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Mit der zunehmenden Verfügbarkeit von Technologien zur Aufnahme von digitalen Oberflächenmodellen nimmt auch die Analyse dieser stetig an Bedeutung zu. Über LiDAR Scanner lassen sich genaue Aufnahmen in Form von Ansammlungen von Punkten im dreidimensionalen Raum (Punktwolken) anfertigen und können schließlich visualisiert werden, wodurch gewöhnliche Darstellungen von Landschaften um die dritte Dimension erweitert werden. Durch den Prozess der semantischen Klassifizierung werden diesen Punkten Bedeutungen zugewiesen, was bei weiterer Arbeit mit ihnen schließlich eine isolierte Darstellung und die Verarbeitung einzelner Klassen ermöglicht, sodass eine große Landschaft schneller und effektiver manuell oder automatisch evaluiert werden kann. Aufgrund von variierenden Eigenschaften einzelner Modelle ist die maschinelle semantische Klassifizierung eine Problemstellung, welche jedoch oftmals individuelle Lösungen benötigt. In dieser Arbeit werden diverse Ansätze zur Klassifizierung von Punktwolken beschrieben und anhand der Anwendungsmöglichkeiten eingeschätzt. Schließlich wird ein heuristisches Hybrid-Verfahren vorgestellt, welches im Rahmen des Projekts „SARDINE“ (Smart Regional Development Infrastructure) entstanden ist und eine vollständige semantische Klassifizierung digitaler Oberflächenmodelle ermöglicht.:Einleitung 1.1 Zielsetzung und Motivation 1.2 Aufbau der Arbeit Aktuelle Lösungen und deren Möglichkeiten 2.1 Oberflächenmodelle von Landschaften 2.2 Klassifizierung digitaler Oberflächenmodelle 2.3 Techniken aktueller kommerzieller Software 2.4 Problematik der Klassifizierung mit maschinellem Lernen Entwicklung eines Hybrid-Verfahrens 3.1 Heuristische Parameterwahl 3.2 Vollständige Klassifizierung der Testdaten 3.2.1 Erstellen eines digitalen Geländemodells 3.2.2 Gebäude 3.2.3 Hochspannungsleitungen und Freileitungsmasten 3.2.4 Fahrzeuge und Straßenlaternen 3.2.5 Vegetation 3.2.6 Gewässer 3.2.7 Boden und Straßen 3.2.8 Mauern, Zäune und sonstige linear verlaufende Objekte 3.2.9 Fertigstellung 3.3 Verwendete Sprache, Bibliotheken und Datenstrukturen 3.4 Dynamisierung statischer Parameter 3.5 Maschinelles Lernen Evaluation des Hybrid-Verfahrens 4.1 Analyse der Ergebnisse 4.2 Schwachstellen der Konzepte 4.3 Verbesserungspotential 4.4 Fazit Literaturverzeichnis

The overall baseline (as received) moisture, protein and fat content of hybrid catfish (Ictalurus furcatus x Ictalurus punctatus) fillets were 77.8 +/- 1.38%, 16.7 +/- 0.50% and, 5.7 +/- 1.6%, respectively. Small fillets (111 +/- 19 g) had higher (P≤0.05) baseline moisture (78.6 +/- 0.87% vs 76.8 +/- 1.15%) and lower (P≤0.05) fat content (4.7 +/- 0.64% vs 6.8 +/- 1.72%) than large fillets (247 +/- 62 g), whereas protein content was similar (P>0.05) for both sizes. Retained water of the final fresh and frozen fillets was 1.2 +/- 2.03% and 3.1 +/- 1.02%, respectively, irrespective of fillet size. Psychrotrophic (PPC) and total coliform plate counts (TCC) of the baseline fillets were 4 log CFU/g and 1.6 log CFU/g, respectively and were not different between the process steps, except after injection which was higher (P>0.05) than baseline. Moisture-protein ratio and fat content were good (P≤0.05) predictors for retained water in catfish fillets during processing.

The estimated lifespan of a building today is only 50 years. They are often designed down to the minimum for a specific target group or one specific use. In many cases constructed with load-bearing walls that divide function-specified rooms, making conversion into any other form of function impossible. Locking buildings to a specific function is not very clever, as buildings are subject to a wide range of trends and changes.  The goal of this project has been to investigate how the built environment can be resilient to changing societal trends to avoid becoming obsolete and in the worst case having to be demolished. This leads to the question of how a building can be designed to enable change and how to build and plan a building when its future use and users are unknown.

The goal of this research was to better understand blended learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The investigator examined blended learning from the institutional, faculty, and student perspectives in an attempt to capture the complexities of this learning environment. For the institutional perspective, models emerged that were critical to the development of UCF's initiative and ongoing support of both fully online and blended courses. The individual faculty perspective outlined unique characteristics of one blended course, HFT4932 - Exploring Wines of the World. The professor explained his/her choices and reasons for an instructional model as well as why the blended format was selected. The student perspective indexed student attitudes toward blended classes at UCF. Students continued to report high overall satisfaction with blended courses as well as high levels of quality interaction among students and with faculty. However, there continued to be a downward trend in satisfaction levels with younger generations of students. Students still reported convenience and flexibility as their primary reasons for taking blended courses. Many students viewed the blended format as a way to become active participants in their learning thereby developing new learning skills. Infrequently, technology difficulties were reported. Challenges for students were time management and poor course organization. Web-based instructional delivery is still relatively new with a growing need for models that provide guidelines and strategies for instructors. The investigator suggests the possibility that this study serve as a model for a blended learning assessment for other institutions.

The increasing demand for sustainable transportation solutions has led to the rapid evolution of hybrid and electric vehicles. This thesis, undertaken as part of the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, presents the development and implementation of a control system for a P4 parallel through-the-road hybrid electric vehicle. A comprehensive vehicle model was developed using MATLAB Simulink. This model was used to model overall vehicle performance and component-specific performance throughout the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge and served as the foundation for the subsequent stages of control system development. Extensive component and vehicle testing formed the crux of this thesis. These bench tests provide invaluable data that aided in the implementation of the component control loops into the MAC Team vehicle. On-road vehicle testing further refined the energy management strategy, drivability, and charge sustaining of the high voltage battery. The vehicle control system has 10 control modules that successfully operated the MAC Team vehicle for over 1500km on public roads. The methodologies and findings can guide future projects aiming to optimize hybrid vehicle performance. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / With hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles rising in popularity, the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge and its sponsors created an opportunity for McMaster University and 10 other universities across North America to modify a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer into a hybrid electric vehicle. This thesis focuses on the development of the control strategy for the McMaster University vehicle. A mathematical vehicle model was developed to run vehicle simulations in order to evaluate vehicle performance and the performance of individual components. Individual components were tested in order to develop control loops for these components. These control loops and other control modules were used during vehicle testing. On-road vehicle testing refined the vehicle control strategy evidenced by the over 1500km driven on public roads.

Syftet med kandidatprojektet 2023 var att rita en hybrid byggnad för folket. Vi studenter fick fritt välja en plats inom Nynäshamns kommun. Inför projektet studerade vi olika folkets hus, men uppgiften i sig uppmuntrade oss att tänka utanför det klassiska folkets hus-programmet. Såtillvida innebar projektet mycket ansvar och frihet för oss studenter att själva analysera och delta i sociala, kulturella och ekologiska frågor.  Mitt förslag ligger i Sorunda, en mindre tätort i Nynäshamns kommun som kännetecknas av vidsträckta åkermarker och en gammal bygd med en medeltida kyrka som knutpunkt. Förslaget har jag valt att kalla Sub-Bas, då det är ett musikhus kombinerat med skyddsrum som är utformade enligt MSBs standard.  Den främsta anledningen till att jag valde att kombinera skyddsrum med olika musikaktiviteter var på grund av skyddsrummets ljudisolerande förmåga. Efter lite eftersökningar fick jag också veta att Sorunda saknade musikskola och den närmsta låg i Nynäshamn 20 kilometer bort.  Jag fick idén att rita skyddsrum på grund av det nuvarande oroliga läget med flera krig runt om i världen. Mitt huvudsakliga mål var att rita ett hus för folket som fungerar både i fredstid och krigstid. Generellt är skyddsrummen i Sverige belägna i källare i flerbostadshus och används som förråd av de boende. Vem som helst ska kunna söka skydd i skyddsrummen, oavsett vart man bor eller om man har svenskt medborgarskap eller inte. Men eftersom dessa utrymmen i fredstid tillhör de boende kan utomstående känna sig ovälkomna och obekanta med skyddsrummen. Men i mitt förslag är syftet att skyddsrummen i fredstid ska användas av allmänheten, och förhoppningsvis kan alla känna tillhörighet till och vara välbekanta med skyddsrummen även i krigstid. / The criteria for the 2023 bachelor degree project was to design a hybrid house for the people. The site was free of choice within Nynäshamn municipality. For references we studied people's houses around the world, but the project itself was supposed to be open for interpretations beyond the traditional people's houses. Therefore the project gave us as students a lot of freedom and responsibility to research and engage in social, cultural and environmental issues.  