Senior Projects, Spring, 2013

Stephanie Chouinard, Travis Bellew

"mSudoku: A Mobile Puzzle Application"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

Abstract: (show) (hide)

With the growing popularity of both Sudoku and Android smartphones, we decided to create a Sudoku application for Android 2.3.4. (Gingerbread). We strived to include helpful features that a pencil and paper puzzle couldn't provide easily or at all—like the timer, puzzle resets and hints—without overloading it or taking away the integrity of the game. The goal was a userfriendly, convenient, portable way to play Sudoku—and the app provides just that, on a small device most people already carry with them on a daily basis.

Dominick Barretta, Andrew Payne

"POV-Ray 3D Car Modeler"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

Abstract: (show) (hide)

There is no POV-Ray 3D car model application that is readily available in a web centric format. The lack of a user friendly platform, available anywhere, presents a problem for those that do not possess the computing power or know how to create a model car in a code driven environment. To counter this issue we constructed a mobile web platform that is used to generate a 3D model car by interfacing with the ray-tracing application POV-Ray. This platform offers features such as color, texture, background, resolution, viewing angle, and car style selections to craft a unique user designed 3D car model image and/or animation. The produced output by the application is delivered to the user via the web platform. While this platform is delineated for a distinct situation it presents a solution for the specific problem.

Senior Projects, Spring, 2012

Andrew Blowe (BS '12), Richard Garcia (BS '12), Donald Shaner (BS '13)

"Evaluation of Hardware in the Loop Simulations of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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The objective of this project is to compare the fidelity of a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation of an autonomous, fixed wing, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the results being observed in actual flight. To achieve the objective, we converted a remote controlled (R/C) aircraft to an autonomous platform and were able to perform multiple flights and collect actual data. This data was compared and analyzed against a series of simulated flights. The results showed that the HIL can be a good indicator of real life performance, yet it underscored the impact of external, environmental parameters such as the wind and idiosyncrasies of the physical platform that can only be observed during actual flights. Our findings warrant significantly more investigation and flight hours to better benchmark the performance of the physical plane and fine-tune the parameters of the simulated flights.

Allyson Cool (BS '12), Nicole Keller (BS '12), Sam Lewis (BS '12)

"Online Faculty Web Page Generator &' Templates"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

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With the prevalence of personal websites in today's culture it is no surprise that many people want to create and maintain an academic persona online. For people without programming experience this is a daunting task considering many of the tools available to the public today are geared towards a technological audience. For this project we created a slimmed down alternative to current content management systems (CMS). This was done by looking at our targeted audience and limiting the features offered in the CMS to the most essential tools required to make a functioning web site. These features include; creating individual web pages, linking the sites together automatically, media management, and a self contained documentation database. With these features we are able to create a lightweight CMS that provides an easy learning curve with enough customization to allow individual website creation thus matching the needs of the target audience.

Ryan Huffman (BS '12), Craig Rowe (BS '12), Sean Weber (BS '12)

"Senior Project Central"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

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The senior project is one of the most important requirements for a computer science degree because it requires students to compile the larger concepts and practices of their education into one project, showing what has been learned. Along with the programming and technical skills necessary to be successful, these projects require communication, organization, and resources designed for the project. Although websites such as Google Documents and Blackboard provide some of the necessary resources, no currently known website is aimed at providing specific resources for projects of this kind. Senior Project Central compiles these resources into a single website, designed to be easy to use, while allowing users to keep important project documentation in one convenient location. Developed modules such as the gantt chart creator and code execution module allow students to test and develop elements of their projects more efficiently. Senior Project Central is an essential beginning to a global solution to the organization, communication, and documentation problems associated with senior projects. With further development, it can be a permanent solution to some of the underlying issues that can affect senior projects.

Nathan Jacobson (BS '12), Naseem Zietoon (BS '12)

"Choi, the Autonomous Car"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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Our proposal is to adapt a R/C car to move autonomously. This project will have two main components. The first component is the conversion of the R/C Car into a robot. We are going to convert the RC car by adding an Arduino circuit board. This circuit board will allow us to control the DC motor and Servomotor. The DC motor controls the speed of the vehicle and direction forward/reverse. The servomotor controls the steering of the vehicle in degrees. The second component of the project will be to have the car be able to navigate autonomously. The car will take input from different types of sensors to handle the autonomous navigation. Based on what sensors we use, the R/C car will use the inputs from the sensors we use to make its own decisions as it navigates.

