The purpose of this paper is to introduce and initially evaluate an experimental sensory substitution device (SSD), which converts color to audible sound. Our system, called Colorophone provides continuous information about the color, light intensity and distance. The color sonification method is inspired by the human visual system. While designing sonification method we took into consideration mismatch in sensory bandwidth, possible sensory overload, nature of sensory spatiotemporal continuity and cross-modal correspondences between colors and sounds. We conducted a preliminary experimental evaluation of the color and object recognition abilities as well as orientation ability. We show that blindfolded participants can easily acquire the color information coded in the auditory stimuli generated by the Colorophone system after a short learning session. Our preliminary experiments indicate that sonified color information helps in object identification and enhances orientation ability. The Colorophone proved to be an easy to understand and intuitive visual-to-auditory coding system, which shows promising results in future visual rehabilitation of the blind.

We show that our proposed optical packet switched (OPS) hybrid network model supports both high throughput efficiency and guaranteed service transport (GST) with no packet loss and constant delay. The network comprises a wavelength routed optical network (WRON) enabling GST, and a statistically multiplexed (SM) network enabling high throughput. In the WRON, packets follow a fixed wavelength path and forwarding is based on the packets wavelength, while in the SM network, packets are switched according to header information. High reliability of GST packet forwarding is possible, because the forwarding does not depend on the operation of the packet switch. A novel node design supporting three Quality of Service (QoS) classes is proposed and described in detail. It facilitates full sharing of the link bandwidth by segregating GST packets and SM packets using polarization time division multiplexing (PTDM). SM packets are differentiated into two specified sub-QoS classes employing a novel buffer reservation technique and asynchronous buffer scheduling algorithm AIP3Q. We present a detailed analysis of the node throughput performance, demonstrating that buffering resource requirements are reduced in the optical packet switch, because processing and buffering of GST packets is avoided. The SM packet QoS differentiation permits a further reduction of buffer resources

The European ACTS project optical pan-European network (OPEN) aims at assessing the feasibility of an optical pan-European overlay network, interconnecting major European cities by means of a mesh of high-capacity optical fiber links, cross-connected through transparent photonic nodes. Both the transmission links and the routing network elements rely on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) all-optical technologies, such as wavelength translation. This paper presents results obtained in the following domains covered within the project: network topology considerations (optimization and dimensioning); network physical layer simulation; fabrications of packaged functional modules based on advanced optoelectronic devices; laboratory demonstrations of N/spl times/10 Gb/s transmission and routing; feasibility of an optical time division multiplexing/WDM (OTDM/WDM) interface; and the field implementation of a 4/spl times/4 multiwavelength crossconnect prototype, featuring all-optical space and wavelength routing. This implementation was realized in two cross-border field trials, one conducted between Norway and Denmark and the other between France and Belgium. The final results of the Norway to Denmark field trials are presented, featuring the successful cascade of three wavelength-translating optical crossconnects (OXCs), along with the transmission over 1000 km of a mix of standard/submarine cable links for four channels at 2.5 Gb/s.