Our Research Projects

Sunshot National Laboratory Multiyear Partnership (SUNLAMP) Combined PV/Battery Grid Integration with High Frequency Magnetics Enabled Power Electronics

Subhashish Bhattacharya
03/01/2016 - 09/30/2019

The PI (Subhashish Bhattacharya) NCSU is responding to the NETL RFI number: DE-FOA-0001314 Technical Collaboration Opportunities # 3 for the above titled DOE SunShot based SuNLaMP proposal.
In this proposal NETL proposes to develop new power electronics converters using high frequency semiconductors and magnetics for 13.8kV, 60Hz grid connection of distributed photovoltaics (PV) in a modular DC-DC and/or DC-AC cascading inverter designs.

Cascading Failures in Inter-Dependent Networks: Modeling, Vulnerability Analysis, and Epidemic Propagation

Wenye Wang
08/14/2015 - 05/20/2020

This project aims to develop building blocks towards a theoretical foundation of rapid mitigation of potentially catastrophic disturbances and control of inter-dependent dynamic networks. The nature of the failures and disturbances includes deliberate adversarial cyber-attacks on the infrastructures that are highly inter-dependent, such as tactical ad hoc networks, future power grids, and social networks. Our aim is to ensure large-scale network resilience against cascading failures so as to safeguard physical infrastructures such as the national power grid, transportation grid, and beyond these, the global information grid and defense strategic communication systems. The issues that are deemed fundamental are i) modeling approaches of inter-dependent networks in order to characterize the cascading effects among these networks, such as cascade failure evolution and to identify critical points and correlated events to guard against, ii) vulnerability analysis of cascading failures with respect to network topology, such as network partitions and blackholes, as well as capture the impacts of failures in the spatial-temporal domain, with uantitative and measurable limits and boundary properties; iii) epidemic propagation of failures due to cyber-attacks with and without countermeasure in mobile networks in that the increasing reliance on wireless communications, while offering great benefits of communications in highly dynamic environments, surrenders our information delivery to both active and passive malware attacks. The potential benefits are very promising: preemptive countermeasures can be designed by observing abnormal events, efficient design and planning of networking architectures and protocols for optimal system operation, and more importantly, rapid responses to failures by making the best use of islanding strategies to halt the cascade in progress, and, with minimal cost, damage and casualties, so as to achieve information assurance.

NNCI: North Carolina Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN)

Jacob Jones, Mehmet C. Ozturk, & Ayman I. Hawari
09/15/2015 - 08/31/2020

The RTNN is a consortium of three North Carolina (NC) institutions and is proposed as a site in the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) network. NC State, Duke, and UNC-Chapel Hill are all located in close geographical proximity within North Carolina’s Research Triangle. The RTNN currently offers fabrication and characterization services and education to a diverse range of users from colleges, universities, industry, non-profits, and individuals. The RTNN will bring specialized technical expertise and facilities to the National NNCI in areas that include wide bandgap semiconductors, soft materials (animal, vegetative, textile, polymer), functional nanomaterials, in situ nanomaterials characterization and environmental impact, nanofluidics, heterogeneous integration, photovoltaics, and positron annihilation spectroscopy. The RTNN strengthens the National NNCI in the areas of social and ethical implications of nanotechnology, environmental impacts of nanotechnology, and education/workforce development through interaction with industry and community colleges in the Research Triangle. All facilities engaged in this consortium have established track records of facilitating industrial research and technology transfer, strengths that further leverage the proposed site within the Research Triangle.

US Ignite: Track 1: Collaborative Research: DISTINCT: A Distributed Multi-Loop Networked System for Wide-Area Control of Large Power Grids

Aranya Chakrabortty
09/01/2015 - 08/31/2020

This project will develop a wide-area communication network for real-time monitoring and control of power systems. The PI will work with his collaborators from UNC Chapel Hill and University of Rochester to accomplish the following three tasks – 1. Develop a theoretical distributed algorithm by which Synchrophasor data feedback can be used for oscillation damping in very large power grids, 2. Develop control techniques for regulating communication delays in software defined networks (SDN) that form the backbone for data transport in the distributed control algorithm developed in Task 1, and 3. Develop discrete-time decision making rules in the SDN by which virtual machines in the network can be rerouted and rescheduled to carry our real-time control actions within stated time-deadlines despite the failure of any given set of machines. Experiments will be demonstrated using the ExoGENI-WAMS testbed developed at the FREEDM Systems Center at NC State.

NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: On the Ontology of Inter-Vehicle Networking with Spatio-Temporal Correlation and Spectrum Cognition

Wenye Wang
10/01/2015 - 09/30/2019

Vehicle networks have been playing an increasing role in driving safety, network economy, and people’s daily life. While vehicle networks have received tremendous attentions, the existing research is primarily focusing on the performance study of vehicular networks by taking three assumptions: there exists a vehicle network through vehicle-to-vehicle and/or vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, there exists a finite path in the network between any two vehicles, and there exist attainable wireless channels for communications. In view of upcoming boom of mobile applications over vehicular networks in practice and wide-range deployment of autonomous driving vehicles in the near future, the validity of these assumptions is questionable. In this project, we propose to address four interrelated but equally important issues towards building blocks of a theoretical foundation, so called ontology of inter-vehicle networking, which are the composition of inter-vehicle networks, discovery of neighboring vehicles through spectrum cognition, coverage of messages in finite and large-scale networks, and robustness properties of inter-vehicle networks. The objective is to investigate fundamental understanding and challenges of inter-vehicle networking, including theoretical foundation and constraints in practice that enable such networks to achieve performance limits.

CAREER: Material Design and Research Oriented Multidisciplinary Education: Amorphous to Nanocrystalline Electronic Materials with Applications to Thermoelectrics

Daryoosh Vashaee
10/01/2014 - 07/31/2020

Amorphous based materials can possess fundamentally different electrical and thermal properties than crystalline or nanocrystalline forms of the same material. Although, amorphous materials have found applications and continue to show promise for modern technologies, charge carrier and phonon transport in these materials remain a point of dispute. The lack of long- and short-range order in amorphous materials leads to complicated interplay between structure and energy transport. In this project a novel class of electronic materials based on bulk amorphous structures in the form of amorphous-crystalline nanocomposites will be developed and their thermal and electrical properties will be tailored. The application will be focused on thermoelectric materials, but the results are expected to produce new science applicable to other functional materials including optical and magnetic materials. Parallel to the research endeavors, an educational plan will be implemented which incorporates and develops a new teaching initiative in the upper-division undergraduate curriculum, involves undergraduates in research, promotes student international collaborative research, exposes the field of energy materials to the general public, and provides a resource web-site for advanced thermoelectric material studies. The available resources in the Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (OK-LSAMP) and Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) programs will be used for expanding the participation of minority students and the recruitment of high school students.

Collaborative Research: Computational Methods for Stability Assessment of Power Systems with High Penetration of Clean Renewal Energy

Aranya Chakrabortty
08/01/2015 - 07/31/2019

This 2-year NSF project is a collaboration between MIT (main lead), NC State University, and University of Notre Dame. The main purpose of the project is to develop a suite of novel numerical computational algorithms by which very large complicated mathematical models of large power system networks can be constructed and solved in real-time, or even faster than real-time. The study will involve complex network models of power grids with high penetration of wind and solar power, and their associated stochasticity, and make use of new ideas from algebraic topology theory to develop solutions of those models. Validation will be done using the RTDS-WAMS testbed at FREEDM systems center.

Development of Ga2O3 Based Structures for High Power Applications

John F. Muth, Tania M Paskova
08/01/2015 - 07/31/2020

The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing Ga2O3 based structures for power applications. We intend to explore several growth approaches, aiming to achieve epitaxial structures of high quality. The expected strong potential of this material for producing high power devices will be explored by developing structures with controllable doping.