Kathleen Kaas (BS '12), Adam Stauffer (BS '12)

"Vulnerability Assessment and Reporting Tool"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

Abstract: (show) (hide)

Vulnerability scanners are widely used as an Information Assurance tool to detect and provide remedies to computer system security vulnerabilities. The process for collecting and analyzing the results from these scanners has previously depended upon a time consuming and error prone manual process. Accordingly, there is a need for a more automated process to eliminate the possibility of human error in such critical systems. The objective of this software project is to develop a software platform and process that enables the automatic parsing and analysis of the information provided by the vulnerability scanner results. Additionally, this platform provides extensive reporting capabilities that allow the generation of short and long term trending reports from multiple vulnerability scanners. The overall platform provides a solution able to handle files from various vulnerability scanners and output the applicable data in a standardized, and easy to identify and prioritize format. The overall benefit from this software platform is an increase in productivity, efficiency and reliability in collecting, summarizing, and analyzing the output of multiple vulnerability scanners.

Ryan Kane (BS '13), Richard Orndorff (BS '12)

"SEMRS: Secure Electronic Medical Records System"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Aijuan Dong

Abstract: (show) (hide)

SEMRS was designed specifically for the Mitchell's Plain Community Health Centre (MCHC), located in Cape Town, South Africa. MCHC's HIV/AIDS clinic caters to 2,976 patients with a current rate of 38 new enrollments for treatment per month. The existing medical record management system is paper-based and often leads to the loss or damage of patient files. This compromises the confidentiality of patient information, as well as the integrity of treatment. The objective of SEMRS is to address this problem by deploying a system that is user friendly and allows medical staff to enter patient information in real time so that records can be stored electronically and become immediately available through the internet. This project does not intend to eliminate paper files, but focuses on ensuring the safety of patient files and information to improve the overall treatment process at MCHC. This system is easy to use, and utilizes SSL encryption to ensure data safety and enforce patient confidentiality. Future work and improvements to this system could include the ability to upload existing multimodal patient?s medical records, and allow physicians and pharmacists to add/update patient prescriptions.

Senior Projects, Spring, 2011

Jessica Baumel (BS, '11) and Corrie Myers (BS, '11)

"Interactive POV-Ray Tutorial"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

Abstract: (show) (hide)

POV-Ray is a free ray-tracing program that can be used to produce high-quality 3D images. Although users can consult the official POV-Ray documentation, there are no tutorials that provide hands-on learning with the program. Using a three-tiered architecture and a previously existing interactive POV-Ray tutorial as a guide, we created an interactive web-based tutorial that allows users to learn the basic functions of the program, such as lighting, textures, and creation of basic shapes. Even though it only covers the basics, the final result serves as a good foundation for future content and improvements.

Nicholas Case (BS, '11) and Daniel Thamert (BS, '11)

"Program Submission Portal"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

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Web-based applications that involve file transfer of files containing scripts that run on the server are susceptible to specific vulnerabilities. Current applications avoid these vulnerabilities by preventing the upload of files by file-type or by converting file-types during transfer. The goal was to design a file portal that allowed these vulnerable file-types to be uploaded while maintaining security. To achieve this, files that are uploaded are scanned for keywords defined by the administrator of the system. File-lines that contain these keywords are converted to comment lines that are not read explicitly by the server. Through this method, we developed a secure environment for file transfer that involves minimal alterations to the file and leaves the file-type intact. The security portion of the portal is designed in a modular fashion and may be implemented in larger systems; however, as input file-size and the keyword file-size increases, efficiency is sacrificed. In systems where security is more important than efficiency, this application may secure against more vulnerabilities than most.

David Cope (BS, '11) and Airrick Woolen (BS, '11)

"Solar Image Analysis Proposal"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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Briannica Harper-Sampson (BS, '11)

"Veterans' Insurance Expenditure Database"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Aijuan Dong

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Jared King (BS, '11)

"On-line Image Rendering Tutorial"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

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James Scott McLemore (BS, '11)

"A tasking algorithm to control a simulated autonomous robot "
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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Valentine Polii (BS, '11) and Laura Schanno (BS, '11)

"Hood College Course Assessment Site"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

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Senior Projects, Fall, 2010

David Blowe (BS, '11)

"Digital Reconstruction of a Roman corbita using POV-Ray"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

Joyce Kelly (BS, '11)

"CS Technical Writing Portfolio"
Faculty Advisor: Mr. John Boon

Asma Khan (BS, '11)

"Web-based Bibliography"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ahmed Salem

Soofia Mujeeb (BS, '11)

"Implementing a Face Detection Program using OpenCV"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Aijuan Dong

Senior Projects, Spring, 2010

Left to right: Adam Gilbert, Carlin Rabie, Marcus Thomas, Sam Stansfield, Nick Burdette, Jeff Balinsky.

