Java Based Symbolic Circuit Solver For Electrical Engineering Curriculum

The interactive technical electronic book, TechEBook, currently under development at the University of Central Florida (UCF), introduces a paradigm shift by replacing the traditional electrical engineering course with topic-driven modules that provide a useful tool for engineers and scientists. The TechEBook comprises the two worlds of classical circuit books and interactive operating platforms such as iPads, laptops and desktops. The TechEBook provides an interactive applets screen that holds many modules, each of which has a specific application in the self learning process. This paper describes one of the interactive techniques in the TechEBook known as Symbolic Circuit Solver (SymCirc). The SymCirc develops a versatile symbolic based linear circuit with a switches solver. The solver works by accepting a Netlist and the element that the user wants to find the voltage across or current on, as input parameters. Then it either produces the plot or the time domain expression of the output. Frequency domain plots or Symbolic Transfer Functions are also produced. The solver gets its input from a Web-based GUI circuit drawer developed at UCF. Typical simulation tools that electrical engineers encounter are numerical in nature, that is, when presented with an input circuit they iteratively solve the circuit across a set of small time steps. The result is represented as a data set of output versus time, which can be plotted for further inspection. Such results do not help users understand the ultimate nature of circuits as Linear Time Invariant systems with a finite dimensional basis in the solution space. SymCirc provides all simulation results as time domain expressions composed of the basic functions that exclusively include exponentials, sines, cosines and/or t raised to any power. This paper explains the motivation behind SymCirc, the Graphical User Interface front end and how the solver actually works. The paper also presents some examples and results to better explain the concept

Efficient Energy Solutions: Enabling Smart City Deployment

Today\u27s cities are constantly balancing the need to provide valuable services to their communities, while at the same time face the demand to reduce the cost of operations and maintenance of their infrastructure. The future of the smart city is explicitly tied to having a community based, economically extendable network. These networks are critical for expanding safety and security solutions, enabling other community services as well as leveraging existing infrastructure to support energy efficiency initiatives. This paper discusses the value of a Smart City Solutions platform and the capabilities of such an integrated platform in achieving (1) Energy efficient, sustainable, net zero energy streetlight networks, (2) Self-fund smart city projects, (3) Enhance public safety, and (4) Strengthen municipal resilience

Java Based Symbolic Circuit Solver For Electrical Engineering Curriculum

The interactive technical electronic book, TechEBook, currently under development at the University of Central Florida (UCF), introduces a paradigm shift by replacing the traditional electrical engineering course with topic-driven modules that provide a useful tool for engineers and scientists. The TechEBook comprises the two worlds of classical circuit books and interactive operating platforms such as iPads, laptops and desktops. The TechEBook provides an interactive applets screen that holds many modules, each of which has a specific application in the self learning process. This paper describes one of the interactive techniques in the TechEBook known as Symbolic Circuit Solver (SymCirc). The SymCirc develops a versatile symbolic based linear circuit with a switches solver. The solver works by accepting a Netlist and the element that the user wants to find the voltage across or current on, as input parameters. Then it either produces the plot or the time domain expression of the output. Frequency domain plots or Symbolic Transfer Functions are also produced. The solver gets its input from a Web-based GUI circuit drawer developed at UCF. Typical simulation tools that electrical engineers encounter are numerical in nature, that is, when presented with an input circuit they iteratively solve the circuit across a set of small time steps. The result is represented as a data set of output versus time, which can be plotted for further inspection. Such results do not help users understand the ultimate nature of circuits as Linear Time Invariant systems with a finite dimensional basis in the solution space. SymCirc provides all simulation results as time domain expressions composed of the basic functions that exclusively include exponentials, sines, cosines and/or t raised to any power. This paper explains the motivation behind SymCirc, the Graphical User Interface front end and how the solver actually works. The paper also presents some examples and results to better explain the concept

A Topic-Driven Modular Approach To Engineering Education Delivery

The interactive technical electronic book, TechEBook, currently under development at the University of Central Florida, provides a useful tool for engineers and scientists through unique features compared to the most used traditional electrical circuit textbooks available in the market. TechEBook has comprised the two worlds of classical circuit books and an interactive operating platform that can be run on mobile devices, laptops and desktops utilizing Java Virtual Machine operator. The TechEBook provides an interactive applets screen that holds many modules, in which each had a specific application in the self learning process. In this paper the main goals and objectives behind the MeLearning concept will be identified. The paper will describe the differences between the traditional curriculum delivery and the MeLearning concept in details accompanied by the main tools used and a description of the different modules features. © 2012 IEEE

