Cette thèse propose une nouvelle architecture d'interconnexion pour les réseaux de bordure spontanés. Un réseau de bordure spontané est composé de différents réseaux utilisant des technologies variées mais ne formant, pour l'utilisateur, qu'un unique réseau local et autonome. La démocratisation des technologies sans fil, et en particulier de 802.11, a favorisé l'émergence de ce type de réseaux. Tranchant avec la philosophie d'IP dans laquelle tout paquet est indépendant, nous affirmons l'importance de la notion de connexion et le besoin de garantir le bon fonctionnement des connexions établies. Nous proposons à cette fin un niveau 2.5 entre les couches MAC et IP, qui se traduit par l'utilisation de chemins MPLS pour le transport des données. Couplée avec un routage réactif, cette architecture orientée connexion au niveau 2.5 offre de nombreux avantages. Une implémentation de notre proposition a été réalisée sous la forme d'un prototype, Lilith.

This Master thesis presents a study of computer equipment support services providing company’s business processes, specifics of the ongoing communication between end-users and supporting engineers-consultants and presents review of some information systems designed to automate certain technical support activities. Core aim of this study is to alleviate the daily work of above mentioned consultants when supporting end-users to locate and resolve issues in owned computer equipment. This paper outlines requirements set for software which could be capable to support business processes of a company operating in a computer equipment maintenance industry, describes specially designed technical support system’s architecture as well as its programming and testing results. The presented prototype of an information system might be treated as new step in computer equipment support services enhancement. This prototype might serve as a core for knowledge management system development; it is suitable for use in businesses which are other than the IT equipment support business.

This research is in the area of lexicography and investigates the relationship between Shona terminology development and the culture of the language community for which the terminology is intended. It is a contextual analysis of compound nouns found in Shona terminological dictionaries. The study specifically explores how lexicographers together with health, music, language and literature specialists make use of their knowledge about Shona cultural contexts in the creation of compound nouns. Thus, this research foregrounds Shona socio-cultural contexts and meaning generation in terminology development. This study employs a quadruple conceptual framework. The four components of the framework that are utilised are the Traditional Descriptive Approach (TDA), Cognitive Approach (CG), Systemic Functional Approach (SFL), and Semiotic Remediation (SRM). TDA is used in the linguistic categorisation of Shona compound nouns. In addition, it provides the metalanguage with which to describe the constituent parts of Shona compound nouns. As TDA is mainly confined to the linguistic dimension, this research employs CG, SFL, and SRM to explore the cultural and socio-cognitive dimensions of terminology development.

This report discusses different steps of the product development of a new tool belt, for the company Husqvarna Group, to be used by professional forestry workers. From identifying the customers’ needs through field studies and inter-views with different users, to a substantial solution to the problem. The introduction states the purpose of the report, the research questions that this report is discussing, and also the delimitations that have been made. The report is focused on finding a new and better solution than the current one to attaching holsters on the tool belt, but also how detachable braces can be attached to the belt. Husqvarna and their current tool belt, is covered along with the main com-petitors’ tool belts. Then follows a chapter with theoretical background there the QFD method and Pugh’s decision matrix are described which are later used in the report. There is also a description of how the work in the forest is being done and how the tool belt is used. In the method chapter a time plan is established for the project’s different phases. After that the QFD method is used along with a house of quality to identify the customers’ needs and to rank the customers’ requirements and create engineering specifications to make the requirements measureable. The house of quality in-cludes an analysis of the competitors compared to the current tool belt from Husqvarna. A number of different concepts are included to solve the two prob-lems, fastener for holsters and braces are produced and are evaluated against the set requirements with the help of Pugh’s decision matrix. A “proof of concept” prototype is then produced from the final concept. A summary of the opportunities for improvements on the current tool belt is dis-played in the result chapter. There is a presentation of the final concept and the corresponding prototype. The concept for attaching the holsters includes a plastic band with holes that is attached in its lower edge so it can be folded down. Behind the plastic band, and through the holes, flies from the holsters are threaded. The plastic band and the holster flies is then covered and secured by a fabric band that is sewn onto the belt in the upper end and attached to the belt with snap fasteners in the lower end. Finally there is a chapter with conclusions, where the methods and the results are discussed and there are suggestions on how the work should be further continued. / Denna rapport behandlar olika steg inom produktframtagning av ett nytt verktygs-bälte för professionella skogsarbetare åt företaget Husqvarna Group. Från att identifiera kundens behov genom fältstudier samt intervjuer med olika användare, till en konkret lösning på problemet. Introduktionskapitlet klargör syftet med rapporten, de frågeställningar rapporten diskuterar och vilka avgränsningar som gjorts. Rapporten fokuserar på att hitta en ny och bättre lösning än den nuvarande för att fästa hölster på verktygsbältet och även hur avtagbara hängslen ska fästas i bältet. Företaget Husqvarna och deras nu-varande verktygsbälte och huvudkonkurrenternas bälten beskrivs. Sedan följer ett kapitel med teoretisk bakgrund där QFD-metoden och Pughs beslutsmetod besk-rivs som senare används i rapporten. En beskrivning av hur arbetet i skogen går till och hur verktygsbältet används finns också med. I kapitlet metod upprättas en tidsplan för projektets olika faser. Därefter används QFD-metoden och ett kvalitetshus för att identifiera kundens behov och för att få en rangordning av kundkraven samt skapa ingenjörsmässiga mätvärden på kraven. Kvalitetshuset innehåller även en konkurrensanalys där det nuvarande bältet jäm-förs med konkurrenternas. Ett antal olika koncept för att lösa de två problemen, fäste för hölster och hängslen, tas fram och utvärderas mot uppställda krav med hjälp av Pughs beslutsmatris. En “proof of concept” prototyp tas sedan fram av det valda konceptet. En sammanställning av förbättringsmöjligheterna på det nuvarande verktygsbältet läggs fram i kapitlet resultat. Där presenteras det slutliga konceptet och prototypen av det. Konceptet för att fästa hölstren är ett hålat plastband som fästs på bältet i underkanten av plastbandet så att det kan vikas ner. Bakom plastbandet och ge-nom hålet träs flärpar från hölstret, det hela täcks och säkras med ett textilband som är fastsytt i överkant och med tryckknappar i underkant. Avslutningsvis finns ett kapitel med slutsatser, där metoderna och resultaten dis-kuteras och där ges förslag på hur arbetet bör tas vidare.

