11 research outputs found
Writing special procedures and subroutines on TK Solver to solve for linear/nonlinear electric circuits
No full textThe purpose of the study was to write special subroutines and procedures on the TK Solver, an equationsolving software, to solve for electrical engineering network problems and to apply the TK Solver to some other areas of electrical engineering. A main Model, System. TK , has been created to solve for linear electrical engineering networks. The model is expert in the sense that the user does not have to demonstrate his knowledge of network analysis by actually typing in the network equations. The user interaction with the software takes place on the screen, where the user has to declare the network components, their numerical values, number of nodes, the right-hand column matrix and the frequency for which the response is desired. The admittance matrix y is automatically created by the subroutines coge and cogel. The capability of expressing the result in both tabular and plot form has also been displayed. The supporting features of this model are gain, power and transfer function calculation. Another supporting model performing mesh analysis on resistive circuits has also been created and is called Matrix. TK . The user, in this model, has to feed in the number of loops and number of resistors along with the resistor values and then has to establish the presence of a resistor in a particular loop by writing 1 or 0 in a pre-generated matrix. Merely pressing F9 gives the values of loop currents. All the associated voltages can also be found out by the same model. These two models can be used by students to do problems, can be used by instructors to correct assignments and can be used in the design projects for synthesis purposes. As the second part of the thesis objective, various models have been created in different fields of electrical engineering to show the applicability of the TK Solver to those fields. Every model shows different capabilities of the TK Solver. In many of these models, special subroutines have been written by the author to accomplish the model objectives
Engineering and instructional technology as a team to build a better learning environment
No full textEnergy Conservation Projects to Benefit the Railroad Industry
No full textThe Energy Conservation Projects to benefit the railroad industry using the Norfolk Southern Company as a model for the railroad industry has five unique tasks which are in areas of importance within the rail industry, and specifically in the area of energy conservation. The NIU Engineering and Technology research team looked at five significant areas in which research and development work can provide unique solutions to the railroad industry in energy the conservation. (1) Alternate Fuels - An examination of various blends of bio-based diesel fuels for the railroad industry, using Norfolk Southern as a model for the industry. The team determined that bio-diesel fuel is a suitable alternative to using straight diesel fuel, however, the cost and availability across the country varies to a great extent. (2) Utilization of fuel cells for locomotive power systems - While the application of the fuel cell has been successfully demonstrated in the passenger car, this is a very advanced topic for the railroad industry. There are many safety and power issues that the research team examined. (3) Thermal and emission reduction for current large scale diesel engines - The current locomotive system generates large amount of heat through engine cooling and heat dissipation when the traction motors are used to decelerate the train. The research team evaluated thermal management systems to efficiently deal with large thermal loads developed by the operating engines. (4) Use of Composite and Exotic Replacement Materials - Research team redesigned various components using new materials, coatings, and processes to provide the needed protection. Through design, analysis, and testing, new parts that can withstand the hostile environments were developed. (5) Tribology Applications - Identification of tribology issues in the Railroad industry which play a significant role in the improvement of energy usage. Research team analyzed and developed solutions which resulted in friction modification to improve energy efficiency
Transporation Energy
No full textThis Transportation Energy Project is comprised of four unique tasks which work within the railroad industry to provide solutions in various areas of energy conservation. These tasks addressed: energy reducing yard related decision issues; alternate fuels; energy education, and energy storage for railroad applications. The NIU Engineering and Technology research team examined these areas and provided current solutions which can be used to both provide important reduction in energy usage and system efficiency in the given industry. This project also sought a mode in which rural and long-distance education could be provided. The information developed in each of the project tasks can be applied to all of the rail companies to assist in developing efficiencies
