Contextual intelligent load management with ANN adaptive learning module

With the current increase of energy resources prices and environmental concerns intelligent load management systems are gaining more and more importance. This paper concerns a SCADA House Intelligent Management (SHIM) system that includes an optimization module using deterministic and genetic algorithm approaches. SHIM undertakes contextual load management based on the characterization of each situation. SHIM considers available generation resources, load demand, supplier/market electricity price, and consumers’ constraints and preferences. The paper focus on the recently developed learning module which is based on artificial neural networks (ANN). The learning module allows the adjustment of users’ profiles along SHIM lifetime. A case study considering a system with fourteen discrete and four variable loads managed by a SHIM system during five consecutive similar weekends is presented.

Learning objects recommendation in an adaptive educational hypermedia system

The aim of this paper is presenting the modules of the Adaptive Educational Hypermedia System PCMAT, responsible for the recommendation of learning objects. PCMAT is an online collaborative learning platform with a constructivist approach, which assesses the user’s knowledge and presents contents and activities adapted to the characteristics and learning style of students of mathematics in basic schools. The recommendation module and search and retrieval module choose the most adequate learning object, based on the user's characteristics and performance, and in this way contribute to the system’s adaptability.

PCMAT, an adaptive learning platform

This paper is about PCMAT, an adaptive learning platform for Mathematics in Basic Education schools. Based on a constructivist approach, PCMAT aims at verifying how techniques from adaptive hypermedia systems can improve e-learning based systems. To achieve this goal, PCMAT includes a Pedagogical Model that contains a set of adaptation rules that influence the student-platform interaction. PCMAT was subject to a preliminary testing with students aged between 12 and 14 years old on the subject of direct proportionality. The results from this preliminary test are quite promising as they seem to demonstrate the validity of our proposal.

Adaptation model for PCMAT – Mathematics collaborative learning platform

The aim of this paper is to present an adaptation model for an Adaptive Educational Hypermedia System, PCMAT. The adaptation of the application is based on progressive self-assessment (exercises, tasks, and so on) and applies the constructivist learning theory and the learning styles theory. Our objective is the creation of a better, more adequate adaptation model that takes into account the complexities of different users.

Content adaptation for an adaptive hypermedia system

The aim of this paper is presenting the recommendation module of the Mathematics Collaborative Learning Platform (PCMAT). PCMAT is an Adaptive Educational Hypermedia System (AEHS), with a constructivist approach, which presents contents and activities adapted to the characteristics and learning style of students of mathematics in basic schools. The recommendation module is responsible for choosing different learning resources for the platform, based on the user's characteristics and performance. Since the main purpose of an adaptive system is to provide the user with content and interface adaptation, the recommendation module is integral to PCMAT’s adaptation model.

Development and validation of the Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-OLD module

OBJECTIVE: The increasing proportion of older adults in the general population and the specific characteristics of this age group show the need for the development of specific instruments to measure quality of life in older adults. The study aimed at describing the development and validation of the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life for Older Persons (WHOQOL-OLD) module. METHODS: The WHOQOL-OLD instrument was administered in a sample of 424 older adults in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, in 2005. The questionnaire comprises 24 items divided into six facets: sensory abilities; autonomy; past, present and future activities; social participation; death and dying; and intimacy. Besides the WHOQOL-OLD module, the WHOQOL-BREF, BDI and BHS instruments were also applied. The instrument's internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. RESULTS: The instrument showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficients ranging from 0.71 to 0.88), discriminant validity (p<0.01), concurrent validity (correlation coefficients ranging from -0.61 to -0.50) and test-retest reliability (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.58 to 0.82). Findings concerning criterion validity need further studies. CONCLUSIONS: The WHOQOL-Old module is a useful alternative with good psychometric performance in the investigation of quality of life in older adults.

Plataforma de gestão de incidentes

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores. Área de Especialização de Telecomunicações.

