Sin Ming Loo, Ph.D.

Sin Ming Loo's research interests are in the areas of embedded systems, hardware/software co-design, sensor systems, and reconfigurable computing. He was the institution PI of FAA Center of Excellence for Airliner Cabin Environment Research at Boise State University.

In 2003, he joined the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (ECE) at the Boise State University as assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor with tenure and full processor in 2008 and 2012, respectively. He was the ECE department chair from 2012 to 2014. In 2018, he was appointed the Director of Cyber-Physical Systems Security effort at Boise State University. As part of this effort, he oversees the Cyber Lab for Industrial Control Systems.

Sin Ming Loo’s research interests are in embedded systems, sensor systems, and wireless sensor network. Sin Ming Loo’s teaching interests are in the areas of logic design, cyber-physical systems security, rapid prototyping of digital systems, computer architecture, reconfigurable computing, hardware description languages, hardware programming languages, parallel processing, hardware/software co-design, and computer security.

Sin Ming Loo is a member of IEEE, IEEE Computer Society, Information Systems Security Association International (ISSA), and Tau Beta Pi. His amateur radio call sign is KI4AKS.

• BSc (Electrical Engineering, 1997), MSc (Computer Engineering, 2000), PhD (Computer Engineering, 2003)

• JOURNAL
• Sin Ming Loo, JingXia Wang, "Optimizing Resource Utilization in System-on-a-Programmable-Chip with Location-Aware Genetic Algorithm", International Journal of Computers and Their Applications, Vol. 17, No. 2, Page. 84-94, 2010.
• JingXia Wang, Sin Ming Loo, " Case Study of Finite Resource Optimization in FPGA using Genetic Algorithm", International Journal of Computers and Their Applications, Vol. 17, No. 2, Page. 95-101, 2010.
• C. Arlen Planting, Sin Ming Loo, “Synergies of Teaching Assembly and C in a Junior Microprocessors Course”, Computers in Education Journal, Volume XVIIII, Number 4, October – December 2009.
• Sin Ming Loo and C. Arlen Planting, “Use of Discrete and Soft Processors in Introductory Microprocessors and Embedded Systems Curriculum”, ACM SIGBED Review, Volume 6, Number 1, January 2009.
• S. M. Loo, Michael Owen, Josh Kiepert, Arlen Planting, “Modular, Portable, Reconfigurable, and Wireless Sensing System for the Aircraft Cabin,” Journal of ASTM International, Vol. 4, No. 4, 9 pages, April 2008.
• S. M. Loo, Jon Cole, M. Gribb, “Hardware/Software Codesign in a Compact Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor System for Subsurface VOCs Detection,” EURASIP Journal of Embedded Systems, Volume 2008, Article ID 137295, 8 pages, January 2008.
• Sin Ming Loo, JingXia Wang, "Optimizing Resource Utilization in System-on-a-Programmable-Chip with Location-Aware Genetic Algorithm", International Journal of Computers and Their Applica­tions, April 2007 (submitted), December 2009 (in-press).
• JingXia Wang, Sin Ming Loo, " Case Study of Finite Resource Optimization in FPGA using Genetic Algorithm", International Journal of Computers and Their Applica­tions, April 2007 (submitted), December 2009 (in-press).
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, “Task Scheduling in a Finite Resource Reconfigurable Hardware/Software Code­sign Environment”, Special Issue of the INFORMS Journal on Computing: Operations Research in Electri­cal and Computer Engineering, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 151-172, Spring 2006.
• Sin Ming Loo, Earl Wells, “Applying Stochastic Static Task Scheduling to a Reconfigurable Hardware Environment”, International Journal of Computers and Their Applications, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 57-75, June 2005.
• N. Singh, S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, “Electron hole structure and its stability depending on plasma magne­tization”, J. Geophysical Research, Vol . 106, No. A10, p. 21,183-21,198, October 2001.
• N. Singh, S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, G. S. Lakhina, “Evolution of Electron Beam Generated Waves Result­ing in Transverse Ion Heating and Filamentation of the Plasma”, J. Geophysical Research, Vol. 106, No. A10, p. 21,165-21,181, October 2001.
• N. Singh, S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, “Electron Hole as an Antenna Radiating Plasma Waves”, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 28 , No. 7 , p. 1371-1374, February 2001.
• N. Singh, S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, C. Deverapalli, “Three-Dimensional Structure of Electron Holes Driver by an Electron Beam”, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 27, No. 16, p. 2469-2472, August 2000.
• 
  CONFERENCE
• Derek Klein, S. M. Loo, Michael Pook, Jim Hall, Josh Kiepert, “Survey of Sensor Technology for Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensing,” Accepted for publication and presentation at 41st International Conference on Environmental Systems, Portland, Oregon, USA, July 17-21, 2011.
• S. M. Loo, Josh Kiepert, Derek Klein, Jim Hall, Michael Pook, “Wireless Sensor Network for Aircraft Cabin Environment Sensing,” Accepted for publication and presentation at 41st International Conference on Environmental Systems, Portland, Oregon, USA, July 17-21, 2011.
• Sin Ming Loo, Josh Kiepert, Michael Pook, Jim Hall, Derek Klein, Vikram Patel, Carl Lee, Arlen Planting, “From Scratch to System: A Hands-on Introductory Embedded Systems Course,” Proceedings 2010 Workshop on Embedded Systems Education (WESE 2010), Scottsdale, AZ, USA, October 28th, 2010.
• Michael Pook, S. M. Loo, A. Planting, J. Kiepert, D. Klein, "Coding Practices for Embedded Systems," Accepted for presentation at 2010 ASEE Annual Confer­ence, June 2010, Louiville, KY, USA.
• Josh Kiepert, S. M. Loo, “A Wireless Sensor Data Fusion Framework for Contaminant Detection,” 2009 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (HST), May 2009, Boston, MA, USA.
• JingXia Wang, S. M. Loo, “Case study of finite resource optimization in FPGA using genetic algorithm,” 2009 World Summit on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation, 2009 GEC Summit - Proceedings of the 1st ACM/SIGEVO Summit on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation, GEC'09, July 2009, Shanghai, China.
• Arlen Planting, S. M. Loo, “Synergies of Teaching Assembly and C in a Junior Microprocessors Course,” Presented at 2009 ASEE Annual Confer­ence, June 2009, Austin, TX, USA.
• Arlen Planting, S. M. Loo, “Use of Soft-core Processor in a Junior Level Microprocessors Course,” Presented at 2008 ASEE Annual Confer­ence, June 2008, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
• S. M. Loo, M. Owen, “Personal Monitor for Airliner Cabin Environment Research and Monitoring,” Symposium on Airliner Cabin Environment: Recent Progress in Characterization and Improvement, April 10-11, 2008, Anaheim Ca, USA.
• M. Owen, S. M. Loo, “Design of a Portable Multipurpose Sensor System for Environment Monitoring,” Proceedings of the Symposium on Environmental Sensing, Inland Northwest Research Alliance and Boise State Center for Environmental Sensing, Oct. 25-26, 2007
• D. Sevier, Ryan, K.P., Gribb, M.M., Loo, S.M., Hill, H. H., “A Novel Subsurface Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor System,” Proceedings of the Symposium on Environmental Sensing, Inland Northwest Research Alliance and Boise State Center for Environmental Sensing, Oct. 25-26, 2007
• Arlen Planting, Sin Ming Loo, "Bridging the Gap with SLIP", Presented at 2007 ASEE Annual Confer­ence, June 2007, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
• S. M. Loo, et. al., "ASCENT: Airliner Sensor and Cabin Environment NeTwork," Presented and Published at The 2006 International Conference on Wireless Networks (part of WORLDCOMP '06), pp. 441-447, Las Vegas, NV, June 26-29, 2006.
• S. M. Loo, et. al., "Field-Programmable Gate Array in Miniature Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor Sys­tem," Presented and Published at The 2006 International Conference on Embedded Systems and Applica­tions (part of WORLDCOMP '06), pp. 94-99, Las Vegas, NV, June 26-29, 2006.
• S. M. Loo, "Introducing Field-Programmable Gate Arrays into Sophomore Digital Circuits Course," 2006 ASEE Annual Conference, Chicago, June 18-21, 2006.
• S. M. Loo, "On the Use of a Soft Processor Core in Computer Engineering Education," 2006 ASEE Annual Conference, Chicago, June 18-21, 2006.
• B.C. Prorok, W.F. Gale, H.S. Gale, S. M. Loo, "A Review of Sensor Technologies for the Detection of Harmful Chemical and Biological Agents On-Board Commercial Aircraft," 4th Aviation Security Technol­ogy Symposium, December 2006.
• Sin Ming Loo, “Optimizing Resource Utilization in System-on-a-Programmable-Chip with Location-Aware Genetic Algorithm”, International Confer­ence on Computer and Their Applications Special Session on Embedded Systems, March 16-18 2005, New Orleans.