Hurricane Imaging Radiometer Wind Speed And Rain Rate Retrieval: Part-2. Analysis Of Retrieval Accuracy

This paper describes the end-to-end simulation of the new HIRAD, which will provide improved hurricane surveillance. This paper (part-2 of 2) evaluates the HIRAD instrument performance in retrieving hurricane-force wind speeds in the presence of intense rain. Examples of retrieved hurricane wind speed and rain rate images are presented, and comparisons of the retrieved parameters with the MM5 numerical hurricane model data are made. Statistical results are presented over a broad range of wind and rain conditions over the full measurement swath. © 2010 IEEE

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer Wide Swath Simulation And Wind Speed Retrievals

The knowledge of peak winds in hurricanes is critical to classification of hurricane intensity; therefore, there is a strong interest in the operational remote sensing of ocean surface winds for monitoring tropical storms and hurricanes, especially those which threaten landfall. Presently, the airborne Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR) is the state-of-the-art remote sensor for providing this information in real-time, during hurricane surveillance flights. However, for the future, NASA and NOAA are collaborating in the development of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD), which is a prototype of the next-generation high-flying airborne instrument for monitoring hurricanes. This paper describes a realistic end-to-end simulation of HIRAD hurricane measurements while flying on an unmanned Global Hawk aircraft. The objective of this research is to develop baseline retrieval algorithms and provide a wind speed measurement accuracy assessment for the upcoming NASA hurricane field program, Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP), to be conducted in 2010. © 2010 IEEE

Simulations For A Wide Swath Synthetic Aperture Microwave Radiometric Imaging Of Wind Speed And Rain Rate In Hurricanes

There is a strong national interest in the observation of ocean surface winds with high spatial and temporal resolution for understanding tropical cyclones and their effects on weather and climate. In this paper, we will describe the details of an end-to-end simulation to support the development of the future airborne microwave Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD). This new instrument will extend the measurements of the Stepped Frequency Microwave Imager (SFMR) from nadir looking only to a wide swath storm coverage of ± 60° earth incidence angel (EIA). A comprehensive simulation of the instrument radiances measurements during a hurricane overflight was developed based on realistic 3-D hurricane atmosphere and surface wind field using numerical weather models especially tunes to characterize hurricane environment. Afterwards, the simulated measurements were perturbed with instrument errors and input to the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) retrieval algorithm. Results will show statistical analysis and comparisons of the retrieved wind speeds and rain rates for different swath locations. © 2010 Copyright SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Multi-Frequency Synthetic Thinned Array Antenna For The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer

A C-band four-frequency resonant stacked-patch array antenna is developed for synthetic thinned aperture radiometer measurements of hurricane force wind speeds. This antenna is being integrated into an aircraft instrument referred to as the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD). Details of the antenna design are presented along with antenna performance tests and laboratory measurements using a full-scale prototype array with a subset model of the HIRAD instrument. © 2006 IEEE

Instrument design simulations for synthetic aperture microwave radiometric imaging of wind speed and rain rate in hurricanes

The measurement of peak winds in hurricanes is critical to forecasting intensity and direction prior to landfall. To date, the NOAA Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer, SFMR, is the best tool for providing this information. NASA is now developing the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer, HIRad, which is a candidate follow-on instrument to improve on the SFMR. HIRad will use synthetic thinned array technology to provide wide swath images, adding to the nadir profiles of the SFMR New developments in radiative transfer modeling for hurricane force winds and large incidence angles are required for HIRad. This paper describes modeling and simulations for HIRad, some of the applications in HIRad design to date, and end-to-end performance simulations. © 2007 IEEE

Instrument Design Simulations For Synthetic Aperture Microwave Radiometric Imaging Of Wind Speed And Rain Rate In Hurricanes

The measurement of peak winds in hurricanes is critical to forecasting intensity and direction prior to landfall. To date, the NOAA Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer, SFMR, is the best tool for providing this information. NASA is now developing the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer, HIRad, which is a candidate follow-on instrument to improve on the SFMR. HIRad will use synthetic thinned array technology to provide wide swath images, adding to the nadir profiles of the SFMR New developments in radiative transfer modeling for hurricane force winds and large incidence angles are required for HIRad. This paper describes modeling and simulations for HIRad, some of the applications in HIRad design to date, and end-to-end performance simulations. © 2007 IEEE