To some Hecke symmetries (i.e. Yang-Baxter braidings of Hecke type) we assign
algebras called braided non-commutative spheres. For any such algebra, we
introduce and compute a q-analog of the Chern-Connes index. Unlike the standard
Chern-Connes index, ours is based on the so-called categorical trace specific
for a braided category in which the algebra in question is represented.Comment: Essentially revised version. Latex file, 22 pages, no figure