Experimental demonstration of a record high 11.25Gb/s real-time optical OFDM transceiver supporting 25km SMF end-to-end transmission in simple IMDD systems.

The fastest ever 11.25Gb/s real-time FPGA-based optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OOFDM) transceivers utilizing 64-QAM encoding/decoding and significantly improved variable power loading are experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, incorporating advanced functionalities of on-line performance monitoring, live system parameter optimization and channel estimation. Real-time end-to-end transmission of an 11.25Gb/s 64-QAM-encoded OOFDM signal with a high electrical spectral efficiency of 5.625bit/s/Hz over 25km of standard and MetroCor single-mode fibres is successfully achieved with respective power penalties of 0.3dB and -0.2dB at a BER of 1.0 x 10(-3) in a directly modulated DFB laser-based intensity modulation and direct detection system without in-line optical amplification and chromatic dispersion compensation. The impacts of variable power loading as well as electrical and optical components on the transmission performance of the demonstrated transceivers are experimentally explored in detail. In addition, numerical simulations also show that variable power loading is an extremely effective means of escalating system performance to its maximum potential.

Research in development: learning from the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems

This working paper aims to synthesize and share learning from the experience of adapting and operationalizing the Research in Development(RinD) approach to agricultural research in the five hubs under the The CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems. It seeks to share learning about how the approach is working in context and to explore the outcomes it is achieving through initial implementation over 3 ½ years. This learning can inform continuation of agricultural research in the second phase of the CGIAR research programs and will be useful to others aiming to implement research programs that seek to equitably build capacity to innovate in complex social-ecological systems. Each of the chapters in this working paper have shown that RinD has produced a range of outcomes that were often unexpected and broader in scope than might result from other approaches to agricultural research. RinD also produces innovations, and there is evidence that it builds capacity to innovate.