On a larger scope, improving the hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) could address the public concern on climate changes and environmental issues. While ongoing research at the University of Waterloo targets improving HEVs and EVs through studying their various components, there was a pressing need to develop setups or tools to assist in the progress of this research. Hence, the primary problem at hand was the time-consuming and costly procedure of developing individual experimental setups/tools for the proposed experiments. The approach taken to solve these interconnected challenges was the design and development of a modular test bench capable of running various hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) studies on HEV powertrain components. The HIL approach was adopted in order to increase the accuracy of computer-generated simulations through the use of physical components in combination with software simulations. MATLAB Simulink software was employed to create the models and programs, which were then downloaded to dSPACE, a device employed to control the various components of the test bench. The scope of this project expanded not only to accommodate specific experimental setups, such as the HWFET drive cycle test, but also to consider modularity requirements that would address unforeseen circumstances and experimental needs. Meeting the modularity requirements would greatly reduce the cost and time needed for running the experiments. As a result of this project, a test bench was developed with four major components: a modular area (for attaching various physical components that comprise the proposed experiment’s setup), a control panel, a dSPACE, and the electrical energy supply and load. Through running various experiments, numerous components of the test bench were characterized. The developed test bench is capable of accommodating various experimental setups as well as producing relevant data for further analysis. The implications of this project are that the ongoing research on HEVs at the University of Waterloo can now employ the test bench to run proposed experiments more effectively in order to obtain more accurate data.

On a larger scope, improving the hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) could address the public concern on climate changes and environmental issues. While ongoing research at the University of Waterloo targets improving HEVs and EVs through studying their various components, there was a pressing need to develop setups or tools to assist in the progress of this research. Hence, the primary problem at hand was the time-consuming and costly procedure of developing individual experimental setups/tools for the proposed experiments. The approach taken to solve these interconnected challenges was the design and development of a modular test bench capable of running various hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) studies on HEV powertrain components. The HIL approach was adopted in order to increase the accuracy of computer-generated simulations through the use of physical components in combination with software simulations. MATLAB Simulink software was employed to create the models and programs, which were then downloaded to dSPACE, a device employed to control the various components of the test bench. The scope of this project expanded not only to accommodate specific experimental setups, such as the HWFET drive cycle test, but also to consider modularity requirements that would address unforeseen circumstances and experimental needs. Meeting the modularity requirements would greatly reduce the cost and time needed for running the experiments. As a result of this project, a test bench was developed with four major components: a modular area (for attaching various physical components that comprise the proposed experiment’s setup), a control panel, a dSPACE, and the electrical energy supply and load. Through running various experiments, numerous components of the test bench were characterized. The developed test bench is capable of accommodating various experimental setups as well as producing relevant data for further analysis. The implications of this project are that the ongoing research on HEVs at the University of Waterloo can now employ the test bench to run proposed experiments more effectively in order to obtain more accurate data.

Today's autonomous robots come in a variety of shapes and sizes from all terrain vehicles clambering over rubble, to robots the size of coffee cups zipping about a laboratory. The diversity of these robots is extraordinary; but so is the diversity of the software created to control them even when the basic tasks many robots undertake are practically the same (such as obstacle detection, tracking, or path planning). It would be beneficial if some reuse of these coded sub-tasks could be achieved. However, most of the present day robot software is monolithic, very specialised and not at all modular, which hinders the reuse and sharing of code between robot platforms. One difficulty is that the hardware details of a robot are usually tightly woven into the high-level controllers. When these details are not decoupled and explicitly encapsulated, the entire code set must be revised if the robot platform changes. An even bigger challenge is that a robot is a context-aware device. Hence, the possible interpretations of the state of the robot and its environment vary along with its context. For example, as the robots differ in size and shape, the meaning of concepts such as direction, speed, and distance can change { objects that are considered far from one robot, might seem near to a much larger robot. When designing reusable robot software, these variable interpretations of the environment must be considered. Similarly, so must variations in context dependent robot instructions { for example, `move fast' has different abstractions; a `virtual robot' layer to manage the robot's platform abstractions; and high-level abstraction components that are used to describe the state of the robot and its environment. The prototype is able to support binary code portability and dynamic code extensibility across a range of different robots (demonstrated on eight diverse robot platform configurations). These outcomes significantly ease the burden on robot software developers when deploying a new robot (or even reconfiguring old robots) since high-level binary controllers can be executed unchanged on different robots. Furthermore, since the control code is completely decoupled from the platform information, these concerns can be managed separately, thereby providing a flexible means for managing different configurations of robots. These systems and techniques all improve the robot software design, development, and deployment process. Different meanings depending on the robot's size, environmental context and task being undertaken. What is needed is a unifying cross-platform software engineering approach for robots that will encourage the development of code that is portable, modular and robust. Toward this end, this research presents a complete abstraction model and implementation prototype that contain a suite of techniques to form and manage the robot hardware, platform, and environment abstractions. The system includes the interfaces and software components required for hardware device and operating system abstractions; a `virtual robot' layer to manage the robot's platform abstractions; and high-level abstraction components that are used to describe the state of the robot and its environment. The prototype is able to support binary code portability and dynamic code extensibility across a range of different robots (demonstrated on eight diverse robot platform configurations). These outcomes significantly ease the burden on robot software developers when deploying a new robot (or even reconfiguring old robots) since high-level binary controllers can be executed unchanged on different robots. Furthermore, since the control code is completely decoupled from the platform information, these concerns can be managed separately, thereby providing a flexible means for managing different configurations of robots. These systems and techniques all improve the robot software design, development, and deployment process.