For my proposal I chose a site located in Sorunda, a smaller locality in Nynäshamn municipality. Sorunda is characterized by its surrounding fields and the medieval church. My proposal is called Sub-Bas (eng. Sub-Bass) as it is a music centre combined with bomb/fallout shelters according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency's requirements.  One of the reasons why I chose to combine the bomb shelters with music activity was because the bomb shelter's structure is sound proof. Through research I also saw a need for more music spaces in Sorunda, as the closest music school is located in Nynäshamn city 20 kilometers away.  The idea to design bomb shelters for the people was highly influenced by the ongoing wars around the world. My main goal was to design a house for the people in peacetime as well as wartime. Typically most bomb shelters in Sweden are located in the basements of apartment buildings. The bomb shelters are supposed to be for anyone, regardless of where you live and your nationality. But because these spaces in peacetime already belong to the habitants of the apartments, it might make other people feel not welcomed or unfamiliar with the bomb shelters. But in my proposal the bomb shelters are open to the public in peacetime as well, and therefore I hope it can create a sense of belonging and familiarity even in wartime.

This thesis introduces an innovative approach for enhancing the characterization of radiation field quality through microdosimetry. Over the past 30 years, clinical results have shown that ion therapy may be a superior treatment option for several types of cancer, including recurrent cancers, compared to conventional radiation. Despite these promising results, there are still several treatment uncertainties related to biological and physical processes that prevent the full exploitation of particle therapy. Among the physical characterizations, it is paramount to measure the quality of the irradiating field in order to link the biological effect to its physical description. In this way, uncertainties in treatment can be reduced and outcomes optimized. One tool for studying the radiation field that has become increasingly important in the last decade is microdosimetry . Over the last years, microdosimetry has proved to be a superior tool for describing radiation quality, especially when compared to standard reference quantities used nowadays in the clinic. In microdosimetry, the fundamental quantity is the lineal energy y, defined as the energy deposition in the detector divided by the Mean Chord Length (MCL): an approximation used to estimate the track length traveled by radiation in the detector, valid in an isotropic, uniform radiation field. As a consequence, microdosimeters has evolved in obtaining the best possible energy release estimation, without improving the accuracy of the MCL approximation. Measuring the Real Track Length (RTL) traveled by the particle inside the detector could provide a better description of the radiation quality. In fact, from a biological perspective, it is critical if a large amount of energy is released over a long particle track, or if it is extremely dense over a small particle track. If the energy released is more dense, the biological damage induced is likely to be more complex and therefore more significant. For these reasons, a novel approach to microdosimetry is presented that considers the RTL in the radiation quality description. The first chapter of the thesis presents standard microdosimetry and its main quantities. A special emphasis is given to the microdosimeter used in this work, i.e. the TEPC or Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter, a gas microdosimeter that is equivalent in terms of energy deposition to 2 um of tissue. A comprehensive characterization of the TEPC response to different ions and energies can be found in the literature. A topic missing in the literature is the investigation of the TEPC response to clinical protons of different particles rates. A section is dedicated to the TEPC detector response to pileup. Pileup occurs where two or more energy deposition events are processed together, disrupting the normal signal processing. By exposing the TEPC to particles rates ranging from few particles per seconds to 106 particles per second, it was possible to estimate the distortion of the acquired spectra due to pileup. On the other hand, by using Monte Carlo simulations, it was possible to reproduce the effect of pileup on microdosimetric spectra. Using a quantitative approach, the experimental spectra measured at different particles rate and the spectra simulated at a different pileup probability are matched based on a similarity criteria. In this way, it was possible to build a particle rate-pileup curve for the TEPC, used to quantify the pileup probability contribution. More in general, this approach could be extended and used to other microdosimeters. The acquisition of the data in pileup condition is sometimes inevitable, and some microdosimeters