Congenital and developmental limb deformities in canines are rare and can occur as a genetic disorder or be caused by extrinsic factors. Without surgery to correct the deformity, conservative management can be implemented to manage exercise and restrict high-intensity activity of the canine. However, any alteration to the normal gait and locomotive biomechanics of a canine can have significant long-term effects on the musculoskeletal health and quality of life of the canine. To improve quality of life and provide an alternative and more cost-effective approach to surgery, a custom prosthetic was designed and developed for a canine born with a congenital right forelimb deformity. Since canine prosthetics that are currently on the market are limited and expensive, the goal of this thesis was to create a durable and inexpensive prosthetic to stabilize the gait of a canine. A 1-year-old German Shepherd was the single subject of this research project. The major results indicated that the custom-designed, 3D printed prosthetic parts, which included the foot and the body of the prosthetic, were strong enough to withstand the high-impact forces and stresses experienced during the gait of a canine. The results also indicated that the prosthetic was comfortable and did not cause any pain or discomfort to the canine, as well as the prosthetic leg and foot being the correct length to stabilize the gait of the canine and redistribute the body weight of the tripod canine to that of a tetrapod canine. This study also developed and outlined a feasible fabrication process that could be repeated and used to produce other custom prosthetics for canines with rare congenital or development limb deformities as an alternative to surgery. In a future study, fatigue testing, tensile testing, and impact testing should be performed to determine the failure points. Fatigue testing is a critical factor in determining failure of a part.

Modem computer technology has been evolving for nearly fifty years, and has seen many architectural innovations along the way. One of the latest technologies to come about is the reconfigurable processor-based custom computing machine (CCM). CCMs use field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) as their processing cores, giving them the flexibility of software systems with performance comparable to that of dedicated custom hardware. Hardware description languages are currently used to program CCMs. However, research is being performed to investigate the use of high-level languages (HLLs), such as the C programming language, to create CCM programs. Many aspects of CCM architectures, such as local memory systems, are not conducive to HLL compiler usage. This thesis proposes and evaluates the use of a shared-memory architecture on a Splash-2 CCM to promote the development and usage of HLL compilers for CCM systems. / Master of Science

Thesis (MA. (African Languages)) --Univesity of Limpopo, 2014

The Software/Hardware Implementation and Research Architecture (SHIRA) is a C to hardware toolchain developed by the Computer Architecture Research Group (CARG) of the University of Ottawa. The framework and algorithms to generate the hardware from an Intermediate Representation (IR) of the C code is needed. This dissertation presents the conceiving, design, and development of a module that generates the hardware for custom instructions identified by specialized SHIRA components without the need for any user interaction. The module is programmed in Java and takes a Data Flow Graph (DFG) as an IR for input. It then generates VHDL code that targets the Altera FPGAs. It is possible to use separate components for each operation or to set a maximum number for each component which leads to component reuse and reduces chip area use. The performance improvement of the generated code is compared to using only the processor’s standard instruction set.

The Software/Hardware Implementation and Research Architecture (SHIRA) is a C to hardware toolchain developed by the Computer Architecture Research Group (CARG) of the University of Ottawa. The framework and algorithms to generate the hardware from an Intermediate Representation (IR) of the C code is needed. This dissertation presents the conceiving, design, and development of a module that generates the hardware for custom instructions identified by specialized SHIRA components without the need for any user interaction. The module is programmed in Java and takes a Data Flow Graph (DFG) as an IR for input. It then generates VHDL code that targets the Altera FPGAs. It is possible to use separate components for each operation or to set a maximum number for each component which leads to component reuse and reduces chip area use. The performance improvement of the generated code is compared to using only the processor’s standard instruction set.

The Software/Hardware Implementation and Research Architecture (SHIRA) is a C to hardware toolchain developed by the Computer Architecture Research Group (CARG) of the University of Ottawa. The framework and algorithms to generate the hardware from an Intermediate Representation (IR) of the C code is needed. This dissertation presents the conceiving, design, and development of a module that generates the hardware for custom instructions identified by specialized SHIRA components without the need for any user interaction. The module is programmed in Java and takes a Data Flow Graph (DFG) as an IR for input. It then generates VHDL code that targets the Altera FPGAs. It is possible to use separate components for each operation or to set a maximum number for each component which leads to component reuse and reduces chip area use. The performance improvement of the generated code is compared to using only the processor’s standard instruction set.

The Software/Hardware Implementation and Research Architecture (SHIRA) is a C to hardware toolchain developed by the Computer Architecture Research Group (CARG) of the University of Ottawa. The framework and algorithms to generate the hardware from an Intermediate Representation (IR) of the C code is needed. This dissertation presents the conceiving, design, and development of a module that generates the hardware for custom instructions identified by specialized SHIRA components without the need for any user interaction. The module is programmed in Java and takes a Data Flow Graph (DFG) as an IR for input. It then generates VHDL code that targets the Altera FPGAs. It is possible to use separate components for each operation or to set a maximum number for each component which leads to component reuse and reduces chip area use. The performance improvement of the generated code is compared to using only the processor’s standard instruction set.

Esta dissertação investiga os procedimentos e métodos empregados por designers de tipos para a concepção e o desenvolvimento de fontes digitais customizadas, associadas exclusivamente a sistemas de identidades visuais corporativos, explorando o potencial expressivo dessas tipografias, procurando identificar seus atributos conotativos, históricos, culturais e emocionais, assim como os possíveis significados e interpretações que estas formas podem evocar, com atenção especial para a tipografia contemporânea. Fontes digitais são elementos centrais para a consolidação de uma identidade visual, além do importante papel em muitas outras especia- lidades do design gráfico. O objetivo prático desse estudo é delinear as decisões adotadas no processo do design e da estrutura formal de seis fontes digitais personalizadas, para uso corporativo exclusivo, baseando-se em informações coletadas diretamente dos designers envolvidos, em textos publicados e análises próprias. Em um sentido mais amplo, o estudo visa colaborar com designers e contratantes de serviços de design tipográfico, sobre a necessidade de uma atenção mais ponderada no momento da escolha ou adoção dos tipos que compõem uma deter-minada identidade visual, considerando a tipografia um agente consolidador de uma identidade autêntica, por meio das qualidades formais, expressivas e conotativas dos tipos. Apesar da subjetividade nas avaliações que o tema envolve, o resultado observado é que a tipografia tem condições de carregar e transmitir a identidade de uma instituição, até mesmo nas situações em que a própria marca está ausente, assumindo o papel de transportar, juntamente com o conteúdo da mensagem, valores, comportamentos e personalidade. Neste contexto, a tipografia corporativa customizada, ou seja, aquela desenvolvida e adaptada especialmente para este fim, desempenha um importante papel, o que esta dissertação busca elucidar. / This work studies the procedures and methods used by type designers for conceiving and developing custom digital fonts used exclusively in corporate identity systems. By exploring the expressive potential of these fonts and with regard to contemporary typography, the nvestigation tried to recognize their connotative, historical, cultural and emotional attributes as well as possible meanings and interpretations these shapes may evoke. Besides playing an important role in many graphic design areas, digital fonts are key elements to corporate identities. This study\'s goal is to outline the decisions adopted in the process of designing and creating the formal structures of six custom digital corporate fonts, based on nformation from their designers, in published texts and the author\'s own analyzes. In a broader sense, the study draws attention of designers and clients who hire type design services, on the need for a more careful choice and or adoption of fonts that make up a particular corporate dentity. Thereby, the typography should be considered as an authentic agent for consolidating that identity through its formal, expressive and connotative qualities. Despite the subjectivity in the evaluation, the outcome is that the typography is able to carry and transmit the identity of a company or nstitution even when the the logo is absent. Along with the content of the message, it takes on the role of carrying the values, behavior and personality of the brand. In this sense, the customized corporate font, that s, the font specially developed or adapted for that purpose is believed to play a fundamental role which this study sought to find out.