Brazilian WHOQOL-OLD Module version: a Rasch analysis of a new instrument

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Brazilian version of WHOQOL-OLD Module and to test potential changes to the instrument to increase its psychometric adequacy. METHODS: A total of 424 older adults living in a city in Southern Brazil completed the WHOQOL-OLD instrument, in 2005. Rasch analysis was used to explore the psychometric performance of the scale, as implemented by the RUMM2020 software. Item-trait interaction, threshold disorders, presence of differential item functioning and item fit, were analyzed. RESULTS: Two ("death and dying" and "sensory abilities") out of six domains showed inadequate item-trait interactions. Rescoring the response scale and deleting the most misperforming items led to scale improvement. The evaluation of domains and items individually showed that the "intimacy" domain does perform well in contrast to the findings using the classical approach. In addition, the "sensory abilities" domain does not derive an interval measure in its current format. CONCLUSIONS: Unidimensionality and local independence were seen in all domains. Changes in the response scale and deletion of problematic items improved the scale's performance.

Suporte a testes automáticos em aplicações web geradas com a OutSystems Platform

Dissertação de natureza científica para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática e de Computadores

Sobrevivência: jogo interactivo para estudo de arquitecturas de agentes autónomos

Trabalho de projeto para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática e de Computadores

Desenvolvimento de uma plataforma SIG para apoio ao controlo da segurança das grandes barragens portuguesas

Trabalho Final de Mestrado elaborado no Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil pelo Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa no âmbito do protocolo de cooperação entre o ISEL e o LNEC

A biosignal embedded system for physiological computing

Thesis submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master in Electronic and Telecomunications Engineering

Embedded platform for ECG biometric recognition

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electrónica e Telecomunicações

Sistema de recomendação para plataformas de e-learning

O aumento do número de recursos digitais disponíveis dificulta a tarefa de pesquisa dos recursos mais relevantes, no sentido de se obter o que é mais relevante. Assim sendo, um novo tipo de ferramentas, capaz de recomendar os recursos mais apropriados às necessidades do utilizador, torna-se cada vez mais necessário. O objetivo deste trabalho de I&D é o de implementar um módulo de recomendação inteligente para plataformas de e-learning. As recomendações baseiam-se, por um lado, no perfil do utilizador durante o processo de formação e, por outro lado, nos pedidos efetuados pelo utilizador, através de pesquisas [Tavares, Faria e Martins, 2012]. O e-learning 3.0 é um projeto QREN desenvolvido por um conjunto de organizações e tem com objetivo principal implementar uma plataforma de e-learning. Este trabalho encontra-se inserido no projeto e-learning 3.0 e consiste no desenvolvimento de um módulo de recomendação inteligente (MRI). O MRI utiliza diferentes técnicas de recomendação já aplicadas noutros sistemas de recomendação. Estas técnicas são utilizadas para criar um sistema de recomendação híbrido direcionado para a plataforma de e-learning. Para representar a informação relevante, sobre cada utilizador, foi construído um modelo de utilizador. Toda a informação necessária para efetuar a recomendação será representada no modelo do utilizador, sendo este modelo atualizado sempre que necessário. Os dados existentes no modelo de utilizador serão utilizados para personalizar as recomendações produzidas. As recomendações estão divididas em dois tipos, a formal e a não formal. Na recomendação formal o objetivo é fazer sugestões relacionadas a um curso específico. Na recomendação não-formal, o objetivo é fazer sugestões mais abrangentes onde as recomendações não estão associadas a nenhum curso. O sistema proposto é capaz de sugerir recursos de aprendizagem, com base no perfil do utilizador, através da combinação de técnicas de similaridade de palavras, um algoritmo de clustering e técnicas de filtragem [Tavares, Faria e Martins, 2012].

Multiprocessor platform using LEON3 processor

The recent advances in embedded systems world, lead us to more complex systems with application specific blocks (IP cores), the System on Chip (SoC) devices. A good example of these complex devices can be encountered in the cell phones that can have image processing cores, communication cores, memory card cores, and others. The need of augmenting systems’ processing performance with lowest power, leads to a concept of Multiprocessor System on Chip (MSoC) in which the execution of multiple tasks can be distributed along various processors. This thesis intends to address the creation of a synthesizable multiprocessing system to be placed in a FPGA device, providing a good flexibility to tailor the system to a specific application. To deliver a multiprocessing system, will be used the synthesisable 32-bit SPARC V8 compliant, LEON3 processor.