Ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) systems suffer from issues that limit their widespread deployment and limit the number of applications where they can be used. These limitations are: lack of a well defined read zone, interference, and environment sensitivity. To overcome these limitations a novel receiver device is introduced into the system. The use of such device or devices mitigates the issues by enabling more "anchor points" in the system. Two such devices exist in industry and academia: the Astraion Sensatag and the Gen2 Listener. The drawbacks of the Sensatag is that it offers poor performance in capturing tag signals. The Gen2 Listener is based on the expensive software defined radio hardware. The purpose of the thesis was to develop a receiver that will enable several new RFID applications that are not available with current RFID systems. The receiver, named ARR (Augmented RFID Receiver), receives tag and reader signals, which are decoded by an FPGA and the results are reported through Ethernet. This device is central to the augmented RFID system. To show the suitability of such an approach, the performance of the implementation was compared to the other two outlined solutions. A comparison of the read rate and range of the implementations were the defining factors. The analysis showed that the ARR is capable of receiving tag signals with a read rate of 50% for passive and 66% for semi-passive tags at a one meter distance and is capable of receiving tag signals at a maximum of 3.25 meters for passive and 5.5 meters for semi- passive tags, with the reader being within 8 meters of the ARR. Two applications were implemented to showcase the ARR: an RFID portal and protocol analyzer.

Ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) systems suffer from issues that limit their widespread deployment and limit the number of applications where they can be used. These limitations are: lack of a well defined read zone, interference, and environment sensitivity. To overcome these limitations a novel receiver device is introduced into the system. The use of such device or devices mitigates the issues by enabling more "anchor points" in the system. Two such devices exist in industry and academia: the Astraion Sensatag and the Gen2 Listener. The drawbacks of the Sensatag is that it offers poor performance in capturing tag signals. The Gen2 Listener is based on the expensive software defined radio hardware. The purpose of the thesis was to develop a receiver that will enable several new RFID applications that are not available with current RFID systems. The receiver, named ARR (Augmented RFID Receiver), receives tag and reader signals, which are decoded by an FPGA and the results are reported through Ethernet. This device is central to the augmented RFID system. To show the suitability of such an approach, the performance of the implementation was compared to the other two outlined solutions. A comparison of the read rate and range of the implementations were the defining factors. The analysis showed that the ARR is capable of receiving tag signals with a read rate of 50% for passive and 66% for semi-passive tags at a one meter distance and is capable of receiving tag signals at a maximum of 3.25 meters for passive and 5.5 meters for semi- passive tags, with the reader being within 8 meters of the ARR. Two applications were implemented to showcase the ARR: an RFID portal and protocol analyzer.

Ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) systems suffer from issues that limit their widespread deployment and limit the number of applications where they can be used. These limitations are: lack of a well defined read zone, interference, and environment sensitivity. To overcome these limitations a novel receiver device is introduced into the system. The use of such device or devices mitigates the issues by enabling more "anchor points" in the system. Two such devices exist in industry and academia: the Astraion Sensatag and the Gen2 Listener. The drawbacks of the Sensatag is that it offers poor performance in capturing tag signals. The Gen2 Listener is based on the expensive software defined radio hardware. The purpose of the thesis was to develop a receiver that will enable several new RFID applications that are not available with current RFID systems. The receiver, named ARR (Augmented RFID Receiver), receives tag and reader signals, which are decoded by an FPGA and the results are reported through Ethernet. This device is central to the augmented RFID system. To show the suitability of such an approach, the performance of the implementation was compared to the other two outlined solutions. A comparison of the read rate and range of the implementations were the defining factors. The analysis showed that the ARR is capable of receiving tag signals with a read rate of 50% for passive and 66% for semi-passive tags at a one meter distance and is capable of receiving tag signals at a maximum of 3.25 meters for passive and 5.5 meters for semi- passive tags, with the reader being within 8 meters of the ARR. Two applications were implemented to showcase the ARR: an RFID portal and protocol analyzer.

This diploma thesis describes the piezoelectric phenomenon and its use for positioning with nanometric precision in laboratory use. In the thesis is description of direct and indirect piezoelectric phenomenon, various types of piezoelectric actuators and ways of their control with the aim of eliminating their hysteresis. The goal is to design a controller for piezo actuator built in the three-axis nanometric manipulator Thorlabs MAX341/M.

