Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Building Operating Systems Services: An Architecture for Programmable Buildings

Commercial buildings use 73% of all electricity consumed in the United States [30], and numerous studies suggest that there is a significant unrealized opportunity for savings [69, 72, 81]. One of the many reasons this problem persists in the face of financial incentives is that owners and operators have very poor visibility into the operation of their buildings. Making changes to operations often requires expensive consultants, and the technological capacity for change is unnecessarily limited. Our thesis is that some of these issues are not simply failures of incentives and organization but failures of technology and imagination: with a better software framework, many aspects of building operation would be improved by innovative software applications. To evaluate this hypothesis, we develop an architecture for implementing building applications in a flexible and portable way, called the Building Operating System Services. BOSS allows software to reliability and portably collect, process, and act on the large volumes of data present in a large building. The minimal elements of this architecture are hardware abstraction, data management and processing, and control design; in this thesis we present a detailed design study for each of these components and consider various tradeoffs and findings. Unlike previous systems, we directly tackle the challenges of opening the building control stack at each level, providing interfaces for programming and extensibility while considering properties like scale and fault-tolerance. Our contributions consist of a principled factoring of functionality onto an architecture which permits the type of application we are interested in, and the implementation and evaluation of the three key components. This work has included significant real-world experience, collecting over 45,000 streams of data from a large variety of instrumentation sources in multiple buildings, and taking direct control of several test buildings for a period of time. We evaluate our approach using focused benchmarks and case studies on individual architectural components, and holistically by looking at applications built using the framework.
Creating “transdisciplinary spaces” for a real-world scenario: A practical teaching collaboration

A lack of transfer of academic literacy competencies was identified by academic literacy and Statistics lecturers involved in an extended programme course. This paper reports on one attempt at a workable collaborative solution to this challenge. The collaborative attempt is situated within the academic literacies framework, and is described. Thereafter, student feedback as well as critical self-reflections from participating lecturers are qualitatively analysed in an interpretative framework, to determine how key stakeholders experienced the collaborative intervention. The collaborative attempt was found to be valuable in more effectively achieving the outcomes of both courses, and in helping students see the relevance of academic literacy in content subjects – this is in line with an academic literacies frameworkwhich holds that academic literacy cannot be divorced from the contexts in which it is practiced. The primary factors that led to a successful collaboration were a willingness of all partners to participate in the project and regular communication between collaborators.Main problems encountered revolved around miscommunication between lecturers and students, and an insufficiently detailed timetable that resulted in pressure at certain stages. Keywords: Teaching collaboration, academic literacy, academic writing, English for specific purposes, project work
Determinants of Consumer Perceived Trustworthiness in Digital Advertising of Food and Beverage

Determinants of Consumer Perceived Trustworthiness in Digital of Beverage. Vol. 11, No. 8, 2021, Pg. 60 - 77 Abstract The advertising industry has been moving toward digital advertising with the help of internet penetration across the world. Importantly, consumers today are exposed to digital advertising with social media advertising becoming one of the most vital channels to get in touch with the consumers. However, consumer trust in social media is reported to be low although trust is not a static concept but changes over time. Hence, this research aimed to study the relationship between social media advertising and consumer perceived trustworthiness among social media users in Malaysia. Consumers’ perceived trustworthiness is examined through five dimensions of social media advertising namely personalization, electronic word-of-mouth, interactivity, informativeness, and trendiness. The research employed a quantitative research method and resulted in 415 valid respondents. The statistical results indicated that all dimensions of social media advertising have a significant relationship with consumer perceived trustworthiness. In particular, informativeness, personalization, and electronic word-of-mouth were found to have a stronger association with consumer perceived trustworthiness. These findings added to the existing marketing literature and provided valuable insights for marketers on the ways to enhance consumer perceived trustworthiness through various dimensions of social media advertising. Practically, this study will help the food and beverage industry to understand dominant factors that create consumer trustworthiness while designing their social media marketing interventions to maximize the effect of advertising to survive in a fast-changing and competitive business environment.
Architecture and Remote Interaction Techniques for Digital Media Exchange across 3G Mobile Devices

