Previous Projects - 2000

Title: Flex and Bison

Author: Colin Barringer

Home Institution: University of Massachusetts

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. David August

Abstract: This summer at Princeton University I worked with Professor David August's group. They were developing a compiler/simulator for Intel's IA64 architecture. They were attempting to develop optimization techniques which utilize the new architecture's capabilities for instruction level parallelism. As my part of the project, I was writing a front end for the compiler. I was writing an IA64 assembly reader. I used flex and bison to this end.

Title: MPEG Toolbox in Matlab

Author: Wong Chun Chan

Home Institution: Columbia University

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Bede Liu

Abstract: This summer, I learned about what MPEG is and how it works. I participated in a project to create a MPEG toolbox in Matlab. The purpose of this project was to develop some tools that will facilitate the processing of MPEG files in the Matlab environment. Matlab already contains libraries and functions to perform other tasks like matrix operation and image manipulation available to the user. The MPEG toolbox consists of a set of mex files that Matlab can use to process and analyze MPEG data. This project is still in the process of development and more features and functions would be added in the future.

Title: Projective Transformations and Virtual Video

Author: Timothy Cobb

Home Institution: Clemson University

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Peter Ramadge

Abstract: My presentation was a group effort. For the first part, one of my fellow workers talked about background information. It consisted of much of the ideas that were worked on in the first half of the program. Tests were run on projective transformations and the results and conclusions were discussed. The next part of the presentation consisted on some general information from two camera shots are taken used to create a non-existing image. The constraints are that the image has to lie on the path between the cameras and that the camera images have to include a plane. One exception is that the camera can be stationary and rotating and the images are taken when the camera has rotated for a little. One useful application for the virtual video is in video compression. This is where the MPEG information comes into play. In MPEG, there are different kinds of encoding frames. The idea is to try to code fewer frames by using the virtual video as a predictor frame. Because the talks were given before the program was over, the results of this project are not done. The virtual video part was just incorporated into the MPEG encoding just prior to the speeches. This did not allow time for the debugging process to be complete and test could not have been run. That was the plan for the future of the research.

Title: The Effects of Subword Parallelism and Floating-Point Estimation on Multimedia Processing

Author: Benjamin Copeland

Home Institution: The Pennsylvania State University

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Ruby Lee

Abstract: Current multimedia applications employ complex algorithms that rely heavily on floating-point computations. Consequently, we wish to examine both the hardware implementation and software-based sequences that are used to perform such operations. Because these operations are performed on large data sets, we are able to increase performance using subword parallelism and other forms of single instruction multiple data (SIMD). Likewise, more efficient use of microprocessor circuitry can be realized by eliminating hardware dividers and instead using methods such as Newton-Raphson for division and square roots. Our goal is to compare and improve upon the current implementations in AltiVec, IA-64 and SSE-2.

Title: Encapsulating Thin Film Transistors on Plastic Substrates

Author: Noel Eisley

Home Institution: Brown University

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Sigurd Wagner

Abstract: The goal of my research is to figure out how to spin on as thick a layer of encapsulant as possible onto a plastic substrate, which in this case is Kapton (a polymide manufactured by DuPont). The ultimate goal is to encapsulate thin film transistors which have been fabricated on the same plastic substrates. The theory behind this is that with a layer of encapsulant, circuits that reside on plastic substrates will be able to be bent to smaller radii of curvature (that is, to be able to withstand more stress) before failure. The encapsulant used for this project is called PiRL III, a polymide in liquid form manufactured by Brewer Science.

Title: Hardware-Software Interface A Look at Algorithms Efficiency

Author: Marie-Ange Eyoum

Home Institution: Virginia Union University

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Margaret Martonosi

Abstract: Achieving high performance at both the software and hardware level of computers has become more and more a raising challenge. While software designers investigate on new ways of improving programming using more proficient algorithms, hardware engineers explore caches behavior especially when billions of instructions are committed into a program, which may help to better understand and improve efficiency at the architectural level. Hence, my research project this summer examined software and hardware interface in order to bring forth more enlightenment and understanding on caches behavior. This will generate more explanations on the subject and for future prospective, open a way to achieve high-efficiency. Some issues raised throughout my project were: how do programs algorithms influence performance? What is taking place at the architecture level when a program is executed? How operating systems manage memories? How can we improve programming performance? Using two sorting algorithms (bubble sort and quick sort) and reading from different types and size files. I was able to explore many of these issues. From my experimental work, the assumption that quick sort will have a better efficiency than bubble sort was verified. Then using simple scalar simulation tool, I simulated the architecture of my programs and investigated on caches behavior when their size is increased.

Title: Projective Transformations, Virtual Video, and MPEG Compression Techniques

Author: Kevin Gold

Home Institution: Harvard

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Peter Ramadge

Abstract: Projective transformations are useful for using real images to create "virtual" images from viewpoints where no camera existed. Existing algorithms which find the best projective transformation from one image to another do so by finding a minimum of the error function J(c). For the first part of the program, we proved that such a minimum in J(c) is not necessarily unique. For the second part, we modified an existing MPEG encoder/decoder pair to use "virtual" images as additional predictors, to decrease post-compression file size.

Title: Thermal Conductivity of Various Materials Used for Vertical Cavity Semiconductor Laser Mirrors

Author: Benjamin Heilmann

Home Institution: Clemson University

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Stephen Forrest

Abstract: The thermal conductivity of several materials, which are candidates to be the mirrors used in the Vertical Cavity Semiconductor Lasers of Hongsheng Wang's Research, were measured. The 3ω Method was used for measuring the dV/dLn(f) portion of the thermal conductivity equation. The setup was prepared using a Lock-In Amplifier and Function Generator using the GPIB Language. The results will be used along with the reflectivity of the materials to determine which mirror will be the most efficient when used in the lasers.

Title: Image-Based Modeling and Rendering for Interactive Visualization of Architectural Interiors

Author: Samuel Holster

Home Institution: Rose-Holman Institute of Technology

Instructor: Prof. Thomas Funkhouser

Abstract: This project is to build 3D interactive models of real life interiors. The process used is image-based modeling and rendering. Images covering the desired interior are taken and plenoptic functions describing everything visible from each point are created. The functions are resampled for new viewing parameters. The process I worked on also requires a smaller number of images, has very good camera pose estimation, and allows for real-time viewing. After the pictures are taken warping is removed from the pictures. Then the pictures calibrated with a simple 3D model by selecting corresponding 2D and 3D points. The 3D coordinates in the model of the camera and direction of the picture are recorded. This info along with the pictures and simple 3D model are used to view the rendered interior. Aspects of the process were examined and improved during my summer research.

Title: Ellipsometry Research

Author: Matthew Jacobs

Home Institution: Carnegie Mellon University

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. James Sturm

Abstract: This summer, I performed experiments using the technique of ellipsometry to learn about semiconductors. Three types of experiments were performed. The first was to determine the indices of refraction for a bare Silicon substrate. The second type of experiment concerned measuring the thickness of thin layers of Silicon Dioxide on a Silicon substrate, with typical a thickness being about 200 angstroms. The third experiment was to characterize the anisotropy of a strained, thin layer of Silicon-Germanium which was deposited onto a Silicon substrate.

Title: C-V Measurements on Low-Temperature Silicon Nitride

Author: Peter Jones

Home Institution: Brigham Young University

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Sigurd Wagner

Title: Biological Models for Computer Virus Detection

Author: Cindy Jung

Home Institution: Wellesley College

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Ruby Lee

Abstract: With recent viral outbreaks in a society that is becoming increasingly interconnected, a major concern has been the prevention and detection of computer viruses. Because there is a good probability that the existing models of handling the increasing number of computer viruses will not be sufficient in future years, the antivirus community has been researching the idea of a computer immune system. Based on the biological model of viruses, these models plus other methods should be helpful against the virus attacks from one of the most dangerous viral threat today: macro viruses. I was interested in writing a program that would be exploit common viral effects to detect potential macro viruses.

Title: The MPEG Standard

Author: Jung H. Kim

Home Institution: University of Washington

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Peter Ramadge

Abstract: I was working on two main parts this summer. Projective Transformation and Virtual Video. In order to minimize the cost function associated with a projective transformation, it is essential to have one unique local minimum. I worked on cases where multiple local minima occur with some abitrary settings. For virtual Video, I have modified some of the MPEG decoder and encoder and used it creating virtual video frames using projective transformation.

Title: High-Level Synthesis of Control-Flow Intensive Circuits for Testability

Author: Richard Kreisberg

Home Institution: University of Oklahoma

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Niraj K. Jha

Abstract: Behavioral synthesis is a method by which a circuit layout is designed based on a behavioral description of that circuit. Time is saved by conducting optimizations at the register-transfer (or module) level. These optimizations may include power-usage, circuit area, delay time, and testability. Testability describes the amount of errors which are detectable on any circuit. I worked on a program called Testability Analysis Optimization (TAO) which calculates the fault coverage of a circuit and increases the fault coverage by changing the layout of the circuit.

Title: Physics and Electrical Properties of the Surfaces and Interfaces of Organic Semiconductors

Author: Stephen Layland

Home Institution: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Dr. Antoine Kahn

Abstract: In an attempt to understand the physics and interactions at the interface of organics and metals, the common red organic dye PTCDA was deposited onto an Au (111) substrate in monolayer increments. At each increment, the surface interaction was measured by a slew of Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) techniques including Ultraviolet Photoemmsion Spectroscopy (UPS), Inverse Photoemission Spectroscopy (IPS), X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), and many other exciting acronyms. A secondary project involved the construction of a piezo driven Kelvin probe for work function measurements.

Author: Michael Liu

Home Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Ruby Lee

Abstract: In the last few years microprocessors have added new instructions aimed at increasing performance by using subword parallelism. Subword parallelism works by storing multiple lower precision words in to a register then operating on them in parallel. To perform subword operations there need to be instructions that not only perform subword arithmetic, but also perform subword rearrangement. This paper looks into a design for a mix instruction that interleaves subwords from two registers into a single register. An analysis of the cost for adding the mix instruction to existing architectures is also looked into.

Author: Theresa Mawn

Home Institution: Manhattan College

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Paul Prucnal

Abstract: This summer I worked in Princeton's Lightwave Communications Lab on a project to develop a low-loss fiber-optic tap. Light does not escape easily from single-mode fiber optic cable, which is used for communication systems. Therefore, a method to retrieve a small amount of the throughput signal needed to be demonstrated. We etched a notch into a single-mode fiber-optic cable, giving the light an outlet from where to escape. A multi-mode fiber was then cleaved so that it could fit into the notch. The signal was then mode-scrambled to cause light to escape at the notch and tapped into the multi-mode fiber.

Title: Computer Interfacing OMBE's

Author: Heriberto Moya

Home Institution: University of California, Riverside

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Stephen Forrest

Abstract: My research project was to computer interface (automate) the OMBE (organic molecular beam epitaxy) controller. MBE is a sophisticated deposition technique used to create (grow) semi-conducting devices in an ultra high vacuum environment. Labview, a controller. This software allows the user to imitate electronics.

Title: Logic Synthesis and the Digital Design Process

Author: Kenneth Schutte

Home Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Niraj K. Jha

Abstract: My research this summer focused on logic synthesis and the digital design process. Much of my time was spent learning how to use the Synopsys Design Compiler and other software tools. I also studied the hardware description languages VHDL and Verilog. My goal was to synthesis various IP processor cores, which are available freely online. In researching these cores I also gained a knowledge of current industry trends such as system-on-a-chip (SoC) and embedded system technologies.

Title: Diffraction Grating Alignment

Author: Jonathan Talcott

Home Institution: University of Iowa

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Stephen Chou

Abstract: In the photolithographic process for integrated circuit fabrication, mask and substrate must be more precisely aligned as device sizes become increasingly smaller. Using fine alignment marks such as diffraction gratings, this highly precise alginment can be achieved. This summer, I worked on the development of a grating alignment system that utilizes an interferometric alignment technique. An infrared laser beam was sent through two silicon-based chromium gratings. The intensities of the +/- first-order diffraction groups were matched to achieve alignment.

Author: Andrew Stein

Home Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: August 1, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Peter Ramadge

Abstract: Active contours, or snakes, are curves defined in an image that seek to minimize their own energy. They are commonly used in computer vision applications to locate object boundaries in an image. In particular, the Gradient Vector Flow (GVF) snake does a very good job of producing a field of vectors that push the snake towards energy edge minima, even from far away and for concave boundaries. Using simple prediction methods, the GVF snake was applied to video footage of Naval aircraft landings and provided very good tracking results.

Title: Multimedia Network Streaming Protocols Over UDP Over IP Switched Networks Containing Ethernets and Report on Porting MP3 to Scout Operating System

Author: Brandon Thompson

Home Institution: Brigham Young University

Instructor: Prof. Larry Peterson

Date: July 31, 2000

Abstract: MPEG Audio Layer III decoder ported to Scout operating system. RBP, timestamp protocols for streaming mp3 data across ethernet developed and implemented. Protocol for sending MPEG 1 systems data across network developed.

Title: MPEG Technology & the Scout OS "A match made in Heaven"

Author: Jon Whetzel

Home Institution: Texas A&M University

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Larry L. Peterson

Abstract: Our research dealt with discovering the best methods of broadcasting and streaming MPEG files across a network. The computer receiving and playing the files would be running the Scout OS system, a network-based OS developed by our mentor, Dr. Larry Peterson. Our research comprised of us: learning about the Scout OS, creating a way for Scout to decode and play MPEG audio files (primarily mp3 files) and MPEG video files, and developing a "server" program for transmitting these files. A majority of our time dealt with improving mp3 file transport and streaming, but we also briefly touched on MPEG video transport by constructing a new transport stream for MPEG video. Ether-mpeg-transport streams, as we named it, was a more efficient MPEG stream to send across an Ethernet protocol than the conventional method, designed for fiber-optic transport for HDTV applications.

Title: A Web Based Demo for Data Hiding in Binary Image

Author: Mishella Yoshi

Home Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology

Date: July 31, 2000

Instructor: Prof. Bede Liu

Abstract: Over the past few years the use of Internet has increased dramatically. As a result, many important documents such as financial records, insurance information, and social security records have been digitized and stored online for convenient access. This brings up serious security concerns since it is relatively simple to modify a digital data file.

A number of methods have been proposed for hiding data in images. However, only few of them are specifically designed for binary images. Data hiding for binary image tends to be more challenging compared to grayscale or color images. The main reason is that there are only two pixel values involved in binary images, black and white. So the changes are limited to the boundaries otherwise it will be noticeable. Hence, only a limited number of bits can be embedded. An effective means to embed data in binary images was proposed recently by Min Wu of Princeton University.

My project was to implement a web-based demo for the method reported in "Data Hiding for Digital Binary Image", M. Wu, B. Liu, E. Tang, ICME'00, New York City, 2000. The demo incorporates a good Graphical User Interface and is very efficient to execute.