Table of Contents Previous Chapter ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my appreciation to my thesis advisor, Dr. Chen Zhou, for his interest, guidance, and support in both this research work and all areas of academic concern during my years at Georgia Tech. I also like to thank Dr. Ira W. Pence, Dr. Gunter Sharp, Dr. S. Manivannan, and Dr. Edward Kamen for their helpful suggestions and comments while serving on my reading committee.

Special thanks are due to Dr. Ira Pence, Director of Material Handling Research Center at Georgia Tech, for his support during my first several years as a GRA in the center and for many ways he has helped me during my stay at Georgia Tech. Especially, his guidance over the past year contributed immeasurably to the successful completion of this thesis.

The dissertation is dedicated to my wife, Chin-Hsiu, for her unconditional love, patience, and sacrifice during my study. I would especially like to thank my parents and my parents-in-law for their understanding and support. Together they have provided financial resources for my education.

Table of Contents Next Chapter