Esta dissertação investiga os procedimentos e métodos empregados por designers de tipos para a concepção e o desenvolvimento de fontes digitais customizadas, associadas exclusivamente a sistemas de identidades visuais corporativos, explorando o potencial expressivo dessas tipografias, procurando identificar seus atributos conotativos, históricos, culturais e emocionais, assim como os possíveis significados e interpretações que estas formas podem evocar, com atenção especial para a tipografia contemporânea. Fontes digitais são elementos centrais para a consolidação de uma identidade visual, além do importante papel em muitas outras especia- lidades do design gráfico. O objetivo prático desse estudo é delinear as decisões adotadas no processo do design e da estrutura formal de seis fontes digitais personalizadas, para uso corporativo exclusivo, baseando-se em informações coletadas diretamente dos designers envolvidos, em textos publicados e análises próprias. Em um sentido mais amplo, o estudo visa colaborar com designers e contratantes de serviços de design tipográfico, sobre a necessidade de uma atenção mais ponderada no momento da escolha ou adoção dos tipos que compõem uma deter-minada identidade visual, considerando a tipografia um agente consolidador de uma identidade autêntica, por meio das qualidades formais, expressivas e conotativas dos tipos. Apesar da subjetividade nas avaliações que o tema envolve, o resultado observado é que a tipografia tem condições de carregar e transmitir a identidade de uma instituição, até mesmo nas situações em que a própria marca está ausente, assumindo o papel de transportar, juntamente com o conteúdo da mensagem, valores, comportamentos e personalidade. Neste contexto, a tipografia corporativa customizada, ou seja, aquela desenvolvida e adaptada especialmente para este fim, desempenha um importante papel, o que esta dissertação busca elucidar. / This work studies the procedures and methods used by type designers for conceiving and developing custom digital fonts used exclusively in corporate identity systems. By exploring the expressive potential of these fonts and with regard to contemporary typography, the nvestigation tried to recognize their connotative, historical, cultural and emotional attributes as well as possible meanings and interpretations these shapes may evoke. Besides playing an important role in many graphic design areas, digital fonts are key elements to corporate identities. This study\'s goal is to outline the decisions adopted in the process of designing and creating the formal structures of six custom digital corporate fonts, based on nformation from their designers, in published texts and the author\'s own analyzes. In a broader sense, the study draws attention of designers and clients who hire type design services, on the need for a more careful choice and or adoption of fonts that make up a particular corporate dentity. Thereby, the typography should be considered as an authentic agent for consolidating that identity through its formal, expressive and connotative qualities. Despite the subjectivity in the evaluation, the outcome is that the typography is able to carry and transmit the identity of a company or nstitution even when the the logo is absent. Along with the content of the message, it takes on the role of carrying the values, behavior and personality of the brand. In this sense, the customized corporate font, that s, the font specially developed or adapted for that purpose is believed to play a fundamental role which this study sought to find out.

M. Tech. (Department of Visual Arts and Design: Fashion, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Customer satisfaction has proven to be a major determinant on the success or failure of a business. Regrettably, fashion entrepreneurs are not meeting customer expectations because they have problems that are affecting the quality of their work. In order to promote customer satisfaction, fashion entrepreneurs require a master plan that is customer-based. Thus, they could implement customisation of garments to address customers’ concerns. It is, therefore, crucial for home-based fashion entrepreneurs to be aware of their customers’ needs and the factors that affect their satisfaction to boost its levels. Based on this background, it was found necessary to conduct a research study with the aim to determine factors that affect customer satisfaction of custom-made garments produced by home-based fashion entrepreneurs in the Emfuleni Local Municipality. A qualitative study, applying purposive and snowball sampling techniques, was conducted by means of one-on-one interviews. Data saturation guided the study and was reached after nineteen women were interviewed and two more interviews were done to enhance credibility. Analysis of data was conducted applying the six stages of Creswell’s approach of data analysis. During this process four themes emerged and were presented in line with their categories. The study findings revealed that some of the factors that largely influenced customer satisfaction were service quality, product quality, price, value and location. Garment fit and uniqueness were also found to be reasons why participants opted for custom-made garments. However, some of the participating women did not get the satisfaction they were seeking. Their satisfaction was negatively affected by garment quality, lack of communication, missing delivery deadlines and inaccessibility of the entrepreneur. The research outcome provides home-based fashion entrepreneurs with useful information to improve the levels of customer satisfaction.