An agent-based evolutionary approach for manufacturing system layout design

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

The operation of autonomous mobile robot assistants in the environment of care facilities adopting a user-centered development design

The participation of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA (Stuttgart, Germany) and the companies User Interface Design GmbH (Ludwigsburg, Germany) plus MLR System GmbH (Ludwigsburg, Germany) enabled the research and findings presented in this paper; we would like to namely mention Birgit Graf and Theo Jacobs (Fraunhofer IPA) furthermore Peter Klein and Christiane Hartmann (User Interface Design GmbH).

Experimental design methodologies for the identification of Michaelis-Menten type kinetics

The main objective of this work was to investigate the application of experimental design techniques for the identification of Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters. More specifically, this study attempts to elucidate the relative advantages/disadvantages of employing complex experimental design techniques in relation to equidistant sampling when applied to different reactor operation modes. All studies were supported by simulation data of a generic enzymatic process that obeys to the Michaelis-Menten kinetic equation. Different aspects were investigated, such as the influence of the reactor operation mode (batch, fed-batch with pulse wise feeding and fed-batch with continuous feeding) and the experimental design optimality criteria on the effectiveness of kinetic parameters identification. The following experimental design optimality criteria were investigated: 1) minimization of the sum of the diagonal of the Fisher information matrix (FIM) inverse (A-criterion), 2) maximization of the determinant of the FIM (D-criterion), 3) maximization of the smallest eigenvalue of the FIM (E-criterion) and 4) minimization of the quotient between the largest and the smallest eigenvalue (modified E-criterion). The comparison and assessment of the different methodologies was made on the basis of the Cramér-Rao lower bounds (CRLB) error in respect to the parameters vmax and Km of the Michaelis-Menten kinetic equation. In what concerns the reactor operation mode, it was concluded that fed-batch (pulses) is better than batch operation for parameter identification. When the former operation mode is adopted, the vmax CRLB error is lowered by 18.6 % while the Km CRLB error is lowered by 26.4 % when compared to the batch operation mode. Regarding the optimality criteria, the best method was the A-criterion, with an average vmax CRLB of 6.34 % and 5.27 %, for batch and fed-batch (pulses), respectively, while presenting a Km’s CRLB of 25.1 % and 18.1 %, for batch and fed-batch (pulses), respectively. As a general conclusion of the present study, it can be stated that experimental design is justified if the starting parameters CRLB errors are inferior to 19.5 % (vmax) and 45% (Km), for batch processes, and inferior to 42 % and to 50% for fed-batch (pulses) process. Otherwise equidistant sampling is a more rational decision. This conclusion clearly supports that, for fed-batch operation, the use of experimental design is likely to largely improve the identification of Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters.

Human-Human Collaboration in Virtual Teams

Extended and networked enterprises distribute the design of products, planning of the production process, and manufacturing regionally if not globally. Employees are therefore confronted with collaborative work over remote sites. A cost effective collaboration depends highly on the organization maintaining a common understanding for this kind of work and a suitable support with information and communication technology. The usual face to face work is going to be replaced at least partly if not totally by computer mediated collaboration. Creating and maintaining virtual teams is a challenge to work conditions as well as technology. New developments on cost-effective connections are providing not only vision and auditory perception but also haptic perception. Research results for improving remote collaboration are presented. Individual, social and cultural aspects are considered as new requirements on the employees of networked and extended enterprises.

The globalisation in the clothing sector and its implications for work organisation: a view from the Portuguese case

The clothing sector in Portugal is still seen, in many aspects as a traditional sector with some average characteristics, such as: low level of qualifications, less flexible labour legislation and stronger unionisation, very low salaries and low capability of investment in innovation and new technology. Is, nevertheless, a very important sector in terms of labour market, with increased weight in the exporting structure. Globalisation and delocalisation are having a strong impact in the organisation of work and in occupational careers in the sector. With the pressure of global competitiveness in what concerns time and prices, very few companies are able to keep a position in the market without changes in organisation of work and workers. And those that can perform good responses to such challenges are achieving a better economical stability. The companies have found different ways to face this reality according to size, capital and position. We could find two main paths: one where companies outsource a part or the entire production to another territory (for example, several manufacturing tasks), close and/or dismissal the workers. Other path, where companies up skilled their capacities investing, for example, in design, workers training, conception and introduction of new or original products. This paper will present some results from the European project WORKS – Work organisation and restructuring in the knowledge society (6th Framework Programme), focusing the Portuguese case studies in several clothing companies in what concern implications of global context for the companies in general and for the workers in particular, in a comparative analysis with some other European countries.

Working in IT projects – Options and Limits of Work Design

Flexible forms of work like project work are gaining importance in industry and services. Looking at the research on project work, the vast majority of present literature is on project management, but increasingly, problems concerning the quality of work and the efficiency of project teams become visible. The question now is how project work can be structured in order to simultaneously provide efficient and flexible work and healthy working conditions ensuring the development of human resources for a long time. Selected results of publicly funded research into project work will be presented based on case studies in 7 software development /IT consulting project teams (N=34). A set of different methods was applied: interviews with management/project managers, group interviews on work constraints, a monthly diary about well-being and critical incidences in the course of the project, and a final evaluation questionnaire on project outcomes focusing on economic and health aspects. Findings reveal that different types of projects exist with varying degree of team members’ autonomy and influence on work structuring. An effect of self-regulation on mental strain could not be found. The results emphasize, that contradicting requirements and insufficient organizational resources with respect to the work requirements lead to an increased work intensity or work obstruction. These contradicting requirements are identified as main drivers for generating stress. Finally, employees with high values on stress for more than 2 months have significantly higher exhaustion rates than those with only one month peaks. Structuring project work and taking into account the dynamics of project work, there is a need for an active role of the project team in contract negotiation or the detailed definition of work – this is not only a question of individual autonomy but of negotiation the range of option for work structuring. Therefore, along with the sequential definition of the (software) product, the working conditions need to be re-defined.

Design and implementation of a behaviorally typed programming system for web services

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática.

Alternativas de design no moodle

Este guião de apoio à formação tem como objectivo apoiar docentes em (1) aprender boas práticas no design de páginas web, (2) conhecer aspectos de versatilidade do moodle e (3) configurar o bloco "course menu".

Design of a doctorate programme on technology assessment: A sabbatical leave project

The work agenda includes the production of a report on different doctoral programmes on “Technology Assessment” in Europe, the US and Japan, in order to analyse collaborative post-graduation activities. Finally, the proposals on collaborative post-graduation programme between FCTUNL and ITAS-FZK will be organised by an ongoing discussion process with colleagues from ITAS.

Dpws middleware to support agent-based manufacturing control and simulation

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Future gender relations in global restructuring processes case study evidence from knowledge-intensive, manufacturing and service occupations

Global restructuring processes have not only strong implications for European working and living realities, but also have specific outcomes with regard to gender relations. The following contribution analyses in which way global restructuring shapes current gender relations in order to identify important trends and developments for future gender (in)equalities at the workplace. On the basis of a large qualitative study on global restructuring and impacts on different occupational groups it argues that occupational belonging in line with skill and qualification levels are crucial factors to assess the further development of gender relations at work. Whereas global restructuring in knowledge-based occupations may provide new opportunities for female employees, current restructuring is going to deteriorate female labour participation in service occupations. In contrast, manufacturing occupations can be characterised by persistent gender relations, which do not change in spite of major restructuring processes at the work place. Taking the institutional perspective into account, it seems to be crucial to integrate the occupational perspective in order to apply adequate policy regulations to prevent the reinforcement of gender related working patterns in the near future.

Towards a GIS-T database design and implementation for public transit planning: the case study of Dar-Es-salaam metropolitan city, Tanzania.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Analysis of support for modularity in object teams based on design patterns

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Informática

A qualitative assessment of modularity in CaesarJ components based on implementations of design patterns

Tese de Mestrado em Engenharia Informática

Novel techniques for the design and practical realization of switched-capacitor circuits in deep-submicron CMOS technologies

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia