Research Projects
In the application, users will be prompted for "Project Preference." Please list the professor's name, followed by the project number. For example:
Dr. Haas, Civil#1
| Shortcuts by Field | |
| Civil & Environmental Engineering | |
| Electrical & Computer Engineering | |
| Mechanical Engineerg |
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Civil#1 - Assessment of Tidal Currents in Coastal Georgia for Energy Production
Research Project: Energy conversion from tidal currents is one of the most environmentally friendly methods for supplying alternative energy to the community. Tidal water levels and tidal currents are very well understood and fairly well documented phenomena. They are temporally and spatially very well structured. However, at local scales the channeling effects in the coastal morphologies may amplify the intensity of currents significantly. These locations are potential places for tidal energy conversion projects. Although these currents can be modeled with related software, validation of these models with field data is required. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is going to be used for this study. The first phase of the project will be calibration of the devices and identification of locations of strong tidal currents from model simulations. The second phase will be on site measurements at locations with strong currents. The literature of related journal papers and reports should be reviewed for available data during this phase as well. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s tidal current measurements and predictions need to be integrated. The final portion of the project will be the analysis of the measured data and comparison with model predictions.
Preferred Skills:
- Interest in doing field work on the water;
- Interest in doing hands-on applications with special instruments to collect data;
- Experience in literature review, data analysis (i.e. Matlab) and report writing are preferred but not necessary.
Civil#2 - Automatic Roadway Infrastructure Data Collection and Visualization Using GIS and Sensing Technology
Research Project: Roadway signs are important for roadway safety and traffic regulations. Transportation agencies, such as State Department of Transportation (DOT) collect sign inventory data yearly. However, current roadway sign inventory data collection in the field is costly, time-consuming, and sometimes dangerous. This project develops an intelligent VAN equipped with different sensors like cameras, DMI, lasers, GPS, etc. to automatically extract sign features. With the extracted attributes, we can use GIS to visualize them on the map in support of active roadway sign maintenance. To achieve this goal, we need to develop automatic roadway sign feature extraction algorithms by using image and 3-D data. We can then recognize each traffic sign to identify its unique MUTCD code. Once each sign is correctly detected and recognized, we can compute its attributes, such as height, tilted angle, distance, and locations. Therefore, we can successfully detect and recognize all the signs along the roadways and visualize the attribute on the GIS map from the collected data. The similar technology can be extended to automatically extract other roadway assets, including roadway geometry, pavement condition, guardrails, pavement marking, etc. The developed technology will save transportation agencies time and money in collecting roadway infrastructure data.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in image/video processing and analysis and in OPENCV;
- Experience in programming with Matlab and C/C++;
- Experience in Geographic Information System (GIS) and GPS knowledge.
Electrical & Computer Engineering
ECE#1 - Hybrid Energy Storage Systems for Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Networks
Research Project: The finite lifetime of rechargeable batteries is a limiting factor to the lifetime of self-powered wireless sensor networks. In this project, we will explore using hybrid energy storage systems, consisting of rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, to extend the lifetime of wireless sensor networks. Compared with rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors have much more life cycles and higher charge-discharge storage efficiency in addition to their fast charge-discharge characteristics. However, the leakage problem precludes their use for long term energy storage. The hybrid energy storage mechanism can leverage the complementary strengths of supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries. To better understand the hybrid storage system, experiment will be performed for developing accurate models of the storage system.
Preferred Skills:
- Familiarity with basic electronic equipments such as power supplies and multimeters;
- Knowledge of electronic circuit fundamentals;
- Knowledge of data processing tools such as MATLAB or Origin.
ECE#2 - Exploring Parallel Programming Models
Research Project: Parallel computing is becoming more and more important to explore the increasingly powerful multicore processors. Various applications are benefiting from parallel computing, which including web servers, gaming, and scientific computing, etc. However, parallel programming is not easy. It requires a comprehensive understanding of operating systems, algorithms, and parallel programming languages. In this project, our focus is on the performance of parallel programming models, which defines how multiple processes can access shared data simultaneously without causing conflicts. Various such models have been proposed and studied, and the objective of the project is to evaluate the performance of such models in realistic settings. The students are expected to familiarize themselves the concept of parallel computing, conduct quantitative analysis to compare the performance of parallel programming models, design efficient algorithms for a few graph problems, and explore various methods to improve existing parallel programming models.
Preferred Skills:
- C, C++, and Linux (Required);
- Pthread programming (preferred).
ECE#3 - Monitoring Voice Patterns to Assess Emotional Stress
Research Project: There is a growing desire in recent technologies to analyze a speaker based on their expressed affect (i.e., how they are acting/speaking). This research paradigm has lead to an increased number of projects in analyzing speech for emotion, stress, detecting deception, improving human-computer interaction in dialogue applications, and clinical applications related to emotional and vocal disorders. This research focuses on developing techniques for extracting voice features and integrating them into an analysis framework that can be used to monitor and assess the overall physical and mental state of a speaker. One of the tasks of an undergraduate student in this research will be to assist the lab in creating demonstrations and interactive modules that highlight applications of signal processing in speech, such as speech synthesis, speech analysis, and voice conversion. This task will also serve to accelerate the student's knowledge of research areas in speech processing and acclimate them to the lab. A second task of the student will be to assist in reviewing literature on voice source extraction and creating algorithms for feature extraction and analysis. Their work will compliment lab efforts and provide invaluable information in calibrating the design of lab algorithms for a viable contribution to publication.
Preferred Skills:
- Some programming background (preferably in Matlab, C, C++, and/or Java);
- Strong math background (i.e., calculus, linear algebra, etc.);
- High level of initiative to work well independently or in a group.
ECE#4 - Underwater Robot Design
Research Project: In this project students will work with a team of undergraduate students on developing an underwater vehicle to attend the international ROV competition. Possible tasks include structural design, thruster control, computer vision, embedded computers and possibly others. Experiments will be carried out in a tank and in a lake at the Savannah campus. We are looking for students who are interested in robotics, computer engineering, control, or signal processing and with strong self motivation.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with Matlab and other programming languages such as C or Java.
ECE#5 - Modeling and Simulation of Semiconductor Devices
Research Project: Undergraduate research opportunities with Prof. Yoder are available in 1) real-time data visualization, 2) laser, modulator or photodiode simulation, 3) bipolar and field effect transistor amplifier simulation, and 4) computational electromagnetics. Tasks shall involve the creation of original software and/or the use of existing computer aided design tools in the context of one or more of Dr. Yoder's ongoing programs of research.
Preferred Skills:
- Programming experience in C and/or C++;
-- OR -- - Calculus proficiency.
ECE#6 - Music analysis and categorization of movie soundtracks
Research Project: Music embodies a rich tapestry of emotions that can affect the way feelings, reaction, and interpretation in life. Movies consistently make use of the ebb and flow of music dynamics to create tension, romance, suspense, horror, or even sadness. In this project, students will be asked to assist in the categorization, labeling, and analysis of music from motion picture soundtracks. Several genre categories under consideration include drama, action, horror, and romance. The students will help in the design of computational models to automatically determine the style/genre of music being played at a given time on a computer.
Preferred Skills:
- Some programming background (preferably in Matlab, C, C++, and/or Java);
- Strong math background (i.e., calculus, linear algebra, etc.);
- High level of initiative to work well independently or in a group.
Mechanical Engineering
ME#1 - Reconfigurability Simulation and Analysis for Quick Response Manufacturing
Research Project: Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) aims to offer rapid adjustment of production capacity and functionality in response to unpredictable market changes as being systems designed at the outset for rapid change in system configuration, its machines and controls. During the production process, out-of-ordinary events occur dynamically and unpredictably both at the system (machine breakdowns, change in job's priorities, etc.) and at the cell level (tool failures, robot collisions, etc.). Such exceptions interrupt the production process by causing variations in the schedule plan (system level) or in the task plan (cell level). The reconfiguration ability turns out to be the new technological factor enabling new strategies to handle out-of-ordinary events of the production process. Both economic and performance aspects need to be considered in order to make a decision in support of particular variation handling policies such as using reconfiguration. This project will develop a simulation case study, and accordingly analyze the tradeoffs underlying various reconfiguration solutions. The experience from the project will help gain insights into modern manufacturing systems.
Preferred Skills:
- Self-motivated, hard working, independent thinking;
- Ability to learn simulation software
