceted solution that is difficult to explain in a single phrase. To enable comprehension of the IW's full vision, the process undergone to date of establishing and expanding the IW is described. In addition, research has been conducted to determine a variety of paths the Inventors Workshop may utilize in future expansion. Each of these options is explored and related to the core foundations of the IW to assist future leaders and partners in effectively improving personalized learning at ASU and beyond.
ContributorsEngelhoven, V. Logan (Author) / Burleson, Winslow (Thesis director) / Peck, Sidnee (Committee member) / Fortun, A. L. Cecil (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
ContributorsShah, Beejal (Author) / Nakamura, Mutsumi (Thesis director) / Balasooriya, Janaka (Committee member) / Wilkerson, Kelly (Committee member) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
The Phoenix-Metro area currently has problems with its transportation systems. Over-crowded and congested freeways have slowed travel times within the area. Express bus transportation and the existence of "High Occupancy" lanes have failed to solve the congestion problem. The light rail system is limited to those within a certain distance from the line, and even the light rail is either too slow or too infrequent for a commuter to utilize it effectively. To add to the issue, Phoenix is continuing to expand outward instead of increasing population density within the city, therefore increasing the time it takes to travel to downtown Phoenix, which is the center of economic activity. The people of Phoenix and its surrounding areas are finding that driving themselves to work is just as cost-effective and less time consuming than taking public transportation. Phoenix needs a cost-effective solution to work in co- existence with improvements in local public transportation that will allow citizens to travel to their destination in just as much time, or less time, than travelling by personal vehicle.
ContributorsSerfilippi, Jon (Author) / Ariaratnam, Samuel (Thesis director) / Pendyala, Ram (Committee member) / Pembroke, Jim (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Electrospun nanofibers can be prepared from various kinds of inorganic substances by electro-spinning techniques. They have great potential in many applications including super capacitors, lithium ion batteries, filtration, catalyst and enzyme carriers, and sensors [1]. The traditional way to produce electrospun nanofibers is needle based electro-spinning [1]. However, electrospun nanofibers have not been widely used in practice because of low nanofiber production rates. One way to largely increase the electro-spinning productivity is needleless electro-spinning. In 2005, Jirsak et al. patented a rotating roller fiber generator for the mass production of nanofibers [2]. Elmarco Corporation commercialized this technique to manufacture nanofiber equipment for the production of all sorts of organic and inorganic nanofibers, and named it "NanospiderTM". For this project, my goal is to build a needleless electro-spinner to produce nanofibers as the separator of lithium ion batteries. The model of this project is based on the design of rotating roller fiber generator, and is adapted from a project at North Dakota State University in 2011 [3].
ContributorsQiao, Guanhao (Author) / Yu, Hongyu (Thesis director) / Jiang, Hanqing (Committee member) / Goryll, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering (Contributor)
Created2012-12
Description
Microalgae-derived lipids are good sources of biofuel, but extracting them involves high cost, energy
expenditure, and environmental risk. Surfactant treatment to disrupt Scenedesmus biomass was evaluated
as a means to make solvent extraction more efficient. Surfactant treatment increased the recovery of fatty
acid methyl ester (FAME) by as much as 16-fold vs. untreated biomass using isopropanol extraction, and
nearly 100% FAME recovery was possible without any Folch solvent, which is toxic and expensive. Surfactant
treatment caused cell disruption and morphological changes to the cell membrane, as documented by
transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. Surfactant treatment made it possible to extract wet
biomass at room temperature, which avoids the expense and energy cost associated with heating
and drying of biomass during the extraction process. The best FAME recovery was obtained from highlipid
biomass treated with Myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB)- and 3-(decyldimethylammonio)-
propanesulfonate inner salt (3_DAPS)-surfactants using a mixed solvent (hexane : isopropanol = 1 : 1, v/v)
vortexed for just 1 min; this was as much as 160-fold higher than untreated biomass. The critical micelle
concentration of the surfactants played a major role in dictating extraction performance, but the growth
stage of the biomass had an even larger impact on how well the surfactants disrupted the cells and
improved lipid extraction. Surfactant treatment had minimal impact on extracted-FAME profiles and,
consequently, fuel-feedstock quality. This work shows that surfactant treatment is a promising strategy for
more efficient, sustainable, and economical extraction of fuel feedstock from microalgae.
