VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Practical Interactive Lighting Design for RenderMan Scenes
Keywords: Computer Science.
Image processing > Computer programs
RenderMan
Computer animation
Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
Ben Wegbreit Prize for Best Undergraduate Honors Thesis in Computer Science
Thesis

This thesis develops a novel technique to enable interactive rendering during lighting design of feature film-quality computer graphics specified in the industry standard RenderMan Interface. This technique is designed to maximize the fidelity of the preview to the results of final-frame rendering, while achieving interactive performance.
The technique presented achieves interactive performance through three critical optimizations. First, it dramatically reduces the computational cost of rendering sequential lighting previews by caching all light-independent computation and only recomputing the portion of the shading which depends on the lighting parameters being edited by the user. Second, it improves performance in common film scenes containing many lights by caching the shading contribution of all inactive lights and only recomputing the shading for the light currently being edited. Third, it achieves extremely high performance on re-rendering computation by mapping it to efficient data-parallel computations which are executed on programmable graphics hardware.
This technique is supported in practice by a novel RenderMan Shading Language compiler which presents an accurate and automated mechanism for the creation of such interactive lighting design previews from arbitrary RenderMan scenes. The compiler employs global data flow analysis to compute a precise lighting specialization of arbitrary RenderMan shaders. It uses this analysis to generate complementary precomputation and re-rendering shaders. The precomputation shaders are executed in place of the original shaders in a rendering of the scene through the final software renderer. The re-rendering shaders are executed in real-time in a generalized interactive lighting design framework which employs the techniques presented herein.
This technique accelerates preview rendering for lighting design by more than three orders of magnitude on real-world scenes, while requiring no modification to existing production pipelines and maintaining complete fidelity to the final results being previewed.
The Evolution of Rap and Roll: An Analysis of Rap Music's Technological Relationships, Cultural Connections, and Historical Trends
Keywords: Rabindra Ayyan Ratan
Rap (Music)
Stanford University. Program in Science Technology and Society
Thesis

This paper analyzes the evolution of rap music from a technological, cultural, and historical perspective. Although rap music was born in the early 1980s, in the South Bronx, New York, it has since become a worldwide phenomenon. People from numerous countries who speak many languages have assimilated the style and culture of rap, all adding their own flavor to this once unique form of music. This paper examines the evolution first by addressing rap music's relationship to technology and then by comparing cultural and economic trends in hip-hop to the same trends in rock & roll fifty years ago. I argue that this comparison provides a basis for forecasting the future of rap music and therefore conclude by providing my own ten-year forecast.
Assessing Policy Relevance Fifty Years Later: Germany and Japan in Modern Nation-Building
Keywords: United States
Japan
German
Iraq
Foreign Relations
nation-building
op-ed
Thesis

This thesis seeks to assess the policy relevance of the post-WWII occupations of Japan and Germany in response to a host of op-ed columns debating this point with respect to post-conflict Iraq. I contend that the most frequently cited limits to comparability—“unique” characteristics of Japan and Germany including high economic capacity, ethnic homogeneity, strong and continuing institutions, benign international circumstances, and a particularly receptive population—are for the most part either exaggerated, inessential to the successful completion of occupation objectives, or simply nonexistent; however, the claims tend to have more merit in Japan than in Germany. I find that the significance of Iraq’s lack of these attributes is similarly overstated. Ultimately, the cases suggest that security and a minimal level of welfare for the populace are integral components of occupation success, emphasizing the importance of a robust U.S. commitment of military and economic resources.
New Uses of Nuclear Weapons: Bunker Busting and Agent Defeat
Keywords: Center for International Security and Cooperation
CISAC
security
nuclear weapons
bunker busting
agent defeat
Thesis

The 2001 Nuclear Posture Review suggests two new roles for nuclear weapons: bunker busting and agent defeat. Nuclear weapons have been proposed for these missions because the have a unique explosive capability beyond that of any conventional explosives, and their heat and radiation are what can deactivate stored biological or chemical agents. This paper asks, when are nuclear weapons a necessary and effective solution to the threat of buried WMD targets? Through technical analysis of targets and scenarios, bunker busting and agent defeat, and nuclear weapons vs. alternatives, this paper concludes that new nuclear capabilities can have only a limited role. They are not effective in tactical strikes, and they are useful in only a couple of nightmare scenarios. Even in those cases, there are sometimes effective alternatives to the nuclear option. If preventive strikes remain a strategy of last resort, then nuclear weapons can remain a weapon of last resort, preserving the nuclear threshold.
Averaged Probabilistic Relational Models
Keywords: Computer Science.
Bayesian statistical decision theory > Data processing
Modeling
Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
Co-winner Ben Wegbreit Prize for Best Undergraduate Honors Thesis in Computer Science
Thesis

Most real-world data is stored in relational form. In contrast, most statistical learning methods work with “flat” data representations, forcing us to convert our data into a form that loses much of the relational structure. The recently introduced framework of Probabilistic Relational Models (PRMs) allows us to represent probabilistic models over multiple entities that utilize the relations between them. However, for extremely large domains it may be impossible to represent every object and every relation in the domain explicitly. We propose representing the domain as an Averaged PRM using only “schema level” statistical information about the objects and relations, and present an approximation algorithm for reasoning about the domain with only this information. We present experimental results showing that interesting inferences can be made about extremely large domains, with a running time that does not depend on the number of objects.
Dynamic Kernel Modification and Extensibility
Keywords: Computer Science.
Kernel functions
Thesis

The issues of dynamic kernel extensibility and on-line update and their applicability to commodity operating systems are intrinsically related to the notions of runtime code generation and dynamic software feedback. Examining the predicted evolution of operating systems, from monolithic, to microkernel-based, and finally to a fine-grained modular design (in which kernels are modularized at the object/abstract data type level), the Synthesis research suggests that the applicability of code generation increases as one progresses between the various operating system designs. In particular, the trend towards finer grained modularity reduces the internal dependencies created by shared data as found in coarse-grained modules, paving the way for dynamic optimization.
PeerMix – A Peer-To-Peer Anonymous Network
Keywords: Computer Science.
Peer-to-peer architecture > Computer networks
Routing > Computer network management
Data protection
Thesis

PeerMix is a scalable, peer-to-peer anonymizing routing service that offers strong guarantees of source anonymity against both global observers and collaborating mix nodes. PeerMix connections are bidirectional and application-independent, appropriate for Web browsing or file-sharing. PeerMix functions as a proxy, so proxy-aware applications can add anonymity seamlessly. A subset of the PeerMix nodes operates as an ephemeral mix network; that is, the mix net is a randomly selected and constantly changing subset of the peers. A prototype PeerMix network has been tested on the Stanford University Sweet Hall SPARC machines. This thesis describes previous work on anonymous connections, discusses the PeerMix anonymous routing system, and analyzes its security.
Preparing for the Next Terrorist Threat: The Failures of September 11th and Bioterrorism
Keywords: Stanford University
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Bioterrorism
9/11
September 11
Thesis

September 11th, 2001, has been described as a day that ‘will live in infamy.’ Similar to Pearl Harbor a generation ago, September 11th awakened a nation to a deadly threat and precipitated a new war. The images of a plane striking the World Trade Centers and smoke bellowing from the flames will forever be etched in our collective memory. Within a single day, the nation seemed to have realized that it had entered another era. As the Bush administration
reacted to the attacks, we heard the new phrase: “War on Terrorism.” As WWII had been the war induced by Pearl Harbor, the War on Terrorism would be our generation’s call to arms. Still, Pearl Harbor and September 11th were attacks perpetrated by two very different types of international actors. While Pearl Harbor was executed by a state actor, albeit dictatorial, September 11th was the design of a non-state actor. The prevalence and impact of non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, has been hailed as a sign of our times.
A month after September 11th, the nation awakened to another threat—bioterrorism. The October anthrax attacks created a sense of panic, awe, and confusion. The federal government was learning about how to respond to bioterrorism as events unfolded. Every day seemed to present another case of anthrax. Every day the authorities seemed uncoordinated and unsure on how to proceed. Still, whether the October attacks will ‘live in infamy’ remains to be seen. The attacks caused few deaths and little, if any, destruction. Nevertheless, the anthrax attacks were similar to those of September 11th in that both were surprise terrorist attacks. However, little work has been done to delineate the relationship between terrorism and surprise attack.
Once potential failures of September 11th have been elucidated, one can derive implications for bioterrorism. However, even before the October anthrax attacks, many of the vulnerabilities suggested by the failures of September 11th have already been presented. Though, little has been written on potential bioterrorism scenarios derived from failures of September 11th. Prior to September 11th, “noise” intended to divert the attention and resources of intelligence agencies. How might “noise” be used to divert or drain resources in a bioterrorism scenario? During the actual attacks on the World Trade Centers, a suicide tactic was used by an unlikely cast of hijackers. How might suicide be useful for the bioterrorist?
Finally, the terrorists of September 11th used multiple planes as multiple waves of attack. How might a similar strategy be used in a two-wave bioterrorism attack scenario? Overall, I ask the question: Can the theoretical frames used to explain failures of September 11th be used to explain possible scenarios in bioterrorism?
Abstraction-based deductive-algorithmic verification of reactive systems [electronic resource]
Keywords: Computer programs > Verification.