V práci je popsán princip synchronní detekce (SD), který byl uplatněn při měření s biosenzory. Metoda SD umožňuje dosažení výrazně lepšího poměru signálu k šumu, vyššího limitu detekce a celkové zlepšení robustnosti měření. Uplatnění SD při měření s biosenzory umožní zlepšit analýzu jeho odezvy a umožní odstranění nežádoucích interferencí nebo šumů, které mohou být způsobeny například mícháním roztoku, elektromagnetickými vlivy nebo parazitními proudy. SD také umožňuje rozložit získaný signál na odezvu stimulace a na dlouhodobý signál jiného procesu, a dále také identifikovat jevy druhého řádu. Pro identifikaci stimulačního signálu ve výstupním signálu měření byl na základě lineárního statistického modelu vyvinut specializovaný software. SD byla ověřena na modelovém případu výstupního signálu biosenzoru s aplikovaným komplexem fotosystému II (PSII) a jeho odezvě na stimulaci světlem. Odezva PSII se řídí kinetikou prvního řádu a může být také ovlivněna inhibitory. Kinetické konstanty vazby herbicidu na PSII závisí lineárně na koncentraci herbicidu. To umožňuje jejich měření také při nízkých koncentracích herbicidu.

L’imagerie à très haute dynamique s’applique à de nombreux domaines de recherche en astronomie et astrophysique. Cette problématique observationnelle est abordée sur plusieurs fronts par de nombreuses techniques complémentaires : coronographie, interferométrie, optique adaptative, controle de front d’onde et discrimination des speckles. La combinaison de celles ci permet d’atteindre un haut contraste avec pour ultime objectif l’imagerie d’exoplanètes et l’étude de l’environnement stellaire. Le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit se focalise sur la coronographie et plus particulièrement sur l’optimisation active du procedé d’occultation en fonction du contexte observationnel.La première partie de cette recherche traite de l’observation d’objets résolus par le développement d’un masque focal de Lyot de diamètre variable. La deuxième partie s’applique à étendre le concept du masque focal adaptatif au masque de phase de type Roddier pour l’observation de l’environnement proche d’objets non résolus. L’utilisation des propriétés des cristaux liquides permet de réaliser un déphasage par rotation de polarisation et une modulation de transmission à l’extérieur du masque. Cette modulation permet un controle actif d’optimisation de l’interférence pour une adéquation du masque au contexte observationnel : longueur d’onde, morphologie d’image et défauts intrinsèques au masque, agitation atmosphérique. La dernière partie de ce manuscrit ébauche de nouvelles perspectives quant à la possibilité d’une imagerie à haut contraste. La modulation temporelle de phase transmise par un masque focal adaptatif est mise à profit par l’utilisation des méthodes de détection synchrone. / High contrast imaging of extra-solar planets and environments of bright astro- physical objects in general, such as stars, active galactic nuclei or objects of the Solar System is a challenging task. Different approaches are needed if the bright region to occult is optically resolved or not. We present the Adaptive Mask concept, observations on sky and numerical simulations show the usefulness of the proposed methods to optimize the efficiency of the coronagraphs for optically resolved or non resolved objects. Accessing small IWA is considered as an edge as it provides substantial scientific and technical advantages. One of the difficulties of accessing small IWA is that coronagraphs become very sensitive to low-order aberrations such as tip-tilt. Our original approach aims at integrating the small IWA capability and the mitigation of sensitivity to low-order aberrations within the coronagraph itself. Our concept is applicable to both low and high Strehl regimes, corresponding to current and next generation AO systems. The adaptive coronagraph can adapt dynamically, in quasi real time, to adjust to the observing conditions to deliver a stable and optimized contrast at the science image level. The mask adaptability both in size, phase and amplitude also compensates for manufacturing errors of the mask itself, and potentially for chromatic effects. The mask adaptability concept using a local phase modulation in the focal plane allows synchronous modulation for high dynamic range synchronous detection of a faint target immersed in a background. The coherence of the speckles with the central star is used to discriminate them from proper companions.

The purpose of this work is the design of a gaussmeter with a three-axis probe for magnetic field mapping and subsequent reconstruction of the image using magnetic impedance tomography. Commercially available gaussmeters have low bandwidth for these purposes, and signals cannot be measured in synchronous detection mode. The aim of the thesis is select the most suitable magnetic field sensors for the MIT purposes and to design the entire measuring device to meet the measurement requirements in the wider frequency band and synchronous detection. Attention will also be paid to designing a suitable mechanical design of the probe and the location of the sensors. The proposed device will be tested and evaluated for MIT purposes.