A framework for offloading real-time applications in a distributed environment

This work focuses on highly dynamic distributed systems with Quality of Service (QoS) constraints (most importantly real-time constraints). To that purpose, real-time applications may benefit from code offloading techniques, so that parts of the application can be offloaded and executed, as services, by neighbour nodes, which are willing to cooperate in such computations. These applications explicitly state their QoS requirements, which are translated into resource requirements, in order to evaluate the feasibility of accepting other applications in the system.

Outsourcing das actividades de marketing digital nas PME

Dissertação de Mestrado Apresentado ao Instituto de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Marketing Digital, sob orientação de Professor Doutor Freitas Santos

A compositional scheduling framework for digital avionics systems

ARINC specification 653-2 describes the interface between application software and underlying middleware in a distributed real-time avionics system. The real-time workload in this system comprises of partitions, where each partition consists of one or more processes. Processes incur blocking and preemption overheads and can communicate with other processes in the system. In this work we develop compositional techniques for automated scheduling of such partitions and processes. At present, system designers manually schedule partitions based on interactions they have with the partition vendors. This approach is not only time consuming, but can also result in under utilization of resources. In contrast, the technique proposed in this paper is a principled approach for scheduling ARINC-653 partitions and therefore should facilitate system integration.

O perfil do profissional de Relações Públicas na era da comunicação digital

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Gestão Estratégica das Relações Públicas.

Highly scalable aggregate computations in cyber-physical systems: physical environment meets communication protocols

In this paper, we focus on large-scale and dense Cyber- Physical Systems, and discuss methods that tightly integrate communication and computing with the underlying physical environment. We present Physical Dynamic Priority Dominance ((PD)2) protocol that exemplifies a key mechanism to devise low time-complexity communication protocols for large-scale networked sensor systems. We show that using this mechanism, one can compute aggregate quantities such as the maximum or minimum of sensor readings in a time-complexity that is equivalent to essentially one message exchange. We also illustrate the use of this mechanism in a more complex task of computing the interpolation of smooth as well as non-smooth sensor data in very low timecomplexity.

Durability of ancient lime mortars in humid environment

Historical buildings are important fingerprints of the history and culture of a region and its communities. Climatic and environmental conditions are often very severe for construction materials, namely in presence of high humidity or in direct contact with water and salts. However, some historical buildings have in our days a very good condition, probably due to careful construction and/or accurate materials selection and to a specific technology. The knowledge of old mortars composition has a fundamental role on the preservation of cultural heritage, allowing information about the used materials, their performance in their specific environment, conducting to adequate and compatible materials to conservation purposes. This article presents two case studies of historical buildings with important defence functions in Lisbon coast, in which ancient lime mortars where used under severe seaside environmental actions. Mortar samples from these two case studies are characterized and the relationship of their composition with the good performance and high durability observed is discussed.

Failure on clinical image quality criteria in digital mammography: how can radiographers do better?

Purpose: To assess image quality using PGMI (perfect, good, moderate, inadequate) scale in digital mammography examinations acquired in DR systems. Identify the main failures and propose corrective actions. Evaluate the most typical breast density. Methods and Materials: Clinical image quality criteria were evaluated considering mammograms acquired in 13 DR systems and classified according to PGMI scale using the criteria described in European Commission guidelines for radiographers. The breast density was assessed according to ACR recommendations. The data were collected on the acquisition system monitor to reproduce the daily practice of the radiographer. Results: The image quality criteria were evaluated in 3044 images. The criteria were fully achieved in 41% of the images that were classified as P (perfect), 31 % of the images were classified as M (moderate), 20% G (good) and 9% I (inadequate). The main cause of inadequate image quality was absence of all breast tissue in the image, skin folders in the pectoral muscle and in the infra-mammary angle. The higher number of failures occurred in MLO projections (809 out of 1022). The most represented (36%) breast type was type 2 (25-50% glandular tissue). Conclusion: Incorrect radiographic technique was frequently detected suggesting potential training needs and poor communication between the team members (radiographer and radiologists). Further correlations are necessary to identify the main causes for the failures, namely specific education and training in digital mammography and workload.

Smart environment technology as a possible enabler of smart cities

This paper discusses the technology of smart floors as a enabler of smart cities. The discussion will be based on technology that is embedded into the environment that enable location, navigation but also wireless power transmission for powering up elements siting on it, typically mobile devices. One of those examples is the smart floor, this implementation follows two paths, one where the floor is passive, and normally passive RFID's are embedded into the floor, they are used to provide intelligence into the surrounding space, this is normally complemented with a battery powered mobile unit that scans the floor for the sensors and communicates the information to a database which locates the mobile device in the environment. The other path for the smart city enabler is where the floor is active and delivers energy for the objects standing on top of it. In this paper these two approaches will be presented, by discussing the technology behind it. © 2014 IEEE.

Sistema de transmissão rádio UWB para amplificação digital de áudio com modulação sigma-delta

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

Virtual laboratory for educational environments

In this paper a new simulation environment for a virtual laboratory to educational proposes is presented. The Logisim platform was adopted as the base digital simulation tool, since it has a modular implementation in Java. All the hardware devices used in the laboratory course was designed as components accessible by the simulation tool, and integrated as a library. Moreover, this new library allows the user to access an external interface. This work was motivated by the needed to achieve better learning times on co-design projects, based on hardware and software implementations, and to reduce the laboratory time, decreasing the operational costs of engineer teaching. Furthermore, the use of virtual laboratories in educational environments allows the students to perform functional tests, before they went to a real laboratory. Moreover, these functional tests allow to speed-up the learning when a problem based approach methodology is considered. © 2014 IEEE.

Digital serious games and simulation games - comparison of two approaches to lean training

In an increasingly competitive and globalized world, companies need effective training methodologies and tools for their employees. However, selecting the most suitable ones is not an easy task. It depends on the requirements of the target group (namely time restrictions), on the specificities of the contents, etc. This is typically the case for training in Lean, the waste elimination manufacturing philosophy. This paper presents and compares two different approaches to lean training methodologies and tools: a simulation game based on a single realistic manufacturing platform, involving production and assembly operations that allows learning by playing; and a digital game that helps understand lean tools. This paper shows that both tools have advantages in terms of trainee motivation and knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, they can be used in a complementary way, reinforcing the acquired knowledge.

Spatial operators for collaborative map handling

MSC Dissertation in Computer Engineering

Realization of fractional-order controllers: analysis, synthesis and application to the velocity control of a servo system

The synthesis and application of fractional-order controllers is now an active research field. This article investigates the use of fractional-order PID controllers in the velocity control of an experimental modular servo system. The systern consists of a digital servomechanism and open-architecture software environment for real-time control experiments using MATLAB/Simulink. Different tuning methods will be employed, such as heuristics based on the well-known Ziegler Nichols rules, techniques based on Bode’s ideal transfer function and optimization tuning methods. Experimental responses obtained from the application of the several fractional-order controllers are presented and analyzed. The effectiveness and superior performance of the proposed algorithms are also compared with classical integer-order PID controllers.

Culturtainment - a new interactive entertainment genre: assessment of Cultural Heritage digital content in leisure software games

European Master in Multimedia and Audiovisual Administration