For users away from the office or home, there is an increasing demand for mobile solutions that offer effective collaborative facilities on the move. The mobile cellular device, or “smart phone”, can offer a ubiquitous platform to deliver such services, provided that its many physical and technological constraints can be overcome. In an effort to better support mobile collaboration, this thesis presents a contributing Mobile Exchange Architecture (MEA) designed to improve upon the capabilities provided by mobile devices to enable synchronous exchange of digital media during a phone conversation using wireless networks and cellular devices. This research includes the design and development of one such MEA in the form of a fully functional Photo-conferencing service, supporting shared remote interaction techniques, simultaneous voice communication and seamless digital media exchange between remote and collocated mobile users. Furthermore, through systematic design, experimental evaluations and field studies we evaluate the effects of different shared remote interaction techniques – 'pointing', 'scaling', 'mixed' and 'hybrid' – assessing the task effort required by users when interacting around shared images across resource constrained mobile devices. This thesis presents a direction for the future development of technologies and methods to enable a new era of scalable always-to-hand mobile collaborative environments.
DOE Advanced Controls R&D Planning Workshop, June 11, 2003, Washington DC: Workshop Results

On June 11, 2003, representatives from universities, federal and state government agencies, Department of Energy national laboratories, and the private sector attended a one-day workshop in Washington, DC. The objective of the workshop was to review and provide input into DOE's assessment of the market for advanced sensors and controls technology and potential RD best use of finite resources; greatest likelihood for market penetration; and ability to replicate results. The participants identified several promising R&D opportunities.
GENERATING ARTIFICIAL DATA FOR SCALABILITY TEST OF A FOLLOWEE TWITTER RECOMMENDER SYSTEM

The current methods for the evaluation of the scalability of recommender systems measure the scalability of the whole application after deployment on a cloud by calculating the running times of the application when increasing the number of nodes. This method requires the complete development and implementation of a whole application. To be able to test the recommender system during the development phase, the major problem to test the scalability and accuracy is collecting real data (i.e. social data), which is a time-consuming task and sometimes it is not possible due to privacy concerns. This thesis proposes measuring the scalability of Twitter recommender systems by simulating the software, which processes a large number of artificial tweets. A method is introduced and validated for producing artificial tweets to test a recommender system. This method of producing artificial tweets is based on using analytical modeling, tf-idf and bag-of-words model. A simulator is developed to test the scalability of a recommender system and underlying distributed environment.
Build Your Own Combat Robot

From the Publisher: Experience the excitement of building your own champion battling bot! Build a powerful and invincible robot-for full-blown competition or just for fun-using this authoritative robot resource. This team of experts gives you an inside look at the innovative new world of robotic combat, explaining the origins of the sport as well as all the elements that go into constructing a fighting robot. You'll learn technical basics from motors and wiring to locomotion, and read builders' true stories from the front lines of robot competition. Whether or not you're mechanically-minded, you'll find this book both entertaining and informative. Fully capturing the spirit of the sport, this detailed guide shows you how an imagination and a few bits of metal can start you on your way to constructing your own champion bot. Plan, design, and build your own battling robot Discover how electric motors work and choose the right type for your design Learn about both wheeled and walking robots Incorporate creative weapons and armor on your bot-learn the pros and cons of spinning hammers, jabbing spikes, buzzing saw blades, and more Minimize radio interference-so you can effectively control your bot to do what you want, when you want Understand what goes into building fully autonomous robots Save money on parts and equipment by enlisting help from company sponsors Read true stories from combat roboteers and learn which types of constructions work and which don't
UHF (Ultra-High-Frequency) Propagation in Vegetative Media.

Abstract : The status of experimental and theoretical work dealing with UHF propagation in vegetative media has been investigated. The area of particular interest is work that is applicable to spread-spectrum communication. A literature search revealed that a number of experimental investigations of UHF propagation in vegetative media have been conducted, but that there have been very few wideband experiments that are relevant for spread-spectrum communications. A vast literature exists on the theory of wave propagation in random media in general, but specific application to UHF electromagnetic wave propagation in forests appears to be lacking. An outline of the application of propagation-mechanism theory is included together with a brief discussion of the characterization of a vegetative medium. (Author)
Case study of the Archimedes Wave Swing (AWS) direct drive wave energy pilot plant

Abstract: This chapter provides a case study of the Archimedes Wave Swing (AWS) full-scale direct drive wave energy system prototype tested offshore Portugal in 2004. The AWS wave energy conversion concept is described, as well as the pilot plant design process, construction, installation and some experimental results from offshore tests.
On the Modeling and Simulation of Novel Schottky Based Silicon Rectifiers

