Motion planning is a cornerstone of autonomous robots, enabling robots to safely and efficiently perform tasks such as package delivery, infrastructure inspection, and manipulation. However, as the field of robotics matures, robotic systems are being developed that (1) are challenging to analytically model, (2) require computationally expensive model-based controllers, and...
One of the pervasive problems arising in our modern, digital world surrounds data breaches where an adversary, through zero-day exploitations, phishing, or old-fashioned social engineering attacks, gains access to a service’s data stores. Our society increasingly relies on these cloud-based services for everything from our taxes to personal communication. As...
Nickel (Ni)-based alloys with a high chromium (Cr) content are frequently employed in applications where elevated temperatures and/or corrosive environments are present due to their excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. However, a gap exists around the formation, and kinetics of long-range order (LRO) Ni2Cr phase in both model binary...
This thesis describes calculations done to determine the radiation hazard of the current Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) scattering chamber at the Oregon State TRIGA Reactor (OSTR) and compare it to the amount that would be given off by a new thin-walled chamber design. These calculations were completed with...
The environmental impact of the nuclear industry has prompted the need for innovative remediation strategies and accurate radiological assessments. This paper synthesizes three studies that collectively explore the potential of endemic plant species for phytoremediation, the development of anatomically accurate phantoms for precise dosimetry calculations, and the critical evaluation of...
Detonation combustion is of great interest for propulsion devices because of its potential to increase thermodynamic efficiency, reduce the weight of current gas turbine engines, and rapidly accelerate to high Mach numbers. Detonation engines might also have the ability to decrease harmful exhaust products from traditional propulsion methods. In order...
Fingered robot hands are complicated systems made of three essential system components: its morphology, its actuation, and its software control. These system components are tightly coupled to each other. Due to this, it is hard to benchmark robot hand performance in a way to understand the contributions of the individual...
This dissertation presents novel, field-activated smart material systems for the actuation and control of autonomous robots. Smart materials, a type of material whose properties can be changed with an external stimuli, represent a promising direction to expand upon existing robotic control and actuation methods, particularly in the sub-fields of soft...
Pillars in modern vehicles provide structural integrity by surrounding the windows and joining the roof with the frame. Although they protect the driver and passengers, A-pillars also create obstruction zones by limiting drivers' forward field of view leading to unforeseeable accidents or mishaps. We argue that providing a better pillar...
Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women with an estimated 13% of women in the United States developing a form of invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. The survival rate is estimated to be 85%, but the American Cancer Society estimates that early detection of breast cancer in the...