expenditure, and environmental risk. Surfactant treatment to disrupt Scenedesmus biomass was evaluated
as a means to make solvent extraction more efficient. Surfactant treatment increased the recovery of fatty
acid methyl ester (FAME) by as much as 16-fold vs. untreated biomass using isopropanol extraction, and
nearly 100% FAME recovery was possible without any Folch solvent, which is toxic and expensive. Surfactant
treatment caused cell disruption and morphological changes to the cell membrane, as documented by
transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. Surfactant treatment made it possible to extract wet
biomass at room temperature, which avoids the expense and energy cost associated with heating
and drying of biomass during the extraction process. The best FAME recovery was obtained from highlipid
biomass treated with Myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB)- and 3-(decyldimethylammonio)-
propanesulfonate inner salt (3_DAPS)-surfactants using a mixed solvent (hexane : isopropanol = 1 : 1, v/v)
vortexed for just 1 min; this was as much as 160-fold higher than untreated biomass. The critical micelle
concentration of the surfactants played a major role in dictating extraction performance, but the growth
stage of the biomass had an even larger impact on how well the surfactants disrupted the cells and
improved lipid extraction. Surfactant treatment had minimal impact on extracted-FAME profiles and,
consequently, fuel-feedstock quality. This work shows that surfactant treatment is a promising strategy for
more efficient, sustainable, and economical extraction of fuel feedstock from microalgae.
ContributorsLai, Yenjung Sean (Author) / De Francesco, Federica (Author) / Aguinaga, Alyssa (Author) / Parameswaran, Prathap (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor) / Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology (Contributor)
Created2015-10-20
Description
Using a CH[subscript 4]-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), we studied perchlorate (ClO[subscript 4]–) reduction by a biofilm performing anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (ANMO-D). We focused on the effects of nitrate (NO[subscript 3]–) and nitrite (NO[subscript 2]–) surface loadings on ClO[subscript 4]– reduction and on the biofilm community’s mechanism for ClO[subscript 4]– reduction. The ANMO-D biofilm reduced up to 5 mg/L of ClO[subscript 4]– to a nondetectable level using CH[subscript 4] as the only electron donor and carbon source when CH[subscript 4] delivery was not limiting; NO[subscript 3]– was completely reduced as well when its surface loading was ≤0.32 g N/m[superscript 2]-d. When CH[subscript 4] delivery was limiting, NO[subscript 3]– inhibited ClO[subscript 4]– reduction by competing for the scarce electron donor. NO[subscript 2]– inhibited ClO[subscript 4]– reduction when its surface loading was ≥0.10 g N/m[superscript 2]-d, probably because of cellular toxicity. Although Archaea were present through all stages, Bacteria dominated the ClO[subscript 4]–-reducing ANMO-D biofilm, and gene copies of the particulate methane mono-oxygenase (pMMO) correlated to the increase of respiratory gene copies. These pieces of evidence support that ClO[subscript 4]– reduction by the MBfR biofilm involved chlorite (ClO[subscript 2]–) dismutation to generate the O[subscript 2] needed as a cosubstrate for the mono-oxygenation of CH[subscript 4].
ContributorsLuo, Yi-Hao (Author) / Chen, Ran (Author) / Wen, Li-Lian (Author) / Meng, Fan (Author) / Zhang, Yin (Author) / Lai, Chun-Yu (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Author) / Zhao, He-Ping (Author) / Zheng, Ping (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor) / Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology (Contributor)
Created2015-02-17
Description
UV photolysis was used to relieve inhibition of biomass growth by sulfadiazine (SD), a broad-spectrum anti-microbial. To investigate the effects of SD on biomass growth, three substrates—glucose alone (G), glucose plus sulfadiazine (G+SD), and glucose plus photolyzed SD (G+PSD)—were used to culture the bacteria acclimated to glucose. The biomass was strongly inhibited when SD was added into the glucose solution, but inhibition was relieved to a significant degree when the SD was treated with UV irradiation as a pretreatment. The biomass growth kinetics were described well by the Monod model when glucose was used as a substrate alone, but the kinetics followed a hybrid Aiba model for non-competitive inhibition when SD was added to the solution. When photolyzed SD was added to glucose solution to replace original SD, the growth still followed Aiba inhibition, but inhibition was significantly relieved: the maximum specific growth rate (μ[subscript max]) increased by 17 %, and the Aiba inhibition concentration increased by 60 %. Aniline, a major product of UV photolysis, supported the growth of the glucose-biodegrading bacteria. Thus, UV photolysis of SD significantly relieved inhibition by lowering the SD concentration and by generating a biodegradable product.
ContributorsPan, Shihui (Author) / Yan, Ning (Author) / Zhang, Yongming (Author) / Rittmann, Bruce (Author) / Biodesign Institute (Contributor) / Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology (Contributor)
Created2015-05-01