This report has been written in conclusion to a master's project in the Semiconductor Components group at the University of Twente. The topic is the DC (Direct Current) current voltage characteristic of both the aMSM- (asymmetric Metal Semiconductor Metal) and the CP- (Charge Plasma) diode. We will make a comparison by focusing on the modeling and simulation of both devices, after comparing those to experimental obtained from conventional vertical Schottky diodes. This report reflects the work which has been done during this project and allows the reader to understand the DC current voltage characteristics of the proposed diodes. We present an analytical model for the IV characteristics of both diodes. This model is verified using the Synopsys device simulator. The model and the simulator show a good agreement. It was found that when one of the metal work functions is located much further away from silicon midgap then the other, then it is either the transport of holes or electrons which dominates the current. Both the on- and the off-current can be scaled independently from each other by scaling the n-metal gate and p-metal gate length. An example is shown from which the metal work functions are extracted from experimental Schottky diode test structures. In this case proper scaling of both gate lengths can improve the on/off current ratio of the diode by a factor twenty. In another case work functions from literature were used, here the on/off current ratio couldn't be improved.
Assessing the Effects of Maternal HIV Infection on Child Birth Weight and Knowledge of HIV status on Breastfeeding using Observational Data in Malawi

Background : Evidence has shown that maternal HIV infection has adverse effect on pregnancy outcomes including childbirth weight and that knowledge of mothers HIV status affects practice of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six month. Using methods for matching possible confounders, the purpose of this study were twofold: a) to assess whether or not the association of maternal HIV on childbirth weight was moderated by use of ART drugs and b) to determine if indeed knowledge of HIV status among mothers was associated with exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: Data on over 18,000 and 16,000 children still alive and born within five years of the 2010 and 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys (MDHS) were analysed. A set of methods for confounder balance namely, the 1:1 nearest neighbour (NN) matching, matching on the propensity score (PS) and inverse weighting the propensity score (PS) were used. Results: Using the 2010 data, maternal HIV infection had a negative effect on infant birth weight -149.0 (-324.2, -26.2) and -154.3 (-295.4, -13.3), under PS matching and PS inverse weighting respectively. Infant birth weights from HIV-infected mothers on ART and uninfected mothers were the same (mean: 3121.3, 95% CI: 3021.9, 3220.7) and (3273.7, 95% CI: 3259.1, 3288.3), respectively) and differed significantly from those HIV-infected mothers (3193.9, 95% CI: 3122.2, 3265.6). For the 2015-16 data, mothers who were HIV-infected gave birth to infants who significantly weighted more than infants from HIV-uninfected mothers 144.7 (40.4, 249.1) and 115.4 (11.6, 219.2), under PS matching and PS inverse weighting respectively. Knowledge of HIV status among mothers was not associated with their behaviour concerning exclusive breastfeeding for the 2010 and 2015-16 data. Conclusion: The association between maternal HIV infection and birth weight depended on the data used, with the 2010 data showing adverse effect. The higher birth weight among infants born to HIV infected mothers in 2015-16 maybe indicative of successes of policies and interventions within the PMTCT program in Malawi. The observed mitigating effect of ART usage by HIV infected mothers on child birth weight further confirms that PMTCT interventions should continue to be supported among antenatal clinics in Malawi.
RCM process yields surprising results

This article reports that a MidAmerican Energy pilot project reveals need for significant increase in nonintrusive PM activities. Personnel at MidAmerican Energy Co.`s Neal 4 generating station continually seek methods to improve plant operations and maintenance and reduce costs. As part of this effort, they conducted a pilot reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) project on the coal feed system. The station`s management had two objectives for this project: (1) demonstrate the benefits available to Neal 4 from the classical RCM process; (2) train a team of plant personnel to perform the seven-step system analysis process. They achieved both objectives and, in the process, found some maintenance surprises.
Inertial waves in a laboratory model of the Earth's core