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Jeffrey Balinsky (BS, '10)

"Elevation-based Shortest Path Algorithms"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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This project implemented elevation-based shortest path algorithms for street navigation on a Droid smartphone. Typical GPS applications provide the shortest paths between any two geographic points, which works well for automobile navigation, but falls short when mobility is not mechanized (e.g. riding a bicycle, walking or riding a skateboard). The project demonstrated that it is possile to generate optimal directions while considering elevation changes in the terrain.

Nicholas Burdette (BS, '10)

"A Gaming Environment for Creating Interactive Fiction"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Chang

Abstract: (show) (hide)

Video game engines are used to quickly and easily create a new game by reusing code for the commonly required elements of these games. This project covers the generation of grid based maps with sprite based graphics, generation of computer controlled characters, and basic battle functions. Having these three elements allows the user to add new maps and characters to the game easier than if they had to program all of these elements from scratch. The maps and characters are generated by adding the relevant information to text files which are read by the game engine. The language used for this basic game engine is Java.

Adam D. Gilbert (BS, '10)

"Content-Based Image Retrieval"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Xinlian Liu

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Content-based image retrieval analyzes the features of an image in order to identify similar images, which could replace the practice of finding similar images based on tags or captions, which can be time-consuming and costly to create. This study develops a system for training a system to be able to recover similar images based on the image features as well as user feedback. This system is based on systems that have been developed before that represented images based on their relevance to other images within a database. It looks to expand upon those methodologies by also accounting for the images within the database to which an image is not relevant. The study found success using this method, with one test yielding 99.81% retrieval accuracy. This study should be helpful to others looking to develop systems for content-based image retrieval.

Olabusayo A. Kilo (BS, '10)

"Digital Mammograph Classification"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Aijuan Dong

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Because breast cancer is one of the leading public health issues today, accurate mammogram classification is an essential aspect to their survival. Unfortunately, the estimated accuracy of radiologist's mammogram classification is only 75%. Computed Aided Detection systems, using Digitized Mammograms, is hence indispensable to the field, as it increases the sensitivity of the mammogram classification. In this paper, we introduce an automated cropping mechanism and compare four image enhancement techniques, extracting intensity and texture based features from them, and running the data through a K-Neighbors classifier to evaluate their effectiveness. We specifically evaluated 4 methods of histogram equalization, Local histogram equalization, global histogram equalization, Adaptive histogram equalization and Multi-peak Generalized histogram equalization (MPGHE). The last , which was implemented by us, is not the full algorithm, but experimental results indicate it still had a favorable effect on the system. Experimental results also indicate that Adaptive Histogram Equalization fared best, followed by Global histogram equalization and MPGHE, with local histogram equalization coming in worst.

Carlin J. Rabie (BS, '11)

"Gesture to Sign Language Translator"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ahmed Salem

Abstract: (show) (hide)

The goal of this project was to develop an alternative way for deaf and hearing impaired people to communicate to large audiences. During presentations, deaf or hearing impaired people would be required to sit in the front most rows in order to receive the message presented by the speaker. This project would make use of the P5 glove to interpret the sign language alphabet and use a JAVA program to display the characters signed by the user. First, each letter of the alphabet was broken down in to sequences of finger bends and then a program in JAVA was written to take that character and display it in an Applet. Some of the problems I encountered were that the P5 glove was not sensitive enough to distinguish some letters with similar hand gestures. Interfacing between two unrelated things and accounting for limitations that I am not familiar with takes very creative thinking. This project could be very useful if it were implemented at any scale.

Samuel A. Stansfield (BS, '10)

"The Hood College Weather Station"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. George Dimitoglou

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The purpose of the weather station is twofold: first, to provide up to the date local information and second, to establish an easily accessible archive of weather data. The station at Hood College consists of the following components: the weather station instruments and corresponding software, the data repository and a website. An underlying data flow architecture connects these components to provide a user-friendly site that allows viewing current campus conditions, identifying extreme weather conditions (e.g. historically high and low temperatures), accessing and downloading archived data, and even providing some rudimentary dynamic charting capabilities for the visual representation of data.

