Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

Previous research has indicated an increasing need for intelligent automated design. The contention of this project is that Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) techniques can be used to mimic the process of map design in cartography. A suitable environment for such a map system is considered. Attention is focused on methods for identifying and resolving conflicts that occur when spatial data are displayed using cartographic techniques. The research attempts to find a suitable mechanism for describing and identifying spatial conflicts and serves to focus attention on exactly what makes good map design. It appears that human judgement of design requires the understanding of the map as a whole and is based on geographical knowledge and an understanding of spatial processes. This is in addition to the knowledge of design and perception of maps. An appropriate method of description enables evaluation and assessment of the graphic. The potential spatial conflicts that can occur in a map, along with possible solutions for resolving those conflicts, are identified. Automated techniques were devised for identifying features in proximity and resolving those clusters by application of cartographic license (localized feature displacement). Following from this the knowledge governing the use of all generalization techniques is identified and explicitly itemized. A suitable taxonomy of rules is investigated and the knowledge implemented in a rule based system called CLARITY. The rules base contains over one hundred rules. The results and evaluation of the implementation, together with suggested further work conclude this project.

by Siu Hon-chung. / Bibliography: leaves [63]-[64] / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1985

Summary in Chinese. / Thesis (MBA)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: l. 111.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are quickly becoming ubiquitous in commercial and military applications. As the use of such devices increases their reliability becomes of great importance. Although there has been significant research in the areas of MEMS errors, there is a lack of work regarding long term reliability of packaged systems. Residual thermomechanical stresses might relax over time which affects physical distances within a package, ultimately influencing the performance of a device. One reason that there has not been sufficient work performed on the long-term effects on structures might be the lack of a tool capable of characterizing the effects. MEMS devices have been measured for shape and its changes using interferometric techniques for some time now. Commercially available systems are able to make high resolution measurements, however they might lack loading options. To study aging effects on components a test might need to run continuously for days or weeks, with systematic operations performed throughout the process. Such a procedure is conducive to an automated data acquisition system. A system has been developed at WPI using a Twyman-Green interferometer and a custom software suite. The abilities of this system are demonstrated through analysis performed on MEMS tuning fork gyroscope (TFG) sensors. Specifically, shape is recorded to investigate die bond relaxation as a function of time and thermal cycle. Also presented are measurements made using stroboscopic illumination on operating gyroscopes, in situ. The effect of temperature on the performance of the sensors is investigated using a customized precision rate table.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries