This dissertation outlines two approaches for improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of photovoltaic energy generation. First, the structures of known binary copper and iron compounds are used to choose the promising compositions Fe₂XS₄ (X = Si, Ge), Cu₃TaQ₄ (Q = Se, Te), and BaCuQ'F (Q' = S, Se,...
BaCuChF (Ch=S,Se,Te) surfaces and BaCuSeF interfaces with zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) were studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. BaCuChF compounds oxidize when exposed to ambient atmosphere. Se capping layers were studied as a means to produce representative surfaces for photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. Decapped BaCuSeF surfaces remain O-free and C-free when the Se layer...
Expressive motion has been found to be a highly effective tool in communicating intent and motivation in single robot human-robot interaction, but work in exploring how groups of robots can use motion in interactions with humans is relatively nascent. There are many additional complexities to consider expanding from single robot...
This thesis seeks to make developing multi-robot comedy performances more accessible to developers and performers, and suggests the use of duo comedy for robot-run research experiments. It involved four main steps: technology development, experimental deployments in the general public, the development of the Multi-Robot Comedy Performance System, and an analysis...
The study focuses on how to use entertainment method approach to prompt people with best practices for COVID safety. During COVID times, there have been many robots deployed in public places such as social distancing enforcer or a robot that provide facial masks, but few investigations have been done to...
This thesis follows two studies performed with simple robots. The first follows a robot interacting with eight improvisers to create scenes and perform five isolated gestures (towards, away, sideways, spin, and circle) for interpretation. The second follows a group of three robots performing the same five isolated gestures at two...
User studies in human-robot interaction and social robotics in general involve human participants and their reactions, observations and expectations of robots. This thesis presents two innovative experimental methods aimed at gaining access to high-stakes social data not typically collectable with traditional user studies. The Actor Method provides access to data...
Wildfire in dry, frequent-fire forests is a pressing issue for natural resource managers, communities and politicians in the western United States. Area affected by wildfire has climbed steadily over the last twenty years and is expected to increase in the future. Recognition of the importance of both social and biophysical...
Discussions of ecopoetics often seek to investigate how poetics as a form can be rendered more ecological, often in contrast to nature poetry. These conversations tend to concentrate on this generic contrast and the formal qualities of an ecological poetics. Ecopoetics as a field emerged largely as a response to...
Citizen science is a term broadly used to describe activities that typically involve the public in the process, methods, and standards of scientific research with the aim of advancing scientific knowledge or application. Engagement in citizen science for project and program volunteers is influenced by much more than an individual’s...