Marcus Thomas (BS, '10)

"Performance Analysis Of Distributed Databases"
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Aijuan Dong

Abstract: (show) (hide)

As society and technology advance, our reliance on data grows ever more. The ability to quickly store, access, and manipulate data is becoming essential in the world today. As the focus on the reliability and availability is quickly growing, distributed databases are a way to satisfy these needs as they provide greater access and reliability of data than non-distributed databases. This project is a look at the performance analysis part of the process a company makes when evaluating the best way to house their data. The project focuses on two databases, a MySQL Cluster and a Greenplum Database. The MySQL Cluster is an open source database where as the Greenplum Database is said to be high-end. The two data databases are compared on query runtime performance of data loading, simple select queries, and aggregate queries. The results showed the load times of one gigabyte files taking up to several hours for the Greenplum Database and only minutes for the MySQL Cluster. The simple select query results showed the MySQL Cluster taking nearly a minute per transaction and the Greenplum achieving an average of around five seconds per transaction. Aggregate queries were roughly the same as the simple select query for both systems, the MySQL ran from a fifty seconds to a minute and a half for each query while the Greenplum took only seven to eight seconds. No concise conclusion could be drawn as various system restrictions impacted the results, however, the data shows that given the limitations of the environment the systems were built under, the Greenplum Database?s query performance was greater than the MySQL Cluster?s but the MySQL Cluster?s load times were far better than the Greenplum Database?s. MySQL Cluster is a good option for storing critical data that needs to be accessed quickly from anywhere if you have the resources so that the data can be stored in-memory. A Greenplum Database is a good option if you have large amounts of data (terabytes to petabytes) that need to be readily available and accessed quickly.

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Senior Projects, Spring, 2009

Earl Davis (BS, '09)

"Simulation and Analysis of Congestion and Traffic Control in Greedy Networks"
Faculty Advisors: Dimitoglou, Salem
Paper Abstract (pdf, 36K).

Ryan Eaton (BS, '09)

"The Nintendo Wii and its Application Towards The Interactive Classroom"
Faculty Advisor: Salem
Presentation (pdf, 0.8Mb).

Kyle Huyser (BS, '09)

"superBlazer: Building Hood's First Supercomputer" (Honors Project)
Faculty Advisor: Dimitoglou
Presentation (pdf, 1Mb).

Kristopher Reese (BS, '09, BA, '09)

"Gaming Concepts in Accessible HCI for bare-hand Computer Interaction"
Faculty Advisors: Salem, Dimitoglou
Paper Abstract (pdf, 34K).

Eric Walton (BS, '09)

"The Harold Weisberg Archive—Digital Collection"
Faculty Advisor: Dimitoglou
Presentation (pdf, 5.9Mb).
See the archive at http://jfk.hood.edu.

Senior Projects, Spring, 2008

Left to right: William Bonde, Tym Butler, Dan Larson, Paul Bartholomew, Jason Ruvinsky, and Adam Tolley.

William Bonde (BS, '08)

Topic: "Feature Extraction Using Connected Component Labeling".
Faculty advisor: Dimitoglou.
Paper Abstract (pdf, 50K).

Tym Butler (BS, '08)

Topic: "Approximating a One-Time Pad Using a Genetic Algorithm".
Faculty advisors: Salem, Dimitoglou.
Paper Abstract (pdf, 48K).

Dan Larson (BS, '08)

Topic: "A word guessing game engine using Genetic algorithms".
Faculty advisors: Salem, Dimitoglou.
Paper Abstract (pdf, 48K).

Jason Ruvinsky (BS, '08), Paul Bartholomew (BS, '08)

Topic: "Cube World: Game Design Using A 3D Engine".
Faculty advisor: Myers.
Presentation (pdf, 244K).

Adam Tolley (BS, '08)

Topic: "Robotics Platform Development".
Faculty advisor: Dimitoglou.
Presentation (pdf, 1.9Mb).

Senior Projects, Spring, 2007

Eric Whitenton (BS, '07)

Topic: "A Novel Peak Detection Algorithm Used in the Study of Machining Chip Segmentation".
Faculty advisor: Salem.
Additional info: Project results were published in CAINE 2007 - the 20th International Conference On Computer Applications In Industry And Engineering of the International Society for Computers and their Applications (ISCA). Paper Abstract (pdf, 10K).

Mayuran Thurairatnam (BS, '07)

Topic: "Lighting Using Spherical Harmonics".
Faculty advisors: Chang, Dimitoglou.
Additional Info: Final Project Report (pdf, 393K).

Cory Petosky (BS, '07)

Topic: "Open 2Dimensional Development (o2d) Project".
Faculty advisor: Dimitoglou.
Additional Info: Project Proposal (pdf, 24K); Sourceforge o2d project site.