Robert J. Fornaro

Modeling the Anatomical Distribution of Sunlight

One of the major technical challenges in calculating solar irradiance on the human form has been the complexity of the surface geometry (i.e. the surface‐normal vis‐a‐vis the incident radiation). Over 80% of skin cancers occur on the face, head, neck and back of the hands. The quantification, as well as the mapping of the anatomical distribution of solar radiation on the human form, is essential if we are to study the etiology of skin cancers or cataracts or immune system suppression. Using advances in computer graphics, including high‐resolution three‐dimensional mathematical representations of the human form, the calculation of irradiance has been attained to subcentimeter precision. Lighting detail included partitioning of direct beam and diffuse skylight, shadowing effects and gradations of model surface illumination depending on model surface geometry and incident light angle. With the incorporation of ray‐tracing and irradiance algorithms, the results are not only realistic renderings but also accurate representations of the distribution of light on the subject model. The calculation of light illumination at various receptor points across the anatomy provides information about differential radiant exposure as a function of subject posture, orientation relative to the sun and sun elevation. The integration of a geodesic sun‐tracking model into the lighting module enabled simulation of specific sun exposure scenarios, with instantaneous irradiance, as well as the cumulative radiant exposure, calculated for a given latitude, date, time of day and duration. Illustration of instantaneous irradiance or cumulative radiant exposure is achieved using a false‐color rendering—mapping light intensity to color—creating irradiance or exposure isopleths. This approach may find application in the determination of the reduction in exposure that one achieves by wearing a hat, shirt or sunglasses. More fundamentally, such an analysis tool could provide improved estimates of scenario‐specific dose (i.e. absorbed radiant exposure) needed to develop dose‐response functions for sunlight‐induced disease.

Cross-functional teams used in computer science senior design capstone courses

Traditionally, computer science curricula focus on teaching technical content, either ignoring the importance of interpersonal communication or relegating it to separate courses with no integration of communication and technical skills. Thus, students get little practice with communication of technical information and even less appreciation for its importance. For the past several years one of the computer science senior design courses at NC State University has emphasized teaming, process, and professional communication skills in the context of industrially sponsored technical projects. Even though the instructors repeatedly emphasize the importance of communication and process, students are resistant to focus on the more social aspects of problem solving, desiring instead to dive in and solve the technical problems. We describe the advantages and disadvantages of cross-functional teams in an educational setting, identifying communication issues related to coordinating projects and exploring novel opportunities for non-traditional undergraduate education.

Application of shape-preserving spline interpolation to interactive editing of photogrammetric data

The Integrated Photogrammetric Instrument Network (IPIN) is being designed and developed by the Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center in St. Louis, Mo. to meet database demands for terrain elevation information. IPIN is a network of computers and instrumentation dedicated to digitizing and editing photo-source terrain data [1]. Editing procedures are required because of digitizing errors inherent in the data-collection process. Some of these errors are random; others are systematic and predictable. The techniques of one of the editing procedures being developed may find application elsewhere. The procedure of interest here involves smoothing raw data that have been collected by the operator of an analytical stereoplotter. When digitizing geomorphic features from aerial stereophotographs, the double-line drain (DLD) presents special problems. The digitizing of a DLD (a relatively broad river or stream) requires specifying trlples (x,y,z) (latitude, longitude, elevation) at points spaced along the length of each shoreline. The drain boundaries thus collected usually have acceptable latitude and longitude values. The elevation values, however, require smoothing.

What Clients Want - What Students Do: Reflections on Ten Years of Sponsored Senior Design Projects

Undergraduate computer science degree programs often provide an opportunity for students to experience real software projects as a part of their programs of study. These experiences frequently reside in a course in which students form software development teams, are assigned to a project offered by a corporate sponsor and devote one or two semesters to the task of making progress on the project. In an ideal model, faculty mentor student teams who, in turn, behave as sub-contractors or consultants to the sponsor. Students work for a grade, not directly for the sponsor as a true sub-contractor would. In the ideal model, students demonstrate what they have learned about software engineering process, as well as their ability to implement programmed solutions. Student teams provide progress reports, both oral and written, and directly experience many of the challenges and successes of true software engineering professionals. This paper reports on one such program after 10 years of operation. The technologies and software development processes of interest to sponsors are summarized and presented as an informal survey. Student response is discussed in terms of software systems they produced and how they went about producing them. The maturation of these students as software engineering professionals is also discussed

Enhancing technical communication skills of engineering students: an experiment in multidisciplinary design

A multidisciplinary team of chemical engineering and computer science students collaborated to design a plant capable of producing commercial quantities of citric acid. This project required the students to produce a bench-scale chemical engineering facility and a computer system to monitor production in accordance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. A previous attempt at student collaboration on a similar project produced less than stellar results. An evaluation of that experience revealed the most significant challenge to project success was establishing effective teamwork and appropriate technical communication across the two disciplines. This paper describes the results of the most recent multidisciplinary team experiment, in which emphasis was placed on developing communication between student teams. A description of the synchronization of project development methodologies between the participating disciplines is discussed as well as how this contributed to enhancing technical communication between the teams and enabled the latest project to progress to a successful conclusion.

Reflections on 10 years of sponsored senior design projects: Students win-clients win!

Undergraduate computer science degree programs often provide an opportunity for students to experience real software projects as a part of their programs of study. These experiences frequently reside in a course in which students form software development teams, are assigned to a project offered by a corporate sponsor and devote one or two semesters to the task of making progress on the project. In an ideal model, faculty mentor student teams who, in turn, behave as subcontractors or consultants to the sponsor. Students work for a grade, not directly for the sponsor as a true subcontractor would. In the ideal model, students demonstrate what they have learned about software engineering process, as well as their ability to implement programmed solutions. Student teams provide progress reports, both oral and written, and directly experience many of the challenges and successes of true software engineering professionals. This paper reports on one such program after 10 years of operation. The technologies and software development processes of student projects are summarized and presented as an informal survey. Student response is discussed in terms of software systems they produced and how they went about producing them. The maturation of these students as software engineering professionals is also discussed.

A high performance embedded machine tool controller

Abstract A Diamond Turning Machine (DTM) can fabricate components with extremely high precision and high quality surface finish characteristics. Existing commercial controllers are limited in their ability to support high performance machining and related advanced control algorithms. Evolving enhancements to the functional capability and control algorithms of a DTM require increased performance and flexibility from the computer system controlling it. To provide this capability the Precision Engineering Center at North Carolina State University has developed and implemented a high performance control system for such a machine tool. The control system is based on a heterogeneous hierarchical multiprocessor computer architecture. This provides the capacity to apply advanced control concepts to the DTM, resulting in improved precision and quality of machined parts. Additionally, the ability to machine non-rotationally symmetric components has been made possible by application of multiprocessor capability.

Workshop on Developing Effective Teaming & Presentation Skills to Facilitate Collaborative Software Development

In todays global work environment, inclusive and clear communication has become increasingly important. Educators have the responsibility to equip computer science and software engineering undergraduates with communication skills that can help them, as budding professionals, to manage these global challenges. Participants of this workshop will learn about a spectrum of work approaches and communication styles; they will learn to use this information so that they may teach students how to develop more effective teaming skills and more effective technical presentations related to software development. If students are armed with such skills, they will carry keys to successful collaborative software development.

Analysis and implementation of hierarchical real-time architectures

Multiprocessor architectures for real-time applications in signal processing and control are described. An investigation of these architectures to determine their performance under a variety of applications and task mixes is presented. The goal is to develop tools for configuring applications on multiple processor systems so that real-time constraints are met. The approach used is to solve queueing models that have been verified by empirical measurement of critical parameters taken during actual operation of the systems. Results relating to contention for bus use in the system are shown.<<ETX>>