Context-based identification of energy consumption in industrial plants

Nowadays, reducing energy consumption is one of the highest priorities and biggest challenges faced worldwide and in particular in the industrial sector. Given the increasing trend of consumption and the current economical crisis, identifying cost reductions on the most energy-intensive sectors has become one of the main concerns among companies and researchers. Particularly in industrial environments, energy consumption is affected by several factors, namely production factors(e.g. equipments), human (e.g. operators experience), environmental (e.g. temperature), among others, which influence the way of how energy is used across the plant. Therefore, several approaches for identifying consumption causes have been suggested and discussed. However, the existing methods only provide guidelines for energy consumption and have shown difficulties in explaining certain energy consumption patterns due to the lack of structure to incorporate context influence, hence are not able to track down the causes of consumption to a process level, where optimization measures can actually take place. This dissertation proposes a new approach to tackle this issue, by on-line estimation of context-based energy consumption models, which are able to map operating context to consumption patterns. Context identification is performed by regression tree algorithms. Energy consumption estimation is achieved by means of a multi-model architecture using multiple RLS algorithms, locally estimated for each operating context. Lastly, the proposed approach is applied to a real cement plant grinding circuit. Experimental results prove the viability of the overall system, regarding both automatic context identification and energy consumption estimation.

Design and implementation of an autonomous, proactive, and reactive software infrastructure to help improving the management level of projects

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

A flexible navigation system for autonomous robots operating in heterogeneous environments

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Adapter module for self-learning production systems

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica, Sistemas e Computadores

Personalization platform for multimodal ubiquitous computing applications

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

RAISING INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS AT PRIMARY LEVEL THROUGH STORYTELLING WITHIN A CLIL APPROACH

Trabalho de Projecto apresentado para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino de Inglês

Democratic dialogue and collective learning in the context of self-managed teams

This paper provides a longitudinal, empirical view of the multifaceted and reciprocal processes of organizational learning in a context of self-managed teams. Organizational learning is seen as a social construction between people and actions in a work setting. The notion of learning as situated (Brown & Duguid 1989, Lave& Wenger 1991, Gherardi & al. 1998, Easterby-Smith & Araujo 1999, Abma 2003) opens up the possibility for placing the focus of research on learning in the community rather than in individual learning processes. Further, in studying processes in their social context, we cannot avoid taking power relations into consideration (Contu & Willmott 2003). The study is based on an action research with a methodology close to the ‘democratic dialogue’ presented by Gustavsen (2001). This gives a ground for research into how the learning discourse developed in the case study organization over a period of 5 years, during which time the company abandoned a middle management level of hierarchy and the teams had to figure out how to work as self-managed units. This paper discusses the (re)construction of power relations and its role in organizational learning. Power relations are discussed both in vertical and horizontal work relations. A special emphasis is placed on the dialectic between managerial aims and the space for reflection on the side of employees. I argue that learning is crucial in the search for the limits for empowerment and that these limits are negotiated both in actions and speech. This study unfolds a purpose-oriented learning process, constructing an open dialogue, and describes a favourable context for creative, knowledge building communities.

Ubiquitous computing and natural interfaces for environmental information

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão e Sistemas Ambientais

Context-aware multi-factor authentication

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Including context in a routing algorithm for the internet of things

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

Creation and extension of ontologies for describing communications in the context of organizations

Thesis submitted to Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Computer Science

A middleware for service oriented computing in dynamic environments

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

Vision based context categorization for all-terrain robot

Dissertation presented at the Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa to obtain the Master degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Artificial Intelligence in geospatial analysis: applications of self-organizing maps in the context of geographic information science.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems.

Actividade física e envelhecimento activo : o incremento da prática de actividade física através de consultoria

RESUMO: Num quadro de profundas transformações demográficas, o envelhecimento populacional coloca muitas questões à sociedade. A promoção da saúde e de comportamentos saudáveis desempenha um papel importante numa perspectiva de Envelhecimento Activo. Hoje em dia existem inúmeras evidências científicas de que a Actividade Física regular tem importantes benefícios, tanto a nível físico como psicológico, com um impacto significativo no bem-estar e na qualidade de vida das pessoas em todas as idades. Para fomentar a prática de Actividade Física há um envolvimento cada vez maior dos profissionais de saúde, visto serem figuras de referência para os pacientes. Desta forma, foi objectivo do nosso estudo verificar a existência de uma associação positiva entre a prática de Actividade Física e a Consultoria em Actividade Física, baseado nas seguintes variáveis: análise sócio-demográfica dos indivíduos; percepções e práticas de Actividade Física. Para tal estudámos uma amostra de conveniência, seleccionada a partir dos utentes de ambulatório das Unidades de Saúde Familiar de Benfica e Carnide, constituída por 5 pessoas, todas do sexo feminino, com idades compreendidas entre os 50 e os 65 anos, que se encontravam clinicamente estáveis. Os instrumentos de avaliação utilizados foram os seguintes: Entrevista Semi- Estruturada Inicial e Final, Questionário Internacional de Actividade Física – Versão Longa, e Questionário de Satisfação. Com os resultados obtidos podemos concluir que a Consultoria em Actividade Física contribuiu para o aumento da consciência das pessoas para a necessidade de movimentos e de Actividade Física para melhorar a saúde a nível físico, psicológico e social.-------------- ABSTRACT: In a context of profound demographic changes, population aging poses many questions to society. Health promotion and healthy behaviors play an important role in an Active Ageing perspective. Nowadays there are plenty of scientific evidence that regular physical activity has important benefits, both physically and psychologically, with significant impact on the wellbeing and quality of life for people of all ages. To encourage the practice of physical activity there is an increasing involvement of health professionals, because they are reference figures for the patients. Thus, the aim of our study was to verify the existence of a positive association between the practice of Physical Activity and Physical Activity Consulting, based on the following variables: social demographic features of individuals, perceptions and practices of Physical Activity. To this end we studied a convenience sample, selected from outpatients of Family Health Units in Benfica and Carnide, consisting of 5 persons, all female, aged between 50 and 65, who were clinically stable. The assessment instruments used were the following: Initial and Final Semi-Structured Interview, International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Long Version, and Satisfaction Questionnaire. With these results we can conclude that Physical Activity Consulting contributed to increase people's awareness of the need for movement and physical activity, in order to improve health at the physical, psychological and social level.