Breakthrough: Collaborative: Secure Algorithms for Cyber-Physical Systems

Mo-Yuen Chow
07/15/2015 - 06/30/2020

The objective of this proposal is to formulate a novel methodology for creating secure algorithms in cyber-physical systems and to develop metrics for evaluating the security of composed systems. Cyber-physical systems are composed of interconnected, semi-autonomous devices. The inherently open nature of a CPS implies a susceptibility to attacks that differ fundamentally from conventional cyber attacks. CPS-specific attack vectors exist as purely cyber, cyber-enabled physical attacks, and physically enabled cyber attacks. As such, the endpoints may be fundamentally unsecurable (such as the sensed information from physical resources) or may be compromised (as in computational resources). Creating a secure communications channel between two nodes is inadequate if one of the endpoints of the communication is insecure. Therefore, new methodologies are needed to ensure that the system is protected in the presence of open information flows from physical resources and possibly malicious entities inside the system.

Thermoelectric Energy Generators Based on High Efficiency Nanocomposite Materials

Daryoosh Vashaee
09/01/2014 - 08/31/2019

The project has two objectives:
Aim 1: Bulk nanocomposite thermoelectric legs for flexible devices
Aim 2: Fabrication of Rigid TEGs – Low voltage TEGs

NYPA Convertible Static Compensator (CSC) Control System and Development of a CS Real-Time Digital Simulation Model

Subhashish Bhattacharya
08/01/2016 - 07/31/2019

The objective is to develop a detailed RTDS model of the CSC that will precisely recreate the functionality of the NYPA CSC. The RTDS model shall replace the analog TNA system for modeling and simulation purposes of the CSC that require real-time simulation of the CSC device or hardware-in-the-loop simulation and testing. A hardware-in-the-loop test of the new control system will be performed using the verified RTDS model. All results will be validated against the final commissioning and test results of the NYPA CSC from 2004.

PFI:AIR – TT: Prototyping a Smart Battery Gauge Technology for Stationary Energy Storage of Renewable Energy Resources

Mo-Yuen Chow, Jason Lamb, & Dinesh Divakaran
04/01/2015 - 09/30/2019

This Accelerating Innovation Technology Translation project focuses on translating a novel Smart Battery Gauge technology to fill the increasing need for accurate battery state of charge (SOC) and remaining useful life (RUL) estimations for stationary energy storage of renewable energy. Although the large-scale integration of renewable energy into the power grid is driving for the growing demand in stationary energy storage, the reliability and safety concern remains as the major barrier that prevents its widespread deployment. The Smart Battery Gauge technology aims to improve the reliability and safety of energy storage systems. As compared to the existing battery monitoring methods, the reliably accurate estimation date generated by this technology will provide systems management and operations with the advantages of improved energy storage system efficiency, reliability, cost-effectiveness, longer lifespan, and reduced capital and operation/maintenance costs. In order to determine the technical feasibility and functional requirements of applying this technology in the stationary energy storage market and provide a commercially valuable solution, this project will result in a software prototype of the Smart Battery Gauge technology to demonstrate its real-time adaptive battery SOC and RUL estimations with market-leading accuracy and reliability, and its flexible customization for multiple different battery chemistries. The objectives of this project are to: 1) Extract the relevant data and models that are needed for RUL estimation, 2) Design the adaptive predictive battery RUL estimation algorithm that can adjust battery parameters with real-time measurement feedback, and 3) Implement and demonstrate the Smart Battery Gauge technology prototype in software and benchmark its performance with existing approaches.

IRES: U.S.-Czech Research Experience for Students on Wide Bandgap Materials for Energy and Biosensing Applications (IRES: Wide Bandgap Materials for Energy and Biosensing Applications)

Daniel D Stancil, Albena Ivanisevic, & Tania M Paskova
08/01/2015 - 07/31/2020

This program for International Research Experience for Students (IRES), will provide U.S. undergraduate and graduate students from NCSU with early career research experience at the Institute of Physics, Academy of Science at Czech Republic (Prague). During focused six-week summer programs, IRES participants will be involved in materials science and will gain hands-on experience with advanced characterization of wide bandgap materials for energy and biosensing applications.