Title of dissertation: INERTIAL WAVES IN A LABORATORY MODEL OF THE EARTH’S CORE Santiago Andrés Triana, Doctor of Philosophy, 2011 Dissertation directed by: Professor Daniel P. Lathrop Department of Physics A water-filled three-meter diameter spherical shell built as a model of the Earth’s core shows evidence of precessionally forced flows and, when spinning the inner sphere differentially, inertial modes are excited. We identified the precessionally forced flow to be primarily the spin-over inertial mode, i.e., a uniform vorticity flow whose rotation axis is not aligned with the container’s rotation axis. A systematic study of the spin-over mode is carried out, showing that the amplitude dependence on the Poincaré number is in qualitative agreement with Busse’s laminar theory while its phase differs significantly, likely due to topographic effects. At high rotation rates free shear layers concentrating most of the kinetic energy of the spin-over mode have been observed. When spinning the inner sphere differentially, a total of 12 inertial modes have been identified, reproducing and extending previous experimental results. The inertial modes excited appear ordered according to their azimuthal drift speed as the Rossby number is varied. INERTIAL WAVES IN A LABORATORY MODEL OF THE EARTH’S CORE
Optimization of the locomotion of a legged vehicle with respect to maneuverability

A legged vehicle possesses a tremendous potential for maneuverability over rough terrain, particularly in comparison to conventional wheeled or tracked vehicles. In general, a legged vehicle can offer more degrees of freedom for movement than conventional vehicles. However, the coordination of the movements of the various leg joints in such a way as to produce the desired locomotion of the vehicle is an extremely complex task. The work documented in this dissertation is aimed at improving the maneuverability of a legged vehicle and reducing the operator's burden of manipulating the body and limbs. A major contribution of this research has been the development of the Dual Tripod Leg Placement Algorithm. This represents the first hardware implementation of supervisory control for an omnidirectional walking algorithm capable of rough terrain locomotion. In this algorithm, leg motion is limited only by geometrical considerations; there are no time sequencing constraints as in the typical wave gait formulations. The result is an extremely agile walking algorithm. Previous work on legged vehicle control generally assumes that the terrain is level, so that minimal operator interaction is necessary. However, for very irregular terrain the operator may require a guidance mode that gives maximum resolution and flexibility in controlling the position and orientation of the vehicle body and legs. In this dissertation, several Precision Footing Algorithms have been developed in order to aid the operator in this important task. Another major contribution of this research has been the development of the concept of Energy Stability Margin. This improved stability criterion provides an accurate quantitative measure of vehicle stability which can be automatically optimized. This measure, together with a consideration of constraints on the kinematic limits of individual legs, leads to the development of several schemes for Automatic Body Regulation. These Automatic Body Regulation schemes are incorporated into the vehicle control algorithm to provide a high degree of vehicle maneuverability while reducing the operator's burden. These improvements now make it practical to consider the application of a legged vehicle for locomotion on rough terrain for a realistic length of time.
Evaluation of the impact of mobility models on handover in WLAN indoor environments

Nowadays, mobility models are used to simulate realistic movements produced by the users of a wireless or a mobile network. The aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of mobility models on handover process in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) indoor environments, using the network simulator NS-2. This document contains a previous theoretical characterization of the basic mobility models and their application in the network simulator NS-2, a study of the infrastructure mode support and a modification of the current handover algorithm. The study focuses on two mobility models in WLAN indoor environments: one where movements are completely random (i.e. Random Waypoint) and another one where next step depends on previous movements (i.e. Gauss-Markov). In order to support infrastructure mode operation in WLAN, a new patch with modifications of the source code is applied. Furthermore, a first approach for the development of a new handover algorithm is presented. Simulations are run in two different scenarios: one with 4 Access Points (APs) offering full coverage in the simulated area, and another one with 8 APs, simulating overcoverage in order to guarantee higher capacity for a higher density of users. Results are presented showing a comparative of the cell residence time (CRT) for each scenario. From the results obtained, it is possible to see that the CRT changes depending on the algorithm and the mobility model applied, being lower when the Random Waypoint model is applied. On the other hand, the new handover algorithm designed from the current implementation leads to a decrease in the average CRT.
Remote Source Coding and AWGN CEO Problems

Remote Source Coding and AWGN CEO ProblemsbyKrishnan EswaranB.S. Cornell University 2003A thesis submitted in partial satisfactionof the requirements for the degree ofMaster of Science, Plan IIinEngineering - Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciencesin theGRADUATE DIVISIONof theUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEYCommittee in charge:Professor Michael GastparProfessor Kannan RamchandranFall 2005