"This thesis presents a framework that combines deductive and algorithmic methods for verifying temporal properties of reactive systems, to allow more automatic verification of general infinite-state systems and the verification of larger finite-state ones. Underlying these methods is the theory of property-preserving assertion-based abstractions, where a finite-state abstraction of the system is deductively justified and algorithmically model checked. After presenting an abstraction framework that accounts for fairness, we describe a method to automatically generate finite-state abstractions. We then show how a number of other verification methods, including deductive rules, (Generalized) Verification Diagrams, and Deductive Model Checking, can also be understood as constructing finite-state abstractions that are model checked. Our analysis leads to a better classification and understanding of these verification methods. Furthermore, it shows how the different abstractions that they construct can be combined. For this, we present an algorithmic Extended Model Checking procedure, which uses all the information that these methods produce, in a finite-state format that can be easily and incrementally combined. Besides a standard safety component, the combined abstractions include extra bounds on fair transitions, well-founded orders, and constrained transition relations for the generation of counterexamples. Thus, our approach minimizes the need for user interaction and maximizes the impact of the available automated deduction and model checking tools. Once proved, verification conditions are re-used as much as possible, leaving the temporal and combinatorial reasoning to automatic tools."--Abstract.
Designing and Implementing Kiwi: A Secure Distributed File System over HTTPS
Keywords: Computer Science.
Data transmission systems
Electronic data processing > Distributed processing
Data protection
Thesis

Kiwi is a distributed file system designed to allow for secure access to files globally. Kiwi uses HTTP over SSL, HTTPS, the industry standard protocol for secure transactions over the World Wide Web, and the WebDAV extensions to HTTP. By building on existing code and protocols, we were able to develop quickly the foundations necessary for a simple to use yet secure file system. The choice of HTTPS as a protocol gives several additional benefits including the ability to access files securely from behind firewalls and to access files with nothing more than a standard web browser. The current implementation includes a file system module for Linux with most of the standard file system functionality implemented. Additional features include setting up personalized views of a global namespace and working with encrypted files. The current status and possible future directions for Kiwi are discussed.
Finding color and shape patterns in images [electronic resource]
Keywords: Pattern recognition systems.
Image processing > Digital techniques.

"This thesis is devoted to the Earth Mover's Distance (EMD), an edit distance between distributions, and its use within content-based image retrieval (CBIR). The major CBIR problem discussed is the pattern problem: Given an image and a query pattern, determine if the image contains a region which is visually similar to the pattern; if so, find at least one such image region. An important problem that arises in applying the EMD to CBIR is the EMD under transformation (EMD%5FG) problem: find a transformation of one distribution which minimizes its EMD to another, where the set of allowable transformations G is given. The problem of estimating the size/scale at which a pattern occurs in an image is phrased and efficiently solved as an EMD%5FG problem. For a large class of transformation sets, we also present a monotonically convergent iteration to find at least a locally optimal transformation. Our pattern problem solution is the SEDL (Scale Estimation for Directed Location) image retrieval system. Three important contributions of SEDL are (1) a general framework for finding both color and shape patterns, (2) the previously mentioned scale estimation algorithm using the EMD, and (3) a directed (as opposed to exhaustive) search strategy."--Abstract.
Intelligent alarms [electronic resource] : allocating attention among concurrent processes
Keywords: Intensive care units > Computer simulation.
Monitor alarms (Medicine) > Data processing.

"I have developed and evaluated a computable, normative framework for intelligent alarms: automated agents that allocate scarce attention resources to concurrent processes in a globally optimal manner. My approach is decision-theoretic, and relies on Markov decision processes to model time-varying, stochastic systems that respond to externally applied actions. Given a collection of continuing processes and a specified time horizon, my framework computes, for each process: (1) an attention allocation, which reflects how much attention the process is awarded, and (2) an activation price, which reflects the process's priority in receiving the allocated attention amount. I have developed a prototype, Simon, that computes these alarm signals for a simulated ICU. My validity experiments investigate whether sensible input results in sensible output. The results show that Simon produces alarm signals that are consistent with sound clinical judgment. To assess computability, I used Simon to generate alarm signals for an ICU that contained 144 simulated patients; the entire computation took about 2 seconds on a machine with only moderate processing capabilities. I thus conclude that my alarm framework is valid and computable, and therefore is potentially useful in a real-world ICU setting."--Abstract.
Interdigital Cantilevers as Biological Sensors
Keywords: DNA
biosensors
Electrical Engineering
Thesis