are more likely to suffer from high particle rates. With this part of the thesis, I aim to provide a tool to acquire microdosimetric spectra even in pileup condition. A description of the TEPC acquisition chain is provided in the next section. This is an important topic as any further integration or improvement will require the modification of at least one element of the acquisition. Then, the typical data analysis carried out on the microdosimetric spectra is presented, together with the calibration procedure of the TEPC detector based on Monte Carlo simulation using Geant4. Finally, I provide an overview of the software Mandarina, which is the implemented Graphical User Interface (GUI), written in C# language, and developed specifically to analyze the experimental microdosimetric data. By using this software, users can build a microdosimetric spectra starting from raw acquired data. In addition, the software provides the ability to modify key acquisition parameters and provides real-time feedback on how the microdosimetric spectra change under these modifications. Then, I introduce the concept of Hybrid Detector of Microdosimetry (HDM). HDM is composed of a commercial TEPC, and 4 layers of Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs). LGADs are silicon detectors featuring an internal gain by exploring the avalanche effect. This makes them suitable to detect particles with a broad range of energy release in the silicon. A detailed description of how the LGADs detect ionizing radiation is provided in this work. LGADs are used in the HDM as a tracking component, capable of reconstructing the particle trajectories inside the TEPC. In this way, instead of relying on the MCL approximation to calculate the value of y, it is possible to define a new quantity: yr. yr differs from the standard y because it uses the real track length instead of the mean chord length approximation. Next, a preliminary Geant4-based study for optimizing the detector geometry is discussed. Tracking capability and simulated microdosimetric spectra with the estimated track length were assessed and are presented in this thesis. To experimentally realize HDM, the acquisition chain of the TEPC must be upgraded since the original acquisition system cannot directly integrate the tracking information from the LGADs strips. A chapter of this work is dedicated to the implementation of the new acquisition system, which allows for the digitalization of the time series signal produced by the detector. The system is based on an Eclypse-Z7 FPGA development board which can host up to 4 Analog to Digital Converters (ADC). Following a bottom-up approach, this chapter describes first the main characteristics of the signal to be digitized. An overview of the Eclypse-Z7 development board with its main capabilities is provided. Finally, the controller in charge of driving the ADC is described. Being a Zynq FPGA, both Programming Logic (PL) and Processing System (PS) need to be programmed. The PL is responsible for driving the ADC at a low level, controlling the triggering and the data flow to the PS. The PS hosts a custom Linux distribution with the task of supervising the acquisition by setting the main parameters, like the number of samples to acquire, the trigger condition and position with respect to the acquisition window. The PS is also responsible for storing the data safely into an SD card connected to the Eclypse-Z7. With a fully customizable system, it is then possible to integrate other systems by properly synchronizing the acquisition with other devices. In the specific case of HDM, a correspondence between the energy release and the LGAD-based tracking component needs to be implemented. Once the time series is properly acquired, the data analysis needs to be developed. A specific section of the thesis is dedicated to this important task, as the correct processing of the signals is a requirement to obtain robust microdosimetric spectra. The time series processing features a classification algorithm that allows to identify artifacts of the acquired signals, such as saturation, double hits and noisy signals. Once the time series are correctly processed and the relevant information is extracted, it is possible to calculate the microdosimetric spectra. In this acquisition chain the detector signal is processed with 3 different levels of gain, obtaining the same version of the signal but with different amplification. In this way it is possible to span a large dynamic range while maintaining the required resolution typical of microdosimetry. However, the three signals must be then joined together to span the required dynamic range. This process goes under the name of intercalibration and has a dedicated section in the chapter. Once the signals are intercalibrated, it is necessary to apply a calibration. The new calibration process developed within this work differs from the previously adopted calibration method based on Monte Carlo simulation, and is described in detail. Finally, the spectra obtained with the new acquisition are compared to those obtained with the original acquisition chain. The next chapter is dedicated to the LGAD readout. Again, following a bottom up approach, an introduction to the LGAD signal is provided. This readout acquisition chain is already partially available since it has been developed by the INFN-TO (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) of Turin. For the first stage of signal processing, two main components developed by the aforementioned INFN-TO are available: the ABACUS chip and the ESA_ABACUS printed circuit board (PCB) board. The ABACUS chip is an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) designed to process directly the small signal coming from the LGADs strips. At each activation of one LGAD strip, a digital signal is generated. Each ABACUS is capable of handling up to 24 LGADs strips and can adjust the threshold of each channel within a limited range. Threshold adjustment is required to separate the signal from the noise, as it is expected that all the channels do not share a common threshold due to their specific noise. The ABACUS PCB has been developed to physically host up to 6 ABACUS chips plus the LGAD sensor. It is equipped with an internal DAC (Digital to Analog Converted) used to set a common threshold for all 24 channels managed by one ABACUS chip. In this way, a common threshold can be selected using the ABACUS DAC, and then, to satisfy the specific needs of each channel, the ABACUS chip is used. In order to program the thresholds, the manufacturer required specific serial communication protocols. It is necessary to integrate this communication protocol into the acquisition system. To meet these requirements, I developed an FPGA-based readout system capable of processing the signal from the ABACUS chip and setting the threshold for each channel. I describe in detail the implementation of such a system in a dedicated chapter, again following a bottom-up approach starting from the PL, and moving to the PS. In a specific section, I show how the communication protocol has been implemented and tested and how the fast digital pulses, coming from the ABACUS chip, are processed in the PL. I also describe how the PS system was built. As in the case of the new TEPC acquisition, a Linux system was run on the PS. This made it easier for the end user to work with the acquired data and threshold controls. The movement of data from the PL to the PS is accomplished using DMA or Direct Memory Access. This is a critical component because it allows fast (within one clock cycle) data transfer from the PL to the user in the PS. The implementation of such architecture is quite complex and demands both knowledge in advanced electronics and Linux systems. In fact, the DMA requires the implementation of a Linux kernel driver to correctly move the data. This process is described in a dedicated section of this thesis. With this implementation design in the FPGA it was possible to acquire the signal from 24 LGADs strips and control the thresholds. An experimental campaign was conducted at the proton therapy center in Trento where the whole acquisition system was tested extensively. The results are reported in a dedicated section of this thesis. All the signals coming from the protons with energies ranging from 70 to 228 MeV were correctly discriminated, proving that the readout system can work with protons of clinical energies. Finally, thermal tests were conducted on the acquisition setups since during the experimental campaign some thermal drifts of the baseline were observed. The test results are shown in a dedicated section of this thesis. Finally, I included a chapter on discussion on the results achieved and on future perspective.

This thesis presents advancements in the development of hybrid and data-driven models of distillation columns. First, it introduces a hybrid model structure that incorporates a novel multiplicative correction term for inferential monitoring. This model architecture outperforms previous hybrid structures, especially in extrapolation conditions, and can be adapted for different conditions. Second, it presents a methodology for selecting temperature measurement for inferential models. This methodology demonstrates that nonlinear columns can be effectively modeled with linear models requiring two temperature measurements per section (previous works state requiring more) when the measurements are selected systematically. Finally, an iterative Real-Time Optimization (RTO) based on an augmented inferential data-driven model is demonstrated. The accuracy of the model enables estimation of the sensitivity matrix of the plant from the model without the need for additional plant measurements. The proposed RTO framework produces results similar to those achieved by optimizing rigorous tray to tray distillation models. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy / This thesis presents advancements in the development of hybrid and data-driven models of distillation columns. First, it introduces a hybrid model structure that incorporates a novel multiplicative correction term for inferential monitoring. This model architecture outperforms previous hybrid structures, especially in extrapolation conditions, and can be adapted for different conditions. Second, it presents a methodology for selecting temperature measurement for inferential models. This methodology demonstrates that nonlinear columns can be effectively modeled with linear models requiring two temperature measurements per section (previous works state requiring more) when the measurements are selected systematically. Finally, an iterative Real-Time Optimization (RTO) based on an augmented inferential data-driven model is demonstrated. The accuracy of the model enables estimation of the sensitivity matrix of the plant from the model without the need for additional plant measurements. The proposed RTO framework produces results similar to those achieved by optimizing rigorous tray to tray distillation models.

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