Fastening and Joining Research Institute  The objective of this institute is to enhance the reliability and safety of metallic, composite and polymeric joints by advancing the science and technology of mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding, welding and riveting. The institute is a one-of-a-kind facility that pursues fundamental and applied research to develop and disseminate new technologies for the fastening and joining of metals, composites and polymers. The Institute develops and disseminates novel advanced technologies in the areas of automated assembly of bolted joints, adhesive bonding of composites, resistance welding and riveting, a niche area that significantly impacts the safety and reliability of many products. |
Very High Purity Alumina Processing Technique  This technology allows for the production of a new aluminum oxide (alumina) material with very high compressive strength making the material suitable for applications that require high strength and/or high temperature. The failure strength of alumina created with this process is considerably greater than any other commercially available alumina. The manufacturing process for this new ultra high-strength alumina includes traditional processing techniques such as vacuum hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing. |
Fault Tolerant Computing Dr. Kieckhafer is heading an area focused on fault tolerant distributed computing. The core of this work involves voting algorithms that allow redundant computers to come to agreement by eliminating the most unlikely fault mode. This work has a broad range of relevance. |
Fuel Cell Group This group is a multi-disciplined team focused on fuel cell heat recovery and fuel cell conversion efficiency improvement. These thrust areas are linked to a set of topics within which the group possesses expertise including heat recovery, initial start issues of high temperature fuel cells, high thermal and/or electrical conductivity materials, energy density, weight, and space related issues, high temperature membranes. low cost high energy cathode/anode, hydrogen generation, storage, transportation, and safety, fuel reforming, low CO emission, long life high power density battery development and hybrid battery. |
Pedestrian Detection System This is a novel approach to vehicle warning systems. The system is “active” in the sense that it relies on the external objects to be avoided to communicate their presence to the vehicle on their own. In this approach, the external objects inform the car of their presence without the car having to directly search for them. The means by which this is accomplished in by a wireless signal that presumably each pedestrian would be giving out from their cellular phones. The car’s detection system would assume that wherever a cellular signal is present, so is a pedestrian. Additional objects that a driver would also want to avoid (such as a bridge), could be given the ability to also send a cellular signal to the car. |
Location and Tracking Technology Development and Testing Service This is one of the few laboratories across the country that specializes in antenna location and tracking systems. Efforts are focused on developing and promoting a location technology development and research Center of Excellence. The Center will offer a research service component to advance the development and design of new products in the location and tracking space. In addition, the Center would become one of only ten facilities in the world to provide antenna testing facilities aimed at the automotive market. The program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. |
Design Optimization and Design Under Uncertainty Technology This research is focused on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and design under uncertainty. One outcome of this reseach is a design optimization tool that has potential application in a number of industry sectors. Although the graphical user interface is at an early stage of development, the algorithm design is sufficiently functional to solve series of complex problems. The research offers the opportunity to provide engineering services to numerous organizations on a consulting basis. |
Control System Design and Nonlinear Models An emerging area of research is the utilization of interspacecraft Coulomb forces for both position and attitude control. This has applications from spacecraft formation flying to active “virtual” structures that are highly reconfigurable and robust to individual spacecraft failure. Spacecraft force coupling and the nonlinear electrostatic force behavior provide a variety of interesting technical challenges from nonlinear control to optimal formation design. Similar research topic areas such as, nonlinear control, system simulation, nonlinear system parameter identification and optimization, are present in most of his ongoing projects. Examples include active control of diesel engine aftertreatment systems, at-sea ship crane control, and hydraulic system parameter identification. Another research area is focused on increasing robot-based, flexible material throughput for manufacturing
applications. The system dynamics of the part are exploited, in conjunction with vision-based trajectory optimization, to minimize maneuver time. |
Statistical Modeling and Inference for Computational Imaging and Signal Analysis This is an extensive research program exploring the application of statistical modeling and inference to problems in computational imaging and signal analysis. Formative work was conducted in the area of multi-frame blind deconvolution with physical system-constraints. More recently, the program has been oriented toward system design and analysis for computational sensing and imaging; image restoration and synthesis with system uncertainties; active imaging with sparse arrays; multi-spectral mine detection; and image recovery from intensity measurements. The work has cross-cutting application including aeronautical and aerospace engineering. |
Sensor, Ad Hoc and Wireless Network Security and Vulnerability This research and technology development program is focused on sensor networks including issues related to vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET), wireless ad hoc networks and sensor networks, cross-layer network design, dependable computing and communication systems, as well as network resource allocation & management. Most recent activity has been focused on tireless network security: cyber security assessment, systematic security design as well as vulnerability analysis and trust models for wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. |
Automotive Research Diagnosis and Service Facility  The automotive diagnosis and service facility is capable of holding twelve vehicles and is equipped with the latest computerized test and service equipment. Capabilities include a multi-function chassis dynamometer capable of testing for drive wheel horsepower and individual wheel braking effort, an enclosed engine test cell is available for testing engines up to 12,000 RPM, 1,000 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft of torque can automatically measure, display, and record up to 35 separate functions on a real time basis. The facility also contains a high power flow bench measures dynamic gas flow through cylinder heads, intake and/or exhaust systems, and has the capability of performing many ASTM fuel and lubricant procedures for evaluating the operating characteristics of many fuels and lubricants. |
Magneto-Electric Nanostructures for Novel Microwave The objective of this collaborative research is to fabricate and study the magneto-electric interactions in novel one-dimensional ferromagnetic-ferroelectric nanostructures, and to exploit them for innovative device applications. The program is motivated by theoretical models that suggest much stronger interactions in such nanostructure geometries than in standard thin films and laminate structures. The approach is to synthesize nanowire and nanotube composites consisting of ferroelectric materials, such as lead zirconium titanante or barium titanate, with ferrimagnetic nickel- or cobalt ferrite.
A comprehensive research program is planned consisting of the following components: sample fabrication, structural characterization, magneto-electric interaction studies spanning a wide frequency range, device studies, and theoretical modeling. Efforts will focus on the creation of novel nanostructures using innovative processing methods and examine their use for a new class of microwave devices that are both electric and magnetic field tunable. At the University of Alabama, the PI will lead the sample fabrication, structural characterization and device fabrication efforts; while the physical property measurements, theoretical studies and device applications will be led by the PI at Oakland University.
The efforts will bring together a multidisciplinary team of investigators that will make significant contributions to scientific knowledge, education outreach and infrastructure, and potentially lead to a host of next-generation devices for the national defense and consumer electronics. The program will provide support for graduate and undergraduate students, including underrepresented minorities, and contribute to their broad interdisciplinary training. Project personnel will collaborate with local schools to facilitate participation by high school students in research. |
Automotive Antenna Measurement Instrumentation This project creates a near-field antenna measurement system, for use in research and education on automobile antennas. The system will be a spherical near-field antenna measurement system capable of measuring on-vehicle antenna performance in the frequency range 800 MHz to 6 GHz for a variety of vehicle platforms. Major components include: (1) positioning and control equipment, which controls the motion of the vehicle platform; (2) signal source and receiver component, which generates the radio frequency test signal and measures the coupling between the desired source antenna and the antenna under test; and (3) the data collection and processing component. The research will involve vehicle-level measurement techniques, development of mathematical models for on-vehicle antennas and vehicle-integrated antenna designs. This equipment allows Oakland to contribute to the growing field of automotive telematics, which has relevance to safety (e.g. broadcasting location and occurrence of events like collisions and airbag deployment), to security operations (e.g. track or disable stolen vehicles), and to convenience (e.g., concierge services, navigation assistance, etc.). Industrial collaborations and support will be major aspects of this project. The equipment will also be used heavily in undergraduate education, in student training, and in outreach to minorities in the Pontiac, Michigan and Detroit, Michigan public schools. |
home | about us | contact us
Powered by IEI © 2006 - 2010 | All rights reserved.