Determining the largest breaking wave height which can occur in water of finite depth is a fundamental reference quantity for the design of coastal structures. Current design guidelines are based on investigations which predominantly used monochromatic waves, thereby neglecting group effects which are inherent to the free propagation of waves in deep water. The Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM) states that wave grouping and its consequences is of significant concern, with breakwater armour damage being generally attributed to higher waves associated with wave groups. However, the CEM also acknowledges that there is little guidance and few formulae for use in practical engineering. This thesis describes a laboratory-based investigation into the effect of wave groupiness on wave shoaling, breaking and surf zone processes. New optical-based techniques for data abstraction, developed within this study, have allowed examination of the interaction between deep water intra-wave group processes and shallow water shoaling processes. The applicability of existing methods for predicting breaking wave height and position is evaluated, along with the implications of groupiness on engineering design in the nearshore. The effect of wave groupiness on overtopping and hazard on emerged rock platforms is similarly assessed. Wave group testing has revealed that the spatial phasing of intra-group processes during shoaling can result in considerably different shoaling and breaking regimes. Under certain regimes, wave breaking occurred further shoreward and in a more plunging manner than under other regimes. Within the mid to inner surf zone, waves were also observed to propagate into shallower water before breaking than is predicted by existing design guidelines. This could result in under-prediction of wave height by up to 100%. Expressions are developed for the prediction of maximum wave heights and surface elevation on plane slopes. These expressions implicitly include non-linear group effects and group-induced water-level variations within the surf zone, and are found to provide conservative upper envelopes for the range of data observed within the current testing regimes. Predictive schemes are similarly developed for overtopping hazard on emerged rock platforms based on critical wave and water-level conditions. Variations in maximum overtopping flow values due to intra-wave group processes of up to +/-35% were found. These group effects were found to reduce by up to 30% the threshold wave conditions before the initiation of hazard.

Master of Engineering (Research) / This thesis, by developing a Miniature Aerial Vehicle (MAV) hovering platform, presents a practical solution to allow researchers and students to implement their theoretical methods for guidance and navigation in the real world. The thesis is not concerned with the development of guidance and navigation algorithms, nor is it concerned with the development of external sensors. There have been some recent advances in guidance and navigation towards developing algorithms and simple sensors for MAVs. The task of developing a platform to test such advancements is the subject of this thesis. It is considered a difficult and time consuming process due to the complexities of autonomous flight control and the strict size, weight and computational requirements of this type of system. It would be highly beneficial to be able to buy a platform specifically designed for this task that already possesses autonomous hovering capability and the expansion connectivity for interfacing your own custom developed sensors and algorithms. Many biological and computer scientists would jump at the opportunity to maximize their research by real world implementation. The development of such a system is not a trivial task. It requires a great deal of understanding in a broad range of fields including; Aeronautical, Microelectronic, Mechanical, Computer and Embedded Software Engineering in order to create a successful prototype. The challenge of this thesis was to design a research platform to enable easy implementation of external sensors and guidance algorithms, in a real world environment for research and education. The system is designed so it could be used for a broad range of testing experiments. After extensive research in current MAV and avionics design it became obvious in several areas the best available products were not sufficient to meet the needs of the proposed platform. Therefore it was necessary to custom design and build; sensors, a data acquisition system and a servo controller. The latter two products are available for sale by Jimonics (www.jimonics.com). It was then necessary to develop a complete flight control system with integrated sensors, processor and wireless communications network which is called ‘The MicroBrain’. ‘The MicroBrain’ board measures only 45mm x 35mm x 11mm and weighs ~11 grams. The coaxial contra-rotating MAV platform design provides a high level of mechanical stability to help minimise the control system complexity. The platform was highly modified from a commercially available remotely controlled helicopter. The system incorporates a novel collision protection system that was designed to also double as a mounting place for external sensors around its perimeter. The platform equipped with ‘The MicroBrain’ is capable of fully autonomous hover. This provides a great base for testing guidance and navigational sensors and algorithms by decoupling the difficult task of platform design and low-level stability control. By developing a platform with these capabilities the researcher can now focus on the guidance and navigation task, as the difficulties in developing a custom platform have been taken care of. This therefore promotes a faster evolution of guidance and navigational control algorithms for MAVs.