Fusion and Modeling Algorithums (FUMA)

Hamid Krim
03/23/2015 - 12/31/2019

This work addresses a problem of space debris detection, and target parameters estimation from both optical and radar data. It aims at:
– A network-based experimental design to make measurement of existing debris
– Exploiting two or more sensing modalities, and fusing information of at least Optical and Radar measurements potentially made at geographically distinct locations, and enhancing the data for analysis
– Developing a Bayesian inference framework to overcome the diversity of tracks and targets
– The optical data will be captured by a 60 cm telescope which is at disposal to CTU Prague team. The radar measurements will be obtained from a Czech amateur radio astronomy network. The optical and radar measurement will be synchronized, i.e. the same orbiting object will be seen simultaneously in both sensor modalities.

Identification of Translational Hormone-Response Gene Networks and Cis-Regulatory Elements

Jose M. Alonso, Anna Stepanova, & Steffen Heber
08/01/2015 - 07/31/2021

Title: Transcriptional and translational regulatory networks of hormone signal integration in tomato and Arabidopsis. PI: Jose M. Alonso (Plant Biology, NCSU), Co-PIs:Anna Stepanova (Plant Biology, NCSU), Steffen Heber (Computer Science, NCSU), Cranos Williams (Electric Engineering, NCSU).
Overview: Plants, as sessile organisms, need to constantly adjust their intrinsic growth and developmental programs to the environmental conditions. These environmentally triggered “adjustments“ often involve changes in the developmentally predefined patterns of one or more hormone activities. In turn, these hormonal changes result in alterations at the gene expression level and the concurrent alterations of the cellular activities. In general, these hormone-mediated regulatory functions are achieved, at least in part, by modulating the transcriptional activity of hundreds of genes. The study of these transcriptional regulatory networks not only provides a conceptual framework to understand the fundamental biology behind these hormone-mediated processes, but also the molecular tools needed to accelerate the progress of modern agriculture. Although often overlooked, understanding of the translational regulatory networks behind complex biological processes has the potential to empower similar advances in both basic and applied plant biology arenas. By taking advantage of the recently developed ribosome footprinting technology, genome-wide changes in translation activity in response to ethylene were quantified at codon resolution, and new translational regulatory elements have been identified in Arabidopsis. Importantly, the detailed characterization of one of the regulatory elements identified indicates that this regulation is NOT miRNA dependent, and that the identified regulatory element is also responsive to the plant hormone auxin, suggesting a role in the interaction between these two plant hormones. These findings not only confirm the basic biological importance of translational regulation and its potential as a signal integration mechanism, but also open new avenues to identifying, characterizing and utilizing additional regulatory modules in plants species of economic importance. Towards that general goal, a plant-optimized ribosome footprinting methodology will be deployed to examine the translation landscape of two plant species, tomato and Arabidopsis, in response to two plant hormones, ethylene and auxin. A time-course experiment will be performed to maximize the detection sensitivity (strong vs. weak) and diversity (early vs. late activation) of additional translational regulatory elements. The large amount and dynamic nature of the generated data will be also utilized to generate hierarchical transcriptional and translational interaction networks between these two hormones and to explore the possible use of these types of diverse information to identify key regulatory nodes. Finally, the comparison between two plant species will provide critical information on the conservation of the regulatory elements identified and, thus, inform research on future practical applications.
Intellectual merit: The identification and characterization of signal integration hubs and cis-regulatory elements of translation will allow not only to better understand how information from different origins (environment and developmental programs) are integrated, but also to devise new strategies to control this flow for the advance of agriculture.
Broader Impacts: A new outreach program to promote interest among middle and high school kids in combining biology, computers, and engineering. We will use our current NSF-supported Plants4kids platform (ref) with a web-based bilingual divulgation tools, monthly demos at the science museum and local schools to implement this new outreach program. Examples of demonstration modules will include comparison between simple electronic and genetic circuits.

EARS: Intelligent and Cross-Layer Attack and Defense in Spectrum Sharing

Huaiyu Dai, Peng Ning
01/01/2015 - 12/31/2019

Cognitive radio (CR) is emerging as a key enabling technology to address the ever increasing
demands on the scarce spectrum for wireless communications. While wireless networks are prone to security attacks,
CR networks are even more vulnerable due to improved intelligence available at attackers or compromised devices, and additional
constraints imposed on CR users. This interdisciplinary proposal aims at making contributions in the general area of security of wireless signals and systems in the context of spectrum sharing, to facilitate the realization of the national spectrum objectives in the years to come. In this project, instead of adding contributions to existing literature on software and wireless network security, we will focus on the vulnerabilities and attacks unique to CR functionalities, and advocate a cross-layer viewpoint for both attacks and defenses.

Geometric Phase Holograms and Related Films and Devices, Task Order: 2014-2450

Michael Kudenov, Michael James Escuti
05/01/2014 - 04/30/2021

In this six-year program, the PI and team will broadly investigate Geometric Phase Holograms (GPH), Polarization Gratings (PGs), Multi-Twist Retarders (MTRs), and devices that integrate them.

Cybersees: Type II: Cyber-Enabled Water and Energy Systems Sustainability Utilizing Climate Information

Sankarasubraman Arumugam, Ning Lu, & Joseph F DeCarolis
09/01/2014 - 02/29/2020

Continually increasing water demand (due to population growth) and fuel costs threaten the reliability of water and energy systems and also increase operational costs. In addition, both natural climatic variability and the impacts of global climate change increase the vulnerability of these two systems. For instance, reservoir systems depend on precipitation; whereas power systems demand depend on mean daily temperature. Currently, these systems use seasonal averages for their short-term (0-3 months) management, which ignores uncertainty in the climate, thereby resulting in increased spillage and reduced hydropower. While seasonal climate forecasts contain appreciable levels of skill over parts of the US in both winter and summer, the uptake of these forecasts for water and energy systems management has been limited due to lack of a coherent approach to assimilate probabilistic forecasts into management models. We systematically analyze various scenarios that aim at improving the performance of these systems utilizing the multimodel climate forecasts and a high performance computing (HPC) framework.

NeTS-Small: Exploring Theoretical Foundation of Mobile Clouds: From One-Hop Neighbors To the Internet

Wenye Wang, Do Young Eun
10/01/2014 - 09/30/2019

In this project, we plan to explore fundamental issues that advance our
understanding of using mobile clouds in deliverying wireless data traffic. In other words, we aim to find out whether and under what conditions mobile clouds are feasible for providing mobile application services or not and whether there exist theoretical limits or guidelines that can help or hinder the development of mobile
clouds. An in-depth understanding of such questions would greatly help emerging new applications over mobile platform.

Therefore, we propose to focus on four inter-correlated,
equally important issues toward building blocks of a theoretical foundation for mobile cloud computing, that is, evolution of single-hop mobile cloudlet, performance of opportunistic mobile cloudlet, efficient discovery of neighboring cloudlets and spatial-temporal properties of mobile-to-cloud. In particular, we consider the data transportation over the wireless sector in which our main objective is to have a close-up of formation and evolution of mobile cloudlet over time, with possible intermediate relays, and ends
up with base stations or access points.

SHF:Small:AC Powered Digital Circuits

Paul D. Franzon
08/01/2014 - 06/30/2020

The main goal of this project is to reduce the cost of RFID chips by eliminating most of the circuitry needed for managing the recovered power on the chip. This has potential to reduce the chip cost by about one-third. RFID chips are at the core of the tags stores typically attach to clothing and high end items – though they have a lot more uses beside this. The main technique employed in this project is to directly operating the circuits from the recovered wireless power. A new chip design technique has been identified for doing this and will be exploited and further explored in the project. This technique also has potential to increase the range at which the RFID tag can be powered. A successful outcome will open new market opportunities to use RFID.