Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wyoming, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 24, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-117).

High brightness inorganic LEDs have been utilized effectively for signage application using the edgelighting technique. In this thesis. the inorganic LED-based edgelit signage using transparent acrylic has been evaluated. We determine that the edgelighting technique, although superior in efficiency to other available techniques, suffers from intrinsic limitations, particularly in terms of illumination uniformity. The illumination uniformity can be improved by external means such as a diamond grating. In order to quantitatively establish this, the illumination uniformity of the LED-based signage with and without the diamond grating is examined. The results show a considerable improvement in the illumination uniformity when a diamond grating is used. However, the high cost of the diamond grating and the transparent acrylic amplify the overall cost of signage using LEDs. Therefore, a distributed light source, which can eliminate the use of the diamond grating. is determined to be more suitable for signage application. Organic Light-Emitting diode (OLED), which is a distributed light source, emerges as a possible contender. The second part of our research focuses on the application of OLEDs for signage. We examine two OLED modules from different manufacturers for our evaluation. The first module is a prototype module obtained from the National Research Council (NRC) and the second module is a commercially available OLED from RiT Display Corporation. We present novel design techniques that can be used to implement signage based on OLEDs. A prototype tiled OLED display using commercially available OLEDs is designed and tested. Our investigation suggests that good light uniformity in signage panels can be achieved using OLED modules in the form of tiles. This proves that OLEDs are superior to conventional light-emitting diodes as light sources for signage in terms of illumination uniformity. However, we determine that the currently available OLEDs have a lower light-conversion efficiency in addition to higher costs when compared with conventional LEDs. Though the individual OLEDs cost more than LEDs. signage panels based on OLEDs can be made cheaper by avoiding the use of acrylic sheet and diamond grating. Moreover, the light weight of OLEDs and the fact that OLEDs are diffused sources (rather than point sources like LEDs) add an additional advantage. Also. OLEDs have the potential to be built inexpensively on flexible substrates by using the roll-to-roll technique. This makes OLEDs superior to conventional LEDs in large-area signage applications.

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-42). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

The schoolhouse is a place in which messages for student consumption are typically found with classroom lectures, text, and activities. As with any social setting, however, the communication is not confined to one space but extends, in this case, to hallways, common spaces, and exterior of the building. One of the most common practices for the delivery of messages to students within the schoolhouse is through visual signage. Visual signage can traverse disciplines encompassing concepts from the fields of communication, semiotics, language, literacy, and even interior design. In an effort to understand the impact these signs have on student populations this dissertation asks the question: How are signs within public high schools produced, consumed, and influential to persons in contact with intended messages that are presented in public school spaces? The study utilizes ethnography to describe the production, consumption, and influence of fixed signs in the interior hallways and common spaces at three public high schools in Texas. At each campus, student volunteers, one from each grade level, provided their individual course schedule to follow their daily route from class to class at their particular high school. Post these observations these students engaged in focus groups to discuss the various signs displayed on their campus. In addition, faculty/staff members from each high school volunteered to participate in a separate faculty/staff focus group to discuss the use of signage in schools and the observations made by both the students and myself during the observations. The data suggest that district directives and social happenings guide the production of messages for each campus. The consumption and influence of these messages though is far more complex as a variety of factors contributed to the student and faculty/staff consumption, or lack thereof, and influence to action. As ethnography, this dissertation sheds light onto these complexities revealing that a host of external and internal issues dictate the messages displayed through school signage within the individual schoolhouse.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2009 / The aim of health communication campaigns and visual communication material (VCM) is to positively influence audience health behaviour and attitude. VCM has been used in this respect effectively as a vehicle to convey information about HIV/AIDS over the past three decades. It has been used to promote health knowledge and awareness in order to reduce the transmission of the virus. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of graphic imagery in HIV/AIDS VCM. To realise this aim, the researcher set the following objectives: * To review relevant literature in order to isolate key features and process those that communicators must consider/follow when developing HIV/AIDS VCM; * To determine the comprehension of selected outdoor HIV/AIDS messages, the graphics used in these messages, illustration preferences, and an evaluation of the self-efficacy of selected loveLife outdoor visual messages; and * To propose a model that communicators can use as a guideline when developing VCM. The outcome of the review suggests a compilation of features, design guidelines and variables that may contribute to the effectiveness of VCM. The results of the empirical study indicate that suitable graphic imagery fosters message comprehension, while inappropriate imagery inhibits comprehension, and realistic and appropriate imagery is preferred to abstract and representational imagery. Familiar images can contribute towards improved comprehension of HIV/AIDS messages. These findings also gave birth to the proposed ‘O’ communication model, which is a reflection of the results of the empirical study.

The purpose of this thesis is to raise awareness about the contribution historic signs make to the experience of a place. Illuminated signage has played a key role in the development of the American landscape. The relationship between illuminated signage and sense of place is complex. Because of the ephemeral nature of signs and the public perception of them as advertising tools, the preservation community frequently overlooks signs. By examining three case studies, this thesis presents three different approaches to the preservation of illuminated signage. The first case study is the 2002 New Mexico Route 66 Neon Sign Restoration Project. This case uses Route 66 to examine the preservation of original material in original location. The second case study is the 2002 Amendment to the New York City Zoning Regulations, which mandates signage saturation in Times Square. This case examines the preservation of the experience of Times Square by protecting the historical use of innovative signage. The third case study is the 1996 installation of restored illuminated signs by the Neon Museum in Las Vegas at the Fremont Street Experience. This case examines the collections approach to preserving original Las Vegas illuminated signs in an outdoor museum setting as public works of art. While these three case studies evaluate iconic locations, the lessons are broadly applicable. The preservation approaches outlined here illustrate that every situation is unique and requires a full analysis of the context of the sign. Preservationists should evaluate signage within their local communities by examining the artistry and materiality of the signs. However, it is equally important to evaluate the overall community context of the signs. In order to preserve the experience of historic illuminated signage, it is imperative that preservationists and the general public understand that there are numerous approaches to safeguarding these works and that the time to take action is now. / text

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished