Real Time GIS Data Tool, GeoData Web Editor  This technology is an open source GIS data tool. GIS provides a mechanism for management, analysis, and display of geographic knowledge, which is represented using a series of information sets such as maps and globes, geographic data sets, processing and work flow models, data models, and metadata. This technology utilizes an existing platform technology from ESRI Inc., ArcIMS. The ArcIMS platform technology is a server-based product that provides a scalable framework for distributing GIS services and data over the Web. The tool provides Web publishing capability for GIS maps, data, and metadata for access by users inside and outside an organization. ArcIMS enables Web sites to offer GIS data, interactive maps, metadata catalogs, and focused GIS applications. The GeoData function allows a real time editor application to be used for mapping and visualizing changes in location. The technology is similar to MapQuest, but differs in that it interprets street anomalies more accurately and further inputs those changes automatically into the information center responsible for data tracking (in Michigan, as an example, it is the Michigan Information System). |
Web Enabled Urban Planning Teaching Tool Called Web Polis Web Polis is an interactive tool developed to encourage and facilitate community participation through an online portal. This technology provides a direct link for local communities through an open information sharing environment. Web Polis offers a suite of applications including online discussion forums, newsletters, consensus builders, real estate analysis, a mapping/GIS component for spatial analysis, and community online survey prototypes with integral statistical analyses. The targeted users of the tool include city officials, economic development groups, the educational community (to teach politics and city government), and urban planning groups. |
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. |
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. |
Robotics and Embedded Systems Laboratory The robotics and embedded systems laboratory conducts research on large scale networked system of distributed robotics and sensors, body sensor networks and sensor network applications in intelligent transportation systems. Current lines of inquiry include scalable coordination for hybrid sensor/actuator networks, multi-robot and sensor coordination, body sensor networks, sensor network localization using mobile robots, mobile sensor navigation in hybrid sensor networks, and real-time protocols for sensor networks. |
GIS Software Development for Optimization of Web Map Services  This work is focused on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology that enables the research team to collate and analyze information from diverse data sets very rapidly. This GIS integrating technology draws upon and extends existing techniques. Other areas of interest include Cartography, GeoComputation, and Economic Geography. |
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. |
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