The focus of the research is on the development of the concept of floating flexible thin film arrays for renewable electricity generation, in marine and lacustrine application areas. This research was motivated by reliability issues from wave energy converters which are prone to large loads due to the environment which they are exposed in; a flexible system would not need to withstand these loads but simply yield to them. The solid state power take off is an advantage of photovoltaic (PV) technology which removes failure risks associated with mechanical machinery, and also potential environmental hazards such as hydraulic oil spillage. The novelty of this technology requires some development before it could even be considered feasible for large scale installation. Techno-economics are a big issue in electricity developments and need to be scoped in order to ensure that they would be cost-competitive in the market and with other technologies. Other more technical issues relate to the change in expected electrical yield due to the modulation of the PV array according to the waves and the electrical performance of the PVs when in wet conditions. Results from numerical modelling of the modulating arrays show that there is not expected variation in electrical yield at central latitudes (slightly positive), although at higher latitudes there could be considerable depreciation. With regards to the electrical performance a notable improvement was measured due to the cooling effect, slight decrease in performance was also estimated due to water absorption (of ~ 1.4%) within the panels. Overall results from both economic and technical analysis show the feasibility of the concept and that it is a possibility for future commercialisation.

The motivation for the study had its origin in the fact that sexual abuse in South Africa seems to be a formidable problem which has a detrimental effect on the adolescent’s development and functioning. Social workers have to deal with sexual abuse often and do not always have the necessary programmes and skills acquired to follow through therapeutic intervention with these victims. Therefore this study focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a narrative social work intervention programme where sand play techniques were integrated in the narrative process. The research problem formulated was that many adolescents suffer from the effects of sexual abuse and therefore the aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a narrative social work intervention programme for adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The study served to broaden the body of social work knowledge by means of meaningful quantitative and qualitative enquiry. Quantitative data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and qualitative data through the use of combined sand play and narratives as approaches. Four (4) participants were included in a series of 10–15 sand play sessions. Only the data of one (1) participant was used for data–analysis. Two (2) sessions were used for general assessment and building of therapeutic relationship and an additional session was used for an interview with the parent(s). The researcher undertook mixed method research where the quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined into the research methodology of the single study. Intervention research was used as basic methodology. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. Collected data was analyzed according to Tesch’s approach to qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 1994). The researcher applied the developed social work intervention programme with four (4) adolescent participants who had allegedly been sexually abused. The sand play sessions were audio recorded and evaluated by means of data analysis. The findings of this study emphasized the psycho–social impact of sexual abuse on survivors of sexual abuse. This thesis reflects the contribution and impact that the social work intervention programme had on the adolescent survivor of sexual abuse. This programme was found to be a valuable tool that can be used in intervention with adolescents and could add to the knowledge of social workers and other professionals working with the survivors of sexual abuse. The research can be recognized as a positive demonstration of the value of a narrative social work intervention programme. Recommendations regarding future implementation of the narrative social intervention programme have been made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The motivation for the study had its origin in the fact that sexual abuse in South Africa seems to be a formidable problem which has a detrimental effect on the adolescent’s development and functioning. Social workers have to deal with sexual abuse often and do not always have the necessary programmes and skills acquired to follow through therapeutic intervention with these victims. Therefore this study focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a narrative social work intervention programme where sand play techniques were integrated in the narrative process. The research problem formulated was that many adolescents suffer from the effects of sexual abuse and therefore the aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a narrative social work intervention programme for adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The study served to broaden the body of social work knowledge by means of meaningful quantitative and qualitative enquiry. Quantitative data were obtained through the use of questionnaires and qualitative data through the use of combined sand play and narratives as approaches. Four (4) participants were included in a series of 10–15 sand play sessions. Only the data of one (1) participant was used for data–analysis. Two (2) sessions were used for general assessment and building of therapeutic relationship and an additional session was used for an interview with the parent(s). The researcher undertook mixed method research where the quantitative and qualitative approaches were combined into the research methodology of the single study. Intervention research was used as basic methodology. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the research subject for this study. Collected data was analyzed according to Tesch’s approach to qualitative data analysis (Creswell, 1994). The researcher applied the developed social work intervention programme with four (4) adolescent participants who had allegedly been sexually abused. The sand play sessions were audio recorded and evaluated by means of data analysis. The findings of this study emphasized the psycho–social impact of sexual abuse on survivors of sexual abuse. This thesis reflects the contribution and impact that the social work intervention programme had on the adolescent survivor of sexual abuse. This programme was found to be a valuable tool that can be used in intervention with adolescents and could add to the knowledge of social workers and other professionals working with the survivors of sexual abuse. The research can be recognized as a positive demonstration of the value of a narrative social work intervention programme. Recommendations regarding future implementation of the narrative social intervention programme have been made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

In this work, I present empirically validated techniques to realize gesture and touch interaction using a novel near touch tracking system. This study focuses on identifying the intended center of action for grab and release gestures close to an interactive surface. Results of this experiment inform a linear model that can approximate the intended location of grab and release actions with an accuracy of R^2 = 0.95 for horizontal position and R^2 = 0.84 for vertical position. I also present an approach for distinguishing which hand was used to perform the interaction. These empirical model data and near touch tracking system contributions provide new opportunities for natural and intuitive hand interactions with computing surfaces. / Graduate

This experimental study investigates the second language acquisition of the four Mandarin aspect markers -le, -guo, -zhe, and zai- by native Swedish university students enrolled in Chinese language courses in Sweden. The main points of inquiry are acquisition order, the Aspect Hypothesis, the Distributional Bias Hypothesis, and the Prototype Model. The study contains a cross-sectional study and a longitudinal study. Both written and spoken data are collected. The tasks in the cross-sectional study include film-retelling, picture-retelling, grammaticality judgment, fill-in-the-blank questions and comprehension. The longitudinal study includes written data produced by seven students in their tri-monthly journal. The study shows that perfective markers are produced before imperfective markers. The results of the experiments are consistent with the Aspect Hypothesis. The Distributional Bias Hypothesis can account for most of the Aspect Hypothesis but there are exceptions that indicate that other factors could also influence the acquisition process, such as L1 transfer. The Prototype Model cannot be conclusively proven. Apart from contributing to second-language acquisition theo-ries on cross-linguistic tense-aspect morphology, this study can provide empirical evidence with significant pedagogical implications for the second-language learning classroom.

Wikis are a popular collaboration technology. They support the collaborative editing of web pages through a simple mark-up language. Mobile devices are becoming ubiquitous, powerful and affordable. Thus it is advantageous for people to get the benefits of wikis in a mobile setting. However, mobile computing leads to its own challenges such as limited screen size, bandwidth, memory and battery life; they also have intermittent connectivity due to the mobility and the coverage of network. I investigate how wikis can be made mobile; that is how wiki forms of collaborative editing can be achieved through mobile devices such as PDAs and smart phones. A prototype mobile wiki has been created using .NET, which addresses these issues and enables simple collaborative working whilst on and offline through smart mobile devices. A cut down wiki runs on the mobile device. This communicates with a main central wiki to cache pages for off line use. When sitting in a powered cradle eager, downloading and synchronization of pages is supported. During mobile operation, pages are cached lazily on demand to minimize power use and to save the limited and expensive bandwidth. On re-connection, offline edited as well as new pages are synchronized with the main wiki server. Finally a pluggable page rendering engine enables pages to be rendered in different ways to suit different sized screens.