Integration has always been an important and tricky task for IT-businesses. There are several products available for solving integration issues, one of them is the long developed platform BizTalk from Microsoft. As cloud computing has grown in recent years, Microsoft has been putting more focus towards the cloud. With their cloud, named Azure, expanding a new integration platform have been released, the iPaaS (integration Platform as a Service) Logic Apps. This report aims to evaluate the integration platforms Logic Apps and BizTalk with the purpose of finding out if the new Logic Apps can replace the long developed BizTalk. The evaluation is performed by implementing an application in both platforms, then evaluating selected parameters by giving each a score to concretize our assessment on quantify whether Logic Apps can replace BizTalk.

Les plates-formes publiques d’accès aux contenus culturels sont aujourd’hui marginales au regard du développement mondial des plates-formes privées. Le modèle du courtage informationnel permet d’observer et de décrire ces plates-formes en analysant la fonction centrale d’intermédiation et son positionnement vis-à-vis de l’amont et de l’aval de la plateforme elle-même. L’analyse des services géoCulture permet de qualifier ces formes publiques de courtage informationnel et de les différencier des plates-formes privées. Remplissant des missions de service public, les plates-formes étudiées se caractérisent par une forte volonté de coopération entre les acteurs et d’éditorialisation des contenus. Leur développement reste cependant freiné par la poursuite d’objectifs divergents voire contradictoires. En particulier,l’objectif d’animer une communauté de contributeurs l’emporte sur l’objectif de développement des usages, alors que ce dernier reste la priorité absolue des plates-formes privées. / Public access platforms to cultural content are today marginal in comparison to the global development of private access platforms. The model of informational brokerage enables us to observe and describe these platforms by analysing the central function of intermediation and its positioning with the actors upstream and downstream the platform itself. The analysis of geoCulture services makes it possible to qualify these public forms of information brokerage and to differentiate them from private platforms. Fulfilling public service missions, the platforms studied are characterized by a strong desire for cooperation between the actors and the editorialization of content. However, their development remains restrained by the pursuit of divergent, perhaps even contradictory, goals. More precisely, the objective of moderating acommunity of contributors prevails on the development of usages, where as the latter remains the ultimate priority of private platforms.

Com o envelhecimento ocorre perda de força e potência muscular, principalmente nos membros inferiores, e consequente redução no desempenho de habilidades funcionais que envolvem a locomoção. A realização de exercícios sobre plataforma vibratória vem sendo investigada como uma possível estratégia para melhorar estas qualidades físicas na população idosa. Sendo assim, o objetivo do estudo foi comparar as adaptações neuromusculares e funcionais dos membros inferiores do grupo de idosas que treinou na plataforma vibratória com as do grupo controle que treinou sem vibração. A amostra do trabalho foi composta por 23 idosas (média de idade 63,57±4,52 anos) sendo 14 do grupo vibração e nove do grupo controle. As voluntárias realizaram 36 sessões de treinamento e foram avaliadas em três momentos, pré-treino, seis e 12 semanas pós-treino. Os testes aplicados foram para avaliação de pico de torque isométrico e dinâmico, potência, ativação e onset muscular, além da arquitetura muscular no músculo extensor de joelho (vasto lateral) e flexor plantar (gastrocnêmio medial). Também foram avaliadas as habilidades funcionais de sentar e levantar e se deslocar com agilidade. Além disso, foi feito um teste imediatamente após uma das sessões de treino para analisar a resposta imediata da vibração sobre a potência muscular dos membros inferiores (salto vertical). Os resultados mostraram que não houve diferença significativa entre o grupo vibração e o grupo controle para todas as variáveis analisadas após seis e 12 semanas de treinamento. No entanto, em ambos os grupos houve incrementos significativos (p<0,05) em algumas variáveis mensuradas (PT dinâmico de flexão plantar, tempo motor de flexão plantar, ângulo de penação e espessura muscular do vasto lateral e teste de sentar e levantar, no grupo vibratório; e no ângulo de penação do músculo vasto lateral, altura do salto com contra-movimento e sentar e levantar, no grupo controle) após 12 semanas de treinamento. Conclui-se que o treinamento vibratório não se mostrou efetivo para a melhoria das respostas neuromusculares e funcionais dos membros inferiores de idosas após 12 semanas de treino quando comparado ao grupo controle, nas condições em que foi realizado o presente trabalho. Sugere-se a realização de outros estudos com diferentes protocolos e com cargas de treino individualizadas respeitando as condições diferenciadas de cada indivíduo. / With aging there is a loss of muscle strength and power, especially in the lower limbs, and the consequent reduction in performance of functional skills that involve locomotion. The exercises on the vibration platform have been investigated as a possible strategy to increase these physical qualities in the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the neuromuscular and functional adaptations of the lower limbs in the experimental group of elderly women who trained on the vibration platform with the control group who trained without vibration. The sample consisted of 23 elderly (mean age 63.57 ± 4.52 years), with 14 of the vibration group and nine in the control group. The subjects performed 36 training sessions and were evaluated in three stages, pre-training, six and 12 weeks post-training. The tests were applied for evaluation of isometric and dynamic peak torque, power, muscle activation and onset of muscle activation, as well as muscle architecture in the knee extensor (vastus lateralis) and plantar flexor (medial gastrocnemius). The functional capacity to sit to stand and walk with agility was evaluated. In addition, a test was made immediately after a training session to analyze the immediate response of vibration on muscle power of lower limbs (vertical jump). The results showed no significant difference between the vibration group and control group for all variables after six and 12 weeks of training. However, both groups showed significant increases (p <0.05) in some of the measured variables (PT dynamic plantar flexion, plantar flexion motor time, pennation angle and muscle thickness of vastus lateralis and testing of sitting and standing, in the vibration group, and the muscle pennation angle of the vastus lateralis, heel height with counter-movement, sitting and standing in the control group) after 12 weeks of training. In conclusion that vibration training was not effective for the improvement of neuromuscular and functional responses of the lower limbs of elderly women after 12 weeks of training compared to the control group. It is suggested that further studies with different protocols and individualized training load respecting the different conditions of each individual should be performed.

O corpo humano pode interagir com as estruturas e estas interações são desenvolvidas através da aplicação de forças devido ao seu movimento. Uma estrutura pode sofrer alterações no seu comportamento dinâmico quando sujeita a cargas. Neste trabalho, o projeto e a construção de uma plataforma de forças é apresentado para medir as Forças de Reação do Solo (FRS) e aceleração para análise da marcha humana. A plataforma é constituída por duas placas colocadas lado a lado em relação à direção da caminhada, de modo que o sinal de força de cada pé pode ser adquirido separadamente em cada placa. A plataforma é projetada de forma a ser compatível com as frequências envolvidas nas medições. Cada placa tem três células de carga do tipo anel instrumentadas com strain gauges. A plataforma foi calibrada com um procedimento padrão e com uma nova metodologia utilizando redes neurais artificiais as incertezas dos parâmetros medidos (força e posicionamento x, y) foram avaliados. Um modelo de elementos finitos foi utilizado para avaliar as características dinâmicas da plataforma. Os resultados foram valores de frequência muito próximos aos medidos na análise experimental e confirmaram sua adequação ao uso, pois as frequências foram maiores do que as envolvidas na marcha humana. Características relevantes da FRS, como os picos de apoio de força, impulso e também a força de impacto, podem ser observadas a partir dos dados coletados. Os dados da FRS assim como os dados de aceleração medidos estavam condizentes com os valores apresentados na literatura. / The human body may interact with the structures and these interactions are developed through the application of forces due to its motion. A structure may undergo changes in their dynamic behavior when subjected to loads. In this work, the design of a force platform is presented to measure the Ground Reaction Force (GRF) and acceleration for human gait analysis. The platform consists of two plates placed side by side in relation to the direction of walking, so that the signal from each foot can be acquired in separate in each plate. The platform is designed in order to be compatible with the frequencies involved in the measurements. Each plate has three ring-type load cells instrumented with strain gauges. The platform was calibrated with a standard procedure and with a new methodology using artificial neural networks the uncertainties of the measured parameters (force and position x, y) were evaluated. A finite element model was used to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of the platform. The results were frequencies values very close to those measured in the experimental analysis and confirm its adequacy to the use, because the frequencies were higher than the frequencies involved in the human gait. Relevant characteristics of GRF like the peaks of support force, impulse and the impact force could be observed from the data collected. The data of GRF as well as the measured acceleration data were consistent with values presented in the literature.

viii, 87 p. : ill. (some col.) / This thesis examines the history of distribution platforms for artists' video. Artists' video is defined as time based art works that employ the medium of film, videotape, digital video, or any combination thereof. The thesis categorizes different points of access for artists' video from the 1960s to the present as well as how artists have distributed their work. Three macro level platforms serve to classify the different sites of access between artists' video and a viewer - the first is television, the second is institution, and the third is the Internet. Over the past forty years, artists' video has transitioned from a marginal practice that existed outside of the institution to a medium that is now synonymous with the idea of a contemporary art museum. However, the Internet as a platform allows artists' video to exist outside of the museum, which is consistent with the earliest goals associated with this medium. / Committee in charge: Kate Mondloch: Chair and Advisor; Albert Narath: Member; John Fenn: Member