Intelligent behavior in a Cyber-Ambient training system for control center operators

This paper deals with the application of an intelligent tutoring approach to delivery training in diagnosis procedures of a Power System. In particular, the mechanisms implemented by the training tool to support the trainees are detailed. This tool is part of an architecture conceived to integrate Power Systems tools in a Power System Control Centre, based on an Ambient Intelligent paradigm. The present work is integrated in the CITOPSY project which main goal is to achieve a better integration between operators and control room applications, considering the needs of people, customizing requirements and forecasting behaviors.

Bid definition method for electricity markets based on an adaptive multiagent system

Electricity markets are complex environments with very particular characteristics. MASCEM is a market simulator developed to allow deep studies of the interactions between the players that take part in the electricity market negotiations. This paper presents a new proposal for the definition of MASCEM players’ strategies to negotiate in the market. The proposed methodology is multiagent based, using reinforcement learning algorithms to provide players with the capabilities to perceive the changes in the environment, while adapting their bids formulation according to their needs, using a set of different techniques that are at their disposal. Each agent has the knowledge about a different method for defining a strategy for playing in the market, the main agent chooses the best among all those, and provides it to the market player that requests, to be used in the market. This paper also presents a methodology to manage the efficiency/effectiveness balance of this method, to guarantee that the degradation of the simulator processing times takes the correct measure.

Ant colony system based approach to single machine scheduling problems: weighted tardiness scheduling problem

The paper introduces an approach to solve the problem of generating a sequence of jobs that minimizes the total weighted tardiness for a set of jobs to be processed in a single machine. An Ant Colony System based algorithm is validated with benchmark problems available in the OR library. The obtained results were compared with the best available results and were found to be nearer to the optimal. The obtained computational results allowed concluding on their efficiency and effectiveness.

Case-based reasoning for meta-heuristics self-parameterization in a multi-agent scheduling system

A novel agent-based approach to Meta-Heuristics self-configuration is proposed in this work. Meta-heuristics are examples of algorithms where parameters need to be set up as efficient as possible in order to unsure its performance. This paper presents a learning module for self-parameterization of Meta-heuristics (MHs) in a Multi-Agent System (MAS) for resolution of scheduling problems. The learning is based on Case-based Reasoning (CBR) and two different integration approaches are proposed. A computational study is made for comparing the two CBR integration perspectives. In the end, some conclusions are reached and future work outlined.

Cooperation mechanism for team-work based multi-agent system in dynamic scheduling through meta-heuristics

This paper describes a Multi-agent Scheduling System that assumes the existence of several Machines Agents (which are decision-making entities) distributed inside the Manufacturing System that interact and cooperate with other agents in order to obtain optimal or near-optimal global performances. Agents have to manage their internal behaviors and their relationships with other agents via cooperative negotiation in accordance with business policies defined by the user manager. Some Multi Agent Systems (MAS) organizational aspects are considered. An original Cooperation Mechanism for a Team-work based Architecture is proposed to address dynamic scheduling using Meta-Heuristics.

A New Approach to Monitoring Touristic and Cultural Routes: The Challenge of Development and Use of Indicators-Based Systems

The present paper results of an ongoing research project were it is expected to develop an information system to monitoring a cultural-touristic route. The route to monitor is the Romanesque Route of Tâmega. This Route is composed of 58 monuments located in the region of Tâmega in the North of Portugal. Due to the particular location of this region, that is between coastal zone, but not yet in the inland, it has a weak political influence, and it is reflected in the low levels of development at several levels, observed. The Romanesque Route was implemented in a part of this region in 1998, and enlarged to the all-region in 2010. In order to evaluate the socio-ecomonic impact of this route in the region a research project is being developed. The main goal of this paper is to open a discussion on the elements that must be taken into consideration to evaluate the economic and social impact of a touristic cultural route within a region and this one in particular.

Intelligent recommendation system for e-learning platforms

As more and more digital resources are available, finding the appropriate document becomes harder. Thus, a new kind of tools, able to recommend the more appropriated resources according the user needs, becomes even more necessary. The current project implements an intelligent recommendation system for elearning platforms. The recommendations are based on one hand, the performance of the user during the training process and on the other hand, the requests made by the user in the form of search queries. All information necessary for decision-making process of recommendation will be represented in the user model. This model will be updated throughout the target user interaction with the platform.

FIA potentiometric system based on periodate polymeric membrane sensors for the assessment of ascorbic acid in commercial drinks

Ascorbic acid is found in many food samples. Its clinical and technological importance demands an easyto- use, rapid, robust and inexpensive method of analysis. For this purpose, this work proposes a new flow procedure based on the oxidation of ascorbic acid by periodate. A new potentiometric periodate sensor was constructed to monitor this reaction. The selective membranes were of PVC with porphyrin-based sensing systems and a lipophilic cation as additive. The sensor displayed a near-Nernstian response for periodate over 1.0x10-2–6.0x10-6 M, with an anionic slope of 73.9 ± 0.9 mV decade-1. It was pH independent in acidic media and presented good selectivity features towards several inorganic anions. The flow set-up operated in double-channel, carrying a 5.0x10-4 M IO- 4 solution and a suitable buffer; these were mixed in a 50-cm reaction coil. The overall flow rate was 7 ml min-1 and the injection volume 70 µl. Under these conditions, a linear behaviour against concentration was observed for 17.7–194.0 µg ml-1, presenting slopes of 0.169 mV (mg/l)-1, a reproducibility of ±1.1 mV (n = 5), and a sampling rate of ~96 samples h-1. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of beverages and pharmaceuticals.

A distributed system for learning programming on-line

Several Web-based on-line judges or on-line programming trainers have been developed in order to allow students to train their programming skills. However, their pedagogical functionalities in the learning of programming have not been clearly defined. EduJudge is a project which aims to integrate the “UVA On-line Judge”, an existing on-line programming trainer with an important number of problems and users, into an effective educational environment consisting of the e-learning platform Moodle and the competitive learning tool QUESTOURnament. The result is the EduJudge system which allows teachers to apply different pedagogical approaches using a proven e-learning platform, makes problems easy to search through an effective search engine, and provides an automated evaluation of the solutions submitted to these problems. The final objective is to provide new learning strategies to motivate students and present programming as an easy and attractive challenge. EduJudge has been tried and tested in three algorithms and programming courses in three different Engineering degrees. The students’ motivation and satisfaction levels were analysed alongside the effects of the EduJudge system on students’ academic outcomes. Results indicate that both students and teachers found that among other multiple benefits the EduJudge system facilitates the learning process. Furthermore, the experi- ment also showed an improvement in students’ academic outcomes. It must be noted that the students’ level of satisfaction did not depend on their computer skills or their gender.

Distribution system operation supported by contextual energy resource management based on intelligent SCADA

Future distribution systems will have to deal with an intensive penetration of distributed energy resources ensuring reliable and secure operation according to the smart grid paradigm. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is an essential infrastructure for this evolution. This paper proposes a new conceptual design of an intelligent SCADA with a decentralized, flexible, and intelligent approach, adaptive to the context (context awareness). This SCADA model is used to support the energy resource management undertaken by a distribution network operator (DNO). Resource management considers all the involved costs, power flows, and electricity prices, allowing the use of network reconfiguration and load curtailment. Locational Marginal Prices (LMP) are evaluated and used in specific situations to apply Demand Response (DR) programs on a global or a local basis. The paper includes a case study using a 114 bus distribution network and load demand based on real data.

INDEPTH: timeliness assessment of ethernet/IP-based systems

The continuous improvement of Ethernet technologies is boosting the eagerness of extending their use to cover factory-floor distributed real time applications. Indeed, it is remarkable the considerable amount of research work that has been devoted to the timing analysis of Ethernet-based technologies in the past few years. It happens, however, that the majority of those works are restricted to the analysis of sub-sets of the overall computing and communication system, thus without addressing timeliness in a holistic fashion. To this end, we address an approach, based on simulation, aiming at extracting temporal properties of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Ethernet-based factory-floor distributed systems. This framework is applied to a specific COTS technology, Ethernet/IP. We reason about the modeling and simulation of Ethernet/IP-based systems, and on the use of statistical analysis techniques to provide useful results on timeliness. The approach is part of a wider framework related to the research project INDEPTH NDustrial-Ethernet ProTocols under Holistic analysis.

Level monitoring system for waste oil containers: an EPS@ISEP project

Waste oil recycling companies play a very important role in our society. Competition among companies is tough and process optimization is essential for survival. By equipping oil containers with a level monitoring system that periodically reports the level and alerts when it reaches the preset threshold, the oil recycling companies are able to streamline the oil collection process and, thus, reduce the operation costs while maintaining the quality of service. This paper describes the development of this level monitoring system by a team of four students from different engineering backgrounds and nationalities. The team conducted a study of the state of the art, draw marketing and sustainable development plans and, finally, designed and implemented a prototype that continuously measures the container content level and sends an alert message as soon as it reaches the preset capacity.

Analysis of the domain of applicability of an algorithm for a resources system selection problem for Distributed/Agile/Virtual Enterprises integration

The process of resources systems selection takes an important part in Distributed/Agile/Virtual Enterprises (D/A/V Es) integration. However, the resources systems selection is still a difficult matter to solve in a D/A/VE, as it is pointed out in this paper. Globally, we can say that the selection problem has been equated from different aspects, originating different kinds of models/algorithms to solve it. In order to assist the development of a web prototype tool (broker tool), intelligent and flexible, that integrates all the selection model activities and tools, and with the capacity to adequate to each D/A/V E project or instance (this is the major goal of our final project), we intend in this paper to show: a formulation of a kind of resources selection problem and the limitations of the algorithms proposed to solve it. We formulate a particular case of the problem as an integer programming, which is solved using simplex and branch and bound algorithms, and identify their performance limitations (in terms of processing time) based on simulation results. These limitations depend on the number of processing tasks and on the number of pre-selected resources per processing tasks, defining the domain of applicability of the algorithms for the problem studied. The limitations detected open the necessity of the application of other kind of algorithms (approximate solution algorithms) outside the domain of applicability founded for the algorithms simulated. However, for a broker tool it is very important the knowledge of algorithms limitations, in order to, based on problem features, develop and select the most suitable algorithm that guarantees a good performance.

Meta-heuristics self-parameterization in a multi-agent scheduling system using case-based reasoning

This paper proposes a novel agent-based approach to Meta-Heuristics self-configuration. Meta-heuristics are algorithms with parameters which need to be set up as efficient as possible in order to unsure its performance. A learning module for self-parameterization of Meta-heuristics (MH) in a Multi-Agent System (MAS) for resolution of scheduling problems is proposed in this work. The learning module is based on Case-based Reasoning (CBR) and two different integration approaches are proposed. A computational study is made for comparing the two CBR integration perspectives. Finally, some conclusions are reached and future work outlined.

A system verification strategy based on the BST infrastructure

A good verification strategy should bring near the simulation and real functioning environments. In this paper we describe a system-level co-verification strategy that uses a common flow for functional simulation, timing simulation and functional debug. This last step requires using a BST infrastructure, now widely available on commercial devices, specially on FPGAs with medium/large pin-counts.