Towards a theoretically based Group Facilitation Technique for Project Teams
No full textA theoretical framework for developing the group facilitation technique PROMOD is presented here. The efficiency of this technique in improving group decision quality is supported by the results of three experimental studies involving different kinds of problem solving tasks. The author points towards the importance of integrating theoretical assumptions, theory testing and basic research with empirical application. Such a compelling strategy can lead to new insights in group performance dynamics as well as further developments in this field, as it provides the necessary conditions to systematically initiate positive effects and to prevent negative effects during group interaction. In all three experiments the teams observed performed best when the PROMOD procedure was applied
A Community College/University Educational Program In Technology – Maximizing Participation Through Varied Modes Of Delivery
No full textStrategic Alliance Between Higher Education, Secondary Schools, And Community Business/Industry To Improve Mathematics, Science, Technology, And English Education: A National Science Foundation Project
No full textVirtuelle Teams - geringe Kosten, geringer Nutzen? Zur Leistungsverbesserung von Kleingruppen beim Problemlösen durch elektronische Moderation
No full text"Die Lösung von Problemen und die Entscheidung von strategischen Maßnahmen werden
häufig Expertengruppen übertragen, da man sich Vorteile von ihrer Zusammenarbeit gegenüber
einzeln arbeitenden Personen erhofft. Jedoch kennzeichnen Prozessverluste die Zusammenarbeit
von natürlich interagierenden Gruppen, so dass viele Moderationstechniken
wie die PROzedurale MODeration (PROMOD) entwickelt wurden, die das Ausmaß der
Schwierigkeiten reduzieren. In dieser Studie wurde getestet, ob PROMOD auch im virtuellen
Raum die Leistungsfähigkeit von Gruppen und Einzelpersonen verbessern kann (N = 180).
Dazu wurde ihnen einen Interpolationsproblem (vgl. Dörner, 1976) vorgelegt, welches in moderierten
und unmoderierten Bedingungen unter Verwendung von einem Chat-Programm
und elektronischen Formularen gelöst werden sollte. Dieser Effekt konnte für eines der beiden
erhobenen Leistungsmaße gezeigt werden (p = .0245)."[Autorenreferat]"Problem solving and strategic decision-making is frequently delegated to groups of experts
because one assumes performance advantages over individuals as results of their collaboration.
As a matter of fact, process loss characterizes the working of freely interacting groups
much better. Therefore, facilitation-techniques like PROMOD (PROzedurale MODeration or
procedural facilitation) have been developed to reduce the process loss collaborating teams
have to cope with (Lecher, & Witte, 2003). The aim of this study was to investigate whether
PROMOD can also improve performance of teams and individuals in a virtual setting (N =
180). Subjects had to solve an interpolation-problem (see Dörner, 1976) under facilitated and
non-facilitated conditions while using a chat-program and electronic forms. Improvements
were found to be significant in one of two performance-measures (p = .0245)."[author´s abstract
Mining a Ubiquitous Time and Attendance Schema Using Random Forests for Intrusion Detection
No full textAbstractOur case study used Random Forest to measure the intrusion of unauthorized personnel to certain designated areas of the organization. Intrusions happening at high security areas could cost the organization in terms of loss of material and in worst cases of lives as well. The time attendance system also act as a security system as it involves access to doors and barriers through which only authorized personnel should access
Toward a Group Facilitation Technique for Project Teams
No full textThis article presents the development of a group facilitation technique (PROMOD — Procedural Moderation). The author points toward the importance of integrating theoretical assumptions, theory testing and basic empirical research with practical application. The results are based on the observation of various three-member task groups faced with a complex non-heureka problem. These comprise naturally interacting groups, simple arithmetic assembled groups of individuals without any interaction (synthetic groups), and groups in which a group technique of reduced interaction which focuses on individual contribution through facilitated knowledge elicitation is applied.The task involves decisions on what to do after a plane crash and ranking objects with regard to their importance for survival in an alarming situation (Lafferty & Pond, 1974). The group decision quality is determined by relating to conclusions reached by an independent expert. Results indicate that the observed teams performed best when the PROMOD procedure was applied