• S. M. Loo, "A Task Graph Set for Evaluation of Reconfigurable Hardware Scheduling Algorithms", Pro­ceedings of the ISCA 19th International Conference of Computers and Their Applications, pp. 159-163, March 18-20, 2004, Seattle, Washington, USA.
• S. M. Loo, "On the Use of Reconfigurable Hardware in Sensor System Integration for Airliner Cabin Envi­ronment Research," Military & Aerospace Programmable Logic Design International Conference, Washington DC, September 7-9, 2005.
• Dick Sevier, Molly Gribb, Robert Walters, Jerome Imonigie, Kevin Ryan, Abu Kanu, Herb Hill, Feng Hong, Jake Baker, Sin Ming Loo, “An In-Situ Ion Mobility Spectrometer Sensor System for Detecting Gaseous VOCs in Unsaturated Soils”, Unsaturated Soils Conference 2006.
• Sin Ming Loo, Simon Foo, “A Methodology for System-on-a-Programmable-Chip Resources Utilization”, Military/Aerospace Programmable Logic Device International Conference, September 8-10, 2004.
• Sin Ming Loo, “Optimizing Resource Utilization in System-on-a-Programmable-Chip with Location-Aware Genetic Algorithm”, International Conference on Computer and Their Applications Special Session on Embedded Sys­tems, March 16-18 2005, New Orleans.
• S. M. Loo, J. Winningham, “A Task Graph Set for Evaluation of Reconfigurable Hardware Scheduling Algorithms”, International Society for Computer and Their Applications 19th International Conference on Computers and Their Applications, Seattle, Washington, March 18-20, 2004.
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, J. Winningham, “A Genetic Algorithm Approach to Static Task Scheduling in a Reconfigurable Hardware Environment”, Proceedings of the ISCA 18th International Conference, pp. 36-39. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, March 26-28, 2003.
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, J. Kulick, “Handel-C for Rapid Prototyping of VLSI Coprocessors for Real Time Systems”, Southeastern Symposium on System Theory, 17-18 March, 2002, Huntsville, Alabama, USA.
• B. Earl Wells, S. M. Loo, “On the Use of Distributed Reconfigurable Hardware in Launch Control Avion­ics”, 20th Digital Avionics Systems Conference, 14-18 October, 2001, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. [Session 8B Re-usable Launch Vehicles -- Awarded Best Paper of Session]
• B. Earl Wells, S. M. Loo, “Case Study: On Performing Efficient Highly Parallel Three-Dimensional PIC based Simulations in Constantly Changing Computing Environments”, Huntsville Simulation Conference, October 3-4, 2001, Huntsville, Alabama, USA.
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, R. K. Gaede, “Exploring the Hardware/Software Continuum in a Computer Engineering Capstone Design Class using FPGA-based Programmable Logic”, 2001 IEEE Computer Society International Conference on Microelectronic Systems Education (MSE 2001) June 17-18, 2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, N. Singh, E. P. Huang, “A Portable Parallel Particle-In-Cell Code Simulation”, Proceedings of The International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Processing Techniques and Applications '99, Las Vegas, NV.
• S. M. Loo, B. Earl Wells, W. E. Cohen, “Case Study: A Portable Particle-In-Cell Code Simulation on HP Exemplar”, Midwest Society for Programming Language and Systems, April 1999.

• Airliner Cabin Environment Research -- This work is funded by FAA. We design sensor systems for monitoring the airliner cabin. Two systems have been approved (EMI/EMC tested) for operating in commercial airliner cabin. We are also designing wireless sensor network that can be used to track real-time environment conditions.
• National Children Center Project -- This work is funded by NIH through Mt. Sinai. We are designing and prototyping sensor system with particle counter for home monitoring. We are working closely with UMDNJ on this project.
• Scheduling in a Reconfigurable Hardware Environment -- This research focuses upon the application of scheduling theory to a static/deterministic environment where all the task execution times and communication times can be estimated with a great degree of certainty, and the system configuration is determined prior to the execution of the application. The goal of this strategy is to create schedules that have minimal overall execution time under the constraint that the implementation of such schedules does not require more resources of any type than is present within the reconfigurable hardware.

• Digital Systems, Embedded Systems, Wireless Sensor Networks, Sensor Systems, Hardware/Software Codesign, FPGA