Interdisciplinary research between the natural sciences and engineering is a growing trend. Ambitious endeavors such as the Human Genome Project, a 15-year international effort to sequence the human genome no longer rely solely on traditional biological techniques such as gel electrophoresis for DNA sequence analyses. Instead, engineers are collaborating with chemists and biologists to apply engineering technologies to biological research. The results are devices such as DNA chips that allow thousands of DNA strands to be analyzed simultaneously for specific base pair sequences. Other efforts are being made to develop miniature “lab-on-chips” that can be used to detect and analyze chemicals.
It is amidst this environment that my project arises. We developed a system, based on the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) cantilever, to serve as a biosensor. The sensitivity of our sensor is demonstrated by detecting the presence of alkanethiols in ethanol solution. This system will hopefully serve as a step towards the development of a more general molecular recognition sensor that can detect the presence of specific biological molecules.
Non-blocking synchronization and system design [electronic resource]
Keywords: Synchronization > Computer programs.
Operating systems (Computers)
Reduced instruction set computers.

"Non-blocking synchronization (NBS) has significant advantages over blocking synchronization in areas of fault-tolerance, system structure, portability, and performance. These advantages gain importance with the increased use of parallelism and multiprocessors, and as delays increase relative to processor speed. This thesis demonstrates that non-blocking synchronization is practical as the sole co-ordination mechanism in systems by showing that careful OS design eases implementation of efficient NBS, by demonstrating that DCAS (Double-Compare-and-Swap) is the necessary and sufficient primitive for implementing NBS, and by demonstrating that efficient hardware DCAS is practical for RISC processors. This thesis presents high-performance non-blocking implementations of common data-structures sufficient to implement an operating system kernel. I also present more general algorithms: non-blocking implementations of \casn\ and software transactional memory. Both have overhead proportional to the number of writes, support multi\--objects, and use a DCAS-based contention-reduction technique that is fault-tolerant and OS-independent yet performs as well as the best previously published techniques. I demonstrate that proposed OS implementations of DCAS are inefficient, and propose a design for efficient hardware DCAS specific to the R4000 but generalizable to other RISC processors."--Abstract.
Rationalizing ABM in the 1960s: The Decisions to Deploy Sentinel and Safeguard
Keywords: CISAC
Stanford University
Center for International Security and Cooperation
national security
ABM
ICBM
intercontinental ballistic missile
anti-ballistic missile
missile defense
United States
Thesis

The question of whether to deploy missile defenses is one of the most important national security dilemmas facing the administration of George W. Bush today. In an attempt to better frame the current missile defense debate, this paper discusses President Lyndon B. Johnson's decision to deploy the Sentinel anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system and President Richard M. Nixon's decision to deploy the Safeguard system in the late 1960s. Specifically, this paper addresses the question: Why did the U.S. deploy the Sentinel system to protect the U.S. population from a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attack in September 1967, only to switch to the Safeguard system to defend U.S. offensive strategic missiles from a Soviet first strike in March 1969? To solve this puzzle, this paper examines the switch in ABM deployment rationales through four theoretical lenses--the national interest model, the bureaucratic politics model, the military-industrial complex model, and the domestic politics model. The paper concludes that the selection of an ABM deployment rationale was ultimately based on the domestic political needs of each president. The rationale switch is therefore best explained by the fact that in March 1969, Nixon's domestic political environment vis-à-vis ABM deployment was significantly different from that which had prompted Johnson to deploy Sentinel in September 1967. The final chapter of the paper provides a summary of the findings of this study and a discussion of the policy implications for today's missile defense debate.
Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Link in California Path
Keywords: Intelligent transportation systems
Highway communications
Motor vehicles > Automatic control
Thesis

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication in Automated Highway Systems is of critical importance. The radio link between the tightly packed vehicles in platoons suffers from multipath fading affects and thus significantly degrades the performance of the
communication Link. In this report we will flrst characterize the communication channel between vehicles in an AHS system and then determine how the link model impacts the link BER Specifically, we first consider ray-tracing models to characterize the fading affects and come up with a channel model. We then investigate statistical channel models to find parameters and distributions to match the statistical models to our ray-tracing models. Once we get a statistical channel model that fits our ray-tracing models, we use this closed form solution to do a BER performance analysis.