Augmented reality provides its user with additional information not available through the natural real-world environment. This additional information displayed to the user potentially poses a risk of perceptual and cognitive load and vision-based difficulties. The presence of real-world objects together with virtual augmenting information requires the user to repeatedly switch eye focus between the two in order to extract information from both environments. Switching eye focus may result in additional time on user tasks and lower task accuracy. Thus, one of the goals of this research was to understand the impact of switching eye focus between real-world and virtual information on user task performance. Secondly, focus depth, which is an important parameter and a depth cue, may affect the user's view of the augmented world. If focus depth is not adjusted properly, it may result in vision-based difficulties and reduce speed, accuracy, and comfort while using an augmented reality display. Thus, the second goal of this thesis was to study the effect of focus depth on task performance in augmented reality systems. In augmented reality environments, real-world and virtual information are found at different distances from the user. To focus at different depths, the user's eye needs to accommodate and converge, which may strain the eye and degrade performance on tasks. However, no research in augmented reality has explored this issue. Hence, the third goal of this thesis was to determine if distance of virtual information from the user impacts task performance. To accomplish these goals, a 3x3x3 within subjects design was used. The experimental task for the study required the user to repeatedly switch eye focus between the virtual text and real-world text. A monocular see-through head- mounted display was used for this research. Results of this study revealed that switching between real-world and virtual information in augmented reality is extremely difficult when information is displayed at optical infinity. Virtual information displayed at optical infinity may be unsuitable for tasks of the nature used in this research. There was no impact of focus depth on user task performance and hence it is preliminarily recommended that manufacturers of head-mounted displays may only need to make fixed focus depth displays; this clearly merits additional intensive research. Further, user task performance was better when focus depth, virtual information, and real-world information were all at the same distance from the user as compared to conditions when they were mismatched. Based on this result we recommend presenting virtual information at the same distance as real-world information of interest. / Master of Science

Chez les plantes, l'oxyde nitrique (NO) est impliqué dans de nombreux processusbiologiques tels que la germination ou le développement racinaire et intervient dans les réponses àdivers stress biotiques ou abiotiques. Ainsi, en situation de stress en fer, la production de NOconstitue un événement précoce dans la voie de signalisation qui aboutit à l'induction desferritines. Les cibles du NO demeurent toutefois mal connues, mais il est établi qu'un effet majeurest la S-nitrosylation de cystéines dans les protéines. Dans ce travail, nous avons cherché àidentifier les protéines (et les cystéines) qui constituent les cibles moléculaires du NO dans deuxsituations de stress abiotique chez Arabidopsis thaliana. Dans ce but, une démarche deprotéomique post-traductionnelle dédiée, fondée sur la méthode classique dite du «Biotin-switch»(BS), a été privilégiée pour l'identification des protéines nitrosylées. Par ailleurs, afin de pouvoirévaluer les variations de nitrosylation et analyser des réponses physiologiques, nous avonsintroduit une dimension quantitative en combinant le BS à un marquage des thiols par des réactifsdifférant par la présence d'isotopes lourds (Isotope coded affinity tag, ICAT). La méthode ainsidéveloppée (BS-ICAT) a permis de caractériser des variations de nitrosylation de protéines lorsd'un stress ferrique et d'un stress salin. A côté de l'identification de cibles potentielles du NO, lesrésultats ont également attiré l'attention sur certaines limites du BS. Sur cette base, la méthodeBS-ICAT a été utilisée pour revisiter quantitativement le BS. Nous avons montré que le blocagedes thiols libres, étape initiale-clé fondant le BS, n'est que partiel et conduit à l'apparition de fauxpositifs. Simultanément, de nouveaux contrôles de spécificité ont été éprouvés. La combinaisonBS-ICAT constitue l'une des toutes premières tentatives pour la caractérisation quantitative àlarge échelle de réponses de nitrosylation. A côté d'un premier répertoire de sites de Snitrosylationchez les plantes et de l'identification de candidats potentiellement impliqués dans lesréponses aux stress en fer et en sel, l'analyse quantitative permet de proposer une utilisation du BSintégrant ses limites de façon plus contrôlée. Cette analyse souligne le besoin de méthodesalternatives où le marquage soit réalisé directement sur les nitrosothiols. / In plants, nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many biological processes such as germination or roots development and in responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Thereby, in iron stress situations, NO production is the earliest signaling pathway event leading to ferritins induction. NO targets remain largely unknown but it is now stated that cysteine S-nitrosylation in proteins is the main NO consequence. The present work aims at identifying NO target proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana in the context of two abiotic stresses. For this purpose, a posttranslational proteomics approach based on the classical “Biotin-Switch” method (BS) was favored to identify nitrosylated proteins. Moreover, in order to estimate changes in nitrosylation and analyze physiological responses, a quantitative dimension combining the BS and a differential isotope based labeling of thiol with the ICAT reagents (Isotope Coded Affinity Tag) was introduced. This method named BS-ICAT allowed us to characterize quantitative variations of S-nitrosylation during an iron and a salt stress. Beside the identification of potential NO targets, our results highlighted limitations of BS method through incomplete free thiol blockage, the key initial step in BS, leading to false positive identifications. Simultaneously, new control have been introduced to test the specificity of the labeling. The combination of BS and ICAT is one the first attempt to quantitatively characterize the NO response at a large scale. This quantitative analysis results in one of the first repertoire of S-nitrosylation sites in plant proteins under abiotic stress and highly suggests a careful use of BS under strict control conditions. Moreover this analysis re-enforces the emerging need for alternative methods where the labeling molecules react directly with the nitrosothiols.

Nesse trabalho, foram obtidos bis-azofenóis (HO-(Azo-R)2) pela reação de sais de diazônio estáveis e fenol. As condições dessas reações foram analisadas, sendo que, pela primeira vez, a influência da temperatura foi investigada. Temperaturas mais altas aumentam o rendimento dos bis-azofenóis, o que reforça o modelo Droplet, e indicam um aumento na velocidade de reação da segunda reação de acoplamento. As propriedades espectroscópicas e fotoquímicas de HO-(Azo-Me)2 são essencialmente governadas pelo estabelecimento de uma ligação de hidrogênio intramolecular assistida por ressonância. Os rendimentos quânticos de fotoisomerização E-Z são baixos em decorrência, provavelmente, da formação de tautômeros no estado excitado, que desativam a isomerização. Foi obtida uma díade (Azo1-X-Azo2) contendo um azobenzeno da classe espectroscópica \"azobenzeno\" (Azo 1) e outro da classe \"aminoazobenzeno\'\' (Azo 2) conectados através de um espaçador (X). Não existe interação apreciável entre Azo 1 e Azo 2, sendo a separação entre os máximos de absorção dessas subunidades de mais de 60 nm. Observou-se que não foi possível fotoisomerizar (E-Z) seletivamente Azo 1, seja na região de seu isosbéstico, seja na região de seu máximo de absorção, sendo sempre observada a isomerização concomitante de Azo 2. O rendimento quântico de Azo 1 (0,22) é idêntico ao obtido para o modelo M-Azo 1, indicando que sua incorporação na díade não altera essa propriedade fotoquímica. A unidade Azo 2 pode ser fotoisomerizada (E-Z) seletivamente na região de seu máximo de absorção, não sendo observada isomerização significativa de Azo 1. É obtido um rendimento quântico (0,34) também idêntico ao do modelo M-Azo 2. Entretanto, na díade existe uma dependência do rendimento quântico de Azo 2 em função da região de excitação, sendo observado um rendimento quântico (0,54) quando excitado na região de 370 nm, que difere consideravelmente do rendimento quântico de M-Azo 2, que é independente do comprimento de onda (0,33). Um comportamento interessante foi observado ao se irradiar a díade na região de 370 nm, que corresponde ao ponto isosbéstico de Azo 2 e uma região de alta absorção da banda pi-pi* de Azo 1. Apesar da menor fração de luz absorvida por Azo 2 (44%), não se observa isomerização de Azo 1 até ser obtido o estado fotoestacionário (PSS) de Azo 2, indicando que existe um período de indução para que seja obtida a isomerização de Azo 1. Esse comportamento corresponde a um sistema do tipo neural, em que existe um estímulo durante um período de indução até que seja atingido um limiar para que ocorra uma determinada função. Considerando também os processos de isomerização Z-E, é possível realizar várias combinações a partir de estímulos luminosos diferentes e estados iniciais diferentes, que podem ser correlacionados com a lógica binária (byte [x,y]; x e y = 0 ou 1). Devido à combinação conveniente de grupos azo, essa díade é a primeira em que é possível uma caracterização fotoquímica dos processos fotoquímicos E-Z e Z-E e que se obtém uma seletividade, ao menos parcial, no controle desses processos. / In the studies herein proposed, bis-azophenols (HO-(Azo-R)2) were synthesized by the coupling reaction of stable diazonium salts and phenol. The reaction conditions were assessed and, for the first time, the influence of temperature was investigated in this type of reaction. Higher temperatures lead to increased yields of bis-azophenol, reinforcing the Droplet Model, and indicate an increase in the reaction rate for the second coupling step. Spectroscopic and photochemical properties of HO-(Azo-Me)2 are essentially directed by the establishment of a Resonance-Assisted Hydrogen Bond. The E-Z photoisomerization quantum yield is low, probably due to the formation of tautomers in the excited state that deactivate the isomerization process. A dyad (Azo1-X-Azo2) containing an azobenzene of the \"azobenzene\" spectroscopic group (Azo 1) and another azobenzene of the \"aminoazobenzene\" spectroscopic group (Azo 2), connected through a spacer (X), has been obtained. There is no appreciable interaction between Azo 1 and Azo 2 and the separation of the corresponding absorption maxima of these subunits is 60 nm. It was observed that selectively photoisomerization (E-Z) of Azo 1, either in the region of its isosbestic or in the region of its absorption maximum, was not feasible, being always observed the concomitant isomerization of Azo 2. The quantum yield of Azo 1 (0.22) is identical to that obtained for M-Azo 2, indicating that its incorporation into the dyad does not modify this photochemical property. The Azo 2 unit can be selectively photoisomerized (E-Z) in the region of its absorption maximum, without Azo 1 isomerization. A quantum yield of 0.34 was obtained, also the same to M-Azo 2 model. However, the dyad presents a dependence on the quantum yield of Azo 2 as a function of the excitation region , and a quantum yield of (0.54) was observed when excited in the region of 370 nm, which differs considerably from the quantum yield of M-Azo 2 since it is independent of the wavelength of excitation. An interesting behavior was observed by irradiating the dyad in the region of 370 nm, which corresponds to the isosbestic point of Azo 2 and a region of high absorption of the pi-pi* band of Azo 1. Despite the smaller fraction of light absorbed by Azo 2 (44%), isomerization of Azo 1 isn\'t observed until the photostationary state of Azo 2 is achieved, indicating that there is an induction period to obtain Azo 1 isomerization. This behavior corresponds to a neural type system, in which there is a stimulus during an induction period until a threshold is reached for a given function to occur. Considering also the Z-E isomerization processes, it is possible to perform several combinations from different light stimuli and different initial states that can be correlated with binary logic (byte [x, y] x and y = 0 or 1). Due to the convenient combination of azo groups, this dyad is the first in which a photochemical characterization of the photochemical processes E-Z and Z-E is obtained, and a partial selectivity is achieved in the control of these processes.

RF/Microwave switches are widely used in microwave measurement systems, telecommunication and radar applications. The main purposes of RF switches are Tx-Rx switching, band select and switching the signal between different paths. Thus, they are key circuits especially in T/R modules. Wideband operation is an important criterion in EW applications. High power handling is also a key feature especially for radars detecting long range. In this study, different types of high power solid state switches operating at X-Band are designed, fabricated and measured. The main objectives are small size and high power handling while keeping good return loss and low insertion loss. The related studies are investigated and analyzed. Solutions for increasing the power handling are investigated, related calculations are done. Better bias conditions are also analyzed. The measurement results are compared with simulations and analysis. Circuit designs and simulations are performed using AWR&reg / and CST&reg / .

Routers have to be fast enough to keep pace with increasing traffic data rate because of the increasing need for network bandwidth and processing. The switch fabric component of a router is a combination of hardware and software which moves the incoming packets to the outgoing ports. The access of the input ports to the switch fabric is controlled by a scheduler which affects the overall performance together with the fabric design. In this thesis we investigate two switch fabric and scheduler architectures, the well-known iSlip fabric scheduler and the Byte-Focal switch. We observe that these two architectures have different behaviors under different input traffic load ranges. The novel contribution of this thesis is a combined switch architecture which is composed of these two architectures that are implemented and run in parallel to selectively forward the packets with lower delay to the outputs to achieve an overall lower average delay. The design of the combined switch is carried out on FPGA and simulated. Our results show that the combined architecture has 100% throughput and a lower average delay compared to the Byte-Focal switch and the input-queued switch with iSlip. On the other hand, our combined switch uses more resources in FPGA than individual iSlip and Byte-Focal switch.

Rapporten behandlar ett examensarbete med fokus på att hitta och jämföra en whiteboxlösningmot en nuvarande nätverksenhet åt företaget Cygate. Whiteboxlösningar är ett växande konceptsom är relativt outforskat och den större delen av nätverksmarknaden domineras fortfarande avetablerade märken. En brist på jämförelser mellan whiteboxslöningar och etablerade märken ären bidragande orsak till denna rapport. Cygate ville veta om det fanns några whiteboxlösningarsom kunde mäta sig prestandamässigt mot en av deras nuvarande enheter. Olikawhiteboxlösningar granskades och analyserades med fokus på porthastighet, antal portar ochstöd för utvalda protokoll. Den teoretiska undersökningen av olika whiteboxlösningar gjordeatt det gick att konstatera att det fanns en whiteboxlösning som levde upp till liknade prestandasom den nuvarande nätverksenheten. Whiteboxlösningen levde upp till de kraven som ställtsfrån Cygate och visade sig vara mer ekonomiskt lönsam och på vissa punkter ha bättreprestanda. Granskningen visar att ett företag kan förbättra sin prestanda och minska sinakostnader genom att implementera en whiteboxlösning.

Le laser est devenu un outil très riche depuis sa création en 1960. Ses applications sont très variées et il a intégré tous nos outils du quotidien. Décliné sous leur forme impulsionnelle, les lasers se sont encore ouverts d'autres champs d'application tels que l'usinage, la découpe, le marquage ou le nettoyage de matériaux; ou encore la médecine et le bien-être et également les capteurs et notamment les capteurs embarqués. Les lasers impulsionnels à déclenchement passif (Q-Switch) sont tout particulièrement adaptés à ce dernier champ d'application de par leur suffisance énergétique, utilisant l'énergie du laser lui-même pour créer des impulsions lasers très énergétiques dont la durée est de l'ordre de la nanoseconde. Les lasers réalisés sur substrat de verre se sont avérés également très adaptés à la fabrication de dispositifs de captation embarquée : ils montrent une grande stabilité, de fortes résistances mécanique et chimique les rendant utilisables dans un large panel de conditions environnementales. A l'IMEP-LaHC, des lasers réalisés par échange d'ions argent/sodium dans des substrats de verre phosphate dopés à l'erbium et à l'ytterbium ont été réalisés. Des lasers impulsionnels ont également été réalisés en utilisant cette technologie de guides d'ondes planaires en interaction avec des couches minces d'acétate de cellulose dopé à un colorant nommé BDN possédant les propriétés d'absorption saturable nécessaires à la naissance d'un comportement Q-Switch. Ces lasers permettent déjà de s’orienter vers la captation embarquée. Cependant, certaines applications nécessitent encore plus de puissance et surtout une meilleure résistance à l'environnement que celle proposée par l'acétate de cellulose. Afin de répondre à toutes ces attentes, nous présentons dans ce manuscrit la fabrication d’absorbants saturables à partir de matrices sol-gel et dopées au BDN afin de créer des guides d'ondes absorbants saturables. Des méthodes de caractérisation et des simulations spécifiques d’absorption saturable sont développés afin de décrire le comportement de tels dispositifs et d’évaluer la pertinence du choix de telles matrices alliées au colorant BDN afin de créer des lasers Q-Switch en optique intégrée sur verre. / Since its creation in 1960, laser has become a really useful tool. Lasers are very versatile and they has become part of many of our everyday life tools. Coming in their pulsed form, lasers have opened-up others fields of application such as machining, cutting, marking or cleaning materials; or medicine and well-being and also sensors and in particular embedded sensors. Passively Q-Switched lasers are particularly adapted to this last field of application thanks to their energetic self-sufficiency, using the energy of the laser itself to create very energetic laser pulses whose duration order is about the nanosecond. The lasers made on optical glass wafers have also proved very suitable for the manufacture of on-board sensing devices: they show great stability, strong mechanical and chemical resistance, making them usable in a wide range of environmental conditions. At IMEP-LaHC, lasers made by silver / sodium ion exchange in erbium and ytterbium doped phosphate glasses were made. Pulsed lasers have also been realized using this planar waveguide technology in interaction with thin films of cellulose acetate doped with a dye named BDN, having the saturable absorption properties needed for the emergence of Q –Switch operation. These lasers can already address on-board sensing applications. However, some applications require even more power and above all a better environmental resistance than that proposed by cellulose acetate. In order to meet all these expectations, we present in this manuscript the production of saturable absorbers from BDN-doped sol-gel matrices to create saturable absorber waveguides. Specific characterization methods and saturable absorption simulations are developed to describe the operation of such devices and to evaluate the relevance of the choice of such matrices allied with BDN dye in order to create glass integrated Q-Switched lasers.

This Master´s thesis provides an overview of wired networks, its parameters, used standards and the deployment possibilities. Moreover, it includes the overall overview about optical networks, its parameters, maximum bandwidth, reachable distances as well as the advantages and disadvantages in comparition with wired networks. The project describes network elements which are used in the optical access network such as media convertors, optical switches etc. The practical part includes results of testing of the network devices in various scenarios. To get a comparable result, the real throughput, the power of each device and compatibility of devices from different producers were measured. At the end I have suggested few scenarios with the usage of optical switches and media convertors for extension of the current optical network. The calculation of costs for building and operation of the network is also included.

This diploma thesis deals with the design of the centrifugal switch of water turbine. The centrifugal switch is the security feature that stops the unit when the permitted unit speed is exceeded. In the first part of this thesis, the currently used types of centrifugal switches are described. This section deals also with the new centrifugal switch design and dynamics analysis of individual switch pins.

The Quality of Service (QoS) is in converged systems an important parameter. The dissertation thesis deals with research of QoS implementation into a newly developed network element. There was designed and implemented new protocol, based on the IP. The dissertation thesis deals with proposal of a new network element – the switch controlled by a neural network. During the research have been measured switches cross a performance classes. On the base of the measurement was designed the new four-port switch with switch fabric build on crossbar switch with an external control. The switch was designed with maximum QoS support. The switch fabric is controlled by the feedforward backpropagation neural network. The designed switch was modeled in the MATLAB and Simulink. The simulations prove that developed solution is functional.