Spring 2012 - Ohio Northern University

Spring 2012
ECCS
CIRCUIT
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Message from the Chair
ECCS Faculty
Faculty Publications
The Newsletter of
Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science
T.J. Smull College of Engineering
Ohio Northern University
Student News
Program Working Group
Senior Design Projects
Share Your Story at the
Alumni Corner
ENTER HERE
www.onu.edu/eccs
Message from the Chair
I would like to welcome you to the inaugural issue of our ECCS newsletter. The intention of the newsletter is not
only to introduce the department and to report its news, but also to connect with our alumni. I strongly believe
that it is advantageous to share information with one another. Doing so will have a positive impact on our current students, and they certainly will benefit from our alumni’s valuable experiences.
We now are on a semester system, and the department continues to offer three distinct programs: electrical engineering, computer engineering and computer science. The newly developed semester curricula are optimized
and up-to-date to ensure that our students are prepared for the future and to be industry-ready engineers. In
addition, we understand educational challenges and market demands, and, as a result, the department is offering an advanced energy concentration in collaboration with the mechanical engineering department. For more
information about the department, please visit us at www.onu.edu/academics/engineering/departments/eccs
The current focus of the department is to increase the number of students in ECCS, strengthen our curricula, and promote our programs more widely. Here is where our alumni can play a major role in helping the department to achieve these goals.
Everyone agrees that alumni are the outward representation of a university. Since you are our greatest testimony to the strength of our
programs, I am asking your help to represent it dynamically, because broad alumni participation is vital to the success and sustainability
of any institution. So, if you are proud of your education at ONU (and I hope you are!), please spread the word to your friends and to the
people you know by stressing ONU’s benefits and your fond memories. Also mention the reasons why you are proud of your education
at ONU.
Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to both the ECCS faculty, for their continuous efforts and dedication to elevating the education
at ONU to higher standards, and to the ECCS Program Working Group for their thoughtful insights. In addition, I remain deeply grateful
to our alumni for their encouragement and support, for sharing their knowledge and experiences, and for recruiting our graduates.
Sincerely,
Dr. Khalid S. Al-Olimat, P.E.
Professor and chair
Alumni Corner
The idea of the Alumni Corner is to give an opportunity to our alumni to share their stories,
memories and experiences, and to give advice to current ECCS students. This will be a recurring
and important element of our subsequent newsletters. If you would like to share your experiences,
please send your essays and pictures through email to Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat at [email protected]
www.onu.edu/eccs
ECCS Faculty
Khalid Al-Olimat,
Professor and chair
Electromagnetics, Energy Systems
1 and 2, and Advanced Power
Nathanial Bird, BSCPE ’03,
Assistant professor
Programming, Data Structures and
Algorithms, Operating Systems,
Computer Security, Programming
Languages, and Computer Vision
Gregory Bucks,
Visiting assistant professor
Introduction to Engineering,
Programming, and Electronics
John Estell,
Professor
Introduction to Engineering,
Programming, User Interface
Design, and Mobile Computing
Firas Hassan,
Assistant professor
Electric Circuits, Communication
Systems, and Information Theory
Sami Khorbotly,
Assistant professor
Digital Logic, Signals and Systems,
Digital Signal Processing, and
Advanced Digital Signal Processing
Ken Reid,
Associate professor and director of
first-year engineering
Introduction to Engineering
David Retterer,
Associate professor
Net-Centric Computing, Software
Engineering, Databases,
Design Patterns, Programming
Environment, and Theory of
Computation
Srinivasa Vemuru,
Professor
Computer Architecture, Embedded
Systems, VLSI System Design, and
Computer Networks
In addition, the following professors helped
the department in teaching control systems:
Dr. Eric Baumgartner,
Dean of the College of Engineering
Dr. Julie (Harvey) Hurtig, BSEE ’91,
Associate vice president for
academic affairs
www.onu.edu/eccs
Publications by ECCS Faculty
Khalid S. Al-Olimat, “A Simple and Feasible Design to Power System Stabilizers,” Proceedings
Sami Khorbotly and Khalid Al-Olimat, “Engineering Student-Design Competition Teams:
of the 31st IASTED International Conference on Modeling, Identification, and Control-MIC 2011,
Capstone or Extracurricular?” Proceedings of the 40th Annual Frontiers in Education (FIE)
Innsbruck, Austria, Feb. 14-16, 2011.
Conference, Washington, D.C., Oct. 27-30, 2010.
Sukumar Kamalasadan and Khalid S. Al-Olimat, “Modeling and Control of a Micro-Grid Set Up
Electronics Society (IECON-2010), Glendale, Ariz., Nov. 7-10, 2010.
S. Khorbotly and F. Hassan, “A Modified Approximation of 2D Gaussian Smoothing Filters for
Fixed-Point platforms”, IEEE Southeast Symposium on System Theory, Auburn, Ala., March
2011.
Khalid S. Al-Olimat, “Power Electronics Problem Solver on the Click,” Proceedings of the 40th
Kenneth J. Reid and Robin White, “The Evolution of Freshmen Without Borders: Coordinating
Annual IEEE Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference, Washington, D.C., Oct. 27-30, 2010.
International Preprofessional Service within the First-Year Engineering Curriculum,” accepted,
using Photovoltaic Arrays,” Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial
American Society for Engineering Education North Central Illinois/Indiana Conference
N. Bird and N. Papanikolopoulos, “Recognition of Traitors in Distributed Robotic Teams,” Proc.
Proceedings, April 2011.
IEEE Intl. Conf. Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2011), May 2011.
Kenneth J. Reid and Megan Balkovic “Work in Progress – Initial Assessment of the Effectiveness
J. K. Estell, “A Heuristic Approach to Assessing Program Outcomes Using Performance Vectors,”
of a Nationwide High School Extracurricular Engineering Program: JETS TEAMS Competition,”
Proceedings of the 2011 ABET Symposium, Indianapolis, Ind., April 2011.
Frontiers in Education Conference, October 2010.
Incorporation of Poverty Alleviation in Third-World Countries in a First-Year Engineering Capstone
Course
Kenneth J. Reid and John K. Estell, “Work in Progress – Development of Personas: Emphasizing
Human Need in a First-Year Engineering Capstone Course”, Frontiers in Education Conference,
J. K. Estell and K. Christensen, “The Need for a New Graduation Rite of Passage,”
October 2010.
Communications of the ACM, 54, 2, pp. 113-115 (February 2011).
Kenneth J. Reid and Daniel Ferguson, “Work in Progress – Measuring and Enhancing the
D.R. Desai, F.H. Hassan, R.J. Veillette and J.E. Carletta, “An Analog Logarithmic Number System
Entrepreneurial Mindset of Freshman Engineering Students,” Frontiers in Education Conference,
Subtractor for Edge Detection in Logarithmic CMOS Image Sensors,” proceedings of the IS&T/
October 2010.
SPIE Conference on Electronic Imagining, January 2011.
S. R. Vemuru, S. Kristem and M. Niamat, “Built-In Self-Test Circuit Optimization for Embedded
D. R. Desai, J. Carletta, R. Veillette, F. Hassan, “Design of an Accurate Min-Max Current
Cores,” Proceedings of the IEEE ICIT-SSST Conference, Auburn, Ala., March 2011
Selector,” Proceedings of 53rd IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, August
2010.
S. R. Vemuru, S. Kristem and M. Niamat, “Built-In Self-Test Circuit Optimization for Embedded
Cores,” Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Design, Las Vegas, Nev., July
M. L. R. Vatte, F. Hassan, J. Carletta, R. Veillette, “Image Sensor Readout Circuitry Supporting
the Analog Computation of Large Vertical Surrounds,” Proceedings of 53rd IEEE International
Symposium on Circuits and Systems, August 2010.
Received the Henry Horldt Outstanding Teaching Award from the College of Engineering.
2010
www.onu.edu/eccs
Student News
Ross Stienecker, BSEE ’11, Andrew Swick, BSEE ’11, MaryJo Guthrie, BSCPE ’11, Mohammad
Alsuraihi, BSEE ’11, and Srinivasa Vemuru, professor of electrical & computer engineering, presented
“SmartOutlet: A Remotely Controlled Outlet” at the ASEE/NCS Conference in Mount Pleasant, Mich.,
from April 1-2, 2011.
Srinivasa Vemuru and his SmartOutlet senior design team received Best Paper Award, First Place at
the ASEE North Central Conference.
Kyle See, a junior computer engineering major from Lucasville, Ohio,, Aaron Anderson, a senior
computer engineering major from Perrysburg, Ohio, Tyler Bednarz, a junior electrical engineering
major from Canton, Ohio, Elizabeth Gall, a junior electrical engineering major from Baden, Pa., and
Bridget Davis, a sophomore electrical engineering major from Newark, Ohio, participated in the
Micromouse Competition at the IEEE Student Activities Conference in Erie, Pa., on April 16, 2011.
Allan Hall, BSEE ’11, Josh Stone, BSCPE ’11, and Brandon Helms, BSEE ’11, participated in the
Design Show Competition at the IEEE Student Activities Conference in Erie, Pa., on April 16, 2011.
Bryan Burkholder, a junior computer engineering major from Bluffton, Ohio, Matthew Yingling, a senior
computer engineering major from Canton, Ohio, Ryan Lawson, a senior mechanical engineering major
from Toledo, Ohio, and Timothy Chaffin, a senior computer engineering major from Creston, Ohio,
participated in the International RoboGames Competition in San Mateo, Calif., from April 15-17, 2011.
Brooke Hayden, a junior electrical engineering major from New Carlisle, Ohio, has received a
scholarship through the Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship
for Service Program. Recipients of the SMART scholarship are provided with summer internships and
access to world-class facilities. In addition, SMART scholars receive a cash award between $25,000
and $41,000 per year depending on prior education, tuition costs, educational expenses, and textbook
and health insurance allowances, as well as the opportunity to continue their research within civil
service roles upon graduation.
Peter Kleysteuber, senior electrical engineering major from Fairborn, Ohio, and Bridget Davis, a
sophomore electrical engineering major from Newark, Ohio, completed summer internships at AEP.
Stephen Graessle, senior computer engineering major from Chesapeake, Va., completed a research
position with the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Center for Cyberspace Research.
J.C. Schroeder, senior computer engineering major from Napoleon, Ohio, completed a summer
internship at the Timken Company.
Kyle See, a junior computer engineering major from Lucasville, Ohio, completed a summer internship
at Yost Engineering Inc.
www.onu.edu/eccs
Our Program Working Group
The department appreciates the hard work and the advice of the following individuals
who serve as the Program Working Group.
Matthew Batcha, BS ’02
Software Development Group Manager
Fenetech Corporation
Aurora, Ohio
Mathew Hargett, BSEE ’92
Senior Engineer
Honda R & D Americas Inc.
Raymond, Ohio
Justin Schultz, BSEE ’03
Electrical Engineer
Metro CD Engineering
Dublin, Ohio
Megan Bessick, BS ’05
Software Engineer
Charles Schwab Corporation
Richfield, Ohio
Mark Longbrake, BSEE ’81
Principal RF Systems Engineer
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Fairborn, Ohio
Sandy Snyder-Stevens, BSEE ’92
Product Manager
Bauer Controls
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Scott Campbell, BSEE ’85
Assistant Professor
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio
Mark Mishler, BSEE ’86
Director Program Management
L-3 Communications Fuzing & Ordnance
Systems
Cincinnati, Ohio
Roger Thornton, BSEE ’83
Senior Design Engineer
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Vandalia, Ohio
Michael Carr, BSEE ’96
President
Carr Engineering Inc.
Dublin, Ohio
Lynn (Roeder) Child, BA ’84
CEO
Aardvark/CentraCom Communications
Findlay, Ohio
Gordon Neumann, BA ’81
Lead Programmer
Lexis-Nexis
Dayton, Ohio
Mark Pfouts, BSEE ’86
Manager International Device Engineering
Abbott Nutrition
Columbus, Ohio
Jeffrey Garlock, BS ’85
Associate Chief Engineer
Honda of America Manufacturing
Marysville, Ohio
Stephen Pomesky, BSEE ’95
Engineering Manager
HANCO International
Canton, Ohio
Shane Griggs, BS ’96
Software Architect
Fiserv
Dublin, Ohio
Walter Schilling, BSEE ’97
Assistant Professor
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Milwaukee, Wis.
Nicholas Vidovich, BSCPE ’04
Software Engineer
Battelle Memorial Institute
Columbus, Ohio
Charles Weininger, BS ’95
Principal Development Lead
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Wash.
Cecelia (Peters) Wigal, BSEE ’85
Professor and Assistant Dean, NSF
Scholars Program Director
The University of Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tenn.
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at Ohio Northern ECCS Alumni
www.onu.edu/eccs
Senior Design Projects 2011-12
Tour Guide Assistant
Saeed Al Nasr, senior mechanical engineering major from Fairvax, Va.
Kelly Casanova, senior mechanical engineering major from Copley, Ohio
Christina Garmatter, senior electrical engineering major from Rawson, Ohio
Alicia Hathaway, senior electrical engineering major from Fostoria, Ohio
Matthew Yingling, senior computer engineering major from Canton, Ohio
This project is to design and build a robot that will be used as a tour guide assistant for
future prospective students’ visits in the college of Engineering. The robot must have
a cart-like structure with multi-levels that can hold, in addition to its battery & circuitry,
a Laptop, brochures, folders, and other documents that the tour guide may need. The
robot should be motorized and equipped with a vision system that allows it to track and
autonomously follow the tour guide at a specified distance. The robot must also be able
to detect obstacles to avoid running into walls and humans.
Autonomous Golf Cart
Abdulmalek Alobra, senior mechanical engineering major
David Ferguson, senior computer engineering major from Mansfield, Ohio
Tim Hutchinson, senior electrical engineering major from Canfield, Ohio
John Sharp, senior computer science major from Ashville, Ohio
This project looks to expand the capabilities of the Ohio Northern autonomous golf cart.
The cart is already “drive-by-wire,” i.e., it is digitally controllable by computer. The goal
of this project is to add intelligence to the machine. Sensors, including laser rangefinders and GPS, will be incorporated into the system and algorithms developed to allow
the cart to navigate to specific destinations outdoors while avoiding obstacles.
Multi-Modal Small Robot
Aaron Anderson, senior computer engineering major from Perrysburg, Ohio
Nicholas Erickson, senior computer engineering major from Lima, Ohio
Justin Maag, senior mechanical engineering major from Pandora, Ohio
Matt Smith, senior mechanical engineering major from Norton, Ohio
Jeffrey West, senior mechanical engineering major from Wooster, Ohio
The goal of this project is to build a small multi-modal robot, that is a robot with multiple
means of mobility and the ability to switch between the two. This could be a ground/
submersible, ground/air, air/water craft, or any combination. The main purpose is to
maximize mobility of a small robot.
Balancing Robot
William Brown, senior mechanical engineering major from East Liberty, Ohio
Eric Moseman, senior computer engineering major from Ashland, Ohio
Corey Von Sickle, senior mechanical engineering major from New Philadelphia, Ohio
The objective of this project is to design a one-wheeled robot that can maintain its
balance without any external support. Balancing must be autonomous. Driving can be
controlled through wireless communication.
FPGA-based reliable, flexible, and secure smart meter for Smart Grid Applications
James Baumgartner, senior electrical engineering major from Medina, Ohio
Stephen Graessle, senior computer engineering major from Chesapeake, Va.
Chris Jones, senior electrical engineering major from Powell, Ohio
Adam Pagan, senior electrical engineering major from Ellicott City, Md.
The objective of this project is to design and prototype a smart meter that measures the
consumption of electrical energy. The power provided and consumed, as well as the
current and voltage, to the device will be measured. The smart meter will communicate
with some other personal devices (ex. Laptop) and display the consumption of electrical energy, for both monitoring and billing purposes.
Digital Wattmeter and Power Factor Reader
Aaron Fogle, senior electrical engineering major from West Mansfield, Ohio
Patrick Giles, senior computer engineering major from Naperville, Ill.
The aim of this project is to build a device that can measure real power and power
factor. It must operate for an ac voltage of 120 V or smaller. The Wattmeter must be
capable to display up to 50 Watts accurately. The power factor reader must display the
value of the power factor and indicate whether leading or lagging. The project requires
students to build 15 devices to be used in the Circuits laboratory.
Robotic football
Travis Ballinger, senior mechanical engineering major from Findlay, Ohio
Anthony Dilisio, senior computer engineering major from Raleigh, N.C.
Ron Grzybowski, senior mechanical engineering major from Ada, Ohio
Alexandria Herman, senior mechanical engineering major from Tiffin, Ohio
Daniel Smith, senior mechanical engineering major from Avon, Ohio
This project is a continuation and expansion of this year’s robotic football competition.
ONU will field an entire team this year to compete against Notre Dame students. The
Capstone team will design and build 3 robots and coordinate with other students who
will be building the remaining robots.
Industrial Hydro Regeneration
Breanna Daniel, senior mechanical engineering major from Buffalo, N.Y.
Alison Garbash, senior mechanical engineering major from Saint Clairsville, Ohio
Andrew Marshall, senior electrical engineering major from Bellefontaine, Ohio
Thomas Reed, senior mechanical engineering major from Springfield, Ohio
Students will work with an industrial partner to design and develop a hydropower regeneration facility within a manufacturing environment. In large industrial facilities there
are several places where there is the potential to recover energy from water operations.
Students will work to determine the potential for electrical power generation, and design
a system to recover that energy and put it to use elsewhere in the plant.
Call for Project Proposals
Dear Alumni: If you have a project in mind and would like students to work on it,
please send an email to Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat at [email protected] with a brief
description of the project. We will get back to you with more details. In addition, ECCS
faculty members are capable of delivering prototypes; if you have an idea and you like
to bring it to reality, please contact us for more details.
www.onu.edu/eccs
Look for the next email announcement with a direct link to the
next issue of the ECCS NEWSLETTER